: TheDivinit)(of . Kindness · 4 OurFirm Foundation November 1988 Many transgress the laws ofhealth...

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LifeAbundantMissionary Institute

Life Abundant Missionary Institute40416 123rd Ave. Ct. E.EatonVille, WA 98328

RON SPEAR-EDITOR

provided free subscriptions to ministersin North America for more than a year,and now we are extending subscriptionsto the ministers in the overseas divi-sions.

We are thankful for the success ourtelevision program has had as it con-tinues to bring souls to the knowledge ofthe three angels' messages. Our Truth forToday Bible correspondence course isgrowing steadily, and we have addedstaff to handle the increase.

Many have written and told us thatthey have come back to the church as aresult of someone sharing an issue ofOurFirm Foundation with them.

For all these blessings, our lovingGod, we give Thee thanks during thisThanksgiving season, and we pray thatsoon Your work on earth may becompleted, and that we all who read thiseditorial may attend the great thanksgiv·,ing feast in heaven. This hope is your edi;,tor's prayer.

We've changed our name. We feel that' 'Life Abundant MissionaryInstitute" better reflects the purpose of our training school, and it tiesin well with John 10:10, "I am come that they might have life, and thatthey might have it more abundantly."Our first session is now under way and going well. We're thankful

for the Lord's blessing in this new venture. The three-month HomeHealth Instructor course is scheduled for the following terms: January23-April 20; May 23-August 17; and September 18-December 14.An integral part of this program is the one-week literature evan-

gelist training given during the first week of each session.For those wishing a more in-depth training, we offer an extended

Lifestyle Instructor's course. These sessions, beginning on the samedates as the shorter course, consist of two three-month sessions oftraining in addition to the Home Health Instructor's course.For further information, please write to

EditorialAmerica, which were well attended.Hundreds of letters have come to us fromall over America telling what a tre-mendous blessing was received by thosewho attended. We spent six weeks inAnstralia and New Zealand last springand three weeks in Europe and Englandthis fall. Our meetings were well at-tended, and the Lord's blessing was feltby hundreds. Revival and refonnation areevident everywhere we go; surely theLord is working with His people.

Marshall Grosboll and I were to-gether in England, and then, while I wasin Holland, he went again to Hungary.No doubt some of our readers have heardof the very difficult situation which hasdeveloped in that country over the lasttwenty years or more. Everyone shouldread the interview in this issue thatMarshall had with the leaders of the dis-fellowshiped Hungarian Seventh-dayAdventists.

Our Firm Foundation is being wellreceived around the world, and we areprinting about 35,000 a month. We have

N OVEMBER is the Thanksgivingmonth. On the twenty-fourth of

November millions ofAmericans will sitdown to their traditional turkey, cran-berry sauce, pumpkin pie and whippedcream-a sumptuous meal will be eatenby families gathered for the annual reun-ion. But only a small percentage of thesemillions will actually be thankful to theLord for the wonderful blessings theyhave been privileged to receive in 1988.How about Seventh-day Adventists?Are we grateful to God for His blessing?

Most of us live in comfortable homes,drive good-looking cars, have the secu-rity of a good profession or a stable job,and what we cannot afford we are able topurchase anywaywith our Visa orMasterCharge.But how do we express our grate-

fulness to God? Are we faithful to Himin our tithe and offerings? Do we loveHim so much that we want to tell theworld of His love and goodness? Canwe really testify to a dynamic, daily ex-perience in a living testimony of Histhrilling power to change lives? Thinkabout it, friends, when we sit down toour sumptuous feast on ThanksgivingDay with our mock turkey, or avegetarian roast, pie and all the trim-mings, when the members of our fami-lies are gathered for our traditionalhomecoming. Is it not time we remem-ber that the day is fast approachingwhen this world and the church willhave closed its probation forever? Andonly those who have been truly thank-ful, and have expressed that thankful-ness in their daily lives will have passedthe final test and be sealed by the sealof the living God.

I am grateful to my God for the wayHe has led us and provided for us at HopeInternational this year. We have partici-pated in four camp meetings in North

2 Our Firm Foundation November 1988

Table of Contents

It is the IDlSS10n of Hope Inter-national and the editors ofOurFirm

/'" ''I Foundation to clearly present Christ\ 1 and His truth. The days that yet re-

main of this world are few, andwhatwe do we must do quickly. We mustboldly proclaim the historic truthsof Adventism that place us on sofirm a foundation in the midst of thistroubled world.-EDITORS

Vol. 3, No. 11

Articles

November 1988

Ellen G. White 4 -

{\

Editor-Ron SpearManaging Editor-Dave FiedlerAssociate Editor-Vern JenningsBook Editor-Allen CrawCopy Editor-Uta Rae FrederickAsst. Eds.fTypography-Amet Mathers,Harvey Steck

Editorial Secreta:ry-Clarissa FiedlerContributing Editors-John Grosboll,Marshall Grosboll, Ralph Larson,Vernon Sparks, M.D.

Art Director-Bob BresnahanArt-Georgia MarihughSubscriber Services-Sharilyn KendallCirculation-Joseph Leatherman

The Physician an EducatorHealth for mind and heart, as well as the body

The Cause I Knew Not. . . Marshall Grosboll 8'""A special report on the disfellowshiped Adventists of Hungary

Christ Our Example Ellen G. White 16/How to work as did the Master Healer

Through Opened Doors Dave Fiedler 19 "A look at the far-reaching influence of the "right arm"

The Divinity ofKindness Julius Gilbert White 24 ....Why Jesus did the things He did

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The New Theology aud the Nature ofManIfwe don't know ourselves, what do we know?

The Value of Christlike Love"If I have not love, it profiteth me nothing"

C.D. and R.R. Standish 26--

Ellen G. White

Hope International is a special ministry intended to assist in the God-given work ofthe Seventh-day Adventist Church. We believe this Remnant Church of Bible proph-ecy has been brought into existence by the calling of the Lord, and we look for itsfinal triumph in purity at the second coming of Christ. That the church does not nowperfectly reflect the will of our Lord is cause for sorrow, but not for discouragement.The Word of God stands pledged that all within her borders will be sifted and tried,and though the greater portion will fail the test, there will yet remain a remnant tohonor the Lord by their obedience to all His commands. Therefore, Hope Inter-national urges upon all the duty of supporting the Seventh-day Adventist Church inevery way possible, insofar as is consistent with the principles of the government ofGod and the leading ofHis Holy Spirit upon the heart.

United States US$14.50Canada and Mexico US$19.75Overseas (surface mail) US$24.50Inquire for overseas air rates.Hope International pUblications may be ob-tained from the following sources:

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I. ) New Zealand"",Copyright © 1988Hope International

Departments

Editorial

Looking Back

2 Melange

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18

November 1988 Our Firm Foundation 3

The Physicianan

Educator

Ellen White

THE TRUE physician is an educator.He recognizes his responsibility,

not only to the sick who are under hisdirect care, but also to the community inwhich he lives. He stands as a guardianof both physical and moral health. It ishis endeavor not only to teach rightmethods for the treatment of the sick,but to encourage right habits of living,and to spread a knowledge of right prin-ciples.

Need ofHealth Education

Education in health principles wasnever more needed than now. Notwith-standing the wonderful progress in somany lines relating to the comforts andconvenience of life, even to sanitarymatters and to the treatment of disease,the decline in physical vigor and powerof endurance is alarming. It demands theattention of all who have at heart thewell-being of their fellow men.

Our artificial civilization is en-couraging evils destructive of soundprinciples. Custom and fashion are atwar with nature. The practices they en-join, and the indulgences they foster, aresteadily lessening both physical andmentai strength, and bringing upon therace an intolerable burden. Intemperanceand crime, disease and wretchedness, areeverywhere.


Many transgress the laws of healththrough ignorance, and they need in-struction. But the greater number knowbetter than they do. They need to be im-pressed with the importance of makingtheir knowledge a guide of life. Thephysician has many opportunities bothof imparting a knowledge ofhealth prin-ciples, and ofshowing the importance ofputting them in practice. By right in-struction he can do much to correct evilsthat are working untold harm.

A practice that is laying the founda-tion of a vast amount of disease and ofevenmore serious evils, is the free use ofpoisonous drugs. When attacked by dis-ease, many will not take the trouble tosearch out the cause of their illness.Their chief anxiety is to rid themselvesof pain and inconvenience. So they re-sort to patent nostrums, of whose realproperties they know little, or they applyto a physician for some remedy tocounteract the result of their misdoing,but with no thought of making a changein their unhealthful habits. If immediatebenefit is not realized, another medicineis tried, and then another. Thus the evilcontinues.

People need to be taught that drugsdo not cure disease. It is true that theysometimes afford present relief, andthe patient appears to recover as the re-snit of their use; this is because nature

has sufficient vital force to expel thepoison and to correct the COnditionsC.cthat caused the disease. Health is re, )covered in spite of the drug. But in .most cases the drug only changes theform and location of the disease. Oftenthe effect of the poison seems to beovercome for a time, but the results re-main in the system, and work greatharm at some later period.

By the use ofpoisonous drugs, manybring upon themselves lifelong illness,and many lives are lost that might besaved by the use of natural methods ofhealing. The poisons contained in manyso-called remedies create habits and ap-petites that mean ruin to both soul andbody. Many of the popular nostrumscalled patent medicines, and even someof the drugs dispensed by physicians, acta part in laying the foundation of the liq-uor habit, the opium habit, the morphinehabit, that are so terrible a curse tosociety.

The only hope of better things is inthe education of the people in right prin-ciples. Let physicians teach the peoplethat restorative power is not in drugs,but in nature. Disease is an effort of na-ture to free the system from conditions .that resnlt from a violation of the lawshealth. In case of sickness, the causeshould be ascertained. Unhealthful con-ditions should be changed, wrong habits

Indulgence in any unhealthful practice makes itmore difficult for one to discriminate betweenright and wrong, and hence more difficult toresist evil

corrected. Then nature is to be assisted in

(-', her effort to expel impurities and to re-iestablish right conditions in the system.

Natural Remedies

Pure air, sunlight, abstemiousness,rest, exercise, proper diet, the use ofwater, trust in divine power-these arethe true remedies. Every person shouldhave a knowledge of nature's remedialagencies and how to apply them. It isessential both to understand the prin-ciples involved in the treatment of thesick and to have a practical training thatwill enable one rightly to use thisknOWledge.

The use of natural remedies requiresan amount of care and effort that manyare not willing to give. Nature's processofhealing and upbuilding is gradual, andto the impatient it seems slow. The sur-render of hurtful indulgences requiressacrifice. But in the end it will be foundthat nature, untrammeled, does her workwisely and well. Those who persevere inobedience to her laws will reap the re-ward in health of body and health ofmind.

("" Too little attention is generally given". 1" • •'-..,'to the preservation of health. It IS far

better to prevent disease than to knowhow to treat it when contracted. It is theduty of every person, for his own sake,and for the sake of humanity, to informhimself in regard to the laws of life andconscientiously to obey them. All needto become acquainted with that mostwonderful of all organisms, the humanbody. They should understand the func-tion of the various organs and the de-pendence of one upon another for thehealthy action of all. They should studythe influence of the mind upon thebody, and of the body upon the mind,and the laws by which they aregoverned.

Training for Life's Conflict

We cannot be too often remindedthat health does not depend on chance. Itis a result of obedience to law. This isrecognized by the contestants in athleticgames and trials of strength. These menmake the most careful preparation. Theysubntit to thorough training and strictl )liscipline. Every physical habit is care-

- fully regulated. They know that neglect,excess, or carelessness, which weakensor cripples any organ or function of thebody, would ensure defeat.

How much more important is suchcarefulness to ensure success in the con-flict of life. It is not mimic battles inwhich we are engaged. We are waging awarfare upon which hang eternal results.We have unseen enemies to meet. Evilangels are striving for the dominion ofevery human being. Whatever injuresthe health, not only lessens physicalvigor, but tends to weaken the mentaland moral powers. Indnlgence in any un-healthful practice makes it more difficultfor one to discriminate between rightand wrong, and hence more difficnlt toresist evil. It increases the danger offailure and defeat."They which run in a race run all, but

one receiveth the prize." 1 Corinthians9:24. In the warfare in which we are en-

gaged, all may win who will disciplinethemselves by obedience to right prin-ciples. The practice of these principles inthe details of life is too often lookedupon as unimportant-a matter tootrivial to demand attention. But in viewof the issues at stake, nothing with whichwe have to do is small. Every act casts itsweight into the scale that determineslife's victory or defeat. The scripturebids us, "So run, that ye may obtain."9:24

With our first parents, intemperatedesire resulted in the loss of Eden.Thmperance in all things has more to dowith our restoration to Eden than menrealize.Pointing to the self-denial practiced

by the contestants in the ancient Greekgames, the apostle Paul writes: "Everyman that striveth for the mastery istemperate in all things. Now they do it toobtain a corruptible crown; but we an in-corruptible. I therefore so run, not as un-certainly; so fight I, not as one thatbeateth the air: but I keep under mybody, and bring it into subjection: lestthat by any means, when I have preachedto others, I myself should be a cast-away." 9:25-27

The progress of reform dependsupon a clear recognition of fundamentaltruth. While, on the one hand, dangerlurks in a narrow philosophy and a hard,cold orthodoxy; on the other hand thereis great danger in a careless liberalism.The foundation of all enduring reform isthe law of God. We are to present inclear, distinct lines the need of obeyingthis law. Its principles must be keptbefore the people. They are as everlast-ing and inexorable as God Himself.

One of the most deplorable effects ofthe original apostasy was the loss ofman's power ofself-control. Only as thispower is regained, can there be real pro-gress.The body is the only medium

through which the ntind and the soul are

developed for the upbnilding of charac-ter. Hence it is that the adversary ofsoulsdirects his temptations to the enfeeblingand degrading of the physical powers.His success here means the surrender toevil of the whole being. The tendenciesof our physical nature, unless under thedominion of a higher power, will surelywork min and death.

The body is to be brought into sub-jection. The higher powers of the beingare to rule. The passions are to be con-trolled by the will, which is itself to beunder the control of God. The kinglypower of reason, sanctified by divinegrace, is to bear sway in our lives.The reqnirements of God must be

brought home to the conscience. Menand women must be awakened to theduty of self-mastery, the need of purity,freedom from every depraving appetiteand defIling habit. They need to be im-pressedwith the fact that all their powersof mind and body are the gift of God,and are to be preserved in the bestpossible condition for His service.In that ancient ritual which was the

gospel in symbol, no blentished offeringcould be brought to God's altar. Thesacrifice that was to represent Christ

November 1988 OurFirm Foundation 5

The world needs a practical demonstration ofwhat the grace of God can do in restoring tohuman beings their lost kingship, giving themmastery of themselves

must be spotless. The Word of Godpoints to this as an illustration of whatHis children are to be-"a living sacri-fice," "holy and without blemish," ('wellpleasing to God."

Need ofDivine Power

Apart from divine power, no genuinereform can be effected. Human barriersagainst natural and cultivated tendenciesare but as the sand bank against the tor-rent. Not until the life ofChrist becomesa vitalizing power in our lives canwe re-sist the temptations that assail us fromwithin and from without.

Christ came to this world and lived thelaw of God, that man might have perfect

mastery over the natural inclinationswhich corrupt the soul. The Physician ofsoul and body, He gives victory over war-ring lusts. He has provided every facility,that man may possess oompleteness ofcharacter.

When one surrenders to Christ, themind is brought under the control of thelaw; but it is the royal law, which pro-claims liberty to every captive. By be-coming one with Christ, man is madefree. Subjection to the will of Christmeans restoration to perfect marthood.

Obedience to God is liberty from thethralldom of sin, deliverance from hu-man passion and impulse. Man maystand conqueror of himself, conquerorof his own inclinations, conqueror ofprincipalities and powers, and of "therulers of the darkness of this world," andof "spiritual wickedness in high places."

Teaching in the Home

In no place is such instruction as thismore needed, and nowhere will it be pro-ductive of greater good, than in thehome. Parents have to do with the veryfoundation of habit and character. Thereformatory movement must begin inpresenting to them the prinCiples of the


law of God as bearing upon both physi-cal and moral health. Show that obe-dience to God's Word is our onlysafeguard against the evils that aresweeping the world to destruction. Makeplain the responsibility of parents, notonly for themselves, but for their chil-dren. They are giVing to their children anexample either of obedience or of trans-gression. By their example and teaching,the destiny of their households is de-cided. The children will be what theirparents make them.Ifparents couldbe led to trace the re-

sult of their action, and could see how,by their example and teaching, they per-petuate and increase the power of sin orthe power of righteousness, a change

would certainly be made. Many wouldturn away from tradition and custom,and accept the divine principles of life.

