takes those who have trained their minds to war against the truth to
manufacture quibbles. And we are not wise to take them from their hands,
and pass them out to thousands who would never have thought of them had
we not published them to the world. This is what our opponents want to
have done; they want to be brought to notice and to have us publish for
them. This is especially true of some. This is their main object in writing
out their falsehoods and in misrepresenting the truth and the characters of
those who love and advocate the truth. They will die out more speedily
to be left unnoticed, to have their errors and falsehoods treated with silent
contempt. They do not want to be let alone. Opposition is the element that
they love. If it were not for this, they would have but little influence.
The first-day Adventists as a class are the most difficult to reach. They
generally reject the truth, as did the Jews. We should, as far as possible,
go forward as though there were not such a people in existence. They are
the elements of confusion, and immoralities exist among them to a fearful
extent. It would be the greatest calamity to have many of their number
embrace the truth. They would have to unlearn everything and learn anew,
or they would cause us great trouble. There are occasions where their
glaring misrepresentations will have to be met. When this is the case, it
should be done promptly and briefly, and we should then pass on to our
work. The plan of Christ’s teaching should be ours. He was plain and
simple, striking directly at the root of the matter, and the minds of all were
met.
It is not the best policy to be so very explicit and say all upon a point
that can be said, when a few arguments will cover the ground and be
sufficient for all practical purposes to convince or silence opponents. You
may remove every prop today and close the mouths of objectors so that
they can say nothing, and tomorrow they will go over the same ground
again. Thus it will be, over and over, because they do not love the light and
will not come to the light, lest their darkness and error should be removed
from them. It is a better plan
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to keep a reserve of arguments than to pour out a depth of knowledge
upon a subject which would be taken for granted without labored argument.
Christ’s ministry lasted only three years, and a great work was done in that
short period. In these last days there is a great work to be done in a short
time. While many are getting ready to do something, souls will perish for
the light and knowledge.
If men who are engaged in presenting and defending the truth of the
Bible undertake to investigate and show the fallacy and inconsistency of
men who dishonestly turn the truth of God into a lie, Satan will stir up
opponents enough to keep their pens constantly employed, while other
branches of the work will be left to suffer.
We must have more of the spirit of those men who were engaged in
building the walls of Jerusalem. We are doing a great work, and we cannot
come down. If Satan sees that he can keep men answering the objections
of opponents, and thus keep their voices silent, and hinder them from doing
the most important work for the present time, his object is accomplished.
The Sabbath History has been kept from the people too long. They
need this precious work, even if they do not have it in all its perfection. It
never can be prepared in a manner to fully silence unreasonable opponents,
who are unstable, and who wrest the Scriptures unto their own destruction.
This is a busy world. Men and women who engage in the business of
life have not time to meditate, or even to read the word of God enough
to understand all its important truths. Long, labored arguments will interest
but a few; for the people have to read as they run. You can no more remove
the objections to the Sabbath commandment from the minds of first-day
Adventists than could the Saviour of the world, by His great power and
miracles, convince the Jews that He was the Messiah, after they had once
set themselves to reject Him. Like the obstinate, unbelieving Jews, they
have chosen darkness rather than light, and should an angel direct from the
courts of heaven speak to them, they would say it was Satan.
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The world needs labor now. Calls are coming in from every direction
like the Macedonian cry: “Come over and help us.” Plain, pointed
arguments, standing our as mileposts, will do more toward convincing
minds generally than will a large array of arguments which cover a great
deal of ground, but which none but investigating minds will have interest
to follow. The Sabbath History should be given to the people. While
one edition is circulating, and the people are being benefited by it, greater
improvements may be made, until everything possible has been done to
bring it to perfection. Our success will be in reaching common minds.
Those who have talent and position are so exalted above the simplicity of
the work, and so well satisfied with themselves, that they feel no need of the
truth. They are exactly where the Jews were, self-righteous, self-sufficient.
They are whole and have no need of a physician.
*****
Chap. 4 - Intimate FriendshipWith
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Worldlings
December 10, 1871, I was shown, Brother E, t
