The Cause in New York
While in Vermont, December 10, 1871, I was shown some things in
regard to New York. The cause in that state seemed to be in a deplorable
condition. There were but few laborers, and these were not as efficient as
their profession of faith in the sacred truths for this time demanded them
to be. There are those in the state who minister in word and doctrine, who
are not thorough workmen. Although they believe the theory of the truth,
and have been preaching for years, they will never be competent laborers
until they work upon a different plan. They have spent much time among
the churches, when they are not qualified to benefit them. They themselves
are not consecrated to God. They need the spirit of endurance to suffer for
Christ’s sake, “to drink of the cup,” and “be baptized with the baptism,”
before they are prepared to help others. Unselfish, devoted workmen are
needed, to bring things up in New York to the Bible standard. These men
have not been in the line of their duty in traveling among the churches. If
God has called them to His work, it is to save sinners. They should prove
themselves by going out into new fields, that they may know for themselves
whether God has committed to them the work of saving souls.
Had Brethren Taylor, Saunders, Cottrell, Whitney, and Brother and
Sister Lindsay labored in new fields, they would now be far in advance
of what they are. Meeting the opposition of opponents would drive them to
their Bibles for arguments to sustain their position, and this would increase
their knowledge of the Scriptures and would give them a consciousness of
their ability in God to meet opposition in any form. Those who are content
to go over and over the same ground among the churches will be deficient
in the experience they should have. They will be weak—not strong to will
and do and suffer for the truth’s sake. They will be inefficient workmen.
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Those who have the cause of God at heart and feel love for precious
souls for whom Christ died, will not seek their own ease or pleasure. They
will do as Christ has done. They will go forth “to seek and to save that
which was lost.” He said: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance.”
If ministers in New York wish to help the church, they can do so in no
better way than to go out into new fields and labor to bring souls into the
truth. When the church see that the ministers are all aglow with the spirit
of the work, that they feel deeply the force of the truth, and are seeking to
bring others to the knowledge of it, it will put new life and vigor into them.
Their hearts will be stirred to do what they can to aid in the work. There
is not a class of people in the world who are more willing to sacrifice of
their means to advance the cause than are Seventh-day Adventists. If the
ministers do not utterly discourage them by their indolence and inefficiency,
and by their lack of spirituality, they will generally respond to any appeal
that may be made that commends itself to their judgment and consciences.
But they want to see fruit. And it is right that the brethren in New York
should demand fruit of their ministers. What have they done? What are
they doing?
Ministers in New York should have been far in advance of what they are.
But they have not engaged in that kind of labor which called forth earnest
effort and strong opposition. Had they done so they would have been driven
to their Bibles and to prayer in order to be able to answer their opponents,
and in the exercise of their talents would have doubled them. There are
ministers in New York who have been preaching for years, but who cannot
be depended upon to give a course of lectures. They are dwarfed. They
have not exercised their minds in the study of the word and in meeting
opposition, so that they might become strong in God. Had they, like faithful
soldiers of the cross of Christ, gone forth “without the camp,” depending
upon God and their own energies, rather than leaning
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so heavily upon their brethren, they would have obtained an experience,
and would now be qualified to engage in the work wherever their help is
most needed. If the ministers generally in New York had left the churches
to labor for themselves, and had not stood in their way, both churches
and ministers would now be further advanced in spirituality and in the
knowledge of the truth.
Many of our brethren and sisters in New York have been backsliding
upon health reform. There is but a small number of genuine health
reformers in the state. Light and spiritual understanding have been given to
the brethren in New York. But the truth that has reached the understanding,
the light that has shone upon the soul, which has not been appreciated and
cherished, will witness against them in the day of God. Truth has been
given to save those who would believe and obey. Their condemnation is
not because they did not have the light, but because they had the light and
did not walk in it.
God has furnished man with abundant means for the gratification of
natural appetite. He has spread before him, in the products of the earth, a
bountiful variety of food that is palatable to the taste and nutritious to the
system. Of these our benevolent heavenly Father says that we may “freely
eat.” We may enjoy the fruits, the vegetables, the grains, without doing
violence to the laws of our being. These articles, prepared in the most
simple and natural manner, will nourish the body, and preserve its natural