Open Face
No 3 - October 1997
The letter which appears in the next column was published in the "Observer", and is worthy of comment on account of the fact that it makes several remarkable statements. This letter was written by an Anglican priest, Ernle Gordon and was written as a part of an exchange with a Seventh-day Adventist who took exception to the fact that in an earlier article, Mr. Gordon had seemed to indicate that Seventh-day Adventists were to be regarded as a cult.It is very interesting to note the points which, according to this priest, disqualify the SDA Church from being classified as a cult.
"As long as Adventists believe in the trinity, the doctrine of the resurrection, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, the primacy of the apostolic faith/The Bible and accept the doctrines clarified by the historic ecumenical councils, they cannot be described as a cult."
There are five beliefs outlined here by Mr. Gordon which he (or those who formulate these definitions) regards as being essential. They constitute an amazing group of Doctrines by virtue of the extremely flimsy foundation upon which the majority of them are based. There are two points which are vital to the acceptance of the whole group because they lay the foundation upon which faith in the others may rest. These are the two last mentioned. Non-cults must accept "...the primacy of the apostolic faith/the Bible and accept the doctrines clarified by the historic ecumenical councils ..." Here are strange terms indeed! Particularly to an Adventist who has some knowledge of the great apostasy and its developments.
What is the meaning of the term, "the primacy of the apostolic faith/the Bible"? The Bible we can understand, but what is this other phrase which is so casually placed in such close fellowship with the Bible and is even given first place over it?(!!) ...the primacy of the apostolic faith ...The astonishing truth is that this is simply a more deceptive way of referring to the traditions which have been preserved over the centuries by the Roman Catholic Church! Acceptance of this, along with the Bible, is one of the conditions necessary for a Church to be classified as a non-cult! Incredible as this requirement is, the SDA church seems to have qualified!!
Then we have, "doctrines clarified by the historic ecumenical councils." Please note that these "historical ecumenical councils" were all ROMAN CATHOLIC COUNCILS (See article from ‘the Anchor' on page 2). Examples of such councils were, The council of Nicea, The Council of Laodicea, the council of Trent. Concerning such councils, Ellen White had this to say:
"Vast councils were held from time to time, in which the dignitaries of the church were convened from all the world. In nearly every council the Sabbath which God had instituted was pressed down a little lower, while the Sunday was correspondingly exalted." (GC - 53)
"... the adoration of images and relics was gradually introduced into the Christian worship. The decree of a general council (the second council of Nicea) finally established this system of idolatry." (GC - 52)
What knowledgeable portestant would place confidence in councils such as these? Yet apparently, the Churches which have achieved non-cultic status (such as the SDA church) have come to accept that the decisions of these councils are also to be accepted as authoritative in determining Christian doctrine and belief.
Having accepted these two premises then, it is easy to accept the other criteria such as belief in the trinity and (the personhood of) the Holy Spirit. Two doctrines which have their foundation, not in the Bible, but in the "ecumenical councils" and in the resulting traditions of the Roman Catholic Church.
We live in an age of awesome opportunity. God is preparing the one hundred and forty-four thousand. Thrilling thought. However, it is also an age fraught with peril (2 Tim 3:1-5). Men have only a "form of godliness." They turn away their ears from the truth and are turned "unto fables (2 Tim 4:4)". It is a time of abounding iniquity when...
"As the Protestant churches have been seeking the favour of the world, false charity has blinded their eyes. They do not see but that it is right to believe good of all evil; and as the inevitable result, they will finally believe evil of all good. Instead of standing in defence of the faith once delivered to the saints, they are now, as it were, apologizing to Rome for their uncharitable opinion of her, begging pardon for their bigotry."- ( GC - 571)
Now, as never before we need to keep ever before us the fact that, "God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible and the Bible only as the basis of all doctrines and as the standard of all reforms. (GC - 595)
Unmoved
Truth never dies. The ages come and go,
The mountains wear away, the seas retire;
Destruction lays earth's mighty cities low.
The empire, states, and dynasties expire,
But caught and handed onward by the wise,
Truth never dies.
Though unreceived and scoffed at through the years;
Though made the butt of ridicule and jest;
Though held aloft for mockery and jeers
Denied by those of transient power possessed;
Insulted by the insolence of lies,
Truth never dies.
