Extremes | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 31, 1863

Extremes.

One of the great misfortunes of Christianity has been the extreme positions taken, with corresponding course of action carried out, by many of its most ardent, and, in many respects, very worthy supporters. The great reformation, led on by the German reformers, suffered greatly from extremes. Among the reformers there were characters which would now shine upon the pages of history with even greater lustre than that of Martin Luther, were it not for the sad record of extremes into which they ran, which marred the glorious work of reform.

Luther at times was bold, rash, and even impetuous. But God placed Melancthon by his side, an opposite character, to hold him from extremes. Was Melancthon extremely timid and cautious? Luther was just the man to inspire him with boldness and faith. Thus the two great reformers, with the blessing of God, held each other from unfortunate extremes.

And just now we are thinking of Peter and John, the one naturally bold and rash, the other so mild so even and sweet in temper as to be worthy of the compliment of "beloved disciple." Jesus called them both, and when grace had done its work on both, early Christianity needed both, hence we see these especial yoke-fellows in the gospel. The sweet influence of John upon Peter was doubtless better than that of any other Apostle could be, and, doubtless the influence of the boldness and zeal of Peter was just what John needed. Had John become disgusted with Peter's zeal, and found a fellow-laborer of the same cast of mind as his own, they could have enjoyed all the blessings of affinity of spirits so much talked of in these times, but the gospel in their hands might have suffered for want of the very element possessed by his brother Peter. Had Peter cast off John, and taken a fellow-laborer like himself, they might for a time have been happy and delighted with each other's zeal. Peter might have thanked God for a congenial spirit in his colleague, and talked like a spiritualistic philosopher of the glories of "affinity," and they two might have run on in their zeal, and on, and on, and unless checked by some Jerusalem council of apostles and elders, run the cause of Christianity where they labored, into the ground.

Extremes are not prevented by persons of the same cast of mind associating together, but, rather, encouraged. Two ministers of different turn of mind laboring together, by the grace of God, may save each other from extremes. Alone they may both run to extremes. And here is the grand argument for church organization and discipline. If every brother and sister be left to constitute an independent church, how many of peculiar turn of mind are certain to run to ruin. In any body of believers may be found more or less ill-balanced heads and peculiar temperaments. But bring them into one body, and let that be tempered according to the word, and you have a well-balanced and well-tempered church. The strength of their union, and their prosperity will depend upon their obedience to such inspired injunctions as we read in 1 Pet. v, 5, "Likewise ye younger submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another."

As a people, everywhere we exist, we might now be strong had our people looked upon organization with candor when first introduced. In the East we are weak for want of organization. The battle must first be fought there before the cause can rise. Already rebellion is kindling, and as an effort is made to set things in order, you will see every element of confusion and rebellion on the stir. Persons who are nothing to build up in order, in connection with the cause, will delight in tearing down what you may build. Like bridge-burners, while you are building one, if you do not prevent them, they will burn ten bridges. Brn. Hammond and Macomber write to us of one James T. Sweet, of R. I., who is hurting the cause with his extremes. But what can be done with his case in the absence of organization? The Review may be burdened with a statement of his wrongs, which may cause those under his influence to sympathize with him more strongly.

We have outgrown these things in Michigan. When men come to our churches professing to be Seventh-day-Adventist preachers, our brethren simply call for their papers, and that ends the matter without controversy. We regard it of no use to circulate books in R. I., or in any way to teach the truth there, or anywhere else, until order be first restored among believers. As a people we have labored energetically. Self-sacrifice and liberality have marked our history. The message we have borne to the world has been so well defined from God's word that it has had a powerful influence where it has been proclaimed. Yet extremes, which must exist in the absence of order, have eaten up and destroyed a large proportion of the fruits of our energetic labors.

Time never can show the bad results of the spirit of anti-organization among us. It kindled and raged like fire at the first suggestion of organization. It prostrated the cause everywhere, and when the scale turned in favor of organization, there was hardly a congregation among us, from Maine to Minnesota, but what had become so distracted and discouraged that they needed the labors of some faithful preacher a month before they were prepared for organization. But right in here came another extreme nearly as injurious as the first, namely, the rapid organization of churches, when but a portion could be gathered, often leaving the majority outside. So, "one extreme follows another." If it be inquired, "What should have been done?" we reply, The first work was to patiently labor and do away the influence of anti-organization, and bring up our Sabbath-keeping brethren, who have suffered reproach for the truth with us, to a state of harmony, then gather them into church fellowship. If this cannot be done, organization in most cases should be deferred, in hope of a better state of things. May God save us from extremes.