Manuscripts and Memories of Minneapolis

G. I. Butler in The Review and Herald, June 13, 1893

PERSONAL

In view of the many official positions which I have held in the past among our people, and my quiet retirement from active service in the work for the last four or five years, and especially because of many queries raised in the minds of some, and inquiries made to myself and others, and reports that I had lost faith in whole or in part in the message and work of Seventh-day Adventists, after some reflection, I have thought it best to write a brief statement for publication in our good Review, of my condition, position, feelings, etc., to set at rest any doubts which may have arisen in the minds of those who love the cause, and acquaint such as desire to know the facts. MMM 260.1

I came to Florida broken down with nervous prostration, and utterly unfit to labor, having for many years been loaded down with labors, perplexities, and cares too great for my strength. Physicians told me it would take several years to regain my health and strength sufficient to labor mentally to any great degree; and so I have found it. After being here a little more than a year, my companion had a stroke of apoplexy, which paralyzed her right side, and made her a helpless invalid ever since, so that my care and assistance were very necessary. Under these circumstances, I have labored physically what I could, thinking this would be a benefit after so much of a mental strain, seeking to make us a comfortable home in our time of need, caring for her at the same time, also writing considerably for publication. On the whole, my health has much improved, though I find myself a prematurely broken down old man in memory and physical and mental strength. MMM 260.2

In these years of retirement and relief from official cares and perplexity, I have had excellent opportunity for meditation and reflection. I have scrutinized carefully the work going on in the cause during these years, from the reports in our various periodicals, and from letters received from various laborers who have kindly remembered me in my retirement. I can truthfully say that never for a single hour have I doubted the doctrines held by our people, which I have helped to proclaim in the past,-have never disbelieved a single one of them. And at the moment of this writing, the certainty that we as a people have the special warning message God designed to ripen the harvest of the earth, and prepare a people for his second coming, looks clearer, if possible, than ever before. The evidence that it is so seems to my mind simply overwhelming. Surely this is the truth of God for the last days. MMM 260.3

Evidently, great changes have occurred in the work during the four or five years I have been in retirement; very likely I am not as well prepared to judge of the extent and character of these changes as are those who have been less isolated. I have no feeling of dislike, bitterness, nor unkindness in my heart toward those who have led out in these changes. I can cheerfully say more: I fully believe that God has blessed greatly to the good of his people and the cause the greater agitation of the doctrines of justification by faith, the necessity of appropriating Christ’s righteousness by faith in order to our salvation, and the civil and religious liberty principles now so much dwelt upon. To be sure, I thought I believed in all of these before. I never, for a moment since ray conversion, supposed I could be saved by my own good works, or be justified in any other way than by faith in Jesus Christ, as my only Saviour, or that I could do anything acceptable to God without the help and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. I never for a moment supposed that we could keep the law acceptably, or a single precept of it, in our own strength. Yet I am well satisfied that additional light, of great importance has been shining upon these subjects, and fully believe that God has greatly blessed it to the good of those who have accepted it. MMM 260.4

I freely admit that for a period I stood in doubt in regard to the agitation of these subjects I have here so freely indorsed. I did not attend the General Conference at Minneapolis, where differences were agitated, being at the time sick in Battle Creek. But for a variety of reasons not necessary here to refer to, inv sympathies were not with those leading out in bringing what I now regard as light, before our people. I would not attempt to conceal from the reader the fact that the last few years have been a period of great trial in my Christian experience-the most severe in my life. These have been years of affliction, weakness, sorrow, perplexity, temptation, and trial, but not of apostasy. Many things have seemed mysterious and hard to understand or explain. Such Scriptures as 1 Peter 4:12, 13, have had an added force to my mind: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.” It is not every professed Christian, or even minister, who can realize the full force of such passages. But God designs all these experiences for our good. He adds: “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” These are designed to humble, to purify, to teach lessons of trust, to take from us the dross of self-confidence and vain glory, to make more tender, less given to judging, criticising, and faultfinding, to make us, in short, more like the blessed Head. MMM 260.5

“The trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with tire.” “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons.” “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward, it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” With some, naturally strong-willed and stubborn, trials are a potent agency used by our blessed Lord to accomplish important results in Christian experience. My prayer has been all these years, that such a result might appear in my own case. MMM 260.6

I make no excuses for manifold mistakes and errors which may have been seen in my life. I plead for no sympathy. I desire, I trust, above all things, to close my earthly record with joy. I have prayed many times with David: “Forsake me not in my old age.” My life has been one of pressure, care, perplexity and anxious thought, labor and trial. God has been very good to me, much better than I deserve. I hope never to despair, never to fall out by the way. Christ seems very precious to me, the best friend by far I ever had. My heart burns within me many times to be able yet to bring souls to the truth. I hope yet to labor again in some humble way in his vineyard. G. I. B MMM 260.7