Progression by R. F. Cottrell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 31, 1864

Progression.

By R. F. Cottrell

THE watchword of Spiritualists is progression. This is their boast; and with this they decoy those void of understanding. But their progression is in the wrong direction, it is from bad to worse. Its victims are led on from one degree of infidelity and sin to another, till they become acquainted with the very "depths of Satan." And this sort of progression is rapid and accelerating; for it is a down-hill course, and consequently easy and agreeable to the carnal mind. When one is perfectly given over to it, the lowest level is soon found. Those who do not rapidly descend to this lowest level are still under some kind of restraint which makes them cautious and half-hearted in the service of the Devil. But their master does not care for this, for he knows they are on the direct and sure way to ruin; and indeed he is more than willing that they should keep up some sort of respectable appearance among men, the better to decoy others into the fatal net. This accounts for the different degrees of progress among them, in their downward

course.

But there is another kind of progression—a progression in an opposite direction. And though it may seem uphill work, the result will be transcendently glorious. It is a cross-bearing way, but it is upward to God. The end of it is life everlasting. Though it is the few that choose this way, yet those who do, will at length see that they made the wisest choice.

While Spiritualism is doing up the last work of Satan, to sweep mankind down to destruction, the Lord, by the progressive light of revealed truth is preparing a people for translation into his kingdom, which is about to come, in answer to the heaven-taught petition, "Thy kingdom come." While Spiritualism is leading its votaries to discard the precious truths of the Bible, the work of the Lord leads men to love and cherish the sacred word with increasing delight. While the former leads men to break every commandment of God, the latter is leading the erring back to every precept of the Decalogue. By this we may know where and what the present work of the Lord is. It is opposed to Spiritualism in all its leading features. It is reasonable to believe, that when Satan is permitted to work with such power, the Lord has a work to do for his people which is the very reverse of it.

There is but one people in the world that stand opposed to all the false doctrines of Spiritualism. They teach a theory of man's nature and destiny, utterly opposed to it. This together with the teaching of all the commandments of the moral law, is found with no other people but those that are being moved out by the fulfillment of the message of Rev. xiv, 9–12. No other people, I say, present a bold and directly opposing front to this wily foe. Those then that are heeding this heaven-appointed message, are progressing in the right direction. It is progression toward the Bible—its truths and its Author—and toward the New Jerusalem; and soon its golden gates will be swung open to welcome them in. Rev. xxii, 14. Isa. xxvi, 1, 2. Onward, onward then, the goal will soon be reached, the prize will soon be given.