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Replies to Elder Canright’s Attacks on Seventh-day Adventists

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    CONCLUSION

    Nature and Progress of Our Work In this, the closing article of this pamphlet, we wish to present a few considerations for the reader’s perusal, concerning the character of the work itself and its present outlook. In doing this it will also be proper to glance at a few historical facts connected with its past history.RCASDA 166.1

    S.D. Adventists have most firmly believed from the very feeblest beginnings of this movement, that they had a special message for the people, based upon the sure word of prophecy, — a work of vast importance to mankind. Believing, as they do, that the end of earthly things is “near even at the doors,” they believe with certain assurance that a message of warning must go forth to the world calling the attention of their fellow-men to this solemn fact. They cannot conceive how the merciful Creator could bring the terrible destruction so often threatened in the Scriptures upon the race of man, and give them no opportunity of being warned of their danger. This is clearly inconsistent with the character ever ascribed to the great God in his own word. It is utterly contrary to his past dealings with the race of man. Whenever any just judgment has been impending, God has mercifully warned those exposed to it, by sending devoted servants with messages of truth announcing the fact. So it was with the antediluvians and Sodomites, and with the Jews before either the destruction of Jerusalem occurred or they were carried into captivity. So, also, it was even with the Gentile city of Nineveh. It matters not that such messages were unpopular and unheeded at the time, as they always were. It made no difference if the great majority utterly rejected the God-given warning. God showed his interest for man, and sought to save him. His character for love and mercy must be maintained, whether men hear or forbear.RCASDA 166.2

    We utterly reject the foolish notion entertained by the orthodox churches that Christ will come the second time, and the mass of mankind be exposed to terrible ruin, and they have no knowledge, nor a chance to obtain any light concerning this great event; but that like a clap of thunder from a clear sky, it will overtake all mankind without the slightest premonition. It is absurd and unscriptural. No reasonable person would pursue such a course toward those who were dependent upon him; and God is certainly as considerate as man. The Bible brings to view clearly this fact, that before the great day of wrath shall come, a warning shall be given. Christ declares: “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:37. Did not Noah have a message of warning to deliver? Then we must expect one before Christ comes. “So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” Luke 21:31. Signs are here given which are immediately to precede his appearing, and be sure evidence of it. It were absurd to suppose that those warned of it would not warn others. Paul says: “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” 1 Thessalonians 5:4. “That day” is when Christ comes, as the immediate connection shows. These brethren who have light will give that light to others. Says the prophet Joel: “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand.” Joel 2:1. We believe that when the time comes, the alarm will be sounded as the word declares. The prophet Zephaniah, in chap. 2:1-3, brings to view the same thing. But the solemn message to be proclaimed is most fully brought to view in Revelation 14:6-12. The most thrilling announcement in all the Bible is here made. The terrible destruction to be visited is here distinctly portrayed. The character of the work to be done is plainly indicated. Christ’s coming in glory is here brought to view.RCASDA 166.3

    S.D. Adventists fully believe that God has called them to proclaim this warning message to the world. They feel a woe is laid upon them if they prove unfaithful. They dare not do it. They feel there is one special work committed to their hands by the God of heaven, and they must be true to their allegiance and discharge their solemn duty. And though, as men who fear God and love humanity, yet fealty to their God-given, special work they are ever bound to show. They must be true to that, and sound the warning to earth’s remotest bounds. They realize, of course, that those who hate their work will be inclined to take advantage of this fact, and will endeavor to show that S.D. Adventists care nothing for others, and are indifferent to the many important reform movements and efforts sought to be advanced by good and faithful souls in the world around them. But they utterly deny these conclusions. They do love all that is good, and seek to show an interest in the same as far as they can without neglecting the special work of warning the world of coming judgments, which God has committed to them, and they have assumed.RCASDA 167.1

    The very nature of their work requires of them an interest in all good things. Their platform of divine truth is a broad one: “Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12. This embraces all the great moral truths of the old dispensation and the precious things of the new.RCASDA 167.2

