The Integrity of the Testimonies to the Church

Introduction

For some time I have hoped for a favorable opportunity to state to our physicians and ministers facts regarding the Testimonies to the church, which may answer questions that seem to be troubling many minds. Perhaps this morning is the opportunity. ITC 1.1

Time is precious, and this subject is important; and I ask you to pray for me that I may speak to the point. My desire to speak about this matter is for the sake of the work. ITC 1.2

As a body of Seventh-day Adventists, we believe that this church will stand until Christ comes. Those who have studied church history, know that each denomination which has come out from established bodies has proclaimed glorious truths. Men of God have started out with high motives and pure principles; and then, step by step, the enemy has undermined their integrity, until each church has fallen away from its first principles. The Seventh-day Adventist Church, we believe, will stand firm until the end, but it is by the power of God and obedience to His messages of warning that we hope to be kept from backsliding and the delusions that have crept into other churches. ITC 1.3

The attack of the enemy upon this church has been along definite lines,—the same lines as his attack upon our first parents. First of all, he got them separated, and then he deceived Eve with reference to obedience to God. So his strongest effort against this church has been the work of separation, a strange work against unity. Satan has sought to separate from the church the most precious part of its work. He has always opposed the united work of teaching the gospel and healing the sick. In many subtle ways has an effort been made to degrade the Sabbath, and to lead us to feel that humanitarian work was so valuable that in prosecuting it we could disregard the sacred claims of the Sabbath of Jehovah. ITC 1.4

Most strenuous opposition has been brought against the means which God has selected for the strengthening and guidance of His church, an opposition manifest in efforts to unsettle confidence in the messages which God sends His people through ministers of the gospel, through teachers in our schools, and through the chosen agent whom He has appointed to give His special message of warning and counsel to the church. And finally the attack has been upon the Deity. An effort is being made to put man in the place of God, and if this be done, the work of apostasy is well nigh completed. ITC 1.5

As you study the Testimonies of warning and counsel to this church, you will find that the burden of these testimonies follows very closely the line of the enemy’s attack. They have been full of warning against separation, against building up and elevating unduly one branch of the gospel work and binding everything possible to it. That ambitious work we may well be afraid of, it is not yet complete; it will continue in various forms; and in whatever form it is brought before us, we may be afraid of it. ITC 1.6

The Scriptures say that a house divided against itself cannot stand. But there has been a movement among this people for many years for a divided house. And I am thankful to see in this assembly a body of people working together for a united house. Let us continue to work on these lines. But how shall complete union be accomplished? Several years ago Elder Irwin presented to Mother in Australia some of the perplexities we have had to meet, and I remember well her answer. “This controversy,” she said, “will never be settled, until it is settled by our brethren and sisters working together in the field.” And as time advances, I see more and more clearly that the field is the place to work for a settlement of the difficulties in the way of perfect union. ITC 2.1

If those attending this convention go to their homes and unite every feature and branch of the work in our churches and conferences, light and power will come in. In working for humanity, the Saviour preached the gospel and healed the sick. If we would do more of this work, we would not need so much to be discussing plans in our committees and councils. ITC 2.2