Power ofExample

The physician who ministers in thehomes of the people, watching at thebedside of the sick, relieving their dis-tress, bringing them back from theborders of the grave, speaking hope tothe dying, wins a place in their confi-dence and affection, such as is grantedto few others. Not even to the ministerof the gospel are .committed possibili-ties so great or an influence so far-reaching.

The physician's example, no less thanhis teaching, should be a positive poweron the right side. The cause of reformcalls for men andwomenwhose life prac-tice is an illustration of self-control. It isourpractice of the principles we inculcatethat gives them weight. The world needsa practical demonstration of what thegrace of God can do in restoring tohuman beings their lost kingship, givingthem mastery of themselves. TItere isnothing that the world needs so much asa knowledge of the gospel's saving pow-er revealed in Christlike lives.

The physician is continually broughtinto contact with those who need th'?,/"'")strength and encouragement of a righ/· •example. Many are weak in moral power.TItey lack self-control, and are easilyovercome by temptation TIte physiciancan help these souls only as he reveals inhis own life a strength of principle thatenables him tb triumph over every in-jurious habit and defiling lust. In his lifemust be seen the working of a power thatis divine. If he fails here, howeverforcible or persuasive his words may be,his influence will tell for evil.

Many seek medical advice and treat-ment who have become moral wrecksthrough their own wrong habits. Theyare bruised, and weak, and wounded,feeling their folly and their inability toovercome. Such ones should have noth-ing in their surroundings to encourage acontinuance of the thoughts and feelingsthat have made themwhat they are. TIteyneed to breathe an atmosphere of purity,of high and noble thought. How terriblethe responsibility when those whoshould give them a right example arethemselves enthralled by hurtful habits,their influence affording to temptationan added strength! C}The Physician in Temperance Work

Many come under the physician'scare who are rulning soul and body bythe use of tobacco or intoxicating drink.The physician who is true to his re-sponsibility must point out to thesepatients the cause of their suffering. Butif he himself is a user of tobacco or in-toxicants, what weight will be given tohis words? With the consciousness ofhisown indulgence before him, will he nothesitate to point out the plague spot inthe life of his patient? While using thesethings himself, how can he convince theyouth of their injurious effects?

How can a physician stand in thecommunity as an example of purity andself-control, how can he be an effectualworker in the temperance cause, whilehe himself is indulging a vile habit? Howcan he minister acceptably at the bedsideof the sick and the dying, when his verybreath is offensive, laden with the odorof liquor or tobacco?

While disordering his nerves andclouding his brain by the use of narcotic! jpoisons, how can one be true to the trust '---reposed in him as a skillful physician?How impossible for him to discernquickly or to execute with precision!

One who lacks perfect self-control cannotbecome qualified to deal with all classes ofdisease

If he does not ohserve the laws that'"govern his own being, if he chooses self-

( .ash gratification above soundness of, mind and body, does he not thereby de-

clare himself unfit to be entrusted withthe responsibility of human lives?

Discouragements in His Work

However skilled and faithful a phys-ician may be, there is in his experiencemuch of apparent discouragement anddefeat. Often his work fails of accom-plishing that which he longs to see ac-complished. Though health is restored to

his patients, it may be no real benefit to

(. " them or to the world. Many recover. lhealth, only to repeat the indulgencesthat invited disease. With the sameeagerness as before, they plunge againinto the round of self-indulgence andfolly. The physician's work for themseems like effort thrown away.

Christ had the same experience, yetHe did not cease His efforts for onesuffering soul. Of the ten lepers whowere cleansed, only one appreciated thegift, and he was a stranger and a Samari-tan. For the sake of that one, Christhealed the ten. If the physician meetswith no better success than the Saviourhad, let him leam a lesson from the chiefPhysician. Of Christ it is written, "Heshall not fail nor be discouraged." "Heshall see of the travail of his soul, andshall be satisfied."If but one soul would have accepted

the gospel ofHis grace, Christ would, tosave that one, have chosen His life of toiland humiliation and His death of shame.If through our efforts one human beingshall be uplifted and ennobled, fitted toshine in the couns of the Lord, have wenot cause for rejoicing?

ljPersonal and Perils

The duties of the physician arearduous and trying. In order to perform

them most successfully he needs tohave a strong constitution and vigoroushealth. A man that is feeble or diseasedcannot endure the wearing labor inci-dent to the physician's calling. Onewho lacks perfect self-control cannotbecome qualified to deal with allclasses of disease.

Often deprived of sleep, neglectingeven to take food, cut off in great de-gree from social enjoyment and re-ligious privileges, the physician's lifeseems to lie under a continual shadow.The affliction he beholds, the depend-ent mortals longing for help, his con-

tact with the depraved, make the heartsick, and well-nigh destroy confidencein humanity. In the battle with diseaseand death, every energy is taxed to thelimit of endurance. The reaction fromthis terrible strain tests the character tothe utmost. Then it is that temptationhas greatest power. More than men inany other calling, is the physician inneed of self-control, purity of spirit,and that faith which takes hold onHeaven. For the sake of others and forhis own sake, he cannot afford to disre-gard physical law. Recklessness inphysical habits tends to recklessness inmorals.

The Only Safegnard

The physician's only safety is,under all circumstances, to act fromprinciple, strengthened and ennobledby a firmness of purpose found only inGod. He is to stand in the moral excel-lence of His character. Day by day,hour by hour, moment by moment, heis to live as in the sight of the unseenworld. As did Moses, he must endure"as seeing him who is invisible."

Righteousness has its root in gOdli-ness. No man can steadily maintainbefore his fellow men a pure, forcefullife, unless his life is hid with Christ inGod. The greater the activity among

men, the closer must be the commun-ion of the heart with Heaven.

The more urgent his duties and thegreater his responsibilities, the greaterthe physician's need of divine power.Time must be redeemed from thingstemporal, for meditation upon thingseternal. He must resist an encroachingWOrld, which would so press upon himas to separate him from the Source ofstrength. Above all other men shouldhe, by prayer and the study of the Scrip-tures, place himself under the protectingshield of God. He is to live in hourlycontact and conscious communion withthe principles of truth, righteousness,and mercy, that reveal God's attributeswithin the soul.Just to the degree in which the

Word of God is received and obeyed,will it impress with its potency andtouch with its life every spring of ac-tion, every phase of character. It willpurify every thought, regulate everydesire. Those who make God's Wordtheir trust will quit themselves like menand be strong. They will rise above allbaser things into an atmosphere freefrom defilement.

When man is in fellowship withGod, that unswerving purpose whichpreserved Joseph and Daniel amidst thecorruption of heathen courts, will makehis a life of unsullied purity. His robesof character will be spotless. In his lifethe light of Christ will be undimmed.The Bright and Morning Star will ap-pear shining steadfastly above him inchangeless glory.Slich a life will be an element of

strength in the community. It will be abarrier against evil, a safeguard to thetempted, a guiding light to those who,amidst difficulties and discouragements,are seeking the right way. I!!i

The Ministry o/Healing, 125-136


The Cause I KnewNotHUNGARY IS a country situated be-

tween Austria and Russia, justbelow Czechoslovakia. The Seventh-dayAdventist believers there have sufferedmany hardships-but the most serioushardships have come from struggleswithin the church. As a result, hundredsof our most faithful brothers and sisters,who are deeply concerned about thegrowing apostasy within the church inthat country, have been disfellowshipedwithout trial. The Adventist Review(November 6, 1984) reported that theyhad been "improperly disfellowshiped."

The following is an interview, someof it through an interpreter, betweenMarshall Grosboll and some of theleaders of the disfellowshiped Seventh-day Adventists of Hungary. The inter-view was conducted in Budapest, Hun-gary, on September 20, 1988. InitialHungarian participants in this interview(pictured above) were 1) Oscar (Oszkfu')Egervllri, elected leader and board chair-man of the Small Committee, 2) Susan(Zsuzsa) Yanko, scholar, evangelist,member of the Smail Committee, andthe second in leadership, and 3) Mari-

anna KJizcko, office worker and Eng-lish-Hungarian interpreter.

During the interview two Hungarianpastors arrived from outlying districts fora meeting of the Small Committee. Theywere 4) Charles (Karoly) Sonneleitner,pastor of four churches, member of theSmail Committee, and one of the originalpastors whowere disfellowshiped, and 5)George (Gyorgy) Stuber, also pastor offour churches, member of the SmallCommittee, and oqe of the original pas-tors who were disfellowshiped.

Interview

Marshall: Let me share first of allwhat a deep spiritual blessing and en-couragement I have received from visit-ing the disfellowshiped Adventists herein Hungary, and worshiping in theirchurches again this year. I want to assureyou that there are thousands of con-cerned Adventists all over the worldwho look to you as an example of fidel-ity and courage in your stand for truth,whatever the cost. You are loved and re-membered in prayer.

Maybe we should first define theterm "Small Committee."

Oscar: This is our co-ordinatingboard [something like an executive com-mittee] and was developed in 1976 whenElder Pierson, the then General Confer-ence president, visitedHungary andheld ameeting. Eighty delegates of the disfel-lowshiped Adventists were at the meet-ing. Elder Pierson asked for a "small com-mittee" from this group to represent thedisfellowshiped Seventh-day Adventists.

Susan: We did not anticipate that the"small committee" would fonn acoordi-nating board or would continue beyondthat meeting.

Oscar: This committee was formedofpastors and laymen. After the meeting,the group continued to meet and con-tinued to be called by the term Elder Pier-son had given it.

Marshall Grosboll, director of the Insti-tute of Ministry, Wichita, Kansas, inter- i "views the leaders of the Seventh-day\..)Adventists disfellowshiped by theHungarian Union for their opposition toits ecumenical policies.

Marshall8 Our Firm Foundaticm November 1988

I was promised that the school was, and wouldremain, a conservative, Bible-believinginstitution and that no modem liberal theologywould be taught

I

(l

Marshall: How are the members ofthe Small Committee chosen?

Oscar: We did not have any electionsfor several years because we never antic-ipated this committee to continue. We ex-pected to have the disfellowshipings re-solved and to have the disfellowshipedmembers brought back into the church.

We now have an election by themembers of the different churches everyfive years until the situation is resolved. Itis currently composed of seventeenmembers-eight laymen, eight pastors,and the chairman. It is responsible for thespiritual, financial, and organizationalfunctions of the churches it represents.

Marshall: What were the problemsthat resulted in the mass disfellowshipingofso many Adventists?

Oscar: First it should be stated that agreat positive change started last year be-tween the churches [of all denomina-tions] and the Hungarian government.

Previously many people perceivedthat the Hungarian State Office ofChurches sought to break down the vital-ity of the churches, but they tried to do sofrom within, by getting such peopleelected as church leaders who would ca-operate with them for this purpose.

Marshall: Did the State have to ap-prove the leaders who were chosen?

Oscar: Yes. But today the leaders ofthe government acknowledge that therewere problems involving church liberty.

Susan: As a consequence of this co-operation that developed, the personalbehavior of our church leaders was cor-rupted. They also began to build up rela-tionships with other denominations whowere against our Seventh-day Adventistbeliefs. The leaders began to bring instrange ideas and terminology about the-ology and politics that bothered thechurch members very much.

Marshall: Maybe you cannot answerthis question pUblicly, but to the extentthat you can, what were some of thestrange theological and political conceptsthus developed?

Susan: It is hard to say because ofprevailing circumstances, but suffice it tosay that they developed terminology andtheological ideas to fit the concepts of theprevailing society around them, and suchas would enhance them in their upwardaspirations.

Marshall: This certainly did notdevelop overnight. When did it begin?

Oscar: In the 1950s. By the 1960s,there began to be pressure on the pastorsto also adopt the same social theology

and terminology of the leaders, and bythe 1970s even the members began tofeel the pressure.Marshall: And where were you

during this time?Oscar: I began my ministry here in

Hungary as a pastor in 1949. I continuedto serve as a pastor until becoming a con-ference president in 1971.

Marshall: Then you must have ex-perienced much of this pressure, espe-cially being a conference president

Oscar: The pressure came in manyfonns. Sometimes I got but one hour ofsleep at night.

Marshall: And Sister Vimko, wherewere you during this time?

Susau: I was first employed by theHungarian Union [Conference of Sev-enth-day Adventists] in 1965. Mter twomonths they sent me to the LutheranTheological Seminary of Hungary whereI studied for five years. Afterward Iworked for the Hungarian Union as aBible worker and evangelist and Ishepherded two congregations. I espe-cially worked with the youth of theUnion. Later, I became a teacher of the-ology in the Pastors' 'llaining Sentinary

of the Council of Free Churches in Hun-gary.Marshall: What is the Council of

Free Churches?Susan: The Hungarian Council of

Free Churches is an alliance of fivechurches of Hungary: Baptists, Meth-odists, Pentecostals, Free Christian andSeventh-day Adventists. From 1957 itwas the will of the government forsmaller Protestant churches to comeunder this organization.

Marshall: And what was the Pastors''llaining Sentinary of the Council ofFreeChurches?

Susan: It was a correspondenceschool to train pastors for the variouschurches of the Council ofFree Churches.

Marshall: So the Baptists, Meth-odists, Pentecostals, Free Christians and

Seventh-day Adventists all received thesame training?

Susan: Yes. There was a commonteaching staff composed of teachers fromeach of these churches. Later the Luther-ans and the Calvinists also joined us.Each student received the same basic ed-ucation, and then each church denomina-tion had a special section just for the min-isterial students from their denontination.

Marshall: So you were one of theAdventist teachers there?

Susan: Yes. The Adventist Churchhad great influence in the Council ofFreeChurches and the school connected withit. The head of the Council of FreeChurches at this time was a disfellow-shiped Seventh-day Adventist namedSandor Palotay, who still professed to bea liberal Adventist. Also, the head of theschool was a Seventh-day Adventist bythe name of Jeno Szigeti, who is now thepresident of the Hungarian Union [ofSeventh-day Adventists].

When Jeno Szigeti called me to teachthere, I was promised that the school was,and would remain, a conservative, Bible-believing institution and that no modernliberal theology would be taught. I was

told that this would be a wonderful op-portunity to witness to the students andteachers of these other denominations.

But it soon developed into a typical,ecumenical, theological seminary withthemost modem and liberal theology. In-stead ofwitnessing to the others, our ownAdventist students began to learn theskeptical ways of the world. As one Ad-ventist student told me, "I can't read myBible as before. I don't want to acceptthese higher critical principles, but now Ihave doubts that I cannot shake. I can nolonger put my full confidence in theBible." He is now a conference presidentof the Union. I learned that you cannotcombine light and darkness. I shouldhave known from the beginning that thebasic principle of this arnalgatnated studywas wrong.


As our presence in the ecumenical movementbecame known, it hindered our work in callingpeople out of BabyIon

Marshall: So there was apostasy inthe leadership, as well as in the ministerialtraining course, and the result ofthis liber-alism began to permeate the churches?

Oscar: Yes.Marshall: What did you do about it?Oscar: The ministers who were con-

cerned about the situation began togather for prayer and Bible study. Wefasted and prayed and discussed what wecould do about the problems of thechurch. We did not say anything aboutour concerns to the members, but ratherprayed that the Lord would show us, asministers, the right thing to do and togive us a solution. This group started tomeet in 1965 following the first majorcrisis.

Marshall: What was that?Oscar: This crisis developed on the

surface because of the well-known im-moral conduct of the Union president.But in the background was a great con-cern about the whole moral breakdownof the church. We were not involved inthis situation. I was pastoring 200kilometers from Budapest in Pees. Thiscrisis was primarily confined to Buda-pest. But we all saw that the concerns ofthese brethrenwere real.

Marshall: How did they expresstheir concerns?

Oscar: A delegation of these con-cerned brethren met with the Division

president, Mario Fregland, who was avery fine Christian. This meeting was tobe confidential. Here they shared some ofthe problems of the [Hungarian] Unionwith him in order to solicit his help andseek his advice.

President Fregland, upon investiga-tion, ordered the Union president to re-sign because of his immoral conduct.He then nominated a new Union presi-dent who was a faithful older pastor.But as soon as the Division presidentleft the country, the State Office ofChurches put the deposed Union presi-dent back in office. Investigation soon

1 (\ n .... 11:..... F'nwulatu:m November 1988

revealed the names of those who hadmet confidentially with the Divisionpresident, and these members were alldisfellowshiped.

Marshall: HoW many were disfel-lowshiped?

Oscar: About 300.Marshall: What was the reason

given for their disfellowshiping?Oscar: They were called rebellious.Susan: These disfellowshiped breth-

ren tried to have their situation heard, andso they called together a meeting on Sab-bath afternoonwithin the Central Churchof Budapest, where they had been mem-bers. The police were called, presumablyby the Union, and the meeting was dis-persed.

The Union [executive] committeethen informed many of these disfellow-shiped members that they were not to at-tend any Seventh-day Adventist Churchin Hungary.

Marshall: And this crisis was thefirst that caused many of the pastors tobegin to meet together in fasting andprayer?

