Conference Address to the Seventh-day Adventists of the State of Minnesota by B. F. Snook; I. Sanborn

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Michigan · Aug 4, 1863

Conference Address to the Seventh-day Adventists of the State of Minnesota.

By B. F. Snook; I. Sanborn

DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: Having labored and held a series of meetings with you, and having acquainted ourselves with the confused state of things among you in Minnesota, as we finish our labors in this State we recommend for your consideration and adoption the following important suggestions:

1. As we have confidence to believe that there is now a feeling of union among you, we admonish you to cherish and cultivate a spirit of brotherly love and union with the people of God. Christ prayed for you (as well as for all other Christians), saying, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word, that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they, also, may be one in me; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." John xvii, 20, 21.

The apostle exhorts you to unity. "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Eph. iv, 1-4. Remember that in union there is strength, but in disunion there is weakness. We have a strong and wily foe to meet, and if we are not united, we never can stand against his heavy assaults. But, on the other hand, if we are all united there is not a doubt but that we shall succeed.

You, in this State, have been so weakened by a lack of union among yourselves that the enemy has gained a great victory over you. He has through your neglect of duty trampled the truth into the dust. Now he rejoices while God and angels mourn. But having taken a new start, if you will but be strong and unitedly oppose the enemy instead of opposing each other, you will stand against him and he will retreat. Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil. Eph. vi, 11.

2. We suggest to you the great importance of the continued study of God's word; not for controversy, but to know his will that you may be able to do it. It is a great shame for Christians to be ignorant of his word. Study to become familiar with the present truth. Procure and read and study the testimonies given through sister White. If you cannot get them individually, join with somebody else and get them, and thus avail yourselves of the instructions they contain. The light in the visions is for us as the peculiar people of God, and we should not be slow to receive it.

3. Cultivate a spirit of constant prayer. God's ears are open to hear you, and you should fill them with earnest cries to him for help to overcome all your besetments. Pray to him for aid to understand and do his will with all your heart.

4. Be prompt in your service to God. You have made solemn vows to him, and seriously promised to start anew to the kingdom, and to do better than you ever have done. Remember that the Lord says, "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay." Eccl. v, 4, 5. You have vowed to lay aside all guile, and envy, and malice, and evil-speaking, and hypocrisy. Be prompt in the discharge of your duties in the family. Neglect not the family altar. Pray early in the evening, before the family grows drowsy and sleepy. Pray for your children, and train them up for God and his kingdom. Be prompt in going to meeting. When the appointment is at ten o'clock, do not wait till eleven, but start so as to be there at, or before, the time; and go to do your duty. Before starting, ask yourself a solemn question, What am I going to meeting for? To do my duty. Lord, help me to do it. Go thus praying for his help to aid you in your duty, and you will have a good meeting. When meeting begins, be prompt to do your duty. Do not wait to speak or pray till all the rest are done, but seek to be among the first. And when you speak or pray, be sure to be spiritual and lively in your exercise. Be careful to avoid speaking lengthily, or trying to preach. There are too many who take advantage of social meetings, and try to preach, or speak more to make a display of their speaking abilities than to glorify God. The testimonies of all such should be very short. A good meeting is frequently spoiled by a long, dry, prosy prayer or testimony from some would-be preacher. Be prompt to fill your engagements with the world. Do not break your word. It causes those to whom you make the promise to lose confidence in you, and then they reproach the truth for it. Make no promises that you cannot fill.

5. Be industrious, and make a good use of your time. Many have contracted slack habits, saying, As the Lord is coming, I need not work as busily as I used to. As a result of which, such persons are poor, hard run, live hard, and cannot afford decent clothing. God is not pleased with such a course. The apostle says that we should be "not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." God requires his people to be industrious and economical, that they may be comfortable, and able to help advance his cause. Slackness is no part of Christianity. That man who professes to believe this truth, and idles his time away, lounging about, is a disgrace to the cause, a disgrace even to the world. Such are always behind in everything. Their systematic dues are unpaid. They cannot pay for the Review. What is the cause of this? "Oh, I am too poor," they tell us. But why are you so poor? You are stout and able-bodied. There is no excuse for such poverty. It is sin. Such persons must reform and go to work, as they ought to have done long ago.

6. Do not encourage a spirit of fault-finding and backbiting. Should one professing to be a brother manifest such a spirit, entreat him in love to desist, and you may save him, and save the cause from reproach and much trouble.

7. Strive at all times to move along in harmony with the body of God's people. He is raising up a people with the great truths of the third angel's message, and is leading them by his Spirit. Be in perfect union with this people. Move as fast as they move; but never fall behind nor run ahead; for then you would be alone, and in your weakness would fall under the influence of the enemy and be destroyed. God says, "Press together; press together." Do not give place to the Devil. Remember that as God has raised up this people, he will lead them safely through; and that it is your duty to follow; for he has not called us to lead, but to be led in this great work.

8. A word to those who keep the Sabbath, but live so far from our churches that they cannot meet but once in a great while. Dear brethren, we deeply sympathize with you in your lonely and cast-off condition. You have to hear your trials alone, without the aid of good brethren to strengthen you. But if you do your duty and live in the light, your brethren can reach you with their prayers, and God will be with you and comfort you. God regards you as his children, and requires you to live and to move in union with his people. We therefore for your best good, recommend you to attach yourselves to the church to which you are most conveniently situated, even though it be many miles from you. Have your membership with your brethren. Also send in your names, with the amount which you are willing freely to donate to the support of the cause, and have them enrolled on the systematic benevolence book. Thus you can be doing something to aid in pushing forward the interests of the cause with so much love, and God will bless you.

Attend meeting as much as you can. Especially attend the quarterly meetings; and when you cannot go, write and send your testimony and S. B. dues. Overcome inconveniences to do your duty, and your blessing will be the greater.

We now close our labors with you. We have tried to do our duty, and God has blessed us with good success at every point. The burden and responsibility of the cause now rests upon you, and its success depends upon your faithfulness to one another, to the truth, and to our God. May you have strength so to do, is our prayer. Amen. B. F. SNOOK. I. SANBORN.