TO THE BRETHREN by T. M. Steward

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 1, 1862

TO THE BRETHREN.

By T. M. Steward

DEAR BRETHREN : Duty demands of me a more full and explicit retraction of my past course. I thank God for the gifts of the Spirit he has placed in the church to cleanse and purge it. Through the gift of prophecy already in the church he has shown me some of the corruptions of my own heart, and the wrongs of the past. I thank him for this testimony, and shall try to profit by it.

I would first say that Bro. and sister White have faithfully and fearlessly discharged their duty as the servants of God. May the Lord reward them an hundred fold for their holy boldness and courage to face wrong and contend for the right. I accept the testimony as a message from heaven, and may the Lord help me to profit by it. But, my dear brethren, what can I say for myself? I have no excuse to plead. Instead of promptly and thoroughly righting my wrongs, I have tried to excuse myself by palming it off on others. I have tried to find some way to get out of this matter without reproach. But the Lord would have me come out as effectually as I went in. Amen. I can see, as I professed to be a watchman, it was my duty to see the danger. Had it not been that prejudice blinded my eyes, and my self-righteousness and

stubborn will kept me from the hearts and sympathies of God's true people, so that his pavilion could not cover me, the cause and I might have been saved from this disgrace. But the scripture is true yet, "Every one that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke xviii, 14.

What a contrast! O, may I ever be willing to submit myself to the judgment and experience of God's chosen people. I would with shame and sorrow confess that I have tried to screen myself by censuring alternately Brn. White, Sanborn, Ingraham, and Loughborough, and many of my brethren besides. But viewing it from a new stand-point I acknowledge I have followed an underhanded course against the movements of the body, for which I have no apology to make, only my willful self-justification. May the Lord forgive me. My course, from the time I became connected with the Messenger party, is all wrong. May the Lord help me to mend in the future by a well-devoted life of sacrifice and faithful service with God's dear people.

I would say to the brethren who have been under my influence, that for six or seven years past I have had a very unchristian spirit in cherishing hard feelings, and throwing out hints, from time to time, against the leading brethren in this cause, to build myself up on what I supposed their failings, to give people to understand that I was a little in advance of all the rest. I was too much of a novice, and consequently fell into the snare of the Devil.

But, my dear brethren, what can I say to you. I fear I have led you further off than I shall ever be able to bring you back. May the Lord help and save you. But the sheep and lambs! O, how they have been torn, just because of an unfaithful shepherd! May the Lord save you. I am willing to acknowledge that God is in this work, and that he has chosen Bro. and sister White to lead out in the work, and that he is leading his people onward and upward to mount Zion.

O, when shall I be able to counteract the influence of my past course! May the Lord help me to take my proper place in the cause of present truth, and for the future to keep myself in the love of God and fellowship of my brethren. I want to get right, and keep right, that with the 144000 I may stand at last on mount Zion with the Lamb, having no guile in my mouth. I much regret the influence of my past course. May the Lord check the tide of evil, and dispel the darkness. Amen.

Yours in hope of eternal life.

T. M. STEWARD.