Oscar: Yes.Marshall: What happened next?Oscar: The unchristian behavior of

the Union leaders became worse andworse. We tried to minister to these dis-fellowshiped members and to encouragethem. We were eventually able to bring

about 80 of them back into church fel-lowship. Many of the rest began to wor-ship in one another's homes since thedoors of the churches had been closed tothem. As we visited them, they expressedgreat concern to us about the ecumenicaltrend of our [Hungarian] Union [Confer-ence].

Susan: At this time our prayer groupbegan to study the prophecies of Danieland Revelation, and we also became con-victed about the dangers of ecumenical-ism, which made us also more aware ofthe growing ecumenical problem in ourUnion.

Marshall: What do you mean by theecumenical problem? ..

Oscar: Since 1948 the Protestant('1churches of Europe have been working'toward unity. Now, since Vatican IIended in 1965, the Catholic Church hasbecome more interested in ecumenical-ism also. Since that time, both Protestantsand Catholics have worked together toheal the breach between them so that theycanwork together in unity.

Susan: The ecumenical movementexpressed the desire for all denomina-tions to seek full organizational harmonyand co-operation, along with a commonliturgy and service, in spite of doctrinaldifferences, while maintaining separatedenontinational names and existences.

Oscar: In this movement we saw thefulfillment ofRevelation 13 that predicts aunity of religious powers that would leadto the making of an image to the beast.Marshall: So the ecumenical prob-

lem you were concerned about was theproblem of the Adventist Church beinginvolved in this ecumenical process. Oneof the ecumenical trends that you wereconcerned about was that the churchwasa member of the Council of FreeChurches, whose goal it was to unite thevarious churches, including the [Seventh-'day] Adventist Church into bonds ofmutual interest and activity. Is that right?

Oscar: Yes. Sandor Palotay, the presi-dent of the Council ofFree Churches, wasthe vice president for the EcumenicalCouncil of Churches in Hungary. In fact,the whole Council of Free Churches, withall of their member churches, was a regu-lar member of the Ecumenical Council ofChurches ofHungary.Marshall: Now you are speaking of

yet another organization. These organi-zations all seem to be intertwined in oneway or another, and if one has neverheard of them before, it is hard to keepthem straight. What is the EcumenicalCouncil of Churches ofHungary?Susan: It is the Hungarian branch of

the World Council of Churches.[Note: Pastor Charles Sonneleitnel

came into the room and joined our dis·cussion at this time.]

Marshall: Interesting. Let me see ifcan follow all of this now. The Seventhday Adventist Church is a leading member of the Council of Free Churches. ThCouncil of Free Churches is a part of thEcumenical Council ofChurches ofHungary. And the Ecumenical Council cChurches of Hungary is a part of titWorld Council of Churches. Is that right

The Union president publicly stated his beliefin the holy calling of the Secretariat of theWorld Council of Churches

Susan: That is correct. Thus theSeventh-dayAdventists ofHungary were

(,,\. a pan of the World Council of Churches.

i. ' But most of the members and ministersdid not know that. At first, only the topUnlon leaders took pan in any of the ecu-menical meetings of the World Councilof Churches.

The greatest problem, however, wasnot the technical belonging to these or-ganizations, but the ecumenical theologythat began to be taught to ourmembers-that the Seventh-day Adventist doctrineis not so impottant as unity between thevarious denominations. This conceptbegan to permeate our churches. Thus, asour presence in the ecumenical move-ment became known, it hindered ourwork in calling peeple out of Babylon.Our ecumenical stand was a contradic-tion of our Seventh-day Adventist mes-sage and mission.

Marshall: Pastor Charles Sonneleit-ner, you just joined us. Do you have any-thing to add to that?

Charles: Yes. I would like to expressanother rea! concern in this area, and thatis that the ecumenical movement seeks toprohibit proselytizing [winning mem-bers] between churches.

C· ''I Let me read to you from the constitu-tion of the Council of Free Churcheswhich Susan has here. This is Point 4a ofthe constitution: "The member churches[of which the Seventh-day AdventistChurch is one] ... will not promote,either directly or indirectly, the conver-sion of individual members from onemember denomination into another."Thus our church, by accepting this con-stitution, has agreed not to try to convenMethodists, Baptists, Pentecostals, orFree Christians into our church.

Jeno Szigeti, the current HungarianUnion president, expressed his full sup-pon of this action in an article he wrote inthe Theological Review [1978, Issue 5-6,151]. In this article he said, "We [Seventh-day Adventists] do not discourage and donot prohibit believers ... from taking partin the worship or Bible studies of otherdenominations, or, if they desire, to usethe pastoral care of ministers from otherdenominations. We a!so, as [Seventh-dayAdventist] pastors ... cannot be drivenby a wolf instinct in pursuit of sheep inother folds."

Jozsef Szakacs, past president of the1 C., 1Union, said in his inaugural speechwhenhe went from being the Seventh-day Ad-ventist Union president to become thepresident of the Council of Free

Churches: "My conviction is that JesusChrist is the head of the church and of thechurches, the Christian denominations."He also expressed the desire to continue"to serve God Almighty as a faithfulmember and minister of the AdventistChurch ... within this new post as headof the Council of Free Churches."

Marshall: So, along with the deepsorrow over the vindictive disfellowship-ing of the 300 members, the ministerswho were fasting, praying, and studyingDaniel and Revelation, also became

alarmed over these serious ecumenicaltrends. What happened next?

Susan: As time went on, the ecu-menical problem did not abate, but con-tinued to growworse. Up to this point theaverage member did not yet know, orbelieve, that our church was really in-volved in the ecumenical movement.They were concerned about the morallapses of the conference, but did notknow about our ecumenical involvement.Two events happened in late 1974 andearly 1975 that alened the members tothe seriousness of the situation.

In September of 1974, all the pastorsof all the churches of the Council of FreeChurcheswere called together for a meet-ing in a Seventh-day Adventist Churchroom. This meeting, of course, includedall the Seventh-day Adventist pastors.The speaker was a Lutheran bishop andhis speech was an aggressive ecumenicaldiscourse.

The Union leaders openly expressedagreement with this speech. This open-ness was a jolt to many of the Seventh-day Adventist ministers and caused themto realize that they were going to have todo more thanjust pray, and that the Lordexpected them to do something more.Then, just seven months later, in

April of 1975, Philip Poner, the generalsecretary of the World Council ofChurches, visited Budapest, Hungary.Sandor Palotay, the head of the Councilof Free Churches, invited him to give a

lecture to all the pastors of the Council ofFree Churches. So agaln, all the Advent-ist pastors were called together, alongwith the pastors of the other churches, tohear a speech.

Here it was openly revealed that all ofthe churches belonging to the Council ofFree Churches were participating mem-bers of the Hungarian Ecumenical Coun-cil and the World Council of Churches.Thus the Seventh-day Adventist Churchin Hungary was an official memberof theWorld Council of Churches. Although

this membership had been a fact for sometime, it had been kept from most of theministers and the church members.

Another shocking event of this meet-ing was the public greeting the Seventh-day Adventist Union president gave tothis official of the World Council ofChurches, which was as follows: "MayGod bless you as our brother in thischarge [general Secretariat of the WorldCouncil of Churches] in which God hasplaced you. May the Holy Spirit lead youin your work."

You can imagine the feelings thusgenerated among our brothers and sistersof the Seventh-day Adventist Church asthey heard the Union president publiclystate his belief in the holy calling of theSecretariat of the World Council ofChurches.

After this event Elder Egervari, oneof two conference presidents within theUnion, wrote his orstletter of concern tothe Unioncommittee. He wrote this letteron behalf of both himself and the manyconstituent members and ministers herepresented, who began to express deepconcern to him. In this letter he politelyasked for the Union to seek to follow theGeneral Conference guidelines and thatwe seek to conduct ourselves in such away as not to be misunderstood by ourmembers.

Later Elder Egervan asked the Unioncommittee, ofwhich he was a member, toappoint a committee to investigate the


._-_.. -- --_ ....

We appealed to the Euro-Mrican DivisionCommittee for something to be done to savethe church because the apostasy was so serious

theological ramifications of the eeumeni-cal question.

Oscar: This committee was ap-pointed and called, but it met only once.Jeno Szigeti, who is today the Unionpresident, told the committee that theecumenical movement was not a fulfill-ment of prophecy and that there was noreason for concern. This statement wasaccepted by three out of the twelve mem-bers of the committee, himself inclUded.The other nine members were promisedby the Union president that they, andespecially Susan Yanko, could expresstheir views at the next meeting. But thenext meeting was never called.

Following this meeting, the Unionleaders began to threaten those who didnot go along with the pronouncementthat the ecumenical movement is not afulfillment of prophecy and thereforenothing to fear. They were threatenedwith the loss of their jobs if they con-tinued to believe this way.

Susan: Many other events followed.Ifwewere to list evenall themajor eventsit would take a book. Let me give but onemore example. At this time the Unionpresident took all of the Spirit of Proph-ecy quotations out of the Hungarian Sab-bath School quarterly, stating that wecannot have these old statements today.

Oscar: These actions continued toarouse more and more people, and wewho were in the prayer group felt we had

to do what we COUld, in a Christian spirit,to save the church. So we wrote more let-ters to the Union committee. Soon theUnion president fulfilled his promise andwe were dismissed from our jobs.

Marshall: How many?Oscar: Six pastors.Marshall: And what happened next?Susan: We appealed to the Euro-

Mrican Division Committee [which wasover the Hungarian Union]-not for ourjobs, but for something to be done to savethe church because the apostasy was soserious.

12 Our Finn Foundation November 1988

Charles: The Union committee thencirculated a letter to the churches falselyaccusing us of many things in an attemptto justify these dismissals. Some of the ac-cusations were of serious moral wrongs,but although most of the church membersdid not believe these accusations, they be-came increasingly concerned.Everyone waited for the Division to

settle the problem in a right and Christianspirit. Sad to say, we were in for a verygreat disappointment. We knew therewere problems with the Union leadershipin Hungary, but we thought that all theother leaders in the Adventist Churchwere true and holy. We especially trustedthem because they were free of anynational concerns and we thought. thatthey were God's messengers, almost likeangels.

Marshall: What was the result?Susan: In December of 1975 there

was a special Hungarian Union ChurchDelegates Meeting called by the Divi-sion. We looked forward to the meetingwith hope and anticipation. But we werebitterly disappointed. The detttils are toopainful to give and do not need to be toldhere, but suffice it to say that the Divisioncondemned the dismissed pastors beforeall the delegates.

Marshall: And what effect did thishave on the delegates?

Susan: Many of them saw that theDivisionwas merely going to support the

Union inwhatever they did and that theycould not expect any fairness or helpfrom them. So many of them began towrite letters to the Union Committee.Before, the Union Committee was get-ting letters mostly from Elder EgervW:iwho was representing them, but nowthey started getting letters from hundredsof individnal members. They requestedthe committee to replace these dismissedpastors to their former positions.Marshall: And the result?Susan: First, there was some great

good that began to develop among the

church members themselves. This was agrass-roots movement of the laity with-out any involvement of the leaders. Thisf")movement caused the members to have' •to start studying and praying as they hadnever done before, and the Holy Spiritbrought a revival among these concernedbrethren.

Marshall: And what was the effectupon the Union Committee?

Oscar: They tried to stop the protest-ing. So detemtined were they to stop allprotesting that they closed and locked fivechurches, forbidding any congregating ofthe members. Next they totally disbandedthree other churches, including the 430-member Central Church of Budapest-the largest Seventh-dayAdventist Churchof Hungary. They declared the membersof these disbanded churches to be disfel-lowshiped. However, they allowed thoseto be reinstated who signed a documentstating that they would be obedient to the[Hungarian] Union Committee, and thatthey denied that there was any ecumenicalproblem in the church. Thus pressured,many of them signed.Marshall: How many were disfel-

lowshiped and not reinstated into churchmembership? 0

Oscar: Five-hundred eighteen. "•.. "Marshall: Did any ofthese disfellow-

shipedmembers receive a trial as outlinedin the Seventh-day Adventist ChurchManual?

Oscar: No. They Simply received aletter from the Union Committee declar-ing them disfellowshiped.Marshall: The Bible gives clear

guidelines that only members of a localchurch can disfellowship another mem-ber---mld the mannal also makes this veryclear. But it sounds as if the local churchwas totally bypassed in these proceedings.

Oscar: That is correct. They weredisfellowshiped by either the UnionCommittee or the Conference Com-mittee. None were permitted a trial. Theywere then forbidden to come back tochurch.The actual disfellowshiping of these

people, as irregular as it was, was not thewhole problem however. The peoplewho were disfellowshiped were treatedwith such malice by the Union leader-ship, who formulated the most viciousaccusations against them in order tojustify their actions, that subsequently{ ....\.642 more members said that they could,,)"no longer support the [Hungarian] UnionCommittee until these people were re-ceived back into the church-they would

We feel a sacred responsibility to preserve andguard the purity of the gospel and itsproclamation in this country

themselves receive the lot of their fellow,f?" brethren.is \; Marshall: So that brought to 1,160

the number ofmembers who were disfel-lowshiped or felt constrained to leave.How many members were in the Hungar-ian Union of Seventh-day Adventists atthis time?

Oscar: On the books, about 5,000.Marshall: And, including visitors

and children, how many were attendingthe combined Seventh-day AdventistChurches of Hungary?

Oscar: Probably between 3,500 and4,000.

Marshall: So about a third of the ac-tive members were disfellowshiped or re-moved, and that was in addition to the300 who had already been expelled fromthe church a few years earlier. Has thereever been any official acknowledgmentthat these disfellowshipings were illegalaccording to the manual, and contrary tothe Bible?

Susan: Both General Conference andDivision leaders have freely acknowl-edged that these disfellowshipings wereunlawful and unchristian, and it has beenacknowledged in the Adventist Review,

( ,but no one has been willing to correct the,,_ I wrong. Rather, the General Conference

has confumed the Union leadership andall their actions.

Oscar: They did once suggest thatwe turn everything over to an arbitrationcommittee composed primarily of tlteUnion leadership, but we cannot do thatuntil there is a change in the Union. Wenow feel a sacred responsibility to pre-serve and guard the purity of the gospeland its proclamation in this country.

[Another minister, George Stuber,entered about this time.]

Marshall: When 1,160 of you sud-. denly found yourselves cast out andhomeless, with your characters malignedand without a trial, and with no supportfrom the Division or the General Confer-ence, you must have felt very dis-couraged, especially since in our church,the remnant church of Bible prophecy,many people support the actions of thevisible leaders of the church under allconditions, regardiess of what they do.How long was it before you began tomeet together for worship and Sab-bathkeeping?

({ i Susan: The churches that had been'".j dissolved immediately started to meet to-

gether on Sabbath. They met in homesand asked the disfellowshiped pastors tocome and preach to them, which was the

beginning of the church organization thatis still functioning today. But we en-couraged everyone where the churcheswere still functioning without beinglocked up, to remain in the churcheswhere they were. We used to say, "If theythrow you out the door, return throughthe window."

Marshall: Wls there any persecutionthat resulted from the members meetingtogether for worship in their homes?

Susan: Much. The Unionmade manythreats of State reprisals against these

members for worshiping together. Thesethreats were foliowed up and there re-sulted years of persecution.

Marshall: This persecution musthave forced clandestine activity amongthe disfellowshiped members. In otherwords, they must have had to resort todoing everything in secret.

Oscar: No, we did not become secre-tive. We seek to be law-abiding citizensand we have done nothing against theState. We wrote and explained our posi-tion to the State Office of ChurchAffairs.Moreover, the LOrd has called us to givethe gospel to the peeple of Hungary. TheLord has opened many avenues of wit-nessing.

Marshall: Such as?Oscar: Our work is to do the sarne

work as Jesus did. He was involved inhelping people where they were andmin-istering to their needs. Just so, we want tobe a blessing to the people of Hungaryand an asset to the government. The Lordhas opened many avenues for accom-plishing this mission. Some of our insti-tutions and activities are as follows:

1) We run an alcoholic rehabilitationprogram.

2) We have two homes for the aged.3) We have held youth camps for the

past twelve years. We have now ex-panded beyond just youth camps andhave four camp meetings a year in orderto minister to peeple of every age groupand location.

4) We have started the only vege-tarian restaurant in Hungary.

Marshall: Yes. I ate there yesterdayand could hardly find a seat. It was filledwith urtiversity stUdents, especiallymedi-cal students. The food was delicious. Butcontinue on.

Oscar: 5) We are also working forthe many orphans of Hungary. Hungaryhas 35,000 orphans.

6) We have a specializedwork for thegypsies of Hungary. The gypsies are asizable minority:

Marshall: The Lord has indeedgiven you a vision for finishing the workin this psrt oftheworld. Now, as we havevisited the churches together, you haveintroduced me to many peeple who havebeen coming to church for one to twoyears and who have been receiving Biblestudies during all that time. These people,as I have observed, all seem to dress, eat,and act like conservative, converted Ad-ventists. Yet for one after another youhave told me that he or she is almostready for baptism and the event is com-ing up soon. You domore training and in-structing before baptism than I have everseen.