Truth answers not, it does not take offence;
But with a mighty silence bides its time,
As some great cliff that braves the elements
And lifts through all the storms its head sublime,
So truth, unmoved, its puny foes defies,
and NEVER dies!
|
The word became flesh – and then through |
Ecumenical
(Reprinted from "The Anchor")
The following statement was made at the Congregational Church in Palmerston North, New Zealand, by a visiting speaker who is an ex-Assembly of God church member. Either an "Eleventh hour worker", or one of the "stones" that would cry out, this man has proclaimed a truth that our own Seventh-day Adventist ministers and people ought to be proclaiming from the roof tops. God will have, someone proclaim the truth, and if we won't do it, then He will use those who will.
There is much talk today about unity among denominations "Ecumenical" is the word frequently used. We must be aware that it is a Roman Catholic word. The Vatican claims to have had more than twenty "Ecumenical Councils" in the last two thousand years. The latest was in the early 1960s and popularly known as the "Second Vatican Council" or "Vatican Two". The Councils were not a gathering of people who "name the name of Christ". They were strictly Roman Catholic. If any others attended they were only "observers".
Since "Vatican Two", the word "ecumenical" has been used with increasing boldness and acceptance. Back when Bible believers studied history and knew why they called themselves Protestants, "ecumenical" was not a good word. A look at "The Catholic Church Today" (Number 23) published by the Knights of Columbus shows why. On page one, in an article explaining ecumenical councils, the following definition of "ecumenical" is given:-
"That which binds or represents the whole Church which is in communion with Rome."
The kicker here is the word "communion". To be "in communion " (with Rome) means the acceptance of the central idolatry of Catholicism, that the wafer host is literally changed by the priest into the "real presence" of Jesus. Pope John Paul II has frequently stated that when other denominations accept this dogma about communion it will not be just one more step toward unity but the ultimate goal of ecumenism, that everyone, everywhere must bow before this piece of bread.Recent remarks by Emilio Castro, head of the World Council of Churches, revealed the crucial relationship between the eucharistic communion and ecumenism. Referring to the pope's refusal to allow Protestants to take the Eucharist during Catholic communion (mass), he said:
"This is a scandal not only in relations with the Catholic Church, but it is a scandal par excellence, the shame of the ecumenical movement.
Protestants, such as Castro, who is a Uruguayan Methodist minister, have difficulty comprehending why communion is such a big deal to the Vatican. They fail to understand that this is the central idolatry of this pagan system founded upon ancient Baal priestcraft.
In Paul's discussion of idolatry in Romans 1, he points out that man will either worship the Creator or part of His creation. This is the heart of idolatry, to lift up some item in creation as worthy of worship.The pope knows that if he wavers on this issue, he guts the entire system. The ultimate goal of any system of priestcraft is control of the people. The central figure in the Church is Jesus. To gain this control of the people, the priest must somehow get between Jesus and the people. The Eucharist in the Mass is the pivot of this control.
If Jesus can be reduced to a physical item such as the wafer, then the priest can build a fence around God and place himself in control of the gate. Then no-one can come to God without the priest's permission. To "receive Jesus" the Catholic must attend mass and have his god placed on his tongue by the priest. There is no other way he can get to his god. The priest has full power over this God. If the priest chooses not to turn the wafer into the "body, blood, soul and divinity" of Jesus, he has this power. Even after the priest performs this blasphemous fantasy, the wafer-god is still under the power of the priest who may refuse to give it to anyone. [As the Pope did, mentioned above]. Without the regular receiving of communion through the Eucharist, heaven is denied. [According to Catholic belief].
Thus if the pope accepted the Protestant position that communion is only symbolic of the redemptive work of the crucifixion, then he would have to admit that man could go straight to Christ for salvation.
ABANDON SHIP?
This is the title of Ty Gibson's latest book, In which he examines the question of whether or not concerned Seventh-day Adventists should leave the organized church because of its present wretched, condition. The cover of the book reads:
"Is the church in apostasy?
Is it time to . . .
ABANDON SHIP?
One man's struggle
to discover God's special
purpose for His Church."
Ty explains how he, as a young, new-born Seventh-day Adventist was early faced with the controversy concerning the state of the Church, and the question as to whether or not it was in apostasy, and what his own relationship to the church should be. He describes his metamorphosis from a position where he was critical of the Church and sympathetic towards the independents, to a position where he fully cooperates with the Church and is convicted that the independents are perilously wrong.
