Weaknesses of the Church
by Ellen White
I saw some in Israel had been half starved for food and when the purest truth was
presented to them, they grasped at it as half-starved children. Said the angel, "Can
ye stand in the battle in the day of the Lord? Ye need to be washed, and live in newness
of life." . . . 8MR 220
Now we see need of workers in the opening fields before us, but where are the men who
can be trusted, men who have been year by year growing into a better knowledge of God and
his ways, and the movings of his providence? I want to sound in the ears of these sleepy,
half paralysed souls the words spoken to Nicodemus, "Except a man be born again he
cannot see the kingdom of God." There is need to ask God with all the heart, to
elevate the standard. The commonness, the cheapness of conversation reveal the measure of
spirituality of the members of the church. Now, those who have lived years in this same
experience know not God nor Jesus Christ whom he hath sent; and should such go forth as
representatives of Jesus Christ? These men will never give the right mould to other minds.
They have not grown up to the full stature of men and women in Jesus Christ. They simply
live the name of Christian, but are not fitted for the work of God, and never will be
until they are born again, and learn their A.B.C.'s in the religion of Jesus Christ. There
is hope in one direction. Take the young men and women and place them where they will come
as little as possible in contact with our churches, that the low grade of piety which is
current in this day shall not leaven their ideas of what it means to be a Christian. The
worshippers of God are in need of transforming grace to subordinate the world to religion.
In the place of making the temporal interest first, exhausting soul, body, and spirit to
secure temporal advantages, Jesus points us to the heavenly treasure, and tells us not to
lay up our treasure in earth which will perish, but to lay up for ourselves treasure in
heaven which will not perish, for where our treasure is there will our heart be also.
Jesus would have all that profess to believe in him deal in the currency of heaven,
handling those things upon which God has stamped his image and superscription. These he
presents before us of infinite value. We see the need of a deep and thorough work in our
churches; but the Lord alone can by his Holy Spirit make the hearts that are as steel,
soft and sympathetic, and true to the service of Christ. We are far behind because the
churches have folded their hands in a peace and safety attitude, and are at ease in Zion,
doing almost nothing when the living zeal should be in their hearts as never before. Satan
is stirring the powers from beneath to make one last desperate effort to convert the world
to his own principles. He has his plans laid with Satanic subtlety, and destruction cometh
suddenly while these that have the light, the warnings that such a crisis is before us are
almost unmoved. . . PC 344
Had Elder Smith exercised more firmness and boldness in defending the right and
condemning the wrong, my husband would not have been forced to take such firm, decided
positions. This disposition on the part of Elder Smith to overlook wrong, and leave evils
uncorrected, which, though small at first, would increase till they finally destroyed the
purity of the church, has forced my husband to act, and caused his course, in contrast
with Elder Smith's, to seem very severe and dictatorial. Had Elder Smith stood as a bold
soldier for Jesus Christ, had he called sin, fraud, and dishonesty by their right names,
had he given these evils their just rebuke, less of such disagreeable work would have
fallen upon my husband, and less cause would have been given for temptation in regard to
his course of action.
God would have the facts appear as they are. Elder Smith has neglected to cultivate
those traits of character which it is so needful that all who are engaged in the work of
God should possess. Pleasing or unpleasing to human nature, faithfulness, vigilance, and
boldness must be exercised, or sin will triumph over righteousness. A failure to see and
sense the wants of the cause for this time, and to reprove sin, is called by some,
meekness; God calls it unfaithfulness, and spiritual sloth. He gives no credit to those
who shun the cross and neglect the disagreeable duties, thereby imperilling his church.
Envy, jealousy, dishonesty, falsehoods, and evil surmisings have ever had to be met. They
existed in the time of ancient Israel, and will ever be found in modern Israel. Some one
must meet this element, and whoever does will displease some; it cannot be otherwise, for
there will ever be those who will sympathise with wrong-doers. Those who have shunned that
part of the work which requires anxiety and care, boldness and fortitude, will receive no
reward for their silence and their peaceful demeanour; but condemnation will be written
against them....
This exactly represents the case of ministers in our day. It is an evil day. Satan is
continually at work to press his temptations among us. At first he presents little
deviations from right; then after the senses have become accustomed to this slight
departure from the light which God has given, he presents another temptation to lead away
from former positions and principles. Then as the mind becomes accustomed to that, he
presents a still greater departure from the simplicity of our faith, until the barriers
are broken down, and idolatry in various forms is at home in our midst. God then moves
upon those who will not shun to declare his whole counsel, and charges them, "Lift up
thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob
their sins. Yet they seek me daily, . . . as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook
not the ordinance of their God." Those who ought to be humiliating their souls before
God will then begin to justify themselves:--
"What an easy, happy time we were having. The church was in a pleasant condition.
We were doing well. But, lo! here come Elder White and his wife, the disturbers of Israel.
They always create a trouble whenever they come. If they only had the sweet spirit of
Elder Smith; he never hurts any one's feelings, he never says sharp and cutting
things." But these blind ones do not see that this very pleasing, careless
indifference on the part of men at Battle Creek who have failed to keep the fort, has
created the necessity for the alarm to be sounded and the cutting rebukes to be given.
Where would the church drift, were it not for the plain, close, searching testimonies to
arouse them from their slumber? PH043 9-13,16
Whatever may be the position of trust that a man occupies, he is not raised above the
frailties of humanity. His position does not make him sinless or divine. He must receive
wisdom and goodness and power from the same source as others; and this source of supply is
open to the lowliest and the least. Jesus has invited you to come unto him; and you are
not obeying Christ when you go to human sources for support and consolation. Is not this
the reason that the people of God are destitute of the fruits of the Holy Spirit? Is not
this one reason why their religious experience is of so dwarfed a character? RH
AUG.14,1894
The greatest detriment to our churches, that which brings them into weakness and
disfavour with God, is unhappy jealousies and differences. "Now the works of the
flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, liciviousness,
idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before,
as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the
kingdom of God." Then let every soul examine himself, and see if he is approaching
the committal of any such sins. RH JUN.28,1887
There is great need that our brethren overcome secret faults. The displeasure of God,
like a cloud, hangs over many of them. The churches are weak. Selfishness,
uncharitableness, covetousness, envy, evil-surmising, falsehood, theft, robbery,
sensuality, licentiousness, and adultery, stand registered against some who claim to
believe the solemn, sacred truth for this time. How can these accursed things be cleansed
out of the camp, when men who claim to be Christians are practising them constantly? They
are somewhat careful of their ways before men, but they are an offence to God. His pure
eyes see, a witness records, all their sins, both open and secret; and unless they repent,
and confess their sins before God, unless they fall on the Rock and are broken, their sins
will remain charged against them in the books of record. O, fearful histories will be
opened to the world at the judgement,--histories of sins never confessed, of sins blotted
out! O that these poor souls might see that they are heaping up wrath against the day of
wrath! Then the thoughts of the heart, as well as the actions, will be revealed. I tell
you, my brethren and sisters, there is need of humbling your souls before God. "Cease
to do evil;" but do not stop here: "Learn to do well." You can glorify God
only by bearing fruit to his glory. SPTA NO.1 4
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