Untitled article by R. F. Cottrell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 4, 1865

"God is not the Author of Confusion." No. 3.

By R. F. Cottrell

SINCE the subject of the previous numbers was in my mind, I happened to take up a paper called The Hope of Israel, in which I find another example or illustration of my subject. I give an extract as follows:

"My wife and myself, since the death of the 'Messenger of Truth,' have mourned our way up to about two years ago, when we believed the time was at hand when the Lord was about to revive his work. And our faith in the prospect revived us some; and behold, two Nos. of The Day Star of Zion, two Nos. of The Hope of Israel, both breathing the same original Advent spirit. I will praise the Lord for the privilege of reading the two Nos. of these two different papers. Nothing short of Bible truth, and the love of God shed abroad in the heart, can feed and satisfy the torn remnant of these last days. And now, as light is bursting forth all around us, showing that the fields are ready for the harvest, we have been praying the Lord to send more laborers into the harvest. And as the work is begun, I will not be faithless but believing."

It would seem from this, that the Lord's special organ had died some years ago, upon which the cause of truth had declined, and the hope of the writer had languished. But now the prospect brightens, hope revives, the work is about to be revived, "light is bursting forth all around, the work is begun," and his faith is strengthened.

Now what is the evidence of the revival of the work of the Lord which is so cheering? It is chiefly contained, as far as we can judge from this document, in "two different papers," though from the representation of "light bursting forth all around," we may imagine the writer hears a multitude of "Voices," East and West, all coming as near to speaking the same thing as the two witnesses which he has named. But do these two papers testify alike? Are they agreed in teaching the "Bible truth" which our friend esteems so highly? No; it is the mission of one of these witnesses to testify that all the people of God must be gathered together to a certain place called Celesta, to set up the kingdom of God preparatory to the advent. Is the other paper agreed in this grand enterprise, and laboring to promote this "work" which our friend says "is begun?" Not at all. The mission, then, of these two "different" papers, it would seem, is entirely different. How is it then that the testimony of these two witnesses, when put together, makes so strong a case that the Lord is reviving his work? God is not the author of confusion. But says our friend, They "both breathe the same spirit." That may be. But what spirit is it? The Spirit of God does not breathe confusion. It is the spirit of confusion. And now I recollect, this is the disease which the Messenger had, the death of which our friend has been so long mourning. It is the work of confusion then that is being revived. This view of the matter makes our friend's reasoning, logical.

But notwithstanding all the confusion that the author of secession and anarchy is trying to heap upon the cause of truth, in order to bring reproach upon the Advent name, still God has a work at the present time, and that work is one. The spirit and the body of it go together. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." Primitive Christianity is being revived; and it does not make God the author of confusion. He has put his hand to the work of fulfilling the third angel's message, and, by this means, to prepare his people for the advent of the Lord. The work is going on harmoniously, and will until it is finished.

We need a great work done for us in this degenerate age, an age which contains the very dregs of humanity. The Spirit of the Lord does not flatter, but reproves us, that we may correct our faults and be saved. Those who are self-righteous and consequently cannot bear reproof, complain of the spirit of this work. They are not willing to reform, and so they sullenly draw back. Suddenly some fanatic, led captive by the Devil, raises the cry, Lo, here! And another voice is heard crying, Lo, there! These discordant notes have a peculiar charm for these disaffected ones, and they exclaim, What a good spirit! Satan has got so complete control over them that they cannot exercise their reasoning faculties, and know that God is not the author of confusion, and consequently that secession is of the Devil.

Those who have understandingly embraced the third angel's message, not as the word of men, but as it is in truth a message from Heaven, will know, if they will reason, that no weapon formed against it will prosper; that those who separate themselves from the nucleus that God in his providence has placed in the world—from those whom God has chosen to lead out in the commencement of the work—do, in reality, renounce the message and deny its heavenly origin. It would be better for them to renounce it openly, own they were deluded in receiving it, return to where it found them, and make no pretensions to enlightenment in present truth, than to unite with some faction from the body, some bundle of withered branches separated from the vine, and still claim to be engaged in the present work of the Lord.

I have written thus, for the benefit of such as are not so far gone in rebellion as to be past recovery. Be exhorted to use the reasoning faculties which God has given you. Weigh the evidences of that which is presented for your acceptance, and always remember the inspired declaration: "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace." R. F. COTTRILL.