Oscar: We want to make sure theyare ready. We have already seenwhat canhappen to a church, and even a confer-ence' when it becomes filled with mem-bers who are not converted.

Marshall: Yes, Ellen White warns us

been able to have any baptisms with thispolicy?

Oscar: We have baptized 600people.

Marshall: That is over half again asmany as you started out with. And howmany peeple do you have now coming tochurch who are not baptized yet?

Oscar: Between 1,000 and 1,200.Marshall: Last year when I was in

your headquarters church, over 300were present on Sabbath morning-fully a third were not yet baptized. I was


1Wice as many attending church as are on thebooks! That is certainly a different situationthan we find in America

happy tD meet many Df them again thisyear whD have nDW become functiDningand happy members Df the church.Deaths have undDubtedly taken a tDll,alDng with SDme whD have apcstatizedDr mDved. What is YDur current member-ship?

Oscar: 1,254Marshall: And what is YDur average

cDllective attendance for all YDurchurches?

Oscar: 2,500Marshall: Twice as many attending

as are Dn the books! That is certainly adifferent situatiDn than we find in Amer-ica. How many churches and groups doYDU have in Budapest?

Oscar: FDurMarshall: HDW many are in attend-

ance at YDur largest church here.Oscar: 300Marshall: That must nDW be the

largest Seventh-day Adventist Church inHungary?

Oscar: Yes, it is.Marshall: HDW many churches and

groups dD YDU have scattered thrDughDutthe rest ofHungary?

Oscar: 75Marshall: So that makes 79 active

churches and groups. NDw, I have a veryseriDUS questiDn: I realize that YDU neverleft the church but were expelled withDuta trial, and that you have been forced toworship tDgether for the preservatiDn DfYDur faith, and the saving of YDur chil-dren, as well as for the conversiDn ofsou1s, but nDw that you find yourself inthis situatiDn, are you seeking tD start anew denominatiDn such as the RefDrmedSeventh-day Adventists did?

Oscar: ND! Never! We want mDrethan anything else to be a part Df thewDrldwide Seventh-day AdventistChurch. We believe this is the church ofBible prophecy.

Susan: It is very painfu1 what wehave suffered frDm the church, but wehave kept our faith in the movement andwe love God's faithfu1 Seventh-day Ad-ventist people in all the world.

Oscar: We are very thankfu1 fDr themany members Df the worldwide churchwhD are praying fDr us and encouragingus in Dur trials.

Marshall: What solutiDns dD YDUpresently see fDr resolving this situatiDn?

Oscar: The true solution is a revivaland cleansing of the church by the HDlySpirit, both in Hungary and in the worldWe look fDrward tD that day and arepraying for it.

14 OurFinn FoundatWn November 1988

Our Small Committee also submitteda proposal DnAugust 21 ofthis year to theGeneral Conference and Trans-EurDpeanDivision to "admit us as a conference at-tached directly tD the DivisiDn." Since wehave been excluded frDm the UniDn, weare seeking to be connected directly tD.theDivision.

Charles: We are Seventh-day Ad-ventists and will never and can never beanything else. We have snffered muchloss, misunderstanding, and trials from

the authDrities because we have refrainedfrom Drganizing intD a church on DurDwn. God has miraculDusly guided andprotected us many times. However, thelaws of Hungary are now such that wemust Dfficial!y incorporate before the endDf this year if we dD nDt receive afavorable reply from the Division and theGeneral Conference. However, we aredetermined tD always remain faithfulSeventh-day Adventists, loyal to theLord

Marshall: DD YDU see any evidenceof sDftening on the Union's part?

George: ND. We cannot see any sof-tening. We wou1d like very much tD see achange and are ready tD reunite with theUniDn at any time a change cou1d occurand we would be invited back. But all in-dications are that the situation is continu-ing tD wDrsen.

Susan: Let me give you an ex-ample. JDzsef Szakacs, the fDrmerUniDn president until he became headDf the CDuncil of Free Churches in1980, gave the CathDlic primate-archbi-shop [the head Df the CathDlic Churchin Hungary] a "brotherly kiss of peace"at a well-publicized public ceremDny inan Orthodox Church in Budapest onJanuary 17 Df this year. This actiDn wasto symbDlize a closer working relation-ship and brDtherly affectiDn betweenthe churches Df the Council Df FreeChurches [which includes the Seventh-day Adventist Church] and the CatholicChurch.

Marshall: That is certainly gettingecumenical! What is JozsefSzakacs' atti- "'""tude tDward the Small Committee? Is he \ .. 'trying tD work in peace with them as he iswith the CathDlic Church?Oscar: You mean. what "was" his

attitude tDward the Small Committee andtheir churches, as I will explain. He wasDne Df the most bitter Df Dur enemies, andbecause Df his clDse pDlitical ties he hasbeen able tD bringmuch persecutiDn. Joz-sef Szalracs was just in his fifties and had

great plans for further ecumenicalismbDth here and in Dther cDmmunistgDvernments. Within a week Df givingthis kiss Df peace and receiving a hDlykiss from the archbishDp DfHungary, he C)died suddenly and unexpectedly. .•

Charles: JenD Szigeti, our currentUniDn president, hDnDred him in a pub-lished Memoriam to Jozsef Szakacs, fDrthe great ecumenical achievements ac-complished under his influence.

Marshall: Has the persecution abatedsince his death?

Susan: Yes. But that is not alDne duetD his death. There has alsD develDpedmuch mElre religiDus liberty within Hun-gary over the past year.

Marshall: What are YDur presentgDals fDr the Seventh-day AdventistChurches and the church members repre-sented by the Small Committee?

Oscar: Our members have learned tDstand fDr truth and tD gD through trialsand troubles withDut becoming bitter. WehDpe we have grown more like Jesusthrough it all. Our great gDal is tD helpDur members be ready fDr the clDsingwDrk Dn earth and tD stand victDriDuswhen Jesus comes. We want tD see thesanctified character DfJesus-His IDVe-exemplified in each member. As TheDesire ofAges, 827, says, "Christ is sil-ting fDr His pDrtrait in every disciple." \ )We want that picture DfJesus' lDve, faith-fillness and purity exemplified in eachmember Df the church. In pursuit Df thisgoal, we initiated a program twD years

ago at a pastors' meeting designed tohelp eachmember experience revival and,r', reformation. The Lord has been greatly

,\. blessing in this endeavor.Snsan: And then beyond our own

members, we want to be used by the Lordto reach and save for the heavenly king-dom as many people of Hungary as wecan. Jesus died for every soul and wemust be obedient tD His commission todD His work.

Marshall: One last question-whatwDuld YDU like tD say tD the wDrld field?

Oscar: We wDnld like to say "ThankyDu" to the many faithful Seventh-dayAdventists around the world whD haveencouraged us and prayed fDr us in ourtrials-mld we still need their suppon.

Susan: YDU cannot imagine hDWmuch these letters and visits and news DfcDncerned brethren meant tD us. Thepain [Df being disfellDwshiped and con-demned] was SD deep it can hardly beimagined. These encouragements camejust in time.

Oscar: For years we all thought wewere gDDd Christians if we just keptquiet and kept the Sabbath and went tochurch, but we let apostasy increase

f('" until it almost destroyed the church. We) know now that it WDuid have been

"'- much better to have stood up sooner.We must all go thrDugh the experienceDf standing alone for the LDrd, but thelDnger we wait the harder it is. WewDuid alsD like to encDurage all thDsewhD are, or will soon find themselves,in trying situatiDns fDr the truth such aswe have experienced. We want tD letthem know that the LDrd will neverleave them, but will sustain them atevery step, even thrDugh the mDstsevere trials.

Finally, let us all unite tDgether for afinished wDrk so that Jesus can comeagain soon. II

In 1908 Elder J. A. Burden, thefounder ofLoma Linda Sanitarium andthe College ofMedical Evangelists (nowknown as Loma Linda University Medi-cal School), wrote to Dr. W. A. Ruble, ex-plaining the situation in California.

Our understanding Df the testimoniesis, that while thousands are to be quickiyqualified for thorough medical-evangelis-tic work, some must qualify to labor asphysicians. Wehave been instructed againand again to make the school as strong aspossible for the qualification ofnurses andphysicians; and the Dpening Df a way forits recognition, with no thought or effonon our pan, and especially in view of thefact that California heretofore had beenone of most difficult States for medicalpractitioners to gain recognition in,seemed to us a divine providence, comingas it did the next year after we had stanedour school. The battle was fought by theosteopatha, but the Legislature then threwthe gate wide open for any school whoserequirements for entrance to the medicalcourse were equal to a high school pre-paration on the ten fundamental branchesthat underlie medical education. Materiamedica and surgery are both thrown out,so that a good, thorough school of hy-giene or rational practice of medicinewould have no difficulty in being recog-nized in this State. And should our schoolbe recognized here, its students wouldhave a vantage ground from which to se-cure recognition in other states, the sameas the osteopaths are being recognized,Their healing an is fast being recognizedin all the States, but they have had to fighttheir way to the front with everythingagainst them. Their opening the way willevidentlymake it easier, fDr a time at least,for other reputable methods of healing tobecome recognized.

It cenainly was a great misfortune thatthe American Medical Missionary Col-lege was launched under cover of the reg-ular schools rather than under the bannerof the healing art embodied in the thirdangel's message. And it seems tD some ofus that we shall make the same mistakethey did if we undertake to follDw theirexample in establishing a medical schoolwhose very standard, if it is at all main-

tained, means commercialismfrDm first tolast, or else the students whD graduatefrom the school will IDse their caste andstandingwith thoseWhD are fDllowing themedical practice Dfthe present day. Not sowith a new school which makes its Dwnstandard andWins its wayby its merit; andthat standard, if we understand the mes-sages corning to us, is missiDnary, warpand wODf, with the mercenary spirit en-tirely eliminated. Hence the name chosen,Medical Evangelists.

We should like tD be present at YDurcDuncils and hear YDur discussiDn Df thisquestiDn. It is extremely interesting tD us,from the fact that we have had tD face theissue and set Durselves to solving it, orelse tum down some Df the plainest mes-sages from the servant of the LDrd thatwe have ever received... , We are Df theDpiniDn that God is calling this denomi-natiDn tD a reorganizatiDn Df its medicalwDrk as truly as He called a few years agDfor a reDrganizatiDn Df the educatiDnalwork. Hence, we are mDving fDrward inthe best light we can obtain....

I am sure that as soon as the questiDncomes up, the fITSt thDught will beDfa su-perficial medical educatiDn that wDuid bea disgrace tD the wDrk Df the message, un-less we can establish ... a fully-equippedmedical school after the wDrld's idea,which oould become a member Df the As-sociatiDn DfAmerican Medical Colleges. IdD not believe we shDuid for a mDmentgive countenance tD anything Df this son.Ifmuch that is now embodied in the medi-cal schools of the wDrid is as useless as themaxims of the scribes and Pharisees, andif there are intricate studies that are a posi-tive injury tD the mind Df the student (seeCounsels on Health, 369-370), ... wDuida medical school eliminating these uselessthings from its work and adding that mosthelpful, healing agency-the influence ofthe gospel of Christ as revealed in thestudy of the Scriptures, combined withrational remedies and the ten fundamentalbranches taught in harmony therewith-would such a SChDDI become superficialsimply because it stood alDne and was notrecognized by the modem schools of theworld? II

LomaLinda Messages, 368-370


Christ()ur Exam.ple

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, .,,' " ,"', ..'." '. ':, , ,.." " ;' i 1: ".,. ,,' ,'- " " ':',','" ,i ,. '," 'though the subject l1,assfro*" 11'Y'mirrd.,,, '> ,,,,',, '::"'_,." :"""",:,,,,,,,,,,:,.,,,'Ihqseonly who ,realize, that 'the

the human, ';,n,derst';"d ,the .iospel thm, cariJ.eio this wQrJd t,?rno other,purpose than tpp1ace merLonvantage' groUnd"before the wol'1d 'and, the Hecame,to bear'testimony thaifaHe!, 'human: :beings,through faith iii ,His ppwer andeffica!;yas ,the Son ot God,play ,par-.takers '0:1' the; divine, naiure.: He alonecould'ril<ike an'atonement' for'sibm:rs,and open ilie gates of 'to thefallen 'laCe;'He' took on Himself, not "thenature tif angels; but 'the nature o'Eman,and iIi, ihIs world lived a life untainted', by sin. "J:he Word waS made flesh, anddwelt arnong' ,Us,(imdvie: beheld Ijisglory, the glory, as df the0J1!y begottenof the and truth."John 1:1,4. ''As many 'as ,ecyived"bil111, tothem gave he,P9wer to'bf:come' the sonsof God, even to them thatbelieve bnhis"11'2',·", ',,:.'.' _.,i,'",_.

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By His life 'and death :Cinist taughtthai only in obedience'ltO' God's cOm'mandmentS can niarid'indSafety andtrliegreatness. 'fThe,1aW 'Of the -Lord is per-fect, converting :Psalm 19,7.God's Jaw is a.transcript,ofHis character.It was giV"11 tOIDan iIi,the beginning asthe standard of 6bectiertce:,Tn succeedingages this lawwas lost sightof. HundI:edsof years 'lifter the,Flood; ,c;l.braham was

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called"and to bimwas,'given the, promise ,that his ctescenfumlSs'lt9U1d ex81t God'slaw..In CQl1l1:seoftime, lhe!fSraeliteswent '.into yeats they,

THATWHICH IS, most needed by noblillg principles .underlying a,ceptC sufferoo'gr'iiJvo:osmedical, missionary workers is the able medicilJ. miSsiqnary work. of' the,Egyptians. ,After they:had 'been ,in'

guidance'oE tHeSpirit ofthe,Lo,d: Those In,my, diary, I: find the follOWing, s\a*eryfor i).ear{)i' ,who labor as Ou::ist, ,the ,great Medical' written,cine year ago: , . God:Missionary be spirilual- , October ,29, 1902;""':This 'l111ornihg I "manif'esWiti9n :O:f'J;fis pOWer,tEil "

.' m:indedc',Butmot all wqo:ate doing medi- wokeearly:,WEtetjJfaYi"gmdSt,,,amestly ,'I: :Himself to'1he'Eg¥'PtiilriS,I:!S:the RJuer16!'.cai, ,missionary,wo,kal;e' ¥ ' matI 'tJieand His trot\!, }J'ot,all are's;ubmi\tinipo might ,properly express 'the matters .:;;the guidance of the 'Holy SpIrit. 'Some' UJiged TIpon ',my atlentlOJ1; r'wrote"but" ,,,;', ",'"",,": H1lUl: e:'a: a'secon " '.-Iate"pringing i the' foundation " ; ab0Ut ten: ofllnsttucUon., t,'lcnpw" ,'/:tiitf,,1 " '",',., '-'''' ,

, .. 'ha",:anl! '0'0"":',:;[ , !iJt,riarj<l\Wi1h!$is',!"ivh;ijrlg!lF :;::'.'" ..' ,:;,' "',',-, ': :," ',."{C' '" ", ,'I __ , j :," ,';' ", ':'.1 ',' t 'Ir If '" ,I ", I',: ',.-. i:",: I'''-'ilh ,,,-,.;fn:T,,:,,, ';1":' '.1 ',.' -' ,:"t" ,:,," ',' ", i1-I,!,11,,1 I ,,' '" ",\,...h"I..'I, "",s,,, ,'; 'i ,j :'/ I'l': l"\",,, .. ,'1-"1", ,,! :,\:J the;tesr:p.fdJiltej': 1 (,:'? i;;' lin:,;, I/!,i \::: '\;: \' : ': i p:e '" " , .,1 ;oJ;}'j'{ ';,;,", ,}" "'1,1; " :,t: I'I' 'th""::' J'); '.) -' :\)., 'd'>:' I\:'!' ", "," Y:,''':' " ,,:,1. :'H".'." -':, \,1" il,J,,:, :':' ,1'11,.', <I- "; __":"?::'''''')':'' ':' ":: ':':, t""'''I'I,' Y:", 1,,' ':--, ' ',<, ,,: '\ '; ,,,,,' , "", ;,,,, " ,,, ''',' 'W,'" "may.. a",,'i\\(IS oID,an '" ,,'CGll1e ",,"ore, IS pe@p e. " s one. " " ,,\' ;;,(':, ::': ,"thu$;, ',r ifee'l 'intenst:l'y,;"'" J' ::',';l: :qpwn :thro1(gh,,the': ,

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"" .. ;to.':?1Y ,I" " :j ,: 9:e:" "':l::lalj,t"branch vetI>'ili.(lleno'IDiI:ia,tlonal work. "mow then that the subject-matter pre- ' takably revealed as the standard ,of obe-',''',I,,''':''''(',j,i,';i'':'''i,,' ":" ': ,:'" :"'" '."::' ,',:"""',,, .. ':',:.:", '." ", ,,:-/, ' "", '" ",.": :" ;',' :,' "i ": • :""", ': ::, : "'.". ',,,,'.',':" " ""

.,: pur,:: ,en-, sented .(0 me will not be lost, even ' .. dlen'f.Chnst carne to vtndicate the

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lesus expects His "disciples to follow closely inHis footsteps, endudngwhat He endured,"suffeiing what He 'suffered, overcoming as Heovercame

Let those who hold the truth in righteousnessarouse, and go forth, shod with the preparationof the gospel of peace, to proclaim the truth tothose who know it not

in person on this earth. IfHe were here,He would be drawn out to rebuke manywho, though professing to be medicalmissionaries, have not chosen to learnof the great Medical Missionary Hismeekness and lowliness. In the lives ofsome occupying high positions in themedical missionary work, self has beenexalted. Until such ones rid themselvesof every desire to uplift self, they can-not clearly discern the character ofChrist, nor can they do the work that Hedid.

