God Save the Sincere by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 17, 1865

God Save the Sincere.

By James White

As different forms of error and fanaticism have had an influence upon the minds of some of the friends of the Lord's Sabbath, the prayer of those who have stood in the light has been, "O Lord, save the sincere." God hears the prayers of his loyal people. His honest ones, though for a time brought under the deceptive power of error, will, in his own good time, stand in the light and freedom of the truth, and enjoy sweet union with the body.

We would call particular attention to the articles in this number of the Review by Brn. Gowell and Davis. All that these brethren needed to help them to the right position was to have the facts in the case set before them. Elder M. E. Cornell, being present at a conference of the disaffected ones in the East, had an opportunity, by the influence and courtesy of brethren Davis, Gowell and others, of stating facts, and exposing the misrepresentations of the leading ones in the faction. This was enough. And this is all that is needed anywhere to fully open the eyes of honest Christian men and women.

The visit of Eld. Cranmer to Portland, it seems, helped in no small degree to expose the deception. Here we wish to state, that the report that Seventh-day Adventists would not receive Eld. Cranmer, because he would not give his property to the cause, is a bold untruth. They never rejected him. The reasons why they hesitated in his case were; first, he seemed too much entangled in the affairs of this life; second, he was a slave to tobacco; and third, they could not see in him sufficient talent, at his age of life, to warrant the supposition that God had called him to the ministry. Probably our factious friends in the East, do not now blame the brethren in Michigan for hesitating in the case of Eld. Cranmer since they have seen and heard him. While the brethren in Michigan were hesitating in the case of Eld. Cranmer, and waiting for evidence that High Heaven had called him to the ministry, he rose against the body, rejected the body, and accepted the leadership of a faction most hostile to the principles of good order taught in the Review. At a crowded meeting of Sabbath-keepers at Otsego, Mich., Mrs. W. bore testimony to him relative to his use of tobacco, and his lack of family government; the truthfulness of which he as publicly confessed. Besides this, he has had no testimony from Mrs. W. So much for the leader of the Michigan faction.

These factions do exist, and will exist, unless Seventh-day Adventists let down the standard, crucify the Holy Spirit, and consolidate in one corrupt church. This they will not do. Their course is marked in prophecy. They are the last of the Seven Churches of Rev. ii and iii, hence God will not call his people out from them. But it is theirs to repent and reform, under the force of pure testimony which will continually send out from them factions, who will not be reformed.

The Celesta, Pa., movement by P. E. Armstrong, for a time attracted the attention of a few unstable souls not in union with the body; but that has had so complete an exposure as to lose its power to deceive.

Elder J. V. Himes, without the least provocation on the part of Seventh-day Adventists, has done what he could to prejudice the people against them. He, too—a man that they would delight to love and respect for his past labors, were it not for his unjust raid against them the past seven months—joins in the general howl of fanatics and bitter opponents against what they call "the visions."

Eld. Himes visited the church of Seventh-day Adventists at Battle Creek some more than a year since. He preached to the church by invitation, and was treated in every respect with attention and hospitality equal to that enjoyed by the most welcome of their own preachers. This was the general feeling of our people, as far as we were acquainted with the facts in the case, everywhere. And it has been painful to see him abuse himself in his heartless efforts to cruelly stab his best friends.

These men know just where to strike. They have learned that their arguments against the general positions of this people have no more strength upon the public mind than a rye straw; also that they have a reputation for conscientious uprightness as a people wherever known. Their attack is not upon the Sabbath, unless it be some quibble about keeping Sabbath around the world, which stands against Sunday, or the existence of the Sabbath institution in any age, as much as against keeping the Sabbath in 1865. They seldom attack even the position of the perpetuity of the gifts, held by Seventh-day Adventists; for the New Testament fully sustains it. No, they choose to strike where they can best appeal to the prejudices of the people. Hence their contemptible, sneering style of opposition to the visions. But this all works finely for the cause.

1. It gives a certain class an opportunity to show out the spirit of the dragon against the commandments of God and testimony of Jesus Christ, which is in them, covered, otherwise, by professions of Christian fellowship for Sabbath keepers.

2. It keeps beyond the influence of Seventh-day Adventists, a class who can be moved by prejudice sooner than by reason, who, should they join them, would only be a detriment to the cause.

3. It

is a kind of advertising, though unpleasant, which leads many candid people to read and to hear, and thereby they get the truth.

4. Some overact in their bitterness against Seventh-day Adventists, and when sure reaction takes place, it is greatly in favor of their cause. Bro. George Wright of Lapeer, who speaks so frankly in this number, is welcomed back to the hearts of this people. Elder Himes' visit to that place with his tent last summer, probably did more to help Bro. Wright, than all other helps, as he has had an opportunity of contrasting for himself Eld. H.'s message and its results, with that of the present truth. In fact, we know not that any other means has been employed in his restoration to the church.

The battle goes well. God is with his truth, and can take its bitterest enemies to serve the cause. Let this still be the prayer of those who stand in the light. O God! save the sincere. J. W.