Our Roots, Pt. 12

The following is the Address on Organization which was commissioned by the conference of April 26, 1861, which raised so much opposition. It appeared in the Review and Herald on June 11, 1861.


Conference Address on Organization

Our late General Conference having requested us to address you on the subject of a more thorough and perfect organization of the Seventh-day Adventists, we, at this, our earliest opportunity, and with a ready mind, undertake to discharge our duty.

We shall, in the first place, call your attention to some facts in the early part of this message; and this we do for two reasons: first, it may serve to remove prejudice, if any yet exists on the subject; and second, the reader will not be able to appreciate our position and its difficulties without a consideration of those facts.

If we go back to a period of from six to nine years, we find the believers in the Third Angel's Message few in number, very much scattered, and in no place assuming to take the name of a church. Our views of the work before us were then mostly vague and indefinite, some still retaining the idea adopted by the body of Advent believers in 1844, with Wm. Miller at their head, that our work for "the world" was finished, and that the message was confined to those of the original Advent faith. So firmly was this believed that one of our number was nearly refused the message, the individual presenting it having doubts of the possibility of his salvation because he was not in "the '44 move." Such things may seem strange to most of our readers, but they serve well to illustrate our proposition, that many crude and erroneous views were entertained. Church organization and church order were alike unknown, and sometimes spoken against; and when the number of believers increased it was with the utmost caution that the simplest form of organization of a single church, was advanced and received. Many professed to see in this a step toward tyranny over the minds of Christians, and they were of course nearing the opposite extreme of anarchy and confusion. And when order was, to some extent, introduced, and wrongs corrected or separated from in compliance with gospel rules, some imagined that the introduction of order created the evils brought to light, instead of exposing and correcting wrongs already existing.

And according to our views of the work we had to do, was our method of labor. As individuals would go scores and even hundreds of miles to present the truth to one or two who had been believers in the first message, so would the laborers go long distances to visit, to comfort, and to strengthen the scattered ones who had embraced the faith. In all cases where difficulties existed they were untiring in their efforts to give aid, traveling far, holding meetings sometimes all night, enduring toils and trials sufficient to exhaust the energies of any class of men.

We are now placed in different circumstances; the number of believers is much increased and should we try to bestow the same amount of labor on each individual and church, we should utterly fail for want of both time and strength. But our friends and brethren will be ready to exclaim, "We do not want you to labor so now. Go out to the world and proclaim the truth," and this we desire to do. And it rejoices our hearts to know that the times have changed in respect to our opportunities; great events have transpired by which the minds of the people have been prepared to hear. But while we look on the extensive fields already white to the harvest with great concern, and would fain leave the churches established to grow up into the truth, we are burdened with the painful conviction that the scattered ones of former years, enjoying such labors and privileges as we have described, were far in advance of those of the present time, in living faith, deep devotion, and in all practical godliness which is indicated by a separation from the world and entire consecration, to the cause of God. We invite you, dear brethren and sisters, to read this declaration with care and with prayerful feelings; weigh well its import, and you will acknowledge that we, who are appointed to watch over you as those that must give an account, have cause for our feelings of sadness and anxiety over the prospect before us.

You are well aware that the times are perilous, and that a growth in grace is necessary to our salvation. And in order to this growth we would here record our solemn conviction, that you, the body of believers of the Third Angel's Message, must either have the labor above described bestowed on you, or some step must be taken—some means devised and adopted to supersede the necessity of it. But this labor cannot now be bestowed on all the scattered ones, as we have shown; therefore we conclude that means must be adopted for the preservation of order, the correction of wrongs, and consequent growth in grace and spiritual mindedness, or our churches and people will settle down into a cold, dull formality.

It is written that "one sinner destroyeth much good." An Achan in the camp caused the hosts of Israel to flee before their enemies. We have had some bitter experience in this matter. While we have been earnest to invite the Lord to come into our midst, we have neither been wise nor diligent to shut out the enemy. Thus have our prayers been hindered. We now invite your attention to a few points wherein reform is imperatively demanded. And first our

GENERAL CONFERENCES.

These have been, confessedly, our most important meetings; yet we have hardly held one that was fully entitled to the name; and at this time we have no means of knowing that their doings are according to the will of the body of the churches and believers. And it is very certain that a small minority of the churches have been represented in them, and they by no just and equal proportion. That our numbers have been small, and our business and labor limited, are evidently the reasons why we have had no serious difficulty in this respect; but as our circumstances are continually changing in both these respects, it would seem to be wise and prudent to have them held on a different basis.

Again, much of the business attended to at these conferences is of a local nature, especially concerning the locality or State wherein the conference is held. In this respect the wants of all cannot be equally attended to. This may be remedied by holding

STATE OR DISTRICT CONFERENCES.

We have several reasons to urge for the organization of such conferences. These are aimed at, and only aimed at, in the conferences now held in the several States from time to time, but they are open to all the objections that now stand against our general conferences. Some special necessities for the proper organization of such conferences we will notice.