Ty makes it absolutely clear that when he speaks about "the Church", he means the organized, corporate structure called the Seventh-day Adventist Church. After much study and soul-searching, he finally came to the conviction that God's plan is to use the SDA Church (organized) as the "theatre of His grace" in which He will finally display His glory in all its fullness. All who are not members of the organized Church will, he implies, be left out of God's plan, and I suppose, will be lost (though he does not state this specifically).
Strangely enough, Ty never deals with the question of whether or not the Church (as he defines it) is in apostasy. He speaks of how he struggled with the question; he mentions issues which were presented to him; he pokes fun at the inconsistencies of independent ministries, but strangely, he never deals with his first, striking question, "Is the church in apostasy?" Has he overlooked this issue, or has he ignored it? Has he deliberately avoided this most critical question?
It is to be hoped that Ty has not deliberately avoided this issue. He is very quick and unsparing in pointing out the inconsistencies and contradictions which he sees among the independents, but completely silent when it comes to the vices of the Church. However, since he is using these inconsistencies among the independents as a measuring stick whereby their claims to be doing the work of God may be assessed, then it is only reasonable and fair that he also address the faults of the Church, showing where the Church is more consistent and more deserving of loyalty than these independent ministries.
"There must be no separating [of the faithful from the church] in this great testing time" (Selected Messages, vol.3, p.21; words in brackets added for contextual clarity).
Abandon Ship, p.65
After quoting these words, Ty makes the point that we are not to "draw apart". There will be no divinely led "separating." Once again, however, he has no comment to make about the actions of the church in disfellowshipping and casting out persons from its fellowship who dare to speak of the downward steps which she is taking. Obviously, when people separate from the church it is wrong of them. But when the church separates people from itself for being critical of its actions, then it is OK.
One would get the impression from reading this book that the SDA church is an innocent entity, maligned and unjustly attacked by a group of uncharitable, and unreasonable malcontents who are illogical and inconsistent in their attitude towards the church. A sampling of the Spirit of Prophecy quotes chosen by Ty will perhaps best give an indication of the position which he has taken:
"Let individual judgment submit to the authority of the church (T4 p.16-19)""The Redeemer of the world does not sanction experience and exercise in religious matters independent of His organized and acknowledged church (Sketches From The Life of Paul, p. 31)
Abandon Ship? p.61
IS THE CHURCH IN APOSTASY?
Webster's New World Dictionary defines apostasy as: "an abandoning of what one has believed in as a faith, cause, or principles."
Expanding on this definition we may regard apostasy as a condition where the religious beliefs which were once held as true, are rejected. Please note that this does not have to do with occasional or temporary indiscretions. It has to do with definite, deliberate, clear-cut abandonment, or giving up of one's religion. The question is, has the Seventh-day Adventist church fulfilled this definition of apostasy? Let us recognize that we cannot judge the church as a corporate entity by the actions of individual members, leaders, or groups ( though we may learn a lot from the refusal of the church to condemn certain actions of its leaders and members). We can only fairly answer the question of whether or not the church is in apostasy by looking at her actions and decisions on a corporate level. By examining the issue of whether or not the church, as a whole, has abandoned its religion, or the positions of truth which were held as firm and incontrovertible during its earlier years.
How can we determine this question? What standard should we use as the yardstick by which we may settle this issue? What about the church's changed position on the "nature of Christ"? How about the increasingly friendly overtures being made towards Catholicism (striking examples of which were the gold medallion given to the Pope by a church representative and the flying of the Vatican flag at the recent GC session)? As awfully significant as these actions are, yet there is one thing which above all others is a clear, incontrovertible decider of the issue. One thing which undeniably indicates that the SDA church is in apostasy. It is the fact of the startling and revolutionary change which has been made in the beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist church on the question of the godhead.
