Robert H Pierson
Final Appeal to God's People
The
following message was presented in 1978 by Elder Robert H.
Pierson to hundreds of people-Including the entire church
leadership attending the Annual Council, the General Conference
staff, and the employees of the Review. He saw that our
denomination was rapidly moving toward liberal and new theology
errors, and, in this retirement speech, he pled with the
church's leaders not to let It happen. That was nearly two
decades ago. The terrible fruits that he predicted, we now live
with. -Pilgrims Rest
By
ROBERT H. PIERSON
This will be the last time that in my present role I shall stand
before the world leaders of my church, your church, our church, and I
have a few words to leave with you.
I take my thoughts from something that Elder and Mrs. Ralph Neall
have written describing how typically a sect evolves into a church. They
say a sect is often begun by a charismatic leader with tremendous drive
and commitment and that it arises as a protest against worldliness and
formalism in a church. It is generally embraced by the poor. The rich
would lose too much by joining it, since it is unpopular, despised, and
persecuted by society in general. It has definite beliefs firmly held by
zealous members. Each member makes a personal decision to join it and
knows what he believes. There is little organization or property, and
there are few buildings.
The group has strict standards and controls on behavior. Preachers,
often without education, arise by inner compulsion. There is little
concern about public relations.
And then it passes on to the second generation. With growth there
comes a need for organization and buildings. As a result of industry and
frugality, members become prosperous. As prosperity increases,
persecution begins to wane. Children born into the movement do not have
to make personal decisions to join it. They do not necessarily know what
they believe. They do not need to hammer out their own positions. These
have been worked out for them. Preachers arise more by selection and by
apprenticeship to older workers than by direct inner compulsion.
In the third generation, organization develops and institutions are
established. The need is seen for schools to pass on the faith of the
fathers. Colleges are established.
Members have to be exhorted to live up to the standards, while at the
same time the standards of membership are being lowered. The group
becomes lax about disfellowshiping nonpracticing members. Missionary
zeal cools off. There is more concern over public relations. Leaders
study methods of propagating their faith, sometimes employing extrinsic
rewards as motivation for service by the members. Youth question why
they are different from others, and intermarry with those not of their
faith.
In the fourth generation there is much machinery; the number of
administrators increases while the number of workers at the grass-roots
level becomes proportionately less. Great church councils are held to
define doctrine. More schools, universities, and seminaries are
established. These go to the world for accreditation and tend to become
secularized. There is a reexamination of positions and modernizing of
methods. Attention is given to contemporary culture, with an interest in
the arts: music, architecture, literature. The movement seeks to become
'relevant" to contemporary society by becoming involved with
popular causes. Services become formal. The group enjoys
completeacceptance by the world. The sect has become a church!
Brethren and sisters, this must never happen to the Seventh-day
Adventist Church! This will not happen to the Seventh-day Adventist
Church. This is not just an other church-it is God's church!
But you are the men and women sitting in this sanctuary this morning
on whom God is counting to assure that it does not happen.
Already, brethren and sisters, there are subtle forces that are
beginning to stir. Regrettably there are those in the church who
belittle the inspiration of the total Bible, who scorn the first 11
chapters of Genesis, who question the Spirit of Prophecy's short
chronology of the age of the earth, and who subtly and not so subtly
attack the Spirit of Prophecy. There are some who point to the reformers
and contemporary theologians as a source and the norm for Seventh-day
Adventist doctrine. There are those who allegedly are tired of the
hackneyed phrases of Adventism. There are those who wish to forget the
standards of the church we love. There are those who covet and would
court the favor of the evangelicals; those who would throw off the
mantle of a peculiar people; and those who would go the way of the
secular, materialistic world.
Fellow leaders, beloved brethren and sisters-don't let it happen! I
appeal to you as earnestly as I know how this morning-don't let it
happen! I appeal to Andrews University, to the Seminary, to Loma Linda
University - don't let it happen! We are not Seventh-day Anglicans, not
Seventh-day Lutherans-we are Seventh-day Adventists! This is God's last
church with God's last message!
