The following action by the recent Autumn Council is deserving of very careful study on the part of every Seventh-day Adventist speaker and writer. From reliable sources of information, we have reason to believe that all our published statements are carefully scrutinized, and some sent to the archives of certain foreign governments. This fact bears out the truthfulness of the quotation from the "Testimonies" appearing in the action here quoted. With this counsel to guide us, and knowing as we do the results of ill-advised spoken and published statements concerning governments and rulers, it seems unnecessary to exhort ourselves regarding the need for carefulness in these matters. No worker should use his personal liberty in speaking or writing on such matters in a way that imperils the liberty of his fellow workers in other lands, perhaps leading to their expulsion from their country in some instances, and possibly to the dissolution and prohibition of our work. This is not a fancied danger, but experiences could be cited to prove the actual danger. A word to the wise ought to be sufficient. We believe that the field of prophetic exposition can be fully covered and the gospel message preached in its entirety without resorting to questionable interpretations of Scripture regarding present-day rulers and governments.--- J.L. McElhany.
In view of the intensity of the times, there is cause to remind ourselves, as gospel workers, of the need of carefulness in setting forth world tendencies and events that constitute signs of our times.
Under the great commission, we are sent to win to Christ peoples of all races and nations, regardless of forms of government or political alignments. We have ever recognized the right of every Christian believer to exercise the franchise granted by this earthly citizenship in the fear of God and for the service of his fellows in things of this world. But it is needful that we keep ever in mind that we are "ambassadors for Christ" to every creature. It is manifest that the gospel messenger therefore cannot allow in his heart the spirit of the antagonisms and controversies and partisanships that divide men into contending camps in political, social, industrial, and religious life. He is to allow nothing to hinder him in his work for the supreme object,—the salvation of men from sin, of every class or party or estate.
The missionary who goes to labor in another land may keep in his heart love of home and earthly country; but he is to remember that his mission is to represent the gospel of the heavenly country, the way of salvation from sin. While teaching the way of eternal life, the missionary must bear in mind also the need of so instructing the people as to inculcate loyalty to the government under which they live, and Christian respect for the authority of governors and administrators. The gospel recognizes the basic fact that civil governments among men are essential to civil order. "The powers that be are ordained of God." Rom. 13:1.
The times in which we live call for carefulness on the part of public speakers and writers. We ask our editors and public speakers, who must call attention to world events as having a bearing on fulfillment of prophecy, to exercise great care in order that national or international affairs shall not be dealt with in such a way as to suggest that our attitude in one country is critical of the forms of government or political institutions of another country. We are one church, with brethren in every land who are bound by the gospel principle to be loyal subjects wherever they may be, and every phrasing used in speaking of international affairs should be scanned to avoid any use of words that might be misinterpreted. As public speakers or writers, we should so choose our words that no one can mistake what we, say as lacking in respect for civil governors or rulers. We have been admonished concerning the misinterpretations that may be given our carelessly spoken words, and concerning their misuse.
"Many will be surprised to hear their own words strained into a meaning that they did not intend them to have. Then let our workers be careful -to speak guardedly at all times. . . .
"The less we make direct charges against authorities and powers, the greater work we shall be able to accomplish. . . . It is our work to magnify and exalt the law of God."—"Testimonies for the Church," Vol. VI, p. 395.
"The time will come when unguarded expressions of a denunciatory character, that have been carelessly spoken or written by our brethren, will be used by our enemies to condemn us. These will not be used merely to condemn those who made the statements, but will be charged upon the whole body of Adventists." —Id., pp. 394, 395.
We call attention of writers and speakers to the fact that copies of our papers containing statements regarding events are sometimes to be found on file in foreign offices of governments. The providential means in our day for spreading light and news, for which we thank God, make the whole world one great sounding board, and remarks by some evangelist lightly spoken regarding actions of some government and reported in a newspaper, may be noted in the foreign office of that government, and bring official questioning, and perhaps difficulty, to brethren laboring in that country.