    The truths of this message, therefore, are not some new doctrines, novelties just discovered, but rather a going back to the “old paths”, a restoration of precious truths lost through apostasy, but necessary to be restored to the people of God that they may be in readiness when Christ comes. It would be folly to suppose that when he comes in his glory he will find his people quarreling among themselves, holding various discordant doctrines, some of them received from heathenism and apostasy, and neglecting the truths taught by him. When he comes, he will find a people without “spot or wrinkle, or any such thing;” yea, “without fault before the throne of God.” Revelation 14:5. S.D. Adventists are free to admit they are very far from meeting that standard yet; but they believe that when the “shaking time” shall have accomplished its work in the great trials just before us, there will come forth a faithful company through whom God will work with mighty power, who will meet this standard.RCASDA 168.1

    The discerning reader, then, cannot fail to see in the very nature of their platform of faith, and in view of the principles of their doctrinal belief, that they are bound to be interested in every good work existing among their fellow-men. Their reform is broad enough to embrace all other reforms. It rejects all evil; it accepts all good.RCASDA 168.2

    S.D. Adventists are perfectly willing that their record should be examined on this point by all candid persons who will weigh and consider all the circumstances. Such will find that intelligent members of this body have ever stood in the forefront of the reform movements of the age, so far as being loyal to them is concerned. The church was a unit in its opposition to slavery when nearly all the great popular religious bodies of the land were either divided upon the question or wholly sold to its support. Our people as a body are in advance of almost any other church in the land on the temperance question. Our membership are practically unanimous in favor of total abstinence from all that intoxicates, and for the prohibition of the liquor traffic. They carry the principles of temperance farther than any other people we know of in the world. Instead of confining it merely to intoxicating drinks, they teach its application to everything that is hurtful, as tobacco, opium, tea, coffee, etc. and have thus taught for a quarter of a century. They believe that everything that is injurious to the physical, mental, or moral nature should be cast aside. They are equally loyal, in their teaching, to the principles of social purity and all other genuine reforms.RCASDA 168.3

    Yet they do keep in the forefront, and must ever do so while they exist as a people, the great truths of their special work of warning the world of Christ’s soon coming, and the necessary preparation for it. Therefore they cannot give their principal attention to other objects, however worthy they may be, though deeply interested in them, and standing ready to assist whenever they can.RCASDA 169.1

    This attitude will displease those, of course, who have no faith in this special work, and who may be interested in the other reform work to which we have alluded. They will see no propriety in it. Regarding the doctrine of the soon coming of Christ and the Sabbath reformation with abhorrence, they will not look with favor upon those teaching these truths as a specialty, even if they do hold other points in common. They will dislike us for the reason that they hate that which we make so important.RCASDA 169.2

    Here is where our position as a people is exceedingly difficult and embarrassing. We are thrown, measurably at least, out of the fellowship and good will of those holding many reforms in common with us, because they dislike our special work. And we cannot, of course, expect the favor of those who are opposed to both our special work and the reforms we teach. The very circumstances of our position and the principles we teach, therefore, make us unpopular with the great bodies of our land. This is not something of our own choosing. But the principles we hold sacred as God’s eternal truth, which we cannot ignore or disregard, and the attitude the religious bodies of the land assume toward them, force us into this position. We would gladly have it otherwise if it so pleased God. But as it seems inevitable that we should occupy this unpopular position, we accept it as our heritage, and meekly submit to the treatment which this position brings upon us. We must be faithful to our God-given work.RCASDA 169.3

    This position, of course, gives an excellent chance for apostates and other enemies to ridicule, and misrepresent, and malign us. We accept this also as our heritage. But we shall do our best to show up their wickedness when loyalty to the cause requires it, and they stand in the way of the work, and seriously interfere with its progress, and endanger honest souls.RCASDA 169.4

