Covering the Light*
Introduction: Isaiah 59:1, 2, 9-12; 60:1-3. God pleading with Judah while there is yet time. Sins separating from God. Judah's recognition of need. God's call in view of condition Tragedy when people know their need, hear God's call to arise, and fail to respond. Condition of present hour similar. God today calling His church to arise and shine amid prevailing darkness. His people claim to know their need as did Judah, but many are slow to respond, as was Judah. "Some—yes, a large number—have a theoretical knowledge . . . condemnation."—"Testimonies," Vol. 37, pp. 221, 222. The church of God today needs to "arise and shine."
I. John 1:1-4; 5:35. Christ was life and light. John was a burning and a shining light. Burning is giving; shining is light revealing. John gave both life and light—life in burning, light in shining. All true light shining calls for positive life giving. The more we give in burning, the greater we shine. Illustration of candle. If we are to shine the brightest, we must give the utmost. Christ withheld nothing, but gave all; hence His life was the Light of men. Phil. 2:15, 16. We are "lights holding forth the Word of life." Again, life and light united.
2. Matt. 5:14. We are called to be the light of the world. Several ways are mentioned as examples of how we are not to hide our light.
a. Matt. 5:14-16—Cautioned against hiding light under bushel. What is significance of bushel ?—Connected with business. We face danger of allowing business interests and cares to cover the light. Business is essential, but it occupies wrong place if it obscures the light of God. "Men to whom the Lord . . . in vain." Vol. V, pp. 408, 409. "Satan makes every effort . . . morning and evening." Id., p: 426. To medical workers with their cares these words are directed: "Many are in danger . • the judgment." Vol. IV, p. 560. To publishing workers: "These institutions . . . with destruction." Vol. VII, pp. 138, 339. To educational leaders: "All should feel . . . known to man." Vol. VI, p. 206. In all business matters we must be careful lest we hide our light under the bushel of business.
1. Neither should we hide it "under a bed." Mark 4:21. Two things associated with bed.
(f) Physical or mental inactivity or indolence: "Especially shculd our ministers . . . consecration to God." "Gospel Workers," old edition, p 53. "The ministry is no place for idlers ... no prayer." Vol. VI, p. 412. "Many have failed ...within our reach." Vol. IV, pp. 413-416. Mental indolence sometimes seen in foolish and wasteful reading which is of no profit in our ministry. We need to take care lest physical or mental laziness obscure the light of God.
(2) Also associated with bed, under which men may hide light of God, is lust. Today the adversary is working tremendous power in this, and too many are covering the light of God through it. "Sin of Licentiousness," page 2: "1A7e are nearing the judgment . . . not accepted." "As we approach...seventh commandment." "Patriarchs and Prophets," pp. 457, 458. We need to watch in both thought and action in this matter so clearly pointed out by Christ.
c. Luke 8:16. Cover it "with a vessel." Vessel may mean one of many things.
We may hide our light under the vessel of a radio, the vessel of property, the vessel of an automobile, or the vessel of magazines and newspapers. Other things may come to mind, any of which may be used to obscure the light of God by putting it first, thereby covering the light.
Some hide their light under the vessel of the dinner plate, the tea or coffee cup.
Wrong habits or careless habits of eating and drinking can definitely obscure the light. God is calling Israel today to lift high the light, and never permit it to be hidden under a "vessel."
1. Luke 11:33. A "secret place;" revised version, "cellar." Other versions—"vault," "hiding place." What is significance of this as a means of obscuring light? Disciples of old hid their light by locking themselves in room. Courage seemed to leave them, and fear led them to a secret hiding place. Some today, like the apostles, through fear of friends or other circumstances, hide their light in a secret place. Peter, when confronted with the servant maid, was tempted to hide his light because of the environment. He was ashamed to acknowledge his Saviour. There is nothing of which we need be ashamed or afraid.
Conclusion: Many men today long for light and life. God is calling us to lift the light high, and never place it where it can be obscured, either by the bushel, the bed, the vessel, or the cellar. The call of Christ today is, "Arise. shine." Let us respond and reveal the glory of the Lord.
Loyalty in Sabbath Observance
(Adopted at Autumn Council, October, /939)
To help clarify the situation we submit the following statements concerning Sabbath Observance. The Sabbath was given as one of God's greatest blessings to man, a day of "rest and gladness," a time of spiritual refreshing. The Sabbath is not only a sign of God's love to man, but is also a sign of man's loyalty to God. In true Sabbath observance is evidenced our fidelity to our Creator and our fellowship with our beloved Redeemer. We should earnestly heed the admonition of the word of God to "remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy," not doing our own work or finding our own pleasure on God's holy day. We should dedicate the Sabbath to the worship of God and the uplift of our fellow men by :
1. Faithfully attending the Sabbath school and other divine services.
2. Gathering our children into the family pew, thus encouraging reverence for the house of God, the place of prayer.
3. Spending the hours of the Sabbath in visiting the sick and afflicted and otherwise ministering to a sin-sick humanity, teaching the word of God, and distributing our truth-filled literature.