When an examination is made of the Statement of Beliefs issued by the church in 1874,1889 and 1894 and a comparison made between these and the present Statement of Beliefs, it can be seen that there is only one significant change; but one which nevertheless has damning implications. The statement defining what the SDA church believes about God has changed dramatically. While the original SDA church believed that God was a single, supreme Being, who had a Son, Jesus Christ, the present SDA church believes that God is three Beings (a trinity) who are ACTING in the roles of Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
". . . a plan of salvation was encompassed in the covenant made by the Three Persons of the Godhead, who possessed the attributes of Deity equally. In order to eradicate sin and rebellion from the universe and to restore harmony and peace, one of the divine Beings accepted, and entered into, the role of the Father, another the role of the Son. The remaining divine Being, the Holy Spirit, was also to participate in effecting the plan of salvation. All of this took place before sin and rebellion transpired in heaven.By accepting the roles that the plan entailed, the divine Beings lost none of the powers of Deity. With regard to their eternal existence and other attributes, they were one and equal. But with regard to the plan of salvation, there was, in a sense, a submission on the part of the Son to the Father . . ."
Adventist Review -Oct. 31, 1996 - p.12
The full significance of this change can only be appreciated as we come to the realization that the doctrine of God is the first and most important belief of any religion. This is why the statement which dealt with this issue was first, on the list of fundamental beliefs published by the early Adventists, and is the second belief on the statement published by the present church.What is apostasy? "An abandoning of what one has believed in as a faith ..." If the church has completely reversed itself on the first and primary point of religious belief, has it "abandoned" its faith? Is this a serious turnaround? Judge for yourself from the words of Andrews University professor, George Knight, written in the Ministry Magazine of October, 1993:
"Most of the founders of Seventh-day Adventism would not be able to join the church today if they had to subscribe to the denominations fundamental beliefs.
More specifically, most would not be ale to agree to belief number 2 which deals with the doctrine of the trinity." (p.10)
Has the church abandoned its former faith? Clearly the answer is yes. So drastic is this change, of such awful significance that the Adventists of a previous generation "would not be able to join the church today." (!!) So then, the answer to the question of whether or not the church is in apostasy, must be a clear and definite, "yes". If not, then we must change our definition of apostasy.
IS THE SDA DENOMINATION
STILL GOD'S CHOSEN INSTRUMENT?
Let me point out a vital principle which we must never overlook as we seek light and understanding from God's word. It is this: God's character (and therefore His principles), never changes. No interpretation of Scripture, whether doctrine or prophecy can be correct if it denies or contradicts this primary rule. In other words, understanding God's character and His principles is a vital prerequisite if we are to properly understand the meaning of prophecy and to correctly interpret doctrine. For example, in applying this rule, any thoughtful christian would reject the doctrine of the eternal torment of the wicked, because it is so utterly contrary to the concept of a God of love. This, in spite of the fact that the book of Revelation speaks of the "smoke" of the torment of the wicked ascending up "forever and ever." When our interpretations are in conflict with the idea that God is a God of fairness, justice and love who remains the same forever, then we must reexamine our interpretations, regardless of the weight of evidence which seems to be pointing in the direction of these interpretations..Let us then examine the principle involved here. The question is really this: Does God ever – has God ever chosen a people, or a person, unconditionally, with the specification that "no matter what you do, no matter how far you turn away from Me and my way, I will never reject you?" Is it consistent with God's principles that He will continue to use a church even when such a church has clearly given its favors to another?In nearly every movement called of God, this same exact fallacy has prevailed and has led to the downfall of hundreds of thousands. How is it that we are so slow to learn? How is it that the clear historical facts have no power to assist us in understanding the present? The Jews knew that they would never be rejected. After all, they were "Abraham's seed (John 8:33)." They were God's chosen People by an "everlasting covenant (Gen. 17:7)." Had not God spoken thus of Israel:
"Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD. (Jer 31:35-37)"
They had the sure word of prophecy that they, (Israel) would never be rejected.The only problem was that they had a different definition of "Israel" than God had. A mistake which had fearful consequences for the nation. Secure in the certainty of their "unrejectable" status, they went from abomination to abomination. After all, did it really matter just how far they went? Didn't they have God's own infallible word that they would always be a favored people? Even when it became appallingly clear that the Spirit of Jehovah had long ago abandoned the nation and that Satan was the spirit who ruled in Israel, the Jews yet clung to their deception, and so perished in utter self-imposed darkness.The same holds true of that monstrous imposter, the Roman Catholic Church. This bulwark of paganism makes the claim that it is God's true church! An incredible claim, and yet, a claim which stands upon the same foundational false idea being embraced by Ty and the SDA denomination. The belief that institutional identity is what God uses to define His church.