When the Holy Spirit controls theminds of our church members, there wiilbe seen in our churches a much higher

standard in speech, in ministry, in spirit-uality, than is now seen. The churchmembers wiil be refreshed by the waterof life, and the laborers, working underone Head, even Christ, wiil reveal theirMaster in spirit, in word, in deed, andwill encourage one another to press for-ward in the grand, closingwork in whichwe are engaged. There will be a healthyincrease of unity and love, which willbear testimony to the world that Godsent His Son to die for the redemption ofsinners. Divine truth will be exalted; andas it shines forth as a lamp that burneth,we shall understand it more and stillmore clearly.

The testing truth for this time is notthe fabrication of any human mind. It isfrom God. It is genuine philosophy tothose who appropriate it. Christ becameincarnate in order that we, through beliefof the truth, might be sanctified and re-deemed. Let those who hold the truth inrighteousness arouse, and go forth, shodwith the preparation of the gospel ofpeace, to proclaim the truth to those whoknow it not. Let themmake straight pathsfor their feet, lest the lame be turned outof the way.

We are now to unify, and by truemedical missionary work prepare theway for our coming King_ But let us re-member that Christian unity does not

18 OurFirmFoundaticn November1988

mean that the identity of one person is tobe submerged in that of another; nordoes it mean that the mind of one is to beled and controlled by the mind of an-other. God has not given to any man thepower that some, by word and act, seekto claim. God requires every man tostand free, and to follow the directions ofthe Word.In every movement Christ's fol-

lowers are to reveal their regard forChristian principles-loving God su-premely, and their neighbor as them-selves; reflecting light and blessing onthe pathway of those who are in dark-ness; comforting those who are cast

down; sweetening the bitter waters inthe place of giving their fellow pilgrimsgall to drink.

Let us increase in a knowledge of thetruth, giving all praise and glory to Himwho is One with the Father. Let us seekmost earnestly for the heaveniy anoint-ing, the Holy Spirit. Let us have a pure,growing Christianity, that in the heaveniycourts we may at last be pronouncedcomplete in Christ.

"Behold, the bridegroom cometh; goye out to meet him." Matthew 25:6.Lose no time now in rising and trinnningyour lamps. Lose no time in seeking per-fect unity with one another. We must ex-pect difficulties. Tpals will come. Christ,the Captain of our Sfjlvation, was madeperfect through suffering. His followerswill encounter the enemy many times,and will be severely tried; but they neednot despair. Christ says to them, "Be ofgood cheer; I have overcome the world."John 16:33 •

Pacific Union Recorder, December 17,1903

Through Opened Doors()

THE RIGID hand is used to opendoors through whicn the body may

find entrance."IAnyone familiar with Ellen White

will know immediately that the illustra-tion above is meant to convey the impor-tance of the medical missionary work.Time and again she refers to this branchof labor as the "right arm of the mes-sage." Her intent is clear; medical mis-sionary work is of such a magnitUde inthe overall mission of the Seventh-dayAdventist Church that we dare not neg-lect it. It is crucially important that thiswork be given the place God intended itto fill, and that it be carried forward as Hehas stipulated. It is all too true that thatwhich has the potential of bringing greatblessings can, if used ill-advisedly, bringjust as great problems.

, The history of Adventist medical( Iwork bears out the importance assigned.....? to it by Ellen White. Though the Westem

Health Reform Institute was a rathermodest beginning, by the 1880s it hael-under its new name of the Battle Creek

Sanitarium-grown to significant in-fluence in both the church and the world.Humanly speaking, its growth waslargely due to the activity of one JohnHarvey Kellogg, M.D. Fortunately,though, we have more than human in-sight. "The Health Institution has notbeen brought into favor simply becauseof the talent, skill, or wisdom of one man.It is because God has had faithful instru-mentalities that have consented to beworked by the Holy Spirit, and many in-fluences have been combined in bringingabout the prosperity of the Sanitarium.The time that has been spent in commun-ing with God, in seeking His help beforeundertaking to relieve those who were ina critical condition, has brought angels tothe side of the doctor and his assistants.In transacting your business that has beenso important, you have succeeded ac-cording as you have trusted in God.'"It is this simple truth that John Kel-

logg needed always to bear in mind. Wetoo must learn this lesson of dependenceand submission to the directions of God

in every point. With his disciplined mindand determined pursult of knOWledge,Kellogg climbed rapidly to prominence.In 1888 Ellen White could say, "In theprovidence of God, Dr. Kellogg has in-fluence. Like yourself [George Butler] hewas taken from among the laboring class,and by his indomitable will and persever-ing energy and with one object in view,he has reached a position among thehonored men of the world. This positiondid not compel him to sacrifice one prin-ciple of our doctrines of faith to make asuccess. He has signalized himself as aman of wisdom and aptitude to plan andexecute them, and his high standing inthe medical profession has an influenceto remove from a large class the false im-pressions which have prevailed with re-gard to Seventh-dayAdventists' being anignorant class of people.'"

We may be grateful for the excellentbeginning made by Dr. Kellogg. Unfor-tunately, the devil is a relentless foe,scheming from every angle for the de-struction of souls. Temptations fromwithout had not caused his downfall; anew form of vexation-this time fromwithin the church-was to have greatersuccess in weakening his position. InJune of 1898, Ellen White would write,"In order to be carried forward aright themedical missionary work needs talentand wise discrimination. But can thiswork be done while those in responsibleplaces--presidents of conferences, andministers--bar the way? I say to thepresident of the Michigan Conference, toElder_, and to others, Remove thestumbling block that you are surely plac-ing before the people....

"Those who are doing medical mis-sionary work in Battle Creek should havethe full sanction and co-operation of thechurch ..."Time is short, and there is a great

work to be done. Ifyou feel no interest inthework that is going forward, ifyouwillnot encourage medical missionaries towork in the churches, they will do it with-out your consent, for this work must andwill be done. Brother_, Brother_Brother_ Brother_ in the name ofthe Lord, I call upon you to take yourposition on the Lord's side. Do not befound fighting against God.'""The Lord has given Dr. Kellogg his

work. It is a fact that our ministers arevery slow to become health reformers,notwithstanding all the light which theLord has given upon this subject. Thishas caused Dr. Kellogg to lose conti-

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I Dave Fiedler I!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!November 1988 OurFinn Foundation 19

Let us determine that we shall not be tied by somuch as a thread to the educational policies ofthose who do not discern the voice of God

!

, .1

dence in them. Their tardy work in healthreform has created in him a spirit of criti-cism, and he has borne down on them inan unsparing manner, which the Lorddoes not sanction. He has belittled thegospel ministry, and in his regard andideas has placed the medical missionarywork above the ministry. I have seen thatin the censuring of ministers remarkshave been made which have not been tothe honor and glory ofGod.'"

Add to this the growing fascination ofthe doctor with the tenets of pantheismand his insatiable appetite for control ofall with which he was connected, and youhave a perfect recipe for the explosion ofBattle Creek in the early years of thiscentury. \\Ils Adventist medical mission-ary work at an end?

No, the Lord had plans for a littlepiece of property in Southern CaliforniaLoma Linda-the Hill Beautiful it wascalled_nd the story of the miracles as-sociated with its purchase has often beentold. But this bright beginning gave wayto some very troublesome clouds of un-certainty as the development of the newfacility was contemplated. What, exactly,was the church trying to do with thisplace? What should they be doing?

Medical education was in sweepingtransition. A few decades earlier almostanyone could pick up a doctor of medi-cine degree in six months or so by attend-ing one of the smaller medical institu-tions scattered across the country. But inthe meantime strong steps had been takento standardize and improve the trainingof physicians, and for good reason-would you want to trust your life to thehands of somecne with only six monthsofmedical training?

Adventist medical training, however,had been carried onwith only a minimumof interaction with governing bodies, andvirtually no interference. How were theyto relate to the new situation?

By this time the American MedicalAssociation had become a power of somemagnitude, and was urging forward the"upgrading" of medical education. Edu-cational improvements should continu-ally progress, but the question now facedthe leading brethren, "Is the 'upgrading'of the AMA heading straight up, or is itheading slightly off the mark?"As early as 1907 A.G. Daniells, presi-

dent of the General Conference, statedhis belief that Loma Linda must have therecognltion of the AMA if the school was"to be worth a nlckel."· He had touchedon a key issue, one which would largely

20 OUTFirm-Foundation November 1988

decide the course to be followed by theCollege of Medical Evangelists. So, too,would it answer the as yet unasked ques-tion ofwhich wayAdventist education asa whole would go. It was a long process,but the right arm was opening a door; thebody would soon follow.

The matter of the school's relation-ship to government regulations and theAMA became very pressing. Letter afterletter on this subject passed betweenEllen White and John Burden, the"father" of Loma Linda. Others, too,were interested. It was one of the "hottopics" of 1908 and 1909.

On March 24, 1908, Sister Whitewrote to Elder Burden, "The educationthat meets the world's standard is to beless and less valuedby those who are seek-ing for efficiency in carrying the medicalmissionary work in connection with thework of the third angel's message. Theyare to be educated from the standpoint ofconscience; and as they conscientiouslyand faithfully follow right methods intheir treatment of the the sick, thesemethods will come to be recognized aspreferable to the methods of nursing towhich many have been accustomed.'"

In the fall of 1909 Elders J.A. Burdenand W.C. White sought counsel concern-ing the COllege's legal status. Would it bewrong to secure a tharter from the state?The answer was clear: "No, I do not seethat it would, if a charter was secured onright terms. Only be sure that you do notexalt men above God. If you can gainforce and influence that will make yourwork more effective without tying your-self to worldly men, that would be right.But we are not to exalt the human abovethe divine.... I do not see anythingwrong in that, as long as you do not inany way lift men above the Lord God ofIsrael, or throw discredit upon Hispower. But enter into no agreement withany fratemity that would open a door oftemptation to some weak souls to losetheir hold on God."s

Near the close of the interview, W.C.White suggested that CME couldmeetlegal requirements without compromiseQ .:Where the law required certain courses ofstudy he suggested, "We do not have toteach these subjects in their way; we canteach them in our way. Wben it comes tothe study of drugs, they teach how to givethem. We teach the dangers of using them,and how to get along without them."

His mother responded, "Well, youmust plan these details yourselves. I havetold you what I have received, but thesedetails you will have to work out foryourselves."

In summary, Burden stated: ''It seemsclear to me tltat any standing we can law-('lfully have without compromising, is not .out of harmony with God's plan." AndEllen White agreed. "No, it is not. All Ican say is that I have had very distinctlight, however, that there is danger ofourlimiting the power of the Holy One ofIsrael. He is the God of the universe. Ourinfluence is dependent upon our carryingout the word of the living God:'"

In October of 1909 she wrote, "Ourpeople are now being tested as towhether they will obtain their wisdomfrom the greatest Thacher the world everknew, or seek to the god of Ekron. Let usdetermine that we shall not be tied by somuch as a thread to the educational poli-cies of those who do not discern the voiceof God, and who will not hearken to Hiscommandments....

"Shall we represent before the worldthat our physicians must follow the pat-tern of the world before they can be qual-ified to act as successful physicians? Thisis the question that is now testing thefaith of some of our brethren."l0

On November 5, she again wrote toElder Burden, "Some questions have beenasked me regarding our relation to thel).laws governing medical practitioners. We .'need to move understandingly, for theenemy would be pleased to hedge up ourwork so that our physicians would have

In the Joumal of the American MedicalAssociation, August 1931, an article appearedwhich contained thinly veiled threats thatCME's "I';" rating would soon be dropped

only a limited influence. Some men do notact in the fear of God, and they may seekr'i to bring us into trouble by placing on our

"- necks yokes that we oould not oonsent tobear. We cannot submit to regulations ifthe sacrifice of principle is involved; forthis would imperil the soul's salvation."But whenever we can comply with

the law of the land without putting our-selves in a false poSition, we should doso. Wise laws have been framed in orderto safeguard the people against the im-position of unqualified physicians. Theselaws we should respect, for we are our-selves by them protected from pre-

sumptuous pretenders. Should we

C. \manifest opposition to these require-;Iments, it would tend to restrict the in-fluence of our medical missionaries.

"We must carefully consider what isinvolved in these matters. If there areconditions to which we could not sub-scribe, we should endeavor to have thesematters adjusted, so that there would notbe strong opposition to our physicians.The Saviour bids us be wise as serpentsand harmless as doves.

"The Lord is our leader and teacher.He charges us not to connect with thosewho do not acknowledge God.""

Sister White had already said that wewere to train qualified physicians, but shehad also said that some "adjusting" mightbe needed with the civil authorities. (Itshould be noted that when Ellen Whitespoke of trained physicians, she meantsomething more than someone familiarwith herbs and hydrotherapy, useful asthose treatments may be. In Battle CreekLetters, page 40, she calls for "theminis-ter of the gospel who expects to go to for-eign fields" to have "a knowledge ofsurgery, that in cases of necessity he willknow how to handle medical instru-

I ments." There can be no doubt that aU medical missionary physician shouldknow at least as much.)

Such counsel raised questions as towhat course the Lord would have them

pursue. In yet another attempt to resolvethe matter, a letterwas placed in the handsof Ellen White on January 26, 1910,asking for a clarification. But rather thanasking directly if the College of MedicalEvangelists should seek AMA approval,the letter asked if the school should besuch that the graduates would be "able totake state board examinations andbecomeregistered, qualified physicians."

The next day, January 27, 1910, sheanswered in writing. Here we will quoteonly the key portion: '\\ud for the specialpreparation of those of our youth whohave clear convictions oftheir duty to ob-

tain a medical education that will enablethem to pass the examinations requiredby law of all who practice as regularlyqualified physicians, we are to supplywhatever may be required, so that theseyouth need not be oompelled to go tomedical schools oonducted bymen not ofour faith. Thus we shall close a door thatthe enemy would be pleased to have leftopen."12 Here then was the answer-butwhat did it mean? Some understood it toauthorize an AMA-approved medicalschool following the regular curriculum.A few, familiar perhaps with SisterWhite's previous statements, saw it as acall for a "special" training school thatwould prepare srodents to pass the ex-aminations required by "wise laws/' "ad-justed" so as to require nothing to whichthey "could not subscribe." There werestill some "details" that the men involvedwould have to '''work out" themselves.

It appears that the brethren by thistime had lost Sight of the possibility of"adjusting matters/' and believed that itwas either fall in line with the AMA orclose the school. It isn't hard to see howthey would think that. For a small de-nomination to tangle with the power ofthe AMA-and the state and Federallaws behind it-is about as bad a mis-match as David fighting Goliath. Thatother options did exist is evident from thehistory of the advocates of chiropractic.

Shurming AMA affiliation, they havecontinued to practice their own versionof the healing art to this day.Despite the fact that she had already

given the brethren this specific answer totheir specific question, Ellen White con-tinued to write words of oounsel and in-struction. In April of 1910 she wroteagain to Elder Burden. "Iwish to expressto you some thoughts that should be keptbefore the sanitarium workers. Thatwhich will make them a power for goodis the knowledge that the great MedicalMissionary haS chosen them to this work,that He is their chief instructor, and that itis ever their duty to recognize Him astheir teacher."The Lord has shown us the evil of

depending upon the strength of earthlyorganizations. He has instructed us thatthe commission of the medical mission-ary is r=ived from the very highestauthority; He would have us understandthat it is a mistake to regard as most es-sential the education given by physicianswho reject the authority of Christ. ..."Some of OUT medical missionaries

have supposed that a medical training ac-cording to the plans of worldly schools isessential to their success. 'Ib those whohave thought that the only way to successis by being taught by worldly men, Iwould now say, Put away such ideas. Thisis a mistake that should be corrected...."It is a lack of faith in the power of

God that leads our physicians to lean somuch upon the arm of the law, and totrust so much to the influence ofworldlypowers." 13

Though the decision making was dif-ficult, decisions were made and timepassed along. By the 1930s CME hadgrown and gained a good degree of ac-ceptance from the AMA. But one hurdleremained---academic accreditation.Again the AMA"upgraded" their sys-

tem, this timeby requiring that premedicalwork be taken at an a=edited college. Inthe Journal ofthe AmericanMedical As-sociation, August 1931, an article ap-peared which contained thinly veiledthreats that CME's "Pi.' rating would soonbe dropped because they were acceptingso many students from una=editedschools. But our Adventist colleges werenot a=dited. What oould be done?