4. Teaching our children the wonders of God's universe and His creative power by often "walking with them in the fields and groves," studying with them the lesson book of nature, and telling them of God's wondrous love, thus leading them to consider the Sabbath a blessing rather than a burden.
We should pledge ourselves to renewed consecration in the observance of God's holy day by :
1. Sacredly guarding the edges of the Sabbath, making full preparation for its opening, before the setting of the sun as the Sabbath approaches.
2. Welcoming the blessed day by worship around the family altar, and again at the setting of the sun at the close of the Sabbath, rededicating ourselves and our children to the Lord.
3. Putting aside all secular papers, and refraining from the use of the radio.
4. Refraining from unnecessary automobile journeys and pleasure trips.
5. Not engaging in idle conversation, or in "thinking our own thoughts," or in "speaking our own words."
We suggest that great carefulness be exercised in the manner of raising money on the Sabbath and disposing of literature during the Sabbath services, so that we ever keep the spiritual purpose of the Sabbath before our churches.
Each of the foregoing principles is vital. We admonish our ministry and people not to pass them by lightly. Read them carefully. Study them prayerfully. Let the ministry set an example before the people in reverence and sacred regard for the day of God's choosing. Let them jealously guard the hours of divine worship on the Sabbath, that they be sacredly devoted to the worship of God, and let them not fail to feed the flock of God with the heavenly manna. Let no activity, however important it may seem to be, crowd out the word of God. Reserve the church-service hour for worship of God.
At the beginning of the Sabbath, and also at its close, let the family be gathered for worship. On the Sabbath let all secular reading and radio programs not be once mentioned among us. Let the Sabbath be spent in joyous and reverent contemplation of God and His handiwork. Let the Sabbath be a type of the glorious rest into which God's people shall soon enter, the mark and seal of God, the sign of sanctification and holiness.
No true Seventh-day Adventist can consistently enter into compromising business partnership with those who do not regard the holy day of God. He cannot accept a position which demands that he perform labor or services on the seventh day in contradiction of the plain command of God. He may be placed in difficult circumstances ; constituted authorities may demand that he violate the sacred day of rest ; but with the apostles he will say, "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye." Acts 4:19. And if the issue is sharply drawn, he will not hesitate to take his stand on a "Thus saith the Lord," "we ought to obey God rather than men." Acts 5:29. He will not only have the courage of his conviction, but will unhesitatingly accept the result of his choice, and will not hold his life dear when the question of obedience to one of God's commandments is at stake.
We counsel the ministry to even greater carefulness in admitting to membership in the church of God such as hold positions in which it seems necessary for them to work on the Sabbath day, even though such work be minimized and made as light as possible. While it is not possible to lay down rules that will cover every case and all conditions, we warn against the tendency to let down the bars and admit and retain as members any who are unwilling to take a decided stand for the Sabbath of the Lord. Our members should not enter into entangling business alliances or do government or community service which compromises sacred principles. The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord. In it we are not to do that which is forbidden by the law of God.
How can anyone think that he is observing the Sabbath as God would have it observed, when he is working on that day ? How can a Seventh-day Adventist attend school on that day, or prepare lessons, or write examinations, or attend public exhibitions or games ? How can he listen to secular radio programs or dramas, or go to social gatherings or nicnics, or habitually neglect divine service ? How can he plan or undertake business ventures, read secular literature, do odd jobs around the house, go shopping, spend an undue amount of time in physical rest, go pleasure riding for selfish purposes, or do any of the many things forbidden both by God and by the enlightened conscience of the Christian ? The answer, of course, must be that true Christians can do none of these things.
It may be well to point out that there is a clear distinction between work done on the Sabbath for pay, and work done in the service for God.
The priests of old performed more work on the Sabbath than on the ordinary weekday, and Christ approved of this. He declared that although they profaned the Sabbath day so far as the outward form was concerned, they were blameless. And why blameless ? Because their work was for the Lord, in connection with His church. (Read Matthew 12:1-8.) Although the priests of old could slay animals and offer them as sacrifice in the sanctuary service and be guiltless, this was entirely different from what it would have been had they slain these animals and offered them for sale in the pursuit of an everyday vocation. This principle applies to Sabbath work in church institutions in contrast to similar service in establishments of the world. Therefore, a Sabbathkeeper cannot consistently do work of any type in a commercial establishment on the seventh day, even if in doing this he minimizes his work as compared with the labor of other days. While we appreciate the embarrassment which comes to one in giving up his position in order to keep the Sabbath, we cannot regard the suggestion to carry into the Sabbath hours any part of the week's work as other than the subtle philosophy of the enemy to lead him who does it to make no distinction between the holy and the profane, and to lower the high and holy standard of Sabbath observance to the plane of the ordinary holiday or workday.
