“‘The present state of our faith and hope, with the severe trials which many of us experience, call for much brotherly love, forbearance, patience, and prayer. No cause, be it ever so holy, can exist in this present world, without its attendant evils. Therefore, it becomes necessary for all who are connected with this cause to exercise great charity; for charity covers a multitude of sins. SLWM 350.3
“‘The cause we advocate calls upon all men to read the word of God, and to reason, judge, compare, and digest for themselves. This is certainly right, and is the privilege of all rational members of the community. Yet this very liberty may become a stumbling-block to many, and without charity, be the means of scattering, dividing, and causing contention among brethren. Human nature is such that those who are governed by a desire to rule over others will seize the reins, and think all must bow to their decision; while others will think such unfit for the station they assume. James foresaw the evils under which we labor, and gives us a caution in his third chapter, to which we shall do well to take heed. Our present difficulties arise more from the multiplicity of masters and leaders among us (some of whom are governed by carnal motives) than from any want of light. The word of God affords light enough to guide us in all cases, “that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work.” But among the thousand-and-one expositions of Scripture, which are every day being palmed upon us, some of them, at least, must be wrong. Many of them are so weak and silly that they bring a stigma on the blessed book, confuse the mind of the inquirer after truth, and divide the children of God. SLWM 350.4
“‘To remedy this evil, we must learn to judge men and principles by their fruits, and not be too hasty in receiving the exposition which may be presented by every pretender to wisdom and sanctity. Any exposition of Scripture which conflicts with other texts must be spurious. Any man whose object is to obtain followers must be avoided. Whatever produces envy and strife, brethren, is of the devil; and we must resist his temptations in their beginning. If God has been with us from the commencement of our illumination respecting the hope of his glorious appearing, shall we abandon the truth wherein our souls have been comforted, and our brotherly love established, for fables? We ought to be careful lest we grieve the Holy Spirit. How did we receive this doctrine at first? Was it not by searching the word of God, and a careful comparison of scripture with scripture? Yes; our faith did not rest on the word of man. We than required chapter and verse, or we would not believe. Why should we leave our former rule of faith, to follow the vain and changing opinions of men? Some are neglecting the lamp, and seeking to walk by sparks of their own kindling. There is a propensity in many to make all prophecy apply to our time and country. Others have split on this rock. Some of the best writers and commentators have thus erred. They have, in many instances, considered themselves, their sect, or their nation, as the peculiar favorites of Heaven; and have therefore often failed to apply prophecy aright. An Englishman, writing on prophecy,will make the English territory the principal place of action - the Frenchman, France - the German, Germany - and an American, the United States. So is it with all sectarians. When minds are contracted by selfishness and bigotry, they lose sight of the glory of God, and his word, and seek only their own glory. On the other hand, they neglect, if they do not actually reject, such parts of the oracles of God as militate against their views, and rush headlong into error. If we are thus liable to be deceived by the cunning craftiness of men, we ought to be cautious how we are led by every fanciful interpretation of Scripture. Let us then be more wary, and, like the noble Bereans, search the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things are so. Then, if we err, we shall have the consolation that we have made a careful examination of the subject, and that the error was one of the head, and not of the heart. Christians should receive no evidence but the testimony of God as a ground of faith. SLWM 351.1
“‘We are commanded to be sober, and hope to the end for that grace which is to be brought unto us at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Our disappointment, as to the time, should have no effect on our hope. We know that Christ has not yet been revealed, and the object of our hope is yet in the future. Therefore, if we believe in God’s word, as we profess, we ought to be thankful for the trial of our faith. SLWM 353.1
“‘We shall not have to wait long for the glorious appearing of Christ. Therefore, let us lift up our heads and rejoice, knowing that our redemption draweth nigh. We regret to see any impatience manifested among the friends of Jesus. God is now trying our graces. How solemn the thought that any should lose the crown when near the goal! Let us arise, shake off our dullness, redouble our diligence, let all the world know there is such a grace as Christian perseverance, and let all see that we are truly seeking a better country. Can it be possible, after we have run well for a season, loved the appearing of Jesus, come to a time when we must expect him, and should be ready to cast ourselves into his arms, that we shall go back or again strike hands with a thoughtless world? May God forbid! Let us then go forward. It is death to go back; to go forward can be no more. SLWM 353.2
“‘We are pained to see a disposition to murmur against those who have been pioneers in the war - who have sacrificed all earthly considerations to support a truth so unpopular as the second advent and personal reign of Jesus Christ. SLWM 354.1
“‘Brethren, shun such as cause divisions among very friends. Remember the admonition of James: “Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned; behold, the Judge standeth at the door.” We see, by this rule, that when a brother loses his fellowship for the saints, he is certainly in darkness. We must be careful not to follow what he may term “light.” Love for brethren is a test of our interest in Christ, without which all gifts and works are like sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal. Let us cultivate, with peculiar care, this loveliest of all Christian graces, and frown on the man who attempts to cause division. “Offenses must needs come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!” What can we say more, to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance? SLWM 354.2
“‘We would, therefore, recommend more study of the Scriptures, and less writing, and that we be careful not to submit to public inspection mere speculations until they are closely scrutinized by some judicious friend. Thus we shall avoid many errors. We should always be more jealous of ourselves than of others. Self love is the strongest, most dangerous, and deceitful foe that we meet in our Christian warfare. We have arrived at a period of deep interest and peril. It is interesting, because the evidence of the Saviour being at the door is plain, so that no sincere student of prophecy can be at a loss to know that that day, for which all other days were made, is near. How interesting to live in expectation of the day which patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, desired to see, but died without the sight! Persecution and death lose their sting, in prospect of the coming Conqueror, who hath all power, and who hath engaged to put all enemies under his feet. We need not murmur; for, in this our day, God will bring to pass this act, this (to the worldly man) strange act, for which all the weary saints, for six thousand years, have lived and prayed. We entreat you to hold fast the confidence which you have had in the word of God unto the end. “Yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” “Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” SLWM 354.3
“‘WM. MILLER,
Chairman of Committee.’
