Saturday, February 11, 2017

Personal Commentary: Lesson of Hannah More

"Satan wants to tie our hands in this respect and lead others to be careless, unfeeling, and covetous, that such cruel work may go on as in the case of Sister More."
Testimonies for the Church vol.1,p.678 E.G.W.

The forgotten case of Hannah More (1808-1868) has so many aspects for Lessons. But one comes to mind while surveying the "Christian" blogosphere, including SDA. With all the arguing over a 90 day temporary travel ban on 7 nations, so as to upgrade our vetting process in the threat of radical Islam in a post 9-11 world, people have come strangely unhinged (especially NAD president Dan Jackson).
But what stands out is that on these "Christian" websites, including some Protestant & nearly all the Catholic ones and some SDA as well, there is outrage on the notion that Trump MIGHT be trying to give preference to the persecuted Christians on immigration policy from those nations over Muslims. WHAT? .. outrage IF that were to happen?
Your fellow Christians ARE being SLAUGHTERED in the middle east right now. Some beheaded medieval style, some buried alive, some thrown from mountains others simply shot to death and women raped. Where is YOUR compassion for your fellow believers? IF they were to get priority to the front of the line--they should!
WHAT IS WRONG WITH SOME OF YOU "CHRISTIANS"? You pat yourselves on the back by pandering to Islam, you praise yourselves by touting & bragging how your people do things in the local community (like in Adventist Review, United Methodist Insight, etc), you brag about your people raising money to buy non church members a "car" in the community, etc.
But when fellow Christians are being literally butchered by ISIS in the name of Allah you grow silent. You conform to the political correctness of the prevailing worldview and base your opinions on the topic as if you get your news to form opinions from SNL skits or Bill Maher.
HANNAH MORE:
As for Hannah More, basically the way the story went is she was an old missionary who had served in Africa and among Indians in present day Oklahoma. In her old age she was having health and money problems. Mr. & Mrs. White instructed money to be raised for her and wanted her to come live at their new house in Montcalm County, Michigan. The Whites set off for Maine with J.N. Andrews. They were held up by the winter weather closing the pathways back for at least 4 weeks.
Upon their return, they learned Hannah had traveled north to Leelenaw County, Michigan and had "chilled to death" (Testimonies for the Church vol.1,p.674 E.G.W.). They also discovered that no one in the leadership, or others in Battle Creek lifted a finger to help her, despite Mrs. White's request to help her.

"And one, a wife of one of our ministers, stated afterward: "I do not see the need of Brother and Sister White's making such a fuss about Sister More. I think they do not understand the case." True, we did
not understand the case. It is much worse than we then supposed. If we had understood it, we would never have left Battle Creek till we had fully set before that church the sin of suffering her to leave them as she did, and measures had been taken to call her back.....I told that church that there were many among them who could find time to meet, and sing, and play their instruments of music; they could give their money to the artist to multiply their likenesses, or could spend it to attend public amusements; but they had nothing to give to a worn-out missionary who had heartily embraced the present truth and had come to live with those of like precious faith....and when they think of that grave in Leelenaw County, where rests this precious outcast,--God pity those who are guilty in her case."
Testimonies for the Church vol.1,p.677,676,675
LESSON: Her own people didn't help her when the former missionary needed help the most..
"Her gravestone reads: "In Memory of Hannah More, Missionary to Africa 59 Years and 3 Months, To be with Christ is far better. Phil. 1:23" AdventistHistory