Following the lead of such specious suggestions, we would soon break down all distinctions between the holy and the common, and could feel free to engage in almost any kind of labor on the Sabbath. Gradually we would lose out of our hearts the spirit of all Sabbath observance, and would forsake the Sabbath and the message of which it is a part.
If Satan today could turn Seventh-day Adventists away from Sabbath observance, or lead them to compromise the stand they have taken through all their history regarding the observance of this day, he would be well pleased. Let us resist his wily suggestions and remain true to this sign of our allegiance.
Noncombatant Service
(As amended and adopted by the Council)
For the benefit of our readers in the United States we are presenting in this issue of "The Ministry" a series of recommendations adopted by the recent session of the. Autumn Council in Lincoln, Nebraska. The plans outlined in these actions were developed for the Purpose of assisting our brethren in the United States, who may be subject to draft in time of war, to find lines of service helpful to their country, and at the some time in harmony with their religious convictions. In several of our educational centers, efforts have already been made to qualify men for noncombatant service. Quite a number have taken this training. It is our hope that those who receive this instruction will in time of war be granted some line of noncombatant service in harmony with their conscientious convictions. Our leaders are anxious to cooperate with and assist every member of the church who is situated so he can avail himself of such training. The plans as outlined in this series of recommendations are so comprehensive that no detailed explanation is needed in this introductory note.
J. L. MCELHANY,
Whereas, Many Seventh-day Adventists who, in case of draft, would be subject to call by the government, need special preparation to enable them to serve their country more effectively in those noncombatant capacities which in former wars have been freely granted members of this faith by the United States Government,
We recommend, I. That in this training of our youth for times of national emergency we emphasize the importance of loyalty to God in obedience to all His commandments (including the Sabbath) as set forth in the life and teaching of Christ.
2. That the General Conference Committee appoint a special committee to be known as the "Medical Corps Council," to have general oversight and direction of an effort to make available to all our people who may be subject to draft in the United States of America, the opportunity of medical corps or other training ; and in behalf of the denomination, and in accord with its established noncombatant principles, to work in all possible harmony with the medical and other authorities of the National Government.
3. That union and local conference committees provide leadership and counsel to foster and make effective these recommendations.
4. That the responsibility for fostering the medical-corps training and Red Cross courses in both union and local conferences be placed upon a committee of three, consisting preferably of the Missionary Volunteer secretary, the educational secretary or superintendent, and the medical secretary, one of whom shall be designated as chairman by the respective conference committees.
5. That our colleges offer four semester hours of medical-corps training, consisting of noncombatant principles, basic and medical drill, health principles, and first aid, the details of this course to be worked out by a committee whose personnel shall be the secretary of the Department of Education of the General Conference, the senior and junior college presidents, F. G. Ashbaugh, Dr. E. N. Dick, and Dr. H. M. Walton.
6. That in churches where the regular medical-corps training is not available, classes in standard and advanced Red Cross courses be organized and conducted under a qualified instructor, so that those completing such courses shall be qualified to receive the Red Cross certificates. Wherever possible these courses shall include instruction in our principles of nursing and hydrotherapy.
7. That whenever there is sufficient demand, the colleges offer their medical-corps training in intensive form during the summer, and, in case of national emergency, during the school year.
8. That the General Conference Medical Corps Council provide a uniform certificate to be awarded upon the completion of the college medical-corps training, and explore the possibility of securing recognition of this certificate from the proper authorities.
9. That in centers where there are sufficient numbers of young people not in our schools, the leadership in the conferences concerned endeavor to provide regular medical-corps training, upon the completion of which the certificate will be awarded to such young people.
10. That in the academies there be organized classes in the junior and standard Red Cross courses, with emphasis on our denominational nursing principles as outlined by the Medical Department.
11. That a booklet of instruction be prepared, under the direction of the General Conference Committee, for the purpose of setting forth—
12. The Biblical basis of our belief and position on noncombatancy and Sabbathkeeping.
13. The Christian's relationship and obligation to his government.
14. The general principles of military courtesies.
15. That we ask the General Conference Committee to explore the possibility of securing for our members lines of civilian service acceptable to the government as of national importance in times of emergency.
* Outline of sermon presented at Autumn Council, Lincoln, Nebraska, October, 1939.