Tell It to the World t

Part II

By C. Mervyn Maxwell

Objectives and test materials by Joe Engelkemier

GOAL

The purpose of this study is to deepen our sense of gratitude and praise for the way God has led His remnant people in order that we in turn may inspire others to develop a similar attitude of thankfulness and praise.

OBJECTIVES

When you have completed your study of the information presented here, you should be able to:

1.

2.

Summarize factors that led believers to organize and choose a name.

Identify what benevolence.

constituted systematic

• Approved by the North American Division Office ofEducation for 0.5 Continuing Education Units Credit or 5 con­

tact hours.

C. Mervyn Maxwell is Professor of Church History, Seventh­day Adventist Theological Seminary, Berrien Springs, Mich­igan. Joe Engelkemier is Editor, North American DivisionBible Textbook Program, K-12.

VOL. 43, NO. 4, APRIL-MAY, 1981

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Explain why Seventh-day Adventism is more than a mere religious society.

Summarize the growth of Seventh-day Adventism in lands outside North Amer­ica.

Identify the first organized endeavor by Seventh-day Adventists to influence their young people for God and service.

Identify two events in 1872 that were significant in the development of Seventh-day Adventist education.

Trace the growth of Seventh-day Adven­tist education from 1872 to the beginning of a medical school early in the 1900's.

,Analyze why it was that by the 1880's Seventh-day Adventists had to a large extent lost sight of Jesus.

t The following material is adapted and abridged, with the publisher's permission, from Tell It to the World by C. Mervyn Maxwell {Mountain View, California: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1977), representing about one-fourth of the book.

17

asks for something and then pays for it, will he suddenly change his mind and leave the place without taking it with him? Of course he won't. If he pays for it, he will take it. And the more he pays for it, the more certain he is to take it. Now, Jesus has paid for us. He has paid the highest price possible, "the precious blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1: 19). Indeed, He "gave himself for us" (Titus 2:14). Thus, Waggoner concluded, you can be cer­tain that He will accept you!

But why would He pay so much for someone who is so very unworthy? He bought you because

you are unworthy, Waggoner replied-so that when He has transformed you and is able to pre­sent you faultless before the universe, He can rejoice over the marvelous change He has made in you.''

But righteousness by faith is much more than forgiveness; it is also victory over sin. In His humanity Christ lived a righteous life, and "you may have the same power that He had if you want it" Waggoner continued. "What wonderful possi­bilities there are for the Christian! ... No matter how much Satan may war against him, assaulting him where the flesh is weakest, he may abide under the shadow of the Almighty, and be filled with the fullness of God's strength." Christ, who is far stronger than Satan, may dwell continually in the Christian's heart; "and so, looking at Satan's assaults as from a strong fortress, he [th, Christian] may say, 'I can do all things througl Christ, which strengtheneth me.' " 32

Strange as it seems, many Christians find that praying for help to overcome their sins only leaves

them more inclined to do wrong than if they didn't pray. Why? What do they do wrong?

They make the mistake, Waggoner explained, of telling God their problems before reminding Him of His promises. Praying about problems directs our attention to our weakness, and thus makes us weaker. To get real help we should direct our attention to God's power and to His promises. At the very least, Waggoner said, a tempted Chris­tian can remember the promise, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1: 15). He can therefore begin His prayer by quoting this promise and fastening his attention on it; and as he does so, he will have faith.

"Then," Waggoner continued, "we remember that ... if God gives a promise, it is as good as fulfilled already. And so ... we count the victory as already ours, and begin to thank God for His 'exceeding great and precious promises.' As our faith grasps these promises and makes them real, we cannot help praising God for His wonderful love; and while we are doing this, our minds are wholly taken from doing evil, and the victory is ours. "33

Ellen White's 1888 Sermons

So much for Waggoner's presentations. Ellen White also spoke frequently at Minneapolis, 1888. The sermon she preached on Sabbath afternoon, October 13, was especially helpful." Her text was, "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us," and her message was that we should do just that; we should train our minds to "behold," or think about, God's love for us. It

VOL. 43, NO. 4, APRIL-MAY, 1981

was the same point Waggoner made-about thinking of God's promises instead of our own troubles.

How is the water lily able to float so pure and white above the scum and dirt of the lake? she asked. Because it selects out of its environment only that which will make it a pure white lily! In the same way, she counseled the delegates, "do not talk of the iniquity and wickedness that are in the world, but elevate your minds and talk of your Saviour .... Talk of those things that will leave a good impression on the mind."

If you are down in a basement of discourage­ment, she said, do not complain about the dark­ness. Grumbling won't make the lights come on. Step up out of the basement! "Come out of the dark into the upper chamber where the light of God's countenance shines brightly."

Don't complain, either, about the thorns and brambles of life. Gather the flowers! "We want to have our minds on the encouraging things."