We hold them essential to the efficiency of our ministry; and this in a two-fold manner. First that our accepted ministers may go out before the world with the endorsement and authority of the body with which they stand connected. This would often open the way for their introduction into school-houses, court-houses, or meeting-houses, which are often (and often properly) closed against irresponsible persons who cannot show that they have the confidence or sanction of any body of believers. And this stands closely related to the second point, which is, that our brethren be not imposed upon by false teachers, or conceited, self-called messengers of the third angel's message. Trouble has been occasioned and churches sometimes nearly ruined by those who professed to fill this office, who wore both unqualified and unworthy; but the churches had no authority to which to appeal, unless to those to whom God had entrusted the great burden of this work, but who could not have a personal acquaintance with everybody, and therefore could not always give timely and satisfactory information. Such conferences would be a great benefit by supplying the churches in every part of the field with the means of coming together in their several States or districts for social and public worship, and for the building of each other up in the word of the Lord. Of course the business would be done through the delegates of the churches.

These reasons we consider sufficient for an immediate adoption of the measure. But as urgent as these measures are, they are not the only ones that need to be adopted to preserve the order and purity of our churches. Nor would these of themselves greatly reduce our labor and care for the welfare of the scattered people of God. This can only be attained by adopting such rules as shall secure more perfect

ORDER IN THE CHURCHES.

This we shall examine under two heads, as affecting their business and their membership, and there are many considerations which apply equally to both.

Although the churches may stand strong and clear enough to transact business without the presence of a messenger, yet cases of discipline are often referred to a minister for his judgment by one or both of the parties. Now it is very evident that if all the charges, votes, and decisions were on record, it would greatly facilitate the matter, and enable him at once to give a definite and satisfactory opinion. Or if a matter should be appealed or reported to a conference composed of delegates of churches, it would be still more necessary to keep a record as the basis of such appeal or report. To do business by vote without keeping a record is a loose method, to say the least; and is often the means of dissatisfaction and confusion.

It is also necessary for the purity of our membership, as well as to know who shall vote in a business meeting, to have a record of the names of the members. Some small churches where the members have almost daily oversight of each other may think this unnecessary, but in larger churches, and in some small ones also, we have seen and felt the necessity of this. Thus it has been our lot to go into places as strangers and ask how many members there were, and it could not be told. Members seemed to come and go at their own pleasure, and when they became cold or disheartened, no one looked after them—no one knew their standing. This is not a new difficulty. We have long felt the necessity of efficient action on this point. It should be definitely known at all times who are and who are not considered members, and then the welfare of all may be looked after, and the erring may be reclaimed by timely action, or the unworthy withdrawn from in a manner to save the cause from reproach.

But this is especially necessary to save the ministers and churches from being imposed upon by those who move from place to place. A few instances may be given to illustrate this. 1. An individual in the extreme western part of Wisconsin was zealous for the truth, and took the part of an efficient member of the church where he lived, assuming to direct in spiritual things, writing to the Review, &c. But while he was professing to keep all the commandments, and was especially zealous for the fourth, it was well known that he left his former residence under the charge of transgressing another commandment. 2. A letter appeared in the Review some time since from an individual in Iowa, calling for help, stating that his family were alone in keeping the commandments in that place, and wishing a minister to come and preach the message there. Some who read that letter knew that the writer ran away from another State in debt and in disgrace. We leave you to judge what must be the influence of such persons, and what darkness a preacher would have to meet who should answer such calls. 3. A person came to a certain church, representing that he was oppressed for keeping the Sabbath, could not get work; that he was poor, and must move or suffer. The church aided him and brought him into their midst; but he proved to be lazy, and every way unworthy. On writing to the place of his former residence, they were informed that he had been withdrawn from as unworthy. But here the fruits of disorder were manifest. Some refused to receive the testimony of brethren abroad, asserting that [they] themselves were to be sole judges of their own members. Division was thus created, the church went into darkness and months passed before they were able to rise and extricate themselves. And all this because of the loose manner of recognizing members. Every person leaving a church by removal should obtain a letter, certifying to his standing; and without this precaution our churches are open to “confusion and every evil work." In the first two cases, if letters of fellowship had been required, the individuals would not have dared to hold out to the churches at large and to the world their false light; and in the last case the church would have avoided a great cause of declension and darkness, and the labor of a minister would not have been needed, as was the case, to bear a heavy burden that nobody should have borne. These are mere examples. Such things are, and have been, occurring almost continually.

The officers of the churches and their duties need to be considered, but this is properly the subject of a separate argument. Our object in this is to call your attention to the necessity of a more thorough organization, and invite your co-operation in the effort to effect it. We have seen with deep regret the distrust with which reforms of this kind are viewed, and trust it is for want of understanding the necessities of the case. We have examined it with carefulness and prayer, and hope and pray that you will examine it in the same manner, and believe that you will arrive at the same conclusion. We mourn the low state of many of our churches; the world is going down to ruin and must be warned; we are often burdened and perplexed at the amount of labor before us; and though we cannot expect to avoid all difficulty, our position and circumstances are such that any just and proper means of avoiding difficulty and trial in the churches are worthy of your most earnest consideration.

J.H. Waggoner, Joseph Bates,
James White, J. B. Frisbie,
J. N. Loughborough, M. E. Cornell,
E.W. Shortridge, Moses Hull,
John Byington.

Next: Organizing Local Churches