“The doings of that Conference were unanimously ratified by the annual Conferences subsequently held, in that year in New York and in Boston; and the ‘important truths’ there inculcated were often unanimously re-affirmed, so that they have become the settled principles of those known as Adventists. Others, dissenting from them, but agreeing in unimportant particulars, and yet claiming to be Adventists, are not recognized as such by Adventists. 1The great sin of this time evidently was the disposition of the leading men in the cause to draw back from the clear position, powerful work, and deep experience, of the time movement. They were disappointed and greatly embarrassed. And, instead of patiently waiting for God to open to their minds the great sanctuary question in his own good time, they impatiently and rashly cast away their confidence in the work of God, and abandoned themselves to the fearful work described in the following prophetic exhortation of Paul: “Cast now away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:35-39.
The application of this exhortation is so very natural and forcible that it will hardly be called in question. It was a fearful time. Satan was in a most powerful manner attaching the fancies and extravagances of fanaticism to the only true and correct position. This made the gulf between the two parties still wider. Both in their extreme positions hurt each other. The course of those who were drawing back filled the other with terror, while their extremes in turn confirmed the more prudent that to draw back was the only safe position.
In such a position, with God’s frown upon them, he could not bless their associated efforts at the Albany Conference to rise above existing elements of confusion, and shake off the reproach that was being brought upon the second advent cause. Associated action, upon proper ground, has been right in all periods of the Christian church; but that work at the Albany Conference proved itself not of God, in that it has, in the main, come to nought. The present condition of the surviving leaders in that compact to facilitate a grand march into Egypt, and who drew Mr. Miller in a degree into their confederacy, is indeed deplorable. But that faithful man of God, with the weight of years, and the feebleness of the terrible strain of labors upon him, could not be induced to deny the hand of God in the advent movement, to which he had confidingly devoted all.J.W. SLWM 355.1
“Mr. Miller was in Boston, where he arrived on Saturday, May 24, to attend the annual Conference there of the week following. That commenced on Monday, May 26, when Mr. M. discoursed from Revelation 6:17: ‘For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?’ He made a personal and practical application of this event, and presented the evidence of its probably nearness. SLWM 356.1
“During the Conference, he spoke feelingly of the passing of the time. He remarked that, ‘Ere this, he had been in hopes of meeting all present in the heavenly kingdom. But, if we love the Lord Jesus Christ, however much we may be disappointed, we shall not forget Christ’s coming. God may see fit to disappoint us, sometimes, for our good. We may not see the wisdom and fullness of the whole of God’s plan; but he never tries us but for our profit. Therefore, we should not be disheartened or cast down.’ Every disappointment only made him more strong in the belief of the certainty of the nearness of Christ’s appearing. SLWM 357.1
“‘I had,’ he said,’ ‘denied the Bible for twelve years. I used to read it to see how curiously men would act, and contradict each other. But suddenly I became more solemn; its truth began to dawn upon my mind; and I was in great darkness for six months. I saw that I was a poor sinner; but I was soon enabled to love Jesus Christ, and have continued to love him even till the present time. I saw that, if the Bible was true, Christ was the only Saviour of men. I then began to study the Scriptures more fully - determined to study, text by text, till I was fully satisfied as to their import. In comparing scripture with scripture, such a light broke in upon my mind as I had never before seen. I was about two years in going through with the Bible in this manner; and I found it a perfect piece of order and beauty. And, though I have been greatly disappointed, yet I have never ceased to love and regard the authority of the Scriptures. SLWM 357.2
“‘Brethren, we must keep humble. I sometimes tremble when I see individuals endeavoring to exalt themselves, and denounce others who do not see just as they do. Be careful not to err in favor of self. Be careful to avoid self-righteousness. I have noticed that those who have left the second advent cause are the very ones for whom I used to tremble, in view of their arrogancy and self-righteousness. We must not look to ourselves, but must look alone to God. We must cling to our Heavenly Father’s arm, that we may hold fast our confidence even unto that end. The word of God teaches us that we are to be guided alone by him. Had our brethren who have apostatized thus looked to him, they would never have fallen into the awful errors into which they have been led. I love those brethren, but I tremble for their errors. Oh! let us depend wholly on God, that we may be preserved also from departing from the rectitude of our faith! And may we all be enabled to live out the prayer, “Not my will, O god, but thine be done.” ’ SLWM 358.1