"Let the sound be heard of what Christ has done for me."

Elder Waggoner showed that righteousness by faith happens when Christians claim God's prom­ises. Similarly, Ellen White said, "I want you to take the rich promises of God and hang memory's halls with them .... Oh, I want the promises of God to be the living pictures on memory's walls, that you can look at them. Then your heart can be filled with His grace and you may exalt Jesus."

The congregation listened with hushed rapture as she closed her sermon: "Oh, I love Him. I love Him, for He is my love. I see in Him matchless charms, and oh, how I want that we shall enter in through the gates into the city . ... I wish you would educate your hearts and lips to praise Him, to talk of His power and glory .... God help us to praise Him more and to be found faultless."

In another major sermon, 35 Ellen White spoke of Christ at work in the heavenly sanctuary, mak­ing atonement for us. While He is cleansing the heavenly sanctuary, she said, we should cleanse our own "soul sanctuaries " by entering into the heavenly sanctuary with Him, confessing our sins, and grasping His arms by faith.

The emphasis on the matchless charms of Christ hanging on the cross and ministering since 1844 in

the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary was a breath of fresh air blowing through the church. It is the vital core of the message that Seventh-day Adventists are commissioned to tell to the world.

FOOTNOTES

' Review and Herald (October 16, 1860), p, 170. 'Review and Herald (February 26, 1857), p. 136. 'Arthur W. Spalding, Origin and History of Seventh-day Adventists

(Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Assn., 1961), vol. I, p. 306,

' For reports on how the SDA work began in countries around theworld, see the SDA Encyclopedia articles on those countries. See also Spalding, Origin and History.

' Review and Herald (March 29, 1864), p, 142. 'Review and Herald (December 17, 1872), p. 8. ' Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church (Mountain View, Calif.:

Pacific Press Publishing Assn., 1948), vol. 1, pp, 632, 666-680. • The first regular mission station for black Africans was opened a few

weeks earlier among the Fantis of the Gold Coast (now Ghana). The Fantis, however, were already Christianized, leaving Solusi to be the the first SDA station for non-Christians.

' Ellen G. White, Testimonies. vol. 7, pp. 35, 36. '' Review and Herald (August 19, 1852), p. 63; (November 6, 1888),

pp. 689, 690; (July 7, 1927), p. 2. " The material in the nine volumes of Testimonies for the Church is

made up of 37 individually numbered Testimonies, the first 34 of which were originally issued as separate pamphlets. The section of Testimony No. 22 under discussion here now appears in Testimonies, vol. 3, pp. 131-160, and has been republished in Fundamentals of Christian Educa­tion (Nashville, Tenn.: Southern Publishing Assn., 1923), pp. 15-46,

" Webster's Third World New International Dictionary, " Ellen G. White, Education (Mountain View. Calif.: Pacific Press

Publishing Assn., 1952), p. 13. "----· The Ministry of Healing (Mountain View, Calif.:

Pacific Press Publishing Assn., 1942), p, 395. " , Testimonies, vol. 6, p, 199. "The Youth's Instructor (February 21, 1956). " Ellen G, White, Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students

(Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Publishing Assn., 1943), p, 21 I. " , Manuscript 7, 1910.

____ , Counsels on Diet and Foods (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Assn,, 1938), p. 211.

" , Educmion, p. 290. "Michael McGuckin, "The Lincoln City Mission: A. J, Cudney and

Seventh-day Adventist Beginnings in Lincoln, Nebraska," Adventist Heritage (Summer, 1975).

"Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Publishing Assn., 1961), pp. 91, 92,

" , Letter 179, November 19, 1902 (quoted in A. V. Olson, Through Crisis to Victory (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Assn,, 1966), p. 39,

" A. T. Jones, funeral sermon for E. J. Waggoner, The Gathering Call (November, 1916), copy deposited in the Ellen G. White Estate.

" Review and Herald (March 5, 1889), p. 146. " Review and Herald (July 23, 1889), p, 466, " Ellen G. White, Selected Messages (Washington, D.C.: Review and

Herald Publishing Assn., 1958), Book I, pp. 361, 362. " , Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 511. 512. " , Manuscript 5, 1889, in Olson, Through Crisis to Vic-

tory, p. 48. "E, J. Waggoner, Christ and His Righteousness (Oakland, Calif.:

Pacific Press Publishing Assn., 1890), p. 66. Another of Waggoner's works, The Glad Tidings, published originally in 1900, was republished in an edited edition in 1972 by the Pacific Press Publishing Association.

" , Christ and His Righteousness, pp, 69-73, "Ibid., pp. 29-31. " Ibid., pp, 78-84. " This sermon is printed in Olson, Through Crisis 10 Victory, pp. 246-

256. " Ibid., pp. 260-269.

Separate Article Removed

30 THE JOURNAL OF ADVENTIST EDUCATION