In October of that year, after long de-bate, and with a great many misgivings,authorization was given for junior andsenior colleges to seek accreditation. Theaction was stated to be an "emergencymeasure," and one which all felt to con-


We have been trying to find out what isnecessary, but we find other things necessary,and so we go on year after year

,,I

,, '

, ,, ,jl, ,

: i, '

tain some danger. The action was accom-panied by the following safeguarda:

"Whereas, We know full well fromobservation and repeated warnings fromthe Spirit of Prophecy that by sendingour teachers to the universities of theworld for advanced degrees, we are ex-posing them to great dangers, as is evi-denced by the number of our men whohave already in this way lost their holdupon God, and realizing that there isgreat danger to our system of Christianeducation through the molding influenceof these worldly schools on our teachers,

r'We recommend, That in the selec-tion of teachers to attend the universitiesonly persons of outstanding Christianexperience andwho have been successfulin Christian work should be chosen-persons whose faith in the Bible andSpirit of Prophecy is well grounded, andwho realize that in attending the univer-sity they are being exposed to subtle andalmost unconscious influences of infidel-ity-and persons who believe with alltheir hearts in the superiority ofChristianeducation."14

Four years later, at the Autumn Coun-cil of 1935; a report was given of the pro-gress ofthis endeavor. This report makesvery interesting reading. We will quoteoniy a small portion, unfortunately, dueto space limitations.

"Four years have gone by since thattime. These have been years in which wehave gained a great deal of experience.We were launched at that time upon anuncharted course. No one knew muchabout what it involved or what was in-volved in accrediting. Some thought theyknew a great deal about it, but it has beendiscovered that some of the informationthat we had was not accurate. Some of itmay have been more or less accurate, butwe have gained an experience. We haverevised our plans and our ideas a goodmany times along the way during thesefour years. We have spent a great deal ofmoney-much more than Some sup-posed would be necessary in securing thea=editingwe received. It has been spentalong a number of lines, common amongthem, teacher training. As it was auth-orized at the time, our colleges have beensending their teachers [to non-Adventistcolleges] during this time of transition.The teachers were not able to go unsup-ported, and it has been necessary in thecolleges to help support them to get thistraining, and also to pay the expenses oftheir tuition while attending the univer-sity. Most of this has come during the

22 OurFirm Foundation November 1988

school year, making it necessary to sub-stitute teachers to take the place of thosewho are in training. The expense was alsoincurred in putting up more buildings;and adding other necessary equipment asdemanded by the representatives of thea=editing board. In some places this hasbecome a large sum. Then there came tothe attention of the board other things.There should be an endowment, an in-come, in our schools, or in lieu of that,some guaranteed income above the stu-dents' tuition and above anything wehave plarmed upon or provided for in ourschools before. In some instances the

subsidy required was at least double theamount that had been coming to our col-leges before. It was also necessary thatour schools should be out of debt, and inorder to accomplish this it has been nec-essary for conference organizations to as-sume large indebtednesses held by theseinstitutions in order to relieve the institu-tions, and the conferences took over theburden of paying this indebtedness.

"During these four years, two of oursix senior colleges have reached the goaland become accredited. These are twoschools in the West. None of our othersenior colleges have reached theand some of them find that they are farfrom reaching it yet-just how far no oneknows. Just what may be required inthem if they a=editation, we arenot able to discover. Representatives ofthe COlleges' accrediting bodies will nottell us. They will make suggestions ofthis and that and say you failed here orthere, but they will not tell us definitelyjust what we must do; and when whatthey have said has been done we thinksurely we will be accredited. But we havestill been groping in the dark. We havebeen trying to find out what is necessary,but we find other things necessary, andso we go on year after year....

uWe believe, Brother Chairman, as aresult of our study of this situation thatthe .safeguards that we tried to throw

around the policy of accrediting fouryears ago when we entered upon thiscourse have very largely broken down('"\Therefore we entered upon a course that-we did not plan on, and we know thatthings have gone farther than was antici-pated. We were facing dangers and perilsin this rnatter of accrediting our collegesthat were little dreamed of at that timewhen this action was taken four yearsago. For instead of a few teachers beingselected carefully by college boards aswas recommended, teachers who wouldpresent outstanding Christian experi-ence, and who have been successful in

their Christian work, whose fidelity tothe Bible and Thstimonies is unques-r'tioned, we have found that a large class Of,,-,)very young and immature people havebeen finding their way into the uuiversi-ties believing that as a highway to ap-pointment in our institutional work...."Your commission believes therefore

as a denomination that we are driftingand that it is entrusted to us at thisAutumn Council of 1935 to endeavor tocall a halt and to retrace our course and todrive down new stakes and determine bythe help of God that we will rectify any-thing that is wrong in what we undertookto do four years ago....

"We are ready to admit that in our ac-tion of four years ago we went too far.We find that we made a mistake.... andif it was a mistake, we believe that Godwill forgive that mistake and that He willlead us back to the right plan onJy as weare willing to face and acknowledge themistake and turn our faces toward thetruth and find the way out.""

It takes little imagination to picturethe consternation raised in the minds andhearts of the delegates by the ominoustone of the commission's report. Senti-ment ran strong, but easy solutions wereI.".not forthcoming. We quote now from the\.,(.discussion at the Fall Council of 1935:"I personally believe the vote we took

at that time [1931] was in the wrong

The time will come when it will be moredifficult than it is now to arrange for thetraining of our young people in medicalmissionary lines

direction. 1 have been instructed by theWord and the writings of Sister White

riVery definitely about this since then. The. instruction is so definite....

"In the educational program we havefollowed since 1931 I feel very definitelyand certain!y that we have beenmore andmore united with men whose counsel ismisleading."-Elder Watson

"I believe that the entire future of theyouth of this denontination is dependentupon maintaining in the institutions ofeducation the educational policies of thisdenontination, and right principles, andclinging to the blueprint God has given tous."-Elder RusIqer

"1 hope the Lord will lead us someday to build upon the foundation of thisreport to give further study in rescuingour educational system from theworld."-Elder McElhaney

"1 believe that the educational poli-cies that the world has fastened upon thedenontination is like a great octopus. Itstentacles reach out to every school, and inthis report of this commission we aremerely clipping some of the tentacles ofthat octopus, and 1 hope in God that thetime will come whenwe can take OUI stu-

co, ,\dents clear away from worldly things in_ .lour schools."-ElderWilcox

"I feel perplexed and confused. I can-not quite harmonize the speech of yester-day by Elder Watson and the speechestoday in favor of accreditation. Ifwe donot accredit our medical schools, we fearwhat can happen to us, we are today told.Wewere told yesterday to exercise faith. 1do not honestly see how 1 can go backand repeat your speech, Elder Watson,and when the brethren ask me, 'Are youtied by a thread?' say, 'Not a thread.'How can 1harmonize that by what we aredoing when we authorize accreditationfor all of our academies, for all of ourjunior COlleges, and for al1?"-PresidentAndreasen

"We have accredited two senior col-leges. Now we propose to recommendthat another college be accredited, andthat all junior colleges proceed with cau-tion. If this is wrong, how can it be rightto recommend to accredit another? Ifweshould not be tied by so much as a thread,why not cut loose?"-Elder Rice

"The facts involve us into consider-ing whether or not we will continue with

( Ihe educational program that has become....--more and more worldly, or whether we

will start an educational plan that is inharmony with the instruction we have re-ceived from God."-Elder Watson

And so it went. The acknowiedgedleaders of our denomination wereweighted down with the seriousness ofthe situation. Indeed, we have not quotedhere their strongest expressiOns of con-cern. That the decision made that daywould influence the eternal destiny ofhundreds and thousands ofour Adventistyouth they were well aware. Do not sup-pose for a moment that they took this re-sponsibility lightly. But what could bedone?

Perhaps it is needless to say that theAutumn Council, after long and earnestdiscussion, did not see any way that they

could reverse the step taken four yearsbefore. The majority of those who spokeon the floor that day fervently wishedthat somehow things could be changed,but what to do they knew not.

And dare we criticize them? What as-surance have we that, in like circum-stances, we would show any greater wis-dom? Yet we must learn from their ex-periences, and the experience of the last50 years. Indeed, the doorwas opened andthe body went through it. In due time theeffects became more prontinent, display-ing themselves in hitherto unimaginedways. And still there were those who pre-tested. Elder L.E. Froom, founding editorofMinistry magazine once asked:"How dare a man contemplate, or

have the temerity to present, the degreeof doctor of divinity, gained in the uni-versities of Babylon, as a credential forteaching or preaching tltis threefold mes-sage, the second stipulation of which is,'Babylon is fallen, is fallen.... Come outof her my people'? How dare we acceptsuch a Babylonian credential in lieu ofmastery of the truth? Shall a man go intoBabylon to gain strength and wisdom tocallmenout ofBabylon? Th ask the ques-tion is but to disclose how far some havecomprontisedwith Babylon, as they havegone back to Babylon to drink from herwells of wisdom. Oil, for the living wa-ters of truth fresh from the Word!

"Someone needs to sound an alarm.We need to grip ourselves and halt agrowing trend that, if it becomes en-trenched, will bring disaster throughneutralizing OUI message."16

It has been 44 years since ElderFroom offered his thoughts. It has been53 years since the brethren voted to seekaccreditation. What have we learned?Are we better prepared to fulfill the callofGod?

In 1910 Ellen White wrote, "Nowwhile the world is favorable toward theteaching of the health reform principles,moves should be made to secure for our

own physicians the privileges of im-parting medical instruction to our youngpeople who would otherwise be led to at-tend the worldly medical colleges. Thetime will come when it will be more diffi-cult than it is now to arrange for thetraining ofour young people in medicalmissionary lines. "17

What have we learned? If nothingelse, let us learn that Ellen White wasright. iii

1MedicalMinistry, 2382 Manuscript Release 1010, 23Ellen G. White 1888Materials, 100-1014Manuscript Release 892, 2-3SManuscript Release 2A3, 46 LomaLindaMessages, 3057 Ibid., 3658 Ibid., 445, emphasis supplied9 Ibid., 427-428. Notice that Manuscript 71, 1909(pages 424-428) and Manuscript 105, 1909(pages 443-445) depict the same intetview. SeeMemcal Practice and theEducationalProgramatLoma Linda, 75-78 for the full text.

lOIbid.! 44711Ibid., 452-45312Ibid., 484-485, emphasis supplied13Ibid., 542-54414"Speech ofElder WHo Branson, delivered at theFall Council, October 30, 1935," 1-2lSIbid., 2-4, 816TheMinistry, April 194417LomaLinda Messages, 543, emphasis supplied

November1988 OurFirmFowulalion 23

":<"',.f,'{"; ,';',t,·',,:", ,':":.1'\':'\' 1\, -I: .. ;,,"":' ,1,9r'::.c;.J.:'; '::},.;:: '.'-', 'I'

, T' _'-' 1,,'1':;</,,1,:'""',, ,";', '-'I "I; ;:J '-,;

, ',':,';','il

:"::::,, '," ::. ;/,'" } :: i./i",,,,: ". ; :' ' : "', "\" _, ,," 1" ,,' " ,,,"" , _,, ./\ t" . ''':'''' ",' ' ,'.( ,", ' 'd .""::'{ii' ' "'" ,,:/',' ", 't. ," ,',\',.',' '. ,:";:,, ,':" ":' /',. .'" ,:_' :' -, " •.,:I;<Q':"',:.'/\hey readily unders'tocidHim''when.'!hey:;met lfifiii lliey foJnd thai.He lived tohelp them., ' , I" ";,\,,' •,.' ,"Thy afflicted who, came toHi", felt ,He ,linked'His interest

, ;viili theirs asa faithful arid tender" frielld, aJ;ld they desired to Know,inore" of the iruths f):eta"ghC: The Desire 0/Ages, 254-255 , . ,. ''He the hearts ofthe people

by going'afllong,themas one who desired..t)Ieit good. He sought them ill the'public, houses, :on,the boat$,.,iilthe sY!lligogue, ;by. the shores of.the.lake,and at the marriage He met, them attheir 'daily,voc;ations, 'and manifested aninterest iri'thelr secularaffairs, :ae carrieclHis inStructjon into t)Ie household, bringing ill their ownhdmes.under theiiilluenre' of His divine presence.' His

, strong peJS9nal to win.'.' '.: ... f'"Kin'·'d . liearts."Ibid: 151 ,,,,"'ilJ,e:lVlffity 0 ..... : ..... " neSS" " His 'acls thu;s:riveted

t)ieir,op)xlrtunity will be gonefore':er. in thememory." Ibid., 87. eems that Jesus' entire' Ufe' was .,;n'''Cker.;',fc;>re said, "l hasten to the ,They:c6llid not !,e<;?lliHisde'C0ted for oppprtjUJities to p • , • out atthe same time thiI1king ofihe truthsshow kindness. He never asked whetlier '" .. the ofHis life is. replete taught. Whatabeautiflli)lletliod! ,. .people pr ,"9t;:pr ,iftJ).eY hM with miracles ofhealing of all kinds; par- .' sympafhy that ever ex-mon<;y .so that cbllidrecorqpense " tic;ula,ly the. • .fp,tt)Ie 11,eeds .qf, His;Him, He 10 'knoV; if they who were the most hopeless. The record:lIear.ers frp1I\ manyarespops,e to lhewere reedy; and .rrip!,e nyeclY th\"yls full ofthetrl:Acts 10:36-39; H\" sol1ght to teach.", Review andwere; t\\e more eager He was to reach . '4:23:25; 8:16-17; 12:15; 14:1(15:30- . ,lier,ald, :1,912:' .. :'1": ", .. them'a!id help them. That was the kind '31; '19:2; Mark 1:34; 3:10; 6:53-56; " ' :', ',.,Th.ough Hefuteresied HimseIfinall'Cflifo He: l;ve'd; because that was the ' LUke 4:40'5:15' 6:17-19' '9:11- tlle'affairs onnen, it seems evident

.: . ", .. > .:.-:;",':< .•:ihatHisgreatestciarufestation'ofinter-was, a revelariOl'o/His Fluher. . ..' .; :¥ .' iellefirqmtheil' suiier-.

','",',:r:,'"::,f"",,,:y'.',: \', ,o' <' 'He healed the sl'ck He was n'ot confl'D1'ng ";"-"'m"'i'gS":: ",,': -"',':,'i'" }_I!'· ,:.'" .', ""',"",";, '":,';,, f",",', ,'," "'. , , . .' , ' " ,,' . " ", ',." ' ' " , ., " '" '" '"," ,"," ': '., ,'",,' ,.,'rheMost Needy . , , ,\' ,:1. '.': ",His work to them. the.people m· . .'\, ,"The SavioUr ohhe world devbted, j':: .',,,;,1::'-:,:': :.;':',i;','".'".',.. J ,'? ;,,: .::::",,:,:<:., ,':': >: '.>1/:,',: '; "',:,::' ;;: ,r :,.: ..:',,:', ,;',':,:, :::;' .. ()t ,::' I':: ;tirpe,'· ,y?

.' ": ,c'" "",f!J.unqst ,Ile,dy people are.not al.. ,: .',' . :miracles, 'a1].d so a ,knowl<!dge 0/ .his " flicted of their maladies 'thtulto pi;each-", ""ways ,the most, needy ones are .. 'kin4,:ess.rbched every ear and perie- ing.': "pI. 4, 225;8ee 3ls0

! '::,:> I:, ":they,,,ho are sick, lJecause are be- " trated every heart. People The ,Ministry ofHealing, 19, and The', '.':' '·wining " can dispute pver tlieology and dpc-" .