"I will build my church," said the Lord Jesus, "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Mat 16:18)." If, by this statement, Jesus meant to identify a corporate entity, then the Roman Catholic harlot has a strong reason for claiming that she is God's only true church! The Catholic church claims that it is the same entity which began with the apostolic church; that it can trace its roots in an unbroken line right back to the apostles. No other church today even attempts to make such a claim, yet the rest of us laugh at the ridiculous notion that the Roman Catholic church is God's church. Nevertheless, it is true that as far as the entity called the Roman Catholic church is concerned, it does go back all the way to the apostolic church. Why then do we reject the idea that it is God's church? Because, though it has the same organizational roots, yet its doctrines bear no resemblance to those which were held by the apostles! It may sit in the house of the apostles, but it has a pagan heart and life-style. Therefore the word of God identifies it as, "the man of sin", who, "sits in the temple of God (2 Th. 2:3,4)."
GOVERNANCE UNDER A SINGLE STRUCTURE
A proper answer to Ty's book would need a much more extensive treatment than we are able to give in this newsletter. We can do no more than briefly comment on what we consider to be the main ideas. However I would just like to comment on one more point which Ty makes in his book. On page 11 he states:
"Seventh-day Adventism is the only major protestant body that still enjoys the benefits of governance under a single structure. We have prided ourselves on the fact that we are one people, under one system of order, free from the confusion and weakness of congregationalism (Abandon Ship - p.11)."
Is this a system to be commended and desired? Can it be that Ty does not see, in the same breath, that Catholicism has imposed and preserved its abuses by exactly the same kind of system? When God rules a system, then we may safely cling to it and submit to its governance. Dare we do the same when men are in control? Not unless we are anxious to commit spiritual suicide. The SDA church has given us no reason to be comfortable in the belief that God is in control of the system. With reference to this church, Jesus says,
"So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth (Rev 3:16)."
He represents Himself, not as being in control of this system, but rather, as standing on the outside, pleading for admittance. Is it a "benefit" to be under the governance of such a system? No! Rather, let us recognize that there is but One Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim 2:5). Through Him, and Him only, we have access to the very throne and heart of the King of the universe. Through Him we have access to the mind of God. The privilege of discerning the will of our Father, not through erring, corrupt, finite men with political agendas, but rather, through personal, direct communication.
"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest." (Heb 8:10,11)
from Pilgrim's Rest
David Yonggi Cho, Pentecostal pastor of one of the world's largest churches, in Seoul South Korea, recalls that he was praying for revival In America one day in 1993 when he was convicted to put his finger on a U.S. map. It landed on Pensacola. Florida.
He and his congregation began praying that revival would come to Pensacola. At about the same time that Cho's congregation began praying, John Kilpatrick, pastor of the Brownsville Assemblies of God Church in Pensacola was impressed to begin praying with his members that the spirit would fall,It did. One Sunday, in early June 1995, a Pentecostal evangelist, Steve Hill preached that day and nearly a thousand people came forward. Then many fell on the floor including Kilpatrick who could not rise for three hours.People are now regularly falling, crying, weeping and dancing at that Pentecostal church. As of this month (March 1997), a 21- month revival, called the "Pensacola Outpouring" has brought an estimated 200,000 to its huge stage-like altar for prayer. Of these, 86,000 are new converts or repentant backsliders, people are delivered from sickness, drug addiction, whatever.
They begin arriving at 4 am. In the morning, so they will be guaranteed a seat at the evening service. Some do not leave until after 3 am. Both Hill and Kilpatrlck take turns preaching.The revival continues 4 nights a week In Pensacola, a city of nearly 300,000, and has Inspired the 2.5 million-member Assemblies of God denomination (with headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, which traces its roots to a massive outpouring of a spirit in 1914) to get all its member churches invaded by the spirit.
Nearly 5.000 ministers have already attended three pastors' conferences at Brownsville, so they can get a spirit also – and share It widely when they return home. The April 1997 conference has been sold out for months.Visitors regularly journey there from all over the world to behold for themselves, the "Pensacola Outpouring" in the hopes that they might be spirit-filled before their departure.
Meanwhile, the crime rate has dropped dramatically in Pensacola: the spirit wants folk to believe it is from heaven .
