[CONTROVERSY.]
LET no man infer from this, however, that we favor, or in any way encourage, a love for controversy. This is another thing entirely. By no means do we love controversy. It is deplored always, or at least the occasion of it. But shall a man, because he deplores controversy—because he is sorry to come in collision with men—because he knows unpleasantness will arise, and the smooth surface will be ruffled, evade the issues between light and darkness—between christianity and everything else? We did not make these issues and are not responsible for them. They exist whether we say anything about them or not, or whether we see them at all. The simple question is, whether we will stand by christianity and maintain it—whether we will face the issue, in a kind, a manly and noble manner, or shrink, depart from it and allow it to be crushed down. Our motto is, Meet the issue fairly and squarely, in every instance of opposition to the gospel, in that way that shall prove most effectual. Let there be no evasion, but stand firm and present an unbroken front.
CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE SPIRIT. [A]
MANY brethren are inquiring of us about the Spirit, “correct views of the Spirit,” and of “the influence of the Spirit,” and insisting that we should respond to some things that are published, etc.; but, for the present, to all this we must simply say, that the Lord knows our hearts. He knows who have the Spirit, who are led by the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, mind the things of the Spirit and endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. He knows them who are his, who love him and keep his commandments. Blessed be his name; he is able to keep them from falling, make all grace abound to them and preserve them to his heavenly appearing and kingdom. With them, his great work is a reality, a real work, the greatest and best of all the works in which human beings have ever engaged; and they believe he is with them, will be with them while they shall struggle for his cause in this world, and will be with them in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to the gospel. In him they have put their everlasting trust;to him they have committed their cause, and to him they look for their final reward. They fear not what man can do to them, nor what he can say of them, but they fear him who is able to save and able to destroy, who is able to kill and able to make alive. We have nothing at stake only the cause of truth, of righteousness and humanity. We have no theory of our own to maintain, no philosophy to defend, nor pride of opinion to guard, but are willing to learn of the most humble disciple in the whole kingdom of God. If any brother really has more of the spirit of the Lord than we have, we envy him not because he has more than we, but we are only sorry that we have less than he.