I

I.'; ,'" so ,trines, but ,the,e is ,.no di&pute aoout:; ,ing 'hold' pf tli\" gllspel 'and>of etentity .Jci,ndness, mercy; 'cOmpassion, 'and sym- . 'Julius 'Gilbert White:was a health'educa-" , 'a1;e:IeSSeIn"g; the,eridbqife .pathY. All readily' tOLand, .for of the/:'. •. will . ,and '..'. qualities when ;them;, sO . Lecture Bureau at

JiJlius Gilbert ,:White...

and tenderhearted and pitiful, tlletewould be one llundred conversions tothe ttuth wllere now ther,e isotilycone."Testimonies, vol. 9; 189

We seem to be more an"ious toet:-pound doctrine than to showand mercy, but in the dayGod will judge us, not bytltenumberof people to whom we have presentedsome strong Bible prophecy or warn.ing, but by the kind deeds we havescattered broadcast amotrg $s'.lost,needy children. You can read this inMatthew 25:31·46. Our attitUdetoward mankind (God's lost children)is our attitude toward God their Father."When we love the world as He hasloved it, then for us His mission is ac-complished;" The Desire of:A:ges, 641.In otller WardS, by Vlatchingoi:tr 1;>e-havior toward people in general Be canteU how fast or slow we are becominglike ust how much the gospel

When we love theworld as Christ hasloved it, then for U.$His mission isaccomplished

has done for us. He cametos!).ow'$sFather's ldtldness; nowHesendOW.toshow it. This ldnd ofW;orkip,g forothers .dOes something to asfor them. This is the inethodoHaboriiwhich Vie arewhomwe work. ThiS is W01'II!,erJfifl .:

This is the, ;. ,;

Christ and Christ's

Wllen Jolm tlle Baptist entertaineddoubts concerning the Messiahship ofJesus aIld sent disciples to Hint with afrank question demanding a plain an-swer-''Art thou he that should come,or do we look for another?" Jesus badethem to stand by for a while and ob-serve what was going on. In due timeHe said to them, "Tell John, 'The blindreceive their sight, and the lame walk:,the lepers are cleansed, and the deafhear, the dead are raised up, and thepoor have the gospel preached tothem.' " Matthew 11:2-6. His works ofmerCy were to be sufficient proof toJohn that He was indeed the Messiah,even as Jolm had announced to thepeople.

Jesus and John the Baptist

"If we would hum.ble ourselvesbefore God, and be kIDd and courteous

If that was the proof then that Hewas the ChriSt, the same kindness re-vealed in loving ministry to men nowwill be the greatest possible proof thatwe are Christ's-that we belong toHim. .

Kindness, me;cy, and love revealdivinity; they are a) evidencesGOd,and b) e"idencesof trueChristianity, andofllle trUe Christian, andbed) evidences of true Christian, minis-try to tn.ankili.d.In other words, thedivillity'bfGbd is

revealed by man to man, hymanshbw-ing. to man the kindnO$. ofGoo..selfish ministry to.tlte sick. This 'wasChriSt's method 01lli,bon He is Out; ex-ample, llbt otilym1l0lyliving, but 'also il1.holy labor fat losl'bumatlity, He has leftus His follow in

steps: '\\8 my 'Father sent me, sosenct I you." Will you hearHiscatl?

Go Thon'lInd Do Li:kewise

hearts changed so tbnt kindness alwaysdwells within is a supreme miracle.

Note: "The highest evidence that Hecame from God is that His life revealedthe character of God. He did the worksand spoke the words ofGod.Such a lifeis tlle greatest of all miracles." Thid., 407

Will the reader go to God alld say, ''1WaIlt to be like You; help me."FIeWill doso.

The power to be kindis greater than thepower to do miracles,and is a greater proofof divinity

Miracles a Vehicle of IDsMetcy

It is true' that IDs many miracleswere performed to prove His divinity(see The Desire ofAges, 528, 406), yettheir chief purpose was not to show Hisdivine power but to show IDs divinemercy. This thought is in thefollowing:

"The greatest slgni1'icance of Hismiracles is seen in the fact that they werefor the blessing of humanity." IheDesire ofAges, 406

,.,

This statement shows that thegreatestsigni1'icance ofHis miracleswasnot the demonstration of power, bunhe1!laIrlfestation of mercy. In other words,thecsitkneSSgavehim all opportunity todo a miracle whiCh would reveal Hismercy, .and the miracle was the vehicle,sO to speak:, taking His mercy to theneedy people who really needed merCymore than miracles, but did not know it.The showing ofmercy was theand the miracle was the methOd used toaccomplish the object. Therefore 'show-uig ,kindness and, mercy 'performing miracles. Hismiraclesweiea proof of divinitY,'b1.llkmdnOs&and1 mercy are att1'ibutes ?f divinity, andlin kindness. is. greater' thant .' ..... ",iraq/es.The pow,r teo be kind is greater

1,;'( ''';::' power:,todo' and 'isi' ..,.,., greater proof ofctiVinity; the devil canI,;·.....'··, '..i.' '<:IO'miracles, but'he cannOt be kiUd,.. . . ;"il'lMany' are the bhurchesand theCbrls-{p', " '1 ,'" '.'j long for the pOwer to do,1 m;racles, but it is now seen to be more

iti!poitanttliat they bekIDd;aUdGadhaspUt! lohdness into the forefront Of 'theliea"etily graces wlfichHe seeks tOit'i'Jritiart!tOallOfms children. We, however,diYiU91placea proper value on kindnessarid giY DnlongiI\g for the miracles. This

of attitude in us,wjj)cn'.w1J;F.onng i 'US tb our knees in

think that Viehave so'l!ifi\g'negXetted somethinggreater than miracles. 10 have our e"il

atureTheologytheof an

ewand

I'!

THE NEW THEOLOGY is predi-cated upon erroneous views of the

nature of man. Indeed, it is one of theprincipal areas in which the New The-ology may be identified. Seven aspectsof this issue will be examined in the lightof God's Word.

1. Man is not born with original sin.The concept of original sin was firmlyetched in the Augustinian concepts ofChristianity. He brought this beliefwithhim from paganism. This concept holdsthat man is born and even conceived insin, hence guilty by inheritance, becauseof Adam's fall. There is nothing thatman can do, nor that God does, to rec-tify this situation. This false pretenseleads many to believe that God alone ar-bitrarily preordains some to eternal sal-vation. Others He determines to suffereternal punishment. Some Christianscite the prayer ofrepentance offered byDavid as evidence for this view. Oftenmodern translations are quoted. Inmany of these translations there is aslanting of the translation to reflect thetranslator's bias toward original sin. Inthe King James Version the text reads asfollows:

"Behold, I was shapen in iniquity;and in sin did my mother conceive me."Psalm 51:5

This text, it will be seen, says noth-ing about guilt or original sin. The sub-sequent verses set forth the truth that it

was possible for David to be totallycleansed from tlie sin that he had com-mitted with Bathsheba:

"Behold, thou desirest truth in the in-ward parts; and in the hidden part thoushalt make me to know wisdom. Purgeme with hyssop, and I shall be clean:wash me, and I shall be whiter thansnow." Psalm 51:6-7

"Create in me a clean heart, 0 God;and renew a right spirit within me."Psalm 51:10These texts dispel any thought that

David believed in original sin, or itscorollary that man cannot cease fromsin. God's truth, however, indicates thatman is born with evil tendencies, withnatural inclinations to move in pathwaysthat alienate frOI>' God. Unconvertedman will naturally become a sinner andbe separated from God.

The Bible emphasizes that a man isresponsible for his own sin, not for thesin of someone else:'fud the Lord said unto Moses,

Whosoever hath sinned against me, himwill I blot out of my book." Exodus32:33"The soul that sinneth, it shall die.

The son shall not bear the iniquity of thefather, neither shall the father bear theiniquity of the son: the righteousness ofthe righteous shall be upon him, and thewickedness of the wicked shall be uponhim." Ezekiel 18:20

These inspired texts emphaticallydeny the false doctrine of original sin. Inno manner does God hold men guilty for("';the sin of their forefathers. Iforiginal sin" ,..'were biblical, then God would not havedeclared concerning John the Baptist:"For he shall be great in the sight of

the Lord, and shall drink neither wine norstrong drink; and he shall be fIlled withthe Holy Ghost, even from his mother'swomb." Luke 1:15, emphasis added

We are guilty because of our ownsin:':Por all have sinned, and come short

of the glory of God." Romans 3:23"Wherefore, as by one man sin

entered into the world, and death by sin;and so death passed upon all men, forthat all have sinned:" Romans 5:12, em-phasis added2. Man's eternity is not predestined

by God. It is true that only a fewSeventh-day Adventists would openlyespouse the predestinarian doctrine.However, the acceptance of the conceptof original sin, by implication, logicallypredisposes one to this conclusion, as itclid Luther and Calvin. Yet the Scripturesemphatically declare that man chooseshis own eternal destiny:

Colin and Russell Standish serve as C:..president of Hartland Institute andMedical Director of Penang AdventistHospital, respectively.

Colin D. Standish and Russel R. Standish26 Our Firm Foundation November1988

The proponents of the New Theology confuseperfection with perfectionism, which acceptsthe satanic error that man's good works possessmerit

if it seem evil unto you to serve. the Lord, choose you this day whom ye'will serve; whether the gods which yourfathers served that were on the other sideof the of the flood, or the gods of theAmorites, in whose land ye dwell: but asfor me and my house, we will serve theLord." Joshua 24:15"0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that

killest the prophets, and stonest themwhich are sent unto thee, how oftenwould I have gathered thy children to-gether, even as a hen gathereth herchickens under her wings, and ye wouldnot!" Matthew 23:37

the Spirit and the bride say,Come. And let him that heareth say,Come. And let him that is athirst come.And whosoever will, lei him take thewater of life freely." Revelation 22:17

Christ drew all men unto Himself byHis death on Calvary (John 12:32), butman is free to accept or reject this pur-chased salvation.

3. Man's salvation is conditional.Many Seventh-day Adventists are un-aware that the evil doctrine of Once-saved-always-saved is associated withthe New Theology. This lack of under-

-•. is due to the fact that it is intro-..tluced in a more subtle form than thatpresented by most Evangelical Protes-tants. Yet those who believe that we willbe saved, irrespective of victory oversin, are implicitly espousing the once-saved-always-saved doctrine. The tacitimplication of such a view is that salva-tion is not conditional upon obedience.Yet the Bible repeatedly asserts thisfact.

"Now the just shall live by faith: butif any man draw back, my soul shall haveno pleasure in him." Hebrews 10:38"But when the righteous turneth

away from his righteousness, and com-mitteth iniquity, and doeth according toall the abominations that the wickedman doeth, shall he live? All his rtght-eousness that he hath done shall not bementioned: in his trespass that he hathtrespassed, and in his sin that he hathsinned, in them shall he die." Ezekiel18:24

"For God SO loved the world, that hegave his only begotten Son, that who-soever believeth in him shonld not per-ish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

"Blessed is the man that endureth··temptation: for when he is tried, he shallreceive the crown of life, which the Lordhath promised to them that love him."James 1:12

"Hearken, my beloved brethren,Hath not God chosen the poor of thisworld rich in faith, and heirs of the king-dom which he hath promised to themthat love him?" James 2:5

"But the mercy of the Lord is fromeverlasting to everlasting upon them thatfear him, and his righteousness untochildren's children; to such as keep hiscovenant, and to those that remember hiscommandments to do them." Psalm103:17-18"But ifwe walk in the light, as he is in

the light, we have fellowship one with

another, and the blood of Jesus Chrtst hisSon cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7

behold, one came and saidunto him, Good Master, what good thingshall I do, that I may have eternal life?And he said unto him, Why callest thoume good? there is none good but one,that is, God: but if thou wilt enter intolife, keep the commandments." Matthew19:16-17

4. Christian character perfection is agift from Jesus.

The New Theology denies Christianperfection. The Bible upholds the privi-lege of all Christians to develop perfectcharacters. The proponents of the NewTheology confuse perfection with per-fectionism. This latter concept acceptsthe satanic error that man's good workspossess merit. But the Word of Godsays:

"For by grace are ye saved throughfaith; and that not of yourselves: it is thegift of God." Ephesians 2:8

"Therefore we conclude that a man Isjustified by faith without the deeds of thelaw." Romans 3:28

"Knowing that a man is not justifiedby the works of the law, but by the faithof Jesus Christ, evenwe have believed inJesus Christ, that we might be justifiedby the faith of Christ, and not by theworks of the law: for by the works of thelaw shall no flesh be justified." Galatians2:16

Further, implicit within the conceptof perfectionism is the assertion that aman may reach a state beyond which nofurther progress is possible-a state ofso-called absolute perfection. It isasserted that he cannot fall from thisstate. Such beliefs are alien to God'sWord, and thus must be rejected.However, the Bible is replete with evi-dence that, in the power of Jesus, God'ssaints will be perfect:

the Lord said unto Satan, Hastthou considered my servant Job, thatthere is none like him in the earth, a per-

fect and an upright man, one that fearethGod, and escheweth evi!?" Job 1:8"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is

the Christ is born of God: and every onethat loveth him that begat loveth himalso that is begotten of him. By this weknow that we love the children of God,when we love God, and keep his com-mandments. For this is the love of God,that we keep his commandments: and hiscommandments are not grievous. Forwhatsoever is born of God overcomeththe world: and this is the. victory thatovercometh the world, even our faith.Who is he that overcometh the world,but he that believeth that Jesus is the Sonof God?" 1 John 5:1-5

hereby we do know that weknow him, if we keep his command-ments. He that saith, I know him, andkeepeth not his commandments, is aliar, and the truth is not in him. Butwhoso keepeth his word, in him verilyis the love of God perfected: herebyknow we that we are in him. He thatsaith he abideth in him ought himselfalso so to walk, even as he walked." 1John 2:3-6

"Be ye therefore perfect, even asyour Father which is in heaven is per-fect." Matthew 5:48

"Blessed are they that keep his tes-timonies, and that seek him with thewhole heart. They also do no iniquity:they walk in his ways." Psalm 119:2-3

November 1988 OurFirm Foundation Z7

The false evangelical concept is thatconversion is seed sowing, or the inseminationof truth, and that the new birth takes placesometime after conversion

,I,I, i

I:I·

i:

"The remnant of Israel shan not doiniquity, nor speak lies; neither shan adeceitful tongue be found in theirmouth." Zephaniah 3:13

"Whosoever is born of God doth notcommit sin; for his seed remaineth inhim: and he cannot sin, because he isborn of God." 1 John 3:9

'fu1d he gave some, apostles; andsome, prophets; and some, evangelists;and some, pastors and teachers; for theperfecting of the saints, for the work ofthe ministry, for the edifying of the bodyof Christ: till we an come in unity of thefaith, and of the knowledge of the Son ofGod, unto a perfect man, unto themeasure of the stature of the fulness ofChrist." Ephesians 4:11-13

"Forasmuch then as Christ hathsuffered for us in the flesh, arm your-selves likewise with the same mind: forhe that hath suffered in the flesh hathceased from sin; that he no longer shouldlive the rest of his time in the flesh to thelusts of men, but to the will of God."1 Peter 4:1-2

Perfection is not accomplished byman, even by his best efforts. There willalways be a battle, amarch, and a struggle.But the perfecting of the character is thework of Christ. It is He alone who re-moves an sin from our lives. Perfection,however, is not maturity. The convertedmanorwoman ever grows in the maturityof God's progresive revelations.5. The saints are provided Christ's

victorious power to overcome sin. Thebiblical truth accepted by faithfulSeventh-day Adventists is that the saintscan and will have victory over sin now.The New Theology teaches that thesaints continue to sin until Jesus comes.Scripture has this to say:

"Now unto him that is able to keepyou from falling, and to present youfaultless before the presence of his glorywith exceeding joy." Jude 24

"There hath no temptation taken youbut such as is common to man: but Godis faithful, who will not suffer you to betempted above that ye are able; but willwith the temptation also make a way toescape, that ye may be able to bear it."1 Corinthians 10:13"I can do an things through Christ

which strengtheneth me." Philippians4:13

"That he might present it to himself aglorious church, not having spot, orwrinkle, or any such thing; but that itshould be holy and without blemish."Ephesians 5:27


"But God, who is rich in mercy, forhis great love wherewith he loved us,even when we were dead in sins, hathquickened us together with Christ, (bygrace are ye saved;) and hath raised usup together, and made us sit together inheavenly places in Christ Jesus." Ephe-sians 2:4-6

''Awake to righteousness, and sinnot; for some have not the knowledge ofGod: I speak this to your shame."1 Corinthians 15:34

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit,and ye shal! not fulfill the lust of theflesh." Galatians 5:16

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love,joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:against such there is no law. And theythat are Christ's have crucified the fleshwith the affections and lusts." Galatians5:22-24

The final generation will be perfect.They will obey God They will keep Hislaw, for He has guaranteed to empowersuch obedience.