Blind Leaders of The Blind
(The following article was taken from the SDA web site on the internet.)
Adventist Leaders Pay Tribute to Mother Teresa
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA ... [ANN]
Following the death of Mother Teresa on September 6, Seventh-day Adventist church leaders paid tribute to her life and work.
Speaking from Hosur, India, Dittu Abraham, Communication director for the Southern Asian Division of the Adventist Church, expressed the sense of loss.
"India leads the world in mourning the loss of the simple, yet great woman Mother Teresa, who devoted her life to the service of the poor, the sick, the dying and the rejected of every hue," said Abraham.
In an official letter of condolence to the Indian Ambassador in Washington, D.C. John Graz, Public Affairs director for the Seventh-day Adventist World Church Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA, spoke of being "deeply moved by the death of Mother Teresa. On behalf of the 20 million Seventh-day Adventists living in 209 countries, we wish to send to you and your country our sincere condolences."
Graz also expressed appreciation to the country of India for its democracy and religious freedom that gave Mother Teresa the opportunity to live and express her faith.
"She was a strong example of humanity and service to the poorest members of society. Through her ministry in Calcutta, she opened the heart and eyes of millions of people everywhere in the world in regard to our common responsibilities for the neediest. Her life was a strong message of justice and generosity, crossing over the borders of religion, culture, and nationalities," said Graz.Ray Dabrowski, Communication director for the Seventh-day Adventist World Church Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA, paid a personal tribute to Albanian Mother Teresa.
"Her death has touched me in a special way because I met her in Albania. She was establishing her ministry of charity there, and I was working with our church's response to the acute needs in that country. I was humbled by her words to me. ‘God bless you for helping my people.' Her example of a selfless life will continue to challenge me, though now she is gone," said Dabrowski.Church pastor Eric Kujur, minister of the Calcutta Adventist church endorsed the tributes from a local perspective. "The church joins the rest of Christianity and the world in mourning the loss of a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ (a dedicated worshipper of Mary), who epitomized His life in every gesture, word and action."
Seventh-day Adventist leaders in India will be attending her state funeral on September 13, (on the Sabbath) in Calcutta at the headquarters of the order she founded, the Missionaries of Charity. [Jonathan Gallagher]
Health Corner
God's Plan For My Health
by Howard Williams
"And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in (Isa 58:12 )."
This text in Isaiah 58:12 best describes our goal here, at Restoration Ministries. It is our prayerful desire that we might be used of God in restoring "the paths to dwell in."
How can we know for certain that we are on the right path? In this age of deception and abounding iniquity, how can we discern the will of God. We can thank God for the assurance that "My sheep hear my voice." As we submit ourselves to the guidance of God through His word and His Holy Spirit, we have the confidence that we will be given the ability to discern between truth and error.
However, God has provided a special avenue of help for the remnant of Israel; an aid which is too often ignored and despised, but which is of critical importance in helping us to overcome sin, and to understand the purposes of God as well as the pitfalls of the enemy in these closing moments of time. This special assistance which God has given, is the Health Reform message. We can only know the will of the Lord and the paths to dwell in as we follow the plan which God Himself has laid down in his word. The scriptures not only show the way to restore the spiritual side of man, but also give practical help for restoring man physically.
God's basic guideline for restoring man may be easily remembered using the acronym, "MY HEALTH:" M–uch water, Y–our faith in God, H–aving enough sunlight, E–xercise, A–dequate rest, L–ots of fresh air, T–emperate, H–ealthful diet.
If we would escape the condemnation of sin, then we must walk in harmony with the ten commandments of God. If we would escape the effects of sickness, then we must walk in harmony with the laws of health.
Please notice that in Isaiah chapters 58:8 when God promises that the light of His people will shine forth, if they will live in harmony with His wishes, He says, "Then shall thy health spring forth speedily." It is God's will that we should be healthy. However, the converse is also true. If we disobey the laws of God which are designed for our health and happiness, then the sure result will be our eventual destruction, both physically and spiritually.
As we look at this subject in our next few issues, please keep in mind the fact that true wisdom comes only through obedience to God's word.