    The special movement has existed about forty years, commencing a year or two after the great disappointment of the Advent believers in 1844. We regard that movement as a fulfillment of prophecy, and believe that it was in the order of God. Great power attended it, as even its enemies admit.RCASDA 169.5

    The present movement commenced in great feebleness, poverty, and perplexity. Never did a movement commence in this world which demanded more faith than this. It was under a terrible cloud of popular disfavor because it grew out of the “Millerite movement,” as its enemies delighted to represent it. Its earlier advocates had all been in that movement, and shared in the disappointment.RCASDA 169.6

    Eld. Joseph Bates, Eld. and Mrs. White, and Eld. J. N. Andrews were among the first who discerned the harmonious system of truth now taught by this people. We then had no churches, no organization of any kind, no printing-offices, books, or papers, no colleges, no health institutions. All of these had to be created. We had then no experience in making converts to the faith, and indeed at first scarce a soul outside of the disappointed Advent believers could be found who would listen at all. The pioneers commenced their work by visiting private families, holding meetings of a handful in kitchens and barns, laboring every way under the greatest disadvantages. There were scarcely any among the earlier believers who had means above the barest necessities. The overplus had been spent in the Advent movement. But these pioneers had their Bibles and faith in God. They sought with strong crying and many tears to know his will and to understand his word. And gradually, link by link, the precious system of truth now held, was revealed in their minds. Gradually, as they proclaimed these truths, believers were added.RCASDA 170.1

    There has never been connected with this movement any great and special excitements, and large accessions coming in in large bodies. Its growth has been a healthy one, reached by thorough conviction of the truthfulness of our positions. The tremendous cross connected with the seventh-day Sabbath and the unpopularity of our work has stood in the way of multitudes embracing it at a time. People would never do so unless their understanding and conscience convinced them that they must. But this we can say, with all our hindrance, unpopularity, trials, apostasies, and pressure from without, there has never been a year since the work commenced but that there has been a gain; sometimes greater and sometimes less, but always a growth.RCASDA 170.2

    But it may be inquired, Have you ever had to meet, in the history of your work, opposition from those who have withdrawn from you, like this which Eld. Canright has lately inaugurated? — Oh, yes; instance after instance of it. We have never had an attack upon us before from such persons which has been so extensively circulated before the public as this, through the religious papers of the popular denominations, to distant portions of the earth. We have never had one to meet before which in some particulars was so unprovoked, and manifested such utter forgetfulness of past kindness, and showed such ingratitude and determination to kill our influence before the general public. But we have had several which threatened far greater losses in membership than this has yet indicated. When these occurred, our people were far less in number and influence than now. Such attacks then threatened far greater proportional loss than this. We will mention a few as illustrations:—RCASDA 170.3

    In the early days of the movement, when we were very few in number, probably less than one thousand, Elds. Stephenson and Hall, of Wisconsin, withdrew from the ranks. They were persons of considerable ability and influence, and our numbers being so few, the loss at first seemed almost irreparable. Quite a following went with them. This interfered with the progress of the work in that section considerably for a time, and sent a shock through the little denomination which was seriously felt. But in a little time the growth was still more rapid. Wisconsin has since become one of our strongest Conferences.RCASDA 171.1

    Some years later, another split-off occurred in the State of Michigan. It was called the “Hope of Israel” party. It comprehended quite a following. They started a paper by that name, through which to pour out their feelings of bitterness. They attacked the visions and the reputation of Eld. and Mrs. White much as Eld. Canright does, and for a little time they seemed to make quite a stir. But they soon fell to pieces, like a rope of sand. Their paper went down. We believe there are a few of them left here in Michigan somewhere, but they have almost disappeared from view.RCASDA 171.2