'fu1d the dragon was wroth with thewoman, and went to make war with theremnant of her seed, which keep thecommandments of God, and have thetestimony of Jesus Christ." Revelation12:1"Here is the patience of the saints:

here are they that keep the command-ments of God, and the faith of Jesus."Revelation 14:12

'fu1d to her was granted that sheshould be arrayed in fine linen, clean andwhite: for the fine linen is the righteous-ness of saints." Revelation 19:8

''These are they which were not de-fIled with women; for they are Virgins.These are they which fonow the Lambwhithersoever he goeth. These were re-deemed from among men, being thefirstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.And in their mouth was found no guile:for they are without fault before thethrone of God" Revelation 14:4-5

"That he might present it 10 himself aglorious church, not having spot, or'"wrinkle, or any such thing; but that £. .:should be holy and without blemish." .Ephesians 5:27

"He that is unjust, let him be unjuststill: and he which is fIlthy, let him befilthy still: and he that is righteous, lethimbe righteous still: and he that is holy,let him be holy stin." Revelation 22:11

These pointed words of Scripture ef-fectively destroy the defeatist theory of

the New Theology which asserts thatGod does not empower victory over ansin. To accept such error infers one oftwo assumptions: a) that God wil! againponute heaven with sinners; b) that H("i'will arbitrarily make saints out of sin-·...'ners. Scripture steadfastly denies boththese positions.

6. The new birth takes place at con-version. The biblical truth is that the newbirth and conversion are coincidental.Conversion is the new-birth experience.In a denominationally pUblished book,Answers on the Way, 1977, Dr. Fordsaid, "Conversion brings to man theHoly Spirit, and the spiritual seeds of thenew nature." This statement supports thefalse evangelical concept that conver-sian is seed sowing, or the inseminationof truth, and that the new birth takesplace sometime after conversion. Thisconcept is a radical departure from bibli-cal teaching. If it were true, we wouldnot be in a saving relationship with Jesusbetween the time of conversion and therebirth, for Jesus said,

"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Ex-cept a man be born again, he cannot seethe kingdom of God." John 3:3

Yet the Bible declares that those whoare born again have Christ's power ofvictory over sin:

"If ye know that he is righteous, "know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him." 1 John 2:29

"We know that whosoever is born ofGod sinneth not; but he that is begotten

Perfection is not predicated upon what man cando, but what God has promised to do for Hissurrendered people

of God keepeth himself, and that wickedone toucheth him not." 1 John 5:18r'" "Knowing this, that our old man is

, crucified with him, that the body of sinmight be destroyed, that henceforth weshould not serve sin. For he that is deadis freed from sin." Romans 6:6-7

"Seeing that ye have purified yoursouls in obeying the truth through theSpirit unto unfeigned love of thebrethren, see that ye love one anotherwith a pure heart fervently: being bornagain, not of corruptible seed, but of in-corruptible, by the word of God, whichliveth and abideth for ever." 1 Peter 1:22-23

The separation of conversion fromthe new-birth experience is neither logi-cal nor seriptural.

7. We are in Christ, and Christ is inus. The Bible teaches that Christians areboth in COOst and He in them. Yet somehave said that to hold that COOst is in usis a form of zombiism. The objectionoffered is that ifChrist is in us we wouldhave no mind ofour own. We would loseour power of choice and decisionmaking. AB with many beliefs, thisanalysis has partial truth. Certainly if

,_ Christ is in us we will do His will, but)here is a vast contrast between the sur-'render of the will to Satan and the sur-render of the will to Christ. When wesurrender our will to Satan, he enslavesus and truly we act like zombis. Whenwe surrender our will to Christ, He freesus. Never does He deprive us ofour rightto decide. Never will He hold our loyaltyagainst our will. The moment we decideto join the ranks of the enemy, in divinesorrow He permits us to make thatchoice.

Nothing makes this issue clearer thanthe parable Christ related concerning thevine and the branches. The questionmight be asked, "Is the vine in thebranch or is the branch in the vine?"Very obviously, the answer is that bothstatements are true."I am the vine, ye are the branches:

He that abideth in me, and I in him, thesame bringeth forth much fruit: forwithout me ye can do nothing." John15:5, emphasis added

This truth is confirmed in otherscriptural passages.

"Hereby know we that we dwell inhim, and he in us, because he hath given

\ )s of his Spirit. 1 John 4:13- "Whosoever shall confess that Jesusis the Son of God, God dwelleth in him,and he in God. 1 John 4:15

he that keepeth his command-ments dwelleth in him, atid he in him.And hereby we know that he abideth inus, by the Spirit which he hath given us."lJohn3:24"Examine yourselves, whether ye be

in the faith; prove your own selves.Know ye not your own selves, how thatJesus Christ is in you, except ye be rep-robates?" 2 Corinthians 13:5"I am crucified with COOst: never-

theless I live; yet not I, but Christ livethin me: and the life which I now live in

the flesh I live by the faith of the Son ofGod, who loved me, and gave himselffor me." Galatians 2:20

"To whom God would make knownwhat is the riches of the glory of thismystery among the Gentiles: which isChrist in you, the hope of glory."Colossians 1:27

There is no question that sinful, fall-en man is born in a state of helplessness.However, the redemptive sacrifice ofJesus Christ not only forgives but alsorestores. God will have a people uponthis earth who will reflect His character,who will demonstrate to the world thelove and purity of those who have al-lowed Jesus full and complete reign intheir life. They will provide positiveproof that Satan's claim that man cannotobey God's law is false. God's power totransform sinners will be demonstratedbefore a marveling universe.

Those who are unfamiliar with theNew Theology may find it easy to missits direction. It is not uncommon for pro-ponents of the New Theology to upholdthe concept of victory over sin. But inreality, they are not upholding COOst'spower to provide continual victory.Rather they uphold victory over sin as anunobtainable ideal to which one shouldstrive. New Theology teachers willfrequently make calls for unity. Yet thesecalls are not focused upon a truth thatsanctifies. Indeed, under the cloak ofavoiding dissension they will urge that

those doctrines which divide should notbe emphasized. This attitude seconds thework of Satan who has made all distinc-tive truths controversial. All such calls tounlty simply extend the divisions al-ready very much in evidence in God'schurch.

Those who espouse the New The-ology will often throw out a very strangechallenge to those who teach that Christprovides the power to perfect character.Barbed questions are frequent!y askedby such men. These include, '1\re you

perfect?" "Do you know anyone who isperfect?" But such matters are not man'sresponsibility to claim nor to judge. It isalone the responsibility of the Lord, therighteous Judge, to deterntine such mat-ters. No perfect person will claim to beperfect. Man's perfection is always de-pendent upon Jesus. Often the conceptof perfection is wrongly referred to aslegalism, but this accusation is a falsecharge, for it is not predicated uponwhatman can do, but what God has promisedto do for His surrendered people.

The biblical concept of perfectiondoes not refer to perfection in the fleshbefore the return of Jesus. Until thismortal puts on immortality and this cor-ruption puts on incorruption, we willpossess fallen flesh. It is, rather, perfec-tion of character. Sister White preciselyset forth this distinction when she wascombating the Holy Flesh movement ofIndiana. But God will have a peoplewho will vindicate His name and Hischaracter, a people who will be en-trusted with the power of the HolySpirit, who will go forward to give thefinal invitation of the loud cry to everyinhabitant of the world. What a gloriousprivilege for those who will respond toJesus' call! Ii

November 1988 OurFinnFoundation 29

Ellen G. White

The Value ofChristlike Love

THE LORD desires me to call the at-tention of His people to the thir-

teenth chapter ofFirst Corinthians. Readthis chapter every day, and from it ob-tain comfort and strength. Learn from itthe value that God places on sanctified,heaven-born love, and let the lesson thatit teaches come home to your hearts.Learn that Christlike love is of heavenlybirth, and that without it all other qualifi-cations are worthless.

"If I speak with the tongues of menand of angels, but have not love," Pauldeclares, "I am become sounding brass,or a clanging cymbal. And if I have thegift of prophecy, and know all mysteriesand all knowledge; and if! have all faith,so as to remove mountains, but have notlove, I am nothing. And if I bestow allmy goods to feed the poor, and if I givemy body to be burned, but have not love,it profiteth me nothing." 13:1-3

How beautiful the earth was when itcame from the Creator's hand! God pre-sentedbefore the universe aworldinwhichevenHis all-seeing eye could find no spotor stain. Each part of the Creationoccupiedthe part assigned to it, and answered thepurpose for which it was created. Peaoeand holy joy filled the earth. There was noconfusion, no clashing. There was no dis-ease to afflict man or beast, and thevegetable kingdom was without taint orcorruption. God looked upon the work ofHis hands, wrought out by Christ, andpro-nounoed it "very good" He looked upon aperfectworld, inwhich therewas no sin, nohnperfection.

But a change came. Satan temptedAdam, and he fell. Hewho in heaven had

30 OurFirm Fourulation November 1988

become disloyal and had been cast outmade lying reports of God to the beingsHe had created, and they believed his lie.Sin entered the world, and death by sin.The consequenoes of our first parents'disloyalty we now have to meet as wework for God, and until the close of thisearth's history our labors will becomemore and more trying.

I entreat the members of Our churchesnot to make the work more trying than itnecessarily is by watching one another fora word or an act upon which to commentunfavorably. Let thern, if a report isbrought to them about someone, make it arule to do just as Christ has said should bedone in such cases. Let them follow thecounsel of the Great Teacher, who gaveHis life for the life of the world. His direc-tions are plain. "If thou bring thy gift tothe altar, and there rememberest that thybrother hath aught against thee; leavethere thy gift before the altar, and go thyway; first be reconciled to thy brother, andthen come and offer thy gift." "Tell him hisfault between thee and him alone." Mat-thew 5:23-24; 18:15. Without delay makeevery effort to heal the wrong that exists.Do not, by speaking unwise words, givethe enemy opportunity to arouse suspi-cion and evil-surmising in the mind ofyour brother. Be determined to do all inyour power to make the wrong right. Donot tell to a third person the story of thedifficulty. Go directly to the one who haserred, and "tell him his fault between theeand him alone." Go to him, not to con-demn, but to seek for reconciliation, be-cause Christ has told you to love oneanother asHe has loved you.

(1Our gifts, our prayers, are not accept:"

able to God while we leave this duty un-done, and let the poison of envy and evil-SUrnllsing take possession OiOUT souls, todestroy our union and happiness. Oh,how much unhappiness would be saved,how many evil thoughts would bequenched, if believers would take up thework that Christ has said must be done toprevent evil speaking! We pray, "Forgiveus our trespasses, as we forgive those thattrespass against us." Do we do our partto remove every stumbling-block frombefore the feet of our brother? Too oftenour prayers are hindered by our pride ofheart, by our refusal to confess faults andto remove wrong hnpressions. Let us re-member that our prayers are not accept-able to God while we suffer a fellowworker to misapprehend us. Ifwe are notto blame for the misunderstanding thateXists, we can, perhaps, make an explana-tion that will remove the misunderstand-ing. Ifwe are to blame, if we have left awrong impression on a brother's mind,we are certainly under obligation to do allin our power to remove this impressiorr"".....

Let the suspicious ones, who thiiL--,'and speak evil of their brethren, remem-ber that they are doing the devil'sdrudgery. Let every one pass over littledifferences and mistakes without com-ment. Do not magnify the small mistakesmade by someone, but think of the goodthat is in him. Each thne mistakes arethought of and talked about, they growlarger. A mountain is made out of amolehill. Ill-feeling and lack of confi-dence are the result.

1b many these words are applicable:"Why beholdest thou the mote that is inthy brother's eye, but considerest not thebeam that is in thine own eye? Or howwilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pullout the mote out of thine eye; and, be-hold, a beam is in thine own eye? ThouhypOCrite, first cast out the beam out ofthine own eye; and then shalt thou seeclearly to cast out the mote out of thybrother's eye." Matthew 7:3-5So great is the intemperance in

speech that much instruction has beengiven on this subject by the GreatThacher. He has given special directionsfor the discipline of the tongue. Stuel;" -iand obey these directions. Checkharsh words that, if spoken, wouldcreate difference and alienation. Speakwords that will cement hearts, not

estrange them-words that will heal, notwound. When difficulties arise among

. . members, let them be cleared.way before the Sabbath comes. Thisshould be regarded as a Christian dutyby every church member. "Let the peaceof God rule in your hearts, ... and be yethankfu!." Colossians 3:15. Are youtroubled and perplexed? Sweep awaythe rubbish that has been accumulatingbefore the door of the heart, and openthe door, inViting Jesus to come in andabide as an honored guest. Bring peace

Christ will help younot to makedissension bymagnifying littlemistakes

and comfort into your own heart and thehearts of others. This is most blessedmissionary work.The Lord has instructed me to say to

'dis people, Work for perfection. Do!lathing that will cause disaffection tospring up in hearts. Do not serve theenemy. Overcome your inclination tofind fault and condemn. Give no place tohim whose delight it is to accuse. Re-member, my beloved brethren and sis-ters, that you are pleasing and helpingSatan by every word you utter that dis-parages another.

I greatly desire that you shall followthe directions that Christ has laid down.As you do this, He will certairtly helpyou to adjust the difficultles that exist.He will help you not to make dissensionby magnifying little rrtlstakes. The lightthat the Lord has givenme is that Hewillgreatly bless His people, if they will notthink or speak evil ofone another, but godirectly to the one they think is in thewrong, and in a kind, compassionatemanner point out his mistake. May theLord help those who have learned tocriticize, to learn to think no evil, and tospeak ortly good words-words of com-fort and healing. Then they will rejoice;for they will have evidence that they arelaborers together with God.) Christ loved the church, "and gave

for it; that he rrtlght sanctify andcleanse it with the washing of water bythe word, that he rrtlght present it to him-self a glorious church, not having spot,

or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that itshould be holy, and without blemish."Ephesians 5:25-27

My brethren and sisters, I beseechyou to give diligent heed to these words,because the day of the Lord is right uponus. You have no time to lose. Do not neg-lect the word of God to you. "We then,as workers together with him, beseechyou also that ye receive not the grace ofGod in vain. (For he saith, I have heardthee in a time accepted, and in the dsy ofsalvation have I succoured thee.)"2 Corinthians 6:1-2

WIll you not, as servants of the MostHigh God, give heed to these words?Will you not respond to God's mercyand compassion and love toward you byloving one another as Christ has lovedyou?

"Behold, now is the accepted time; be--hold, now is the day of salvation. Givingno offense in anything, that the rrtlnistrybe not blamed." 6:2-3. Remember thatwhen you speakwords that disparage oneanother, the rrtlnistry is blamed. The lackof power in the church is charged to therrtlnistry, when often it is directly charge-able to the members, because they do notmix faith with their hearing.

The rrtlnisters are to be men of faith,men who give expression to the purelove of God. And the members are togive no offense in anything, "that therrtlnistry be not blamed." No unklnddealing or harsh words are to find a placein their experience.

"In all things approving ourselves asthe rrtlnisters of God, in much patience,in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults,in labours, in watchings, in fastings."6:4-5. We should be preparing for thesethings; for they will come. Those whoshare in Christ's glory must share in Hissufferings.

May the Lord lead every rrtlnister andevery lay member to turn to Himwith fullpurpose of heart, and make diligent workfor repentance. Thus ortly can they obtainthe sanctification of the Spirit. How trueare the words of Paul: "Ye are notstraitened in us, but ye are straitened inyou Own affections." 6:12. Many com-plain of others because their own heartsare not in unity with the Spirit of God.When self is crucified, Christ will takepossession of the soul temple.

"Be ye not unequally yoked togetherwith unbelievers; for what fellowshiphath righteousness with unrighteous-ness? and what communion hath lightwith darkness? and what concord hath

Christ with Belial? or what part hath hethat believeth with an infidel? And whatagreement hath the temple of God withidols? for ye are the temple of the livingGod; as God hath said, I will dwell inthem, and walk in them; and I will betheir God, and they shall be my people.Wherefore come out from among them,and be ye separate, saith the Lord, andtouch not the unclean thing; and I willreceive you, and will be a father untoyou, and ye shall be my sons anddaughters." 6:14-17

Having therefore these promises,dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselvesfrom all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,perfecting holiness in the fear of God."7:1. Let every one humble his heartbefore God, and make a surrender ofbody, soul, and spirit to Him, that Hemay give His people His rich graceabundantly. Let the heart be closedagainst selfishness. Let us follow the ex-ample of Christ. Ifwe fail of doing this,we shall fail of receiving a welcome intothe city of God. He who continues to bea transgressor of the law of GOd, eventhough he break but one precept, canhave no place in the royal family.

Let God's people seta perfect example,honoring Christ inevery place, in everydifficulty

I entreat those who have given somuch time to talking of the faults ofothers to cease this cruel work, and obeythe words, "Search the scriptures; for inthem ye think ye have eternal life." John5:39. The divine directory, God's holyWord, is in our hands. In the toil of busi-ness and the unceasing activity of dailylife, this Word is to be our guide. ThisWord is appreciated by him who is striv-ing to overcome. It is to him as a pillar ofcloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

Let God's people set a perfect ex-ample, honoring Christ in every place, inevery difficulty following His direc-tions. Then at last they will be receivedinto the farrtlly of the redeemed, andthere will be given unto them a crown ofimmortal life. Ii

Review and Herald, July 21, 1904

November 1988 Our FinnFoundation 31

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