You are the men and women, the leaders, whom God is counting on to
keep the Seventh-day Adventist Church God's remnant church, the church
God has destined to triumph!
The servant of the Lord says, "Fearful perils are before those
who bear responsibilities in the Lord's work-perils the thought of which
makes me tremble."-Selected Messages, book 2, p. 391. And
in Ezekiel 22:30 we read, '1 looked for a man among them who could build
up a barricade, who could stand before me in the breach to defend the
land from ruin" (N.E.B.).
I believe this morning, fellow leaders, that God is looking for men
and women, intrepid leaders, men and women who love God's church and
God's truth more than they love their lives, to see that this church
under God goes through to the kingdom. The task ahead of us is not going
to be easy. If I understand the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy aright
this morning, ahead lies a time of trouble, a time of challenge such as
this church and this world have never before known.
The servant of the Lord tells us, 'The enemy of souls has sought to
bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place
among Seventh-day Adventists,and that this reformation would consist in
giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and
engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take
place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom
has given to the remnant church, would be discarded. Our religion would
be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for
the last fifty years would be ac counted as error. A new organization
would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of
intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The founders of this system
would go into the cities, and do a wonderful work. The Sabbath, of
course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it.
Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement. The
leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God being
removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which,
without God, is worthless."-Ibid., book 1, pp. 204, 205.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church had its alpha years ago. You and I
are the leaders who will face the omega that will be of the same subtle,
devilish origin. Its effect will be more devastating than the alpha.
Brethren, I beg of you, study, know what is ahead, then with God's help
prepare your people to meet it!
"God calls for men who are prepared to meet emergencies, men who
in a crisis will not be found standing on the wrong side."-Ellen G.
White, in Review and Herald, Nov. 5, 1903.
"We are pressing on to the final conflict, and this is no time
to compromise. It is no time to hide your colors. When the battle wages
sore, Let no one turn traitor. It is no time to lay down or conceal our
weapons, and give Satan the advantage in the warfare. "-Ibid.,
Dec. 6, 1892.
And then I call attention to a vision the Lord's servant had, in
which she saw a ship heading toward an iceberg. She said, "There,
towering high above the ship, was a gigantic iceberg. An authoritative
voice cried out, 'Meet it!' There was not a moment's hesitation. It was
a time for instant action. The engineer put on full steam, and the man
at the wheel steered the ship straight into the iceberg. With a crash
she struck the ice. There was a fearful shock, and the iceberg broke
into many pieces, falling with a noise like thunder to the deck. The
passengers were violently shaken by the force of the collision, but no
lives were lost. The vessel was injured, but not beyond repair. She
rebounded from the contact, trembling from stem to stern, like a living
creature. Then she moved forward on her way.
"Well I knew the meaning of this representation. I had my
orders. I had heard the words, like a voice from our Captain, 'Meet it!'
I knew what my duty was, and that there was not a moment to lose. The
time for decided action had come. I must without delay obey the command,
'Meet it!' "-Selected Messages, book 1, pp. 205, 206.
Fellow leaders, it may be that in the not too distant future you will
have to meet it. I pray God will give you grace and courage and wisdom.
Finally, "what a wonderful thought it is that the great
controversy is nearing its end! In the closing work we shall meet with
perils that we know not how to deal with; but let us not forget that the
three great powers of heaven are working, that a divine hand is on the
wheel, and that God will bring His purposes to pass. He will gather from
the world a people who will serve Him in righteous ness."-Ibid.,
book 2, p. 391.
What a wonderful assurance we have this morning, brethren and
sisters, that you and I are in God's work. This work is not dependent on
any man; it is dependent on our relationship with Him. There is only one
way for us to face the future, and that is at the foot of the cross. A
church with its eyes upon the Man of Calvary will never walk into
apostasy.
Thank you, brethren and sisters, for giving me the privilege of
serving you for the past 45 years, and may God bless every one of you.
Robert H. Pierson
Review and Herald, October 26, 1978
Foundation Under Attack!
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