    After a few years, Elds. Snook and Brinkerhoff, of the Iowa Conference, the one president and the other secretary of the Conference, and the only ministers of any kind in it, got into trial, came to a General Conference at Battle Creek, Mich., apparently all in harmony, and returned with evil reports, which they distributed from church to church in a manner not creditable. They soon had quite a commotion. Without entering into particulars, we will simply say, They both left our people, bitterly fighting us, published pamphlets in opposition to the visions and other points of faith, much after Eld. Canright’s style, got possession of the type and press of the old “Hope of Israel” party, moved them out to Marion, Iowa, and for a time seemed to be quite a party.RCASDA 171.3

    They took with them, to the best of our knowledge, fully one third of the churches and membership of the Iowa Conference. Things looked rather dubious for that Conference for a little season, as not a minister was left in it. The two departing elders busied themselves going from church to church doing their utmost to tear down. But behold the results! In a few years that Conference had increased its membership threefold; it had a good corps of earnest, intelligent ministers in the field; and to-day it stands second or third in point of numbers and financial strength among our conferences throughout the field. Its growth was never so rapid as it was soon after this rebellion. Elds. S and B. soon gave up the Sabbath, and have since united with the Universalists. They long ago ceased to trouble our Israel. But there has ever since remained a small residuum of that movement at Marion, Iowa, which publishes a little paper, and manages to keep alive by affording a channel of communication for the dissatisfied spirits who withdraw from our ranks.RCASDA 171.4

    Moses Hull, once quite a prominent debater and writer, also withdrew from our ranks, and became a Spiritualist. He fell very low in the scale of morality.RCASDA 172.1

    We might mention quite a number of lesser lights who have also retired from us into obscurity and darkness, but we do not care to disturb them by even mentioning their names.RCASDA 172.2

    What lessons have we learned from all this experience? — We have learned that this movement, like every other special movement of God’s origination, is unpopular, and that there will be apostasies from time to time connected with it. Those whose faith fails them, or for whom the way becomes too strait, will withdraw, and try to make it hard for those who remain, endeavoring to destroy their confidence. There is always a fearful conflict connected with the special work of God.RCASDA 172.3

    Satan hates every such move, and will do his utmost to break it down. See how it was in Noah’s time. Only eight souls were saved. How was it in Moses’ time? — All but two of the adults failed to reach the promised land. Rebellion, murmuring, and every evil found a place among the people. The work of elevating human nature and training it up to a higher plane is one of difficulty, and many will not bear it. Hence sharp contention has to be met. God’s special work is not a sluggish dormant Dead Sea; it is a sharp conflict with evil in every form. Even when Christ came, and “spake as never man spake,” multitudes became interested but to turn back and “walk no more with him.” John 6:66. Judas betrayed him, Peter denied him, and all “forsook him and fled.” Paul met the same experience. Demas forsook him, “having loved this present world.” He says on another occasion, “All they which are in Asia be turned away from me.” 2 Timothy 1:15. Prominent men left him. Whole churches, like those of Corinth and Galatia, were almost ruined.RCASDA 172.4

    So it has ever been. Shall we therefore conclude our work is a failure because here and there men apostatize and turn upon us with hatred? — Oh, no! We will simply pity their blindness, then close the ranks and move forward in our work, fearlessly declaring the message God has given to us.RCASDA 172.5

    This present move does not alarm us. We are not sure but we should be better off if quite a number of half-hearted believers (of which we have quite a quantity) were purged out. To all such we say, If you cannot be converted, it would be better for you to withdraw. If you remain in this half-hearted condition, we can do you little good, and you certainly can do us none. We have found in the past, instance after instance, when the unbelieving have withdrawn, the work has moved forward much more rapidly. God then works for us, and makes up our losses.RCASDA 172.6

    We have also learned by much experience that this work is hard to kill. It is something like a wall four feet high and six feet thick; when you turn it over it is higher than ever. It seems to prosper with trial and scourging and defamation and opposition. A storm is better for it than a calm. It brightens up the old soldiers, puts new life into them, makes them more aggressive than ever. We rather need something of this kind once in a while to scour and brighten us up and make us look at the old foundations, so that we shall feel for the pillars of the faith. Such times bring the loyal to the front and the cowards to the rear. We expect Eld. Canright’s raid will, on the whole, be a blessing to us.RCASDA 173.1

