p. 186 | PRESENT TRUTH by Mrs. Maria Mead

The Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · December 11, 1879

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 54, No. 24

PRESENT TRUTH.

By Mrs. Maria Mead

What is present truth? What are the great truths for our days? If we were to judge from the talk and acts of some of our people, we should think that the present truth consisted merely in keeping holy the Sabbath day. But what a sad mistake!

What are some of the leading and most important truths embraced in the third angel’s message, that is now being heralded to the world for man’s salvation? The question is often asked, Is the truth of God different to-day from what it was ages in the past? The great fundamental truths are the same as in the beginning, the same as when God spoke from Mount Sinai; but every age has had truths particularly applicable to the time. The truths that were proclaimed in the sixteenth century, or even the more glorious truths taught in the time of Christ and the apostles, are not the only ones for us to heed; but there are additional truths that we will mention as we proceed.

With the Jews at the time of our Saviour it was all law and no Christ; in this age the cry is, “No law, and all Christ.” In order that these errors, which are equally fatal, may be corrected, God has sent out messengers over the world, who are preaching the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. And when we say, “The commandments of God,” we do not mean nine of them, nor the fourth commandment alone, but every one of them. “Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

Some say, “All I hear from your people is, the Sabbath, the Sabbath.” But this is not so. Our ministers preach more upon the Sabbath commandment than any other; but why? Because it is the one that has been trodden under foot by every denomination but the Seventh-day Adventists and Seventh-day Baptists. But the seal of God is in that commandment. It is the only one that tells us of the true God, the Maker of heaven and earth. God’s holy day must be restored. The breach must be made up. God must and will be honored by his people. The loud cry will go forth, and the 144,000 will be found keeping the Seventh-day Sabbath holy.

There are other truths connected with this message,—truths of vital importance. It is not in the Sabbath alone that man has robbed God. Read this: “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.” Perhaps some will ask, “Did not the tithing system pertain to the Jewish dispensation, and was it not done away in Christ?” It was not. If it was necessary to give one-tenth in the Jewish age, is it not equally necessary in the Christian age? Does it cost less to support the gospel now than it did then? Listen to Christ: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith; these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” One-tenth of all our income is the Lord’s. What! one-tenth of all my wheat, corn, and potatoes, and even of my butter and eggs? Can I not first take out enough to supply my family, enough oats and corn to feed my horses, and then of the remainder give one-tenth to the Lord? Will not that be all right? No; one-tenth belongs to the Lord. And the man who robs God of this, though he keep the Sabbath ever so strictly, will be weighed in the balance and found wanting. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, . . . and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

Well, to keep God’s holy day, and to give one-tenth of all my income, is a part of present truth. What next? “Whether therefore ye eat or drink, . . . do all to the glory of God.” Then does present truth deal with what we eat and drink? Listen to the words of the spirit of prophecy: “The health reform sustains the same relation to the third angel’s message, that the right arm does to the body.” “Know ye not that every one that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things?” Are not our bodies the temple of the Holy Ghost? Then how dare a Seventh-day Adventist eat that which God has pronounced unclean and an abomination in his sight? However strictly one may keep the Sabbath, if he uses tobacco, tea, and coffee, and partakes of swine’s flesh and the abominable broth, he cannot expect the blessing and favor of God. “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” “Ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Perhaps some who think that, however straight the way, we have the truth so far, will yet suppose we have a wrong idea about Christ’s soon coming. They say: “All things continue as they were from the beginning, and Christ may not come for a thousand years yet, or he may come to-night.” “Now learn a parable of the fig-tree. When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh. So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it [margin, he,—Christ] is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation [the one before which the darkening of the sun and moon and the falling of the stars are proclaimed as signs of the last days, and that witnesses earthquakes, fires, floods, wars, the rise of spiritualism, and wicked men growing worse] shall not pass away till all be fulfilled.”

Again, we have no charity for false doctrines. We do not countenance any modes, creeds, or doctrines for which we have not a “Thus saith the Lord.” And we read that “God only hath immortality.” The doctrine of the immortality of the soul originated with the devil, when he told Eve that she should not surely die.

Seventh-day Adventists all have the same Bible, and they read and interpret it alike; they are a unit, all believing the same thing; and they will not allow heathen doctrines to come into the church. The Judgment is sitting; the heavenly sanctuary is now being cleansed. Christ is soon coming, and he must find a people all of whom have the same faith. And how is this unity brought about, when other churches are so divided, scarcely two in the same church believing the same thing? I will tell you how. We have the spirit of prophecy in our midst. “Oh!” exclaim hundreds of voices, “possibly the rest might all be true; you have a Bible faith except this prophesying. That was all done away ages ago. The last visions were in Paul’s day. The law and the prophets were until John; since that time Christ is preached.” The spirit of prophecy was designed for all ages, and is nowhere restricted to any particular age or time, from the fall to the final restitution; but it is among the special signs of the last days. “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; . . . and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.” The testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy, is the chain that links us together, keeps the wolves and false doctrines out, and makes us a unit. “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

In conclusion, let me say in the language of Paul: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” For Christ “cometh quickly,” and will reward every man according as his work shall be. Blessed are they that are found doing his commandments, “that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

Mrs. Maria Mead.

Stearns Co., Minn.