BrewsterJamesC
1848 08 21
For the Olive Branch
The Olive Branch
Oct 1848
Vol I
No 3
pp 36-38
Tags: MAAP Documents, Brewster James C., 1848, For the Olive Branch, The Olive
Branch, 0190
The Olive Branch, Oct 1848, Vol. I, No. 3, pp 36-38
For the Olive Branch.
Springfield, Ill., August 21, 1848.
The church being at present divided into such a number of parties, each claiming
to be right, and believing all others to be wrong, has given rise to a spirit of contention
and strife amongst the members of the various parties, each endeavoring to show to the
world that their opponents are wicked, ungodly men, and that those whom they once
united with as brethren in the holy bonds of the everlasting covenant, are now changed
to all that is sinful and degraded.
A spirit of disunion and discord is abroad in our land, and throughout the whole
civilized world. Its effects are seen amongst all nations, and parties, and churches.
Governments and societies that have existed for centuries, are being torn in pieces and
divided to an extent never before witnessed, and this spirit of discord, this disposition to
divide and contend is constantly on the increase, particularly in our own country. If any
doubt the correctness of this statement, let him carefully compare the history of the
events that have transpired within the last twelve months with that of any preceding
year.
The Saints of God are commanded to come out and be separate from the world;
they are required to live in peace and not to partake of the follies and crimes of the
world, less they are also partakers of the judgments and punishments of those that are
under the influence of the spirit of strife and discord. But unfortunately we have been
and still are a divided people, divided in belief and in practice, and manifesting in our
arguments and disputes with each other, more of the spirit of the world than of Christ,
and one would be led to think, by reading the various publications of the church, that we
knew but little of the spirit manifested, and the principles taught by our Savior. How far
have we all deviated from these principles that we profess to believe, and how long
shall we continue to go on in the way of the transgressor? Have we not learned by
experience that ‘the way of the transgressor is hard?’ What have we gained by all the
contentions and disputes that have occupied the time and attention of the majority of the
church for the last few years? The answer is plain: nothing. But if we ask what we have
lost, who can answer? It is impossible for man to tell, when we look upon the present
condition of the church in its dispersions, it’s divisions and disunions, and see the
disposition manifested to increase those evils rather than to allay them, does it not
appear as if the whole work of the Last Days (commenced in 1830, by Joseph) was
about to fall to the ground, and the true order of the Church of Christ be destroyed from
off the earth?
How true were the words of the Prophet – ‘We look for judgment, there is none;
for salvation, but it is far from us. For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and
our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities
we know them.’ But the work of God is not to be overthrown by the power of Satan, and
in the midst of all these evils a few who had determined to live in obedience to the
requirements of the gospel, were permitted to again commence upon the same
foundation that the church was first built upon, rejecting all that is not in accordance with
the principles and doctrines taught in the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The invitation has already gone forth to all the members of the Church to lay
aside all that is not agreeable to the will of our Heavenly Father, and unite with us in
establishing anew the kingdom of our God.
During the period that the church has been thus divided, all of us have more or
less gone astray; all have deviated from the ways of righteousness; many have turned
entirely from the truth, and have denied the work of the Last Days, and will return no
more to the right way: but all that have any desire to be members of the Church of God,
are at perfect liberty to come and unite in this work. Personal difficulties have arisen
between many of the brethren, private disputes have caused many to regard each other
as enemies rather than as brethren of the same church. Perhaps this will prevent some
from taking part in this work. We are commanded to love our enemies, bless them that
curse us, and to do good to those that hate us. If we are required to do thus by our
enemies, shall we not forgive those of our brethren that have trespassed against us.
Cannot we lay aside our disputes and henceforth live in peace with each other? ‘Let all
bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away, with all
malice, and be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as
God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ It is time that we should do as well as say: we
have been preaching and teaching by precept long enough. Let us now be determined
to set an example before the world worthy of our profession, and in no other way can it
be done, but by exercising an humble and a forgiving spirit. The Apostle says, ‘Let
brotherly love continue.’ In our present condition may we not say, let brotherly love
increase. All difficulties and disagreements that have occurred during the period of our
disorganization are past and beyond our control, and cannot be brought up by a
member in this organization against another. All our personal differences and disputes
that have taken place in this period must be laid aside at once and forever, if we would
live in peace and prosper. ‘Let us not, therefore, judge one another any more, but judge
this rather, that no man put a stumbling block, or an occasion in his brother’s way.’ We
have faith in the gospel, we have confidence in the promises contained in the word of
God, we believe the principles taught therein. The apostle James says, ’Can faith save
a man:’ and again he says, ‘Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. For
as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.’ Let us strive
to have works as well as faith. We must remember the former commandments to do as
well as say: we must ‘add to our faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge
temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness
brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity: for he that lacketh these things is
blind, and cannot see a far off, and have forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.’
I think it is an error into which we have fallen, to be continually looking for and
expecting something new, and at the same time neglecting what we have already
received. If we would grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth, we must improve
that which we have, and walk according to the light that we have received. We are
commanded to build upon the same foundation. Let us beware lest we are found
building upon some other. Unless we fulfill all former commandments, we have no
promise of success or safety. Our cause is the cause of truth and righteousness: a great
and an important work is required at our hands, and if we are not weary in well doing, it
will be accomplished.
Esdras says: ‘Strive not to overthrow one another, for if ye strive to overthrow
each other, how can ye be built up? ye cannot be built up, but will be thrown down, and
if ye cast yourselves down, who shall lift you up? I say unto you, that if ye cast
yourselves down, ye shall not be lifted up, ye shall not be built up in spiritual things,
neither in temporal things; how can ye prosper when one is divided against another? a
house divided against itself cannot stand, therefore if ye are divided one against another
ye must fall.’ We must search diligently the sacred writings contained in the Bible and
Book of Mormon, and be careful to walk according to the light revealed in them, lest it
happen unto us as it did unto the Jews who we read despised that which they had
received, and sought for mysteries that they could not understand, and in consequence
lost their former light and became a fallen people, but if we improve all that is already
given, and are not weary in well doing, we will receive all that is needful in due season,
for the promise is “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you
the kingdom.” James C. Brewster.