    A few closing words as to the present condition of the work: The outlook was never so favorable before. This movement has passed its feeble stage, where it attracted the attention of but an obscure few. It is at the present time reaching its long arms around the world. Its enemies are getting exceedingly anxious as to how they are going to meet it. It has burst its swaddling bands, and like a strong young man is going forth to conquer new fields. It is not confined to little country places, back-woods settlements, and the farming community; but it is entering the largest cities, going to the greatest nations of the earth, speaking through the great papers of the world. Others are looking to see what kind of a work this people are doing.RCASDA 173.2

    There is one point connected with this raid of Eld. Canright’s which has especially interested us. It is the eagerness with which his attacks have been received by leading religious papers and by the Protestant ministry even in Europe, Australia, and the most distant parts of the world. A brother in Europe writes that where our workers begin to attract attention in various localities, they are met by a host of quotations from Eld. Canright, our apostate “leader”.RCASDA 173.3

    This at first sight might seem discouraging, but we are accustomed to look beyond the mere present to more distant effects. The fact simply shows that these ministers are put to their wit’s end to know how to meet S.D. Adventists. Hence they hail with ill-concealed joy some help from Eld. Canright. He can, perchance, furnish them ammunition which they were not able to find themselves. What does this show? — Simply that our work is attracting the attention of people in the most distant parts of the world. What would these have cared for Eld. Canright had not their fears of “Adventism” made them anxious for help? But when they see the best and most conscientious of their flock becoming interested in the presentation of these Bible truths, and for their lives they know not how to meet their arguments, they begin to look around for assistance. Along comes column after column of defamation of this people, and statements showing them up in the worst possible light. Then, to be sure, they are delighted. Canright is a Godsend.RCASDA 173.4

    Well, let them make the most of him. We, however, only see additional evidence from all this that the influence of this work is already becoming great in the world. When our enemies are so anxious, why should we despond?RCASDA 174.1

    The present year has witnessed the greatest increase of our publishing work ever seen in the history of this cause. We are publishing in all the leading languages of the civilized world. We have very large offices of publication in Battle Creek, Mich., and Oakland, California; smaller ones in Basel, Switzerland, and Christiana, Norway. We also publish periodicals in London, England, and Melbourne, Australia. We have important centers of missionary effort in England, the Scandinavian countries, Central Europe, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand; and believers, more or less, in nearly all parts of the civilized world. The bulk of our membership is, of course, in the United States. We have some twenty-nine organized State Conferences, and several others soon to be organized. Our colleges and city-mission training-schools are preparing workers more rapidly than ever in the past.RCASDA 174.2

    Some two thousand of our people are scattered in little companies in the Old World, in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, France, Italy, Roumania, Russia, the Crimea, the Caucasus, and in the British Isles. These serve as a nucleus, — a center from which to distribute our literature, and from which to work for the conversion of souls. We publish about twenty different periodicals in the interest of this cause. We are having a reasonable and constant growth every year.RCASDA 174.3

    While we are free to admit that many among us are far from coming up to the standard of our Saviour’s teaching and the truths we hold, yet even our enemies themselves who know us best, are constrained to admit we are an honest, devoted, conscientious people, and that our members are more devoted to religion, proportionately to numbers, than any people they know of in the world. Eld. Canright has admitted this.RCASDA 174.4

    On the whole, then, our work never looked so promising as at the present time. Its influence never was so great before. Its prospects of accomplishing the great work foretold by prophecy never looked so near a consummation as now. We feel sure the work will triumph in the end, because we see the hand of God in it, and because it has the sanction of his word. Therefore we have no cause for discouragement, but every reason to look up and lift up our heads, for our redemption draweth nigh. “The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.” G.I.B.RCASDA 174.5

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