Most of you already know about our upcoming campmeeting in December, at Copper in St. James. This is just a little notice to remind you about it and to fill you in on some of the details. This meeting will begin officially on Wednesday the 24th of December. But it is hoped that most people will come in from the day before and settle in so that we can get off to an early start on the 24th. We will break officially on the Sunday following, which will be the 28th.
At this meeting we are expecting to have some visitors with us from the USA. Brothers Lynnford Beachy and Allen Stump have both confirmed that they will be coming, as well as another brother and his family (wife and daughter).
Articles you will need:
Sleeping bag or equivalent bedding, including foam for mattress.
Personal toilet articles
eating utensils (spoon, cup, plate etc.)
Bible and Hymnbook
pen and notepad
For those who are travelling by public transportation a vehicle will come to pick you up at the gas station at Montpelier at 6.00 PM Tuesday, Dec. 23, and at 12.00 noon Wednesday Dec. 24.Each person is asked to make a contribution of $500.00 towards the cost of food.
Please indicate very early whether or not you will be attending, by filling in the attached form and sending it to the listed address, or by contacting brother David Clayton.
Morning Manna
from August 1997 issue of Old Paths
A precious brother and sister I know once composed and sang a song entitled, "Early Morning Dew Drops." This song, sung in a very sweet and cheerful manner, spoke of rising early to read God's word. It encouraged others to share of the feast of which the singers were no doubt partaking.When I hear this song, it always reminds me of the story of the children of Israel gathering the manna. God told His people that He would "rain bread from heaven" for them. (Exodus 16:4) The manna was to be found early in the morning. After the sun waxed hot, it melted and was gone. The manna was real, literal, physical food for God's people. It was also symbolic of spiritual food.
Notice what Jesus taught the people:"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6:32-35)The inspired words of Jesus are to be spiritual food to us as the morning manna was physical food for the children of Israel. When was it to be found? Early in the morning!
Let's talk straight for a moment. Too many are missing the blessing of the morning manna because they are burning the midnight oil! When a person stays up late regularly, it will be impossible for that person to arise early when the manna is freshest without sacrificing health. It is very difficult to rise early with a clear mind when we do not retire at a proper time in the evening.True temperance includes resting at the proper times. While we have no authority to prescribe specific times for everyone rising and retiring, God's program is an early one.* When God wanted to send messages to Israel, He sent them prophets early in the morning. "And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not. . . . Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them." (Jeremiah 7: 13, 25)
Jesus is our example in all things. What does the Bible say concerning Him and early rising? "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." (Mark 1:35) Jesus was determined to receive His morning manna from the Father. Do you have the same determination? If it is your purpose to rise early and you have not been able to do so, perhaps it is because you do not retire early enough in the evening. Too often our schedules are like a roller-coaster. This is not the best recipe for success.Even the world recognizes the principle of early to bed and early to rise. In 1733, Benjamin Franklin began publishing Poor Richard's Almanack. In the October 1734 edition he noted: "Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." One Christian writer has insightfully noted, "Men of business can be truly successful only by having regular hours for rising, for prayer, for meals, and for retirement. If order and regularity are essential in worldly business, how much more so in doing work for God!" (Gospel Workers, 1892 edition. p. 168)I believe that the great majority of the most precious moments I have had in study and prayer have been during the early morning hours.
A physician once told me that the ionization of the air is even best in the morning for our brains to function properly. God's program just cannot be improved upon! The more morning manna 1 receive, the more I want ! However, 1 cannot get that morning manna without getting up early and I cannot get up early without going to bed early. I want to encourage you. and ask that you would support me in God's program of early morning manna. How can we each do that? One way we can encourage each other is by respecting the evening time of one another.
I want everyone to know that my phone is available to ring twenty-four hours a day. If anybody has an emergency anytime of the day, feel free to call us if needed. However, for all normal, non emergency calls, I am asking that you keep your calls to us between the hours: of 6:00 .4. M. and 8:00 P. M EST. This will allow us to have some precious family time together and to be able to retire at a reasonable hour. For my part of the bargain, 1 will refrain from contacting you late in the evening unless there is an emergency. This is a fair and reasonable agreement, don't you think so? I am glad you do. May God bless you to get your "early morning dew drops" and eat of the heavenly manna!
* We recognize that there are people whose work schedule often carries into the evening or night hours. We recognize that they are free to decide how to arrange their schedule and to decide what constitutes "early' for them.