The Scriptures able to make us wise unto salvation

by F. H. Berrick

AMEN and AMEN.

2d, These "creeds" and compacts are opposed to free speech. One great object of creeds is a union of sentiment. Hence, when a man joins any one of the various denominations, the creed is presented, or the question asked, do you believe so and so? Should he dissent in some particulars, yet being an influential or wealthy person, he may join by promising he will not agitate the points of difference. But let us look at another case. Here is a minister—and, by the way, there has been many of them—who embraces the truth of the Lord's speedy coming; it is as fire shut up in his bones; he comes with the joyful intelligence before his congregation, and in the fulness of his soul he preaches that truth, which is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; and in less than one week he is waited upon by the bishop, or the committee, or peradventure, he receives a line through the office, informing him he must desist, for it is contrary to the standards of the Church, and as such, we ("Elders," "Bishops" and "Deacons") are pledged to banish it away. If he persists, he must be admonished. If he continues to act the part of a man and a Christian, turn him out—"yes, shear off the troublesome thinkers, and sing stagnant hallelujahs."

But we may come nearer home. How often we hear it remarked, "Don't say any thing about the sonship of Christ—the sleep of the dead—the destruction of the wicked; for, if you do, you will hurt somebody's feelings!" Yes; we have men among us who have declared, that these questions shall not be preached in their pulpits. But the question may be asked, "Have we not a right to say what shall, and what shall not, be preached in our pulpits? and shall we not use our utmost endeavors to keep the Church pure?" Well, now, this looks very reasonable, and were it not for the history of the past, we might regard it as being very innocent. But we look to the "council of bishops," who met A.D. 325: they acted from a conviction, that it was their prerogative to say what should be preached: and by this act, though honest and sincere, they were the unconscious tools, in the hands of the devil, of begetting a child, which ultimately proved itself to be, the "Mother of HARLOTS and abomination of the earth." May the Lord help us to be free, and preach our sentiments! "For he's a freeman whom the truth makes free, and all are slaves beside." But,

3d, The few act for the whole.—Look to the history of the Christian Church—the Council of Nice, Chalcedon, &c. Who acted in these conferences? Ans. A few bishops. They got together; resolved that they were the Church, or its representatives; made creeds, and then imposed them on the flock. This has been the policy of Rome; for hundreds of years her Popes and Cardinals, Bishops and Priests, have been humbugging the people, hurling their anathemas at a Luther and a Cranmer. Why is this? Ans. Because they dared to dissent from the decrees of those councils. But we do not stop here; that spirit, or desire to lord it over God's heritage, which characterized the councils of Rome, has been transferred to the various synods of our time. It is often the case, that a few persons get together, take into consideration the wants of the cause, as they call it, reduce them to one or more propositions, and then bring them before the meeting. Perhaps one of this number makes a motion, and another of them seconds it; it is accepted, then adopted by the votes of ten or a dozen, more or less; half of whom are the very persons who concocted it. It is then blazoned abroad, and O! what a bluster! When the merits of the case are known, it reminds one of the fable, "The mountain laboured, and brought forth a mouse."

4th, It evinces a want of faith and confidence in God.—Creeds are never talked of, until persons begin to grow cold in their minds. "The Church, during the whole of the first century, had no creed but the Bible;" but when she departed from the simplicity of the Bible, and lost her faith in God, then she began to legislate.—They (the church) felt, as many express themselves at the present time, that we must keep the Church together. Yes, and here was, and still is, the very trouble: WE MUST DO IT. This is not our work; it belongs to the Great Head of the Church; and if we had faith and confidence in God, and in His word, we should be willing to let Christ do His own work. Every effort to keep the Church together by making creeds, is an innovation.—There were divisions in the apostles' day, and there have been divisions in every age since that time. Every effort on our part to steady the Ark, when such effort has not been put forth in accordance with the plan of God, has been frowned upon by the Almighty. It is often the case that those who seem to have so much anxiety, and manifest so much zeal to hold and to "build up the cause," as they are pleased to term it, are, when the truth is known, trying to build up themselves. While it is our duty to do all we can, under the blessing of Heaven, to promote the welfare of the cause with which we are associated, we must be careful not to indulge a thought that its prosperity depends upon our feeble efforts: for it will live, whether we do or not. Christ stands at the helm, and, if we abide in the ship, we shall be safe. But the creed-power, or "organizations," in the common acceptation of the term, are not only opposed to free action—free speech—But,

Lastly, It is the most effective means to destroy souls of any thing that was ever brought into existence. The professed church to-day stands just where the Jews did eighteen hundred years ago; and the language of Christ, as addressed to the Pharisees, is applicable to the various denominations: "But woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in." Fine meeting-houses, costly pulpits, and a ministry that will please itching ears, are the things with the great mass. They are guilty of turning the Lord out of doors, for they have rejected His truth. "Ichabod" is written on these pleasant palaces. The great majority of the ministry are dumb dogs, lying down, loving to slumber; yea, they are greedy dogs, which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: "they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter." They are turned unto fables. "They love the praise of man more than the praise of God."

The great mass have corrupted their way; but yet there are a few who are honest, and would believe if they could hear, and they could hear, if it were not for these SECTARIAN PENS. They (the few) are famishing; they die for lack of knowledge.

Well, now, to take one step towards adopting a system, the perfection of which leads to such damnable results, must be a departure from the simplicity of the truth—a recreancy to the cause which, in the end, will be more baneful than beneficial.

Some of those who want a record of names would shudder at the idea of being connected with such a system as that referred to above; and yet, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, this is the result where the first step is taken. We say, therefore, to all, "Beware of the first step! Do not give your influence in favor of such a wicked system, lest you be taken in a snare! If you are in any of these sectarian pens, leave them at once; for they, like Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, are soon to sink into the pit. Those that are being formed by Adventists, are no better than other denominations. In some respects they are worse."

There are men among us, preaching brethren, whose moral and religious characters are unimpeachable—men of sterling worth, and of marked ability; yet, because they view matters somewhat different from some others, or because they will not be restricted to preach wholly to our party, they are disfellowshipped; they are whispered to be unsafe, unsound, heretical! But some may say, that it is of no use to expose our brethren;—ah, to hold our peace would be to follow in the same track—to adopt the same policy of an apostate church. We wish our brethren to know, both far and near, that this is the policy of some at the present time. We have nothing to say against men, but against their courses and their measures. Let every Adventist, who wants to be free, beware of this human machinery—these sectarian pens—this last effort of Satan to destroy souls. We cannot help but exclaim, in the language of a "celebrated writer:" "Oh, woful day! Oh, unhappy Church of Christ! Fast rushing round the fatal circle of absorbing ruin! Thou sayest, 'I am rich, and increased in goods, and have need of nothing;' and knowest not that thou art poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked!" We have said, and we repeat it again, there is no need of any creed but the Bible: we have learned that it is a sufficient rule of faith and practice: it is the best discipline we can have: and I will venture to say that, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, all difficulties can be settled, if we follow out the rules given by Christ and His apostles. Let us hear the Saviour speak: "Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."—Matt. v. 23, 24. Again, we read, "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."—Mark xi. 24. "Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the Church; but if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican."—Matt. xviii. 15-17. The apostle says, "And if any obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed; yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.—2 Thes. iii. 14, 15.