On Publishing Conflicting Views
49
be. You must as far as difference is concerned, be wise as serpents
and harmless as doves. Even if you are fully convinced that your ideas
of doctrines are sound, you do not show wisdom that that difference
should be made apparent.
I have no hesitancy in saying you have made a mistake here. You
have departed from the positive directions God has given upon this
matter, and only harm will be the result. This is not in God’s order.
You have now set the example for others to do as you have done, to
feel at liberty to put in their various ideas and theories and bring them
before the public, because you have done this. This will bring in a
state of things that you have not dreamed of....
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It is no small matter for you to come out in the Signs as you have
done, and God has plainly revealed that such things should not be done.
We must keep before the world a united front. Satan will triumph to
see differences among Seventh-day Adventists. These questions are
not vital points....
Bring No Differences Into General Meetings—To bring these
differences into our general conferences is a mistake; it should not
be done. There are those who do not go deep, who are not Bible
students, who will take positions decidedly for or against, grasping
at apparent evidence; yet it may not be truth, and to take differences
into our conferences where the differences become widespread, thus
sending forth all through the fields various ideas, one in opposition
to the other, is not God’s plan, but at once raises questionings, doubts
whether we have the truth, whether after all we are not mistaken and
in error.
The Reformation was greatly retarded by making prominent dif-
ferences on some points of faith and each party holding tenaciously
to those things where they differed. We shall see eye to eye erelong,
but to become firm and consider it your duty to present your views
in decided opposition to the faith or truth as it has been taught by us
as a people, is a mistake, and will result in harm, and only harm, as
in the days of Martin Luther. Begin to draw apart and feel at liberty
to express your ideas without reference to the views of your brethren,
and a state of things will be introduced that you do not dream of.
Differing Views on Minor Points—My husband had some ideas
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on some points differing from the views taken by his brethren. I was
shown that however true his views were, God did not call for him to