Unity and Cooperation Imperative

There is no body of men and women on earth whom God desires to see united in whole-hearted co-operation more than those whom we classify as workers in our cause. Consequently as workers we owe it to God to stand in such relationship to our fellow la­borers, and to the plans of the organization with which we are connected, as will most effectively advance our message, and at the same time present a united front to all oppos­ing forces.

At the Presidents' Council, immediately pre­ceding the Autumn Council, it was but natural that attention be given to maintaining this unity of action and whole-hearted co-operation as we press forward with the everlasting gos­pel into every land and clime. While Jesus was upon earth He made it plain that one of the burdens He carried for His immediate fol­lowers, as well as the more distant, was "that they may be one, even as we are." Not only did Jesus earnestly seek the Father's blessing to rest upon His disciples, to the end that they might enjoy a sweet spirit of unity and fel­lowship, but through the Holy Spirit the work­ers in the early church were likewise impressed with the importance of maintaining this unity and co-operation.

The great apostle to the Gentiles, so mightily used of God, said, "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be per­fectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." 1 Cor. 1:10.

The followers of Christ are referred to as comprising the "whole body" of Christ, and it is God's desire that the "whole body" should be fitly framed and knit together through "that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part."

Throughout our history, Seventh-day Advent­ists have demonstrated the value of Christian unity in the church. Throughout our history, unity of faith and loyalty to established poli­cies and plans have been a source of strength to this movement, giving efficiency and power to our efforts. Moreover, we read, "As we near the close of time, . . . order must be observed, and there must be union in maintaining order, or Satan will take the advantage."—"Testimo­nies," Vol. 1, p. 210.

With this and similar admonitions, warnings, and counsels before us, the conference presi­dents and other representatives of our world field whole-heartedly pledged to uphold by pre­cept and example the policies of the General Conference, and individually to guard sacredly the influence of our brethren in the work, par­ticularly those upon whom the heavier respon­sibilities of leadership rest. Recognizing that God has blessed the advent movement with a rich measure of the spirit of unity and co­operation among church members as well as workers, the conference leaders voted to ex­press to our ministry and laity everywhere, "sincere appreciation of their loyalty and faith­fulness in the past, and appeal to them to press still closer together and labor in even greater unity than ever before in their efforts to pro­mote the work of God in their respective fields."

It was plainly pointed out that this laudable objective can be realized only as our workers individually bring their own lives into full harmony with the principles of the message, and as they labor faithfully in genuine co­operation in churches and conference organiza­tions—whether division, union, or local—in unitedly carrying out general denominational policies outlined in actions of General Confer­ence sessions and Executive Committee coun­cils, manifesting "absolute loyalty to covenants thus entered into."

It is only proper, because of the tendencies in the world all about, that we as workers in God's cause recognize the danger of independ­ent action, either as individual workers or as units of the organization. Surely, as workers in the advent movement, we shall not fail to guard carefully every tendency toward laxity in relation to these principles, especially in times of economic stress. If there was ever an hour in which it was important, yea, absolutely necessary, for the entire church with its min­istry to keep step like an army of well-trained soldiers, thus presenting a united front to the enemy of truth, that time is now.

Chattanooga, Tenn.