I have words to speak to our brethren who shall assemble in conference in 1897. The present financial controversy ^{1The present financial controversy: This communication addressed to the General Conference session of 1897 and written in December, 1896, related to the issues of the Presidential campaign of William Jennings Bryan. Bryan was agitating certain monetary policies which he and his supporters felt held great promise. Some Seventh-day Adventists became involved in the issues. In her counsels Mrs. White repeatedly emphasized that our work was that of proclaiming the third angel’s message, and that Seventh-day Adventists, as a separate and peculiar people, should not become involved in political questions.—White Trustees} has been presented to me as one of Satan’s masterpieces for these last days. There is a power moving from beneath, which is after the working of the great enemy. I supposed our own people would step softly, and move very guardedly, and keep themselves aloof from all these new issues in regard to the circulating currency. This is not of the devising of God—the changing of the circulating currency. What will it effect?—It will cause a state of things that will bring oppression to the poor, and create great distress. It is one of the devil’s schemes, and I thought those who believed the truth would not be deceived in the least degree upon this matter. But within the year 1896 matters have been presented to me which have made me tremble for our people. I have been where I heard conversations from those in positions of trust in our institutions, and there was great warmth in controversy over the different positions taken. The light given me was, This is the policy Satan has arranged to bring distress.SPCCSR 97.1

Would we know how we may best please the Saviour? It is not in engaging in political speeches, either in or out of the pulpit. It is in considering with fear and trembling every word we utter. Where the people assemble to worship God let not a word be spoken that shall divert the mind from the great central interest—Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. The third angel’s message is to be our burden of warning. The side issues are not for us to meddle with. The burden of the work is, Preach the word. There are those who have had an experience in preaching and laboring for the salvation of souls for whom Christ has given His precious life. That work is the special enterprise to engross everyone who feeds the flock of God. It is a time now when voices will be heard, “Hear. This is the way, walk in this path.” But the Lord Jesus says, “Follow thou Me. They that follow Me, shall not walk in darkness.” The saving of souls is to be our personal work, from which nothing is of sufficient moment to divert the mind. Christ came to our world to save souls, to diffuse light amid the moral darkness. A living voice is heard, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”SPCCSR 98.1

IV—Seventh-day Adventists And Politics

Let Politics Alone