To the Students at Battle Creek College
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to keep the way of the Lord, to stand firmly for truth and righteousness.
We must maintain a position against every species of sophistry that
bewilders in this degenerate age, when error is glossed over, and so
mingled with truth that it is almost impossible for those who are not
familiar with the distinctions that the Scriptures make between the
traditions of men and the word of God, to distinguish truth from error.
It has been plainly stated that in this age “some shall depart from the
faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”
As the truth is brought into practical life, the standard is to be
elevated higher and higher, to meet the requirements of the Bible. This
will necessitate opposition to the fashions, customs, practices, and
maxims of the world. Worldly influences, like the waves of the sea,
beat against the followers of Christ to sweep them away from the true
principles of the meekness and grace of Christ; but they are to stand as
firm as a rock to principle. It will require moral courage to do this, and
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those whose souls are not riveted to the eternal Rock, will be swept
away by the worldly current. We can stand firm only as our life is hid
with Christ in God. Moral independence will be wholly in place when
opposing the world. By conforming entirely to the will of God, we
shall be placed upon vantage ground, and shall see the necessity of
decided separation from the customs and practices of the world. We
are not to elevate our standard just a little above the world’s standard;
but we are to make the line of demarcation decidedly apparent.
There are many in the church who at heart belong to the world,
but God calls upon those who claim to believe the advanced truth,
to rise above the present attitude of the popular churches of today.
Where is the self-denial, where is the cross-bearing that Christ has
said should characterize His followers? The reason we have had so
little influence upon unbelieving relatives and associates is that we
have manifested little decided difference in our practices from those of
the world. Parents need to awake, and purify their souls by practicing
the truth in their home life. When we reach the standard that the Lord
would have us reach, worldlings will regard Seventh-day Adventists as
odd, singular, strait-laced extremists. “We are made a spectacle unto
the world, and to angels, and to men.”
We are under solemn, sacred covenant to God to bring up our
children, not for the world, not to put their hands into the hands of the
world, but to love and fear God, and to keep His commandments. We