21 February 2002 Editorial:
The Cities: To Leave or Not to Leave

In the online article "Where are the Bereans?,"¹ Steve Chavez adds his voice to other recent Adventist Review authors on the subject of city living. This time it is the voice of derision raised against those who have followed God's counsel in leaving the cities. It comes on the heels of a December article by George Knight entitled, "Another Look at City Mission."² Although Knight's subtitle posed the question, "What did she really say?," what followed was an article that makes of none effect much of what Mrs. White really did say on the subject. The Review seems to have a special burden for not giving credence to the clear counsel that God's people move out of the cities.

Who Should Heed the Warning?

Knight states, ". . . We find in Ellen White's writings two sets of parallel counsel -- one relating to institutions, advocating outpost ministry, and a second dealing with local church work, advocating working from within the city."³ We are told that the Spirit of Prophecy would support people dwelling in the cities for purposes of local church outreach. Furthermore, it is implied that Mrs. White would advocate families moving into the cities to reach out to lost souls.

But who was she talking to when she said, "He wants us to live where we can have elbow room. His people are not to crowd into the cities. He wants them to take their families out of the cities, that they may better prepare for eternal life. In a little while they will have to leave the cities. . . . If we place ourselves under objectionable influences, can we expect God to work a miracle to undo the results of our wrong course? -- No, indeed. Get out of the cities as soon as possible . . ." General Conference Bulletin, March 30, 1903. Just who was she referring to when she wrote, "To parents who are living in the cities, the Lord is sending the warning cry, Gather your children into your own houses; gather them away from those who are disregarding the commandments of God, who are teaching and practicing evil. Get out of the cities as fast as possible." Review and Herald, July 5, 1906.

Steve Chavez is right when he says there are better role models to follow than Jonah. Let him consider one to whom Ellen White pointed, "As God's commandment-keeping people, we must leave the cities. As did Enoch, we must work in the cities but not dwell in them." Evangelism, pp. 78, 79. George Knight assures us that this statement was made in relation to the location of our sanitariums, yet Enoch was a person not an institution.

But what about the following statement made by Ellen White: "Close around us are cities and towns in which no efforts are made to save souls. Why should not families who know the present truth settle in these cities and villages, to set up there the standard of Christ. . . ." Christian Service, p. 180. How are we to understand the message of the prophet here? Was she confused? If in fact there were not two opposing lines of counsel, how are we to understand what she meant? To answer that question we must consider the progressive nature of her counsel and warnings to leave the cities.

A Progressive Message

Early statements from Ellen White regarding country living point out the benefits of rural living and pitfalls of city life. As time passed, however, her counsel to leave the cities became more pointed and urgent. The statement quoted above regarding families moving to cities was made in 1891, some years before the more pointed appeals that the time had come for God's people to relocate. In fact, God revealed that the need to leave the cities would become greater as time passed leading up to the second coming -- "More and more, as time advances, our people will have to leave the cities. For years we have been instructed that our brethren and sisters, and especially families with children, should plan to leave the cities as the way opens before them to do so." Review and Herald, Sept. 27, 1906.

Even the very manner in which we should relocate was to involve a progressive process: "As the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman armies was the signal for flight to the Judean Christians, so the assumption of power on the part of our nation, in the decree enforcing the papal sabbath, will be a warning to us. It will then be time to leave the large cities, preparatory to leaving the smaller ones for retired homes in secluded places among the mountains." Testimonies, vol. 5, pp. 464, 465. Notice the step progression, first moving to the smaller cities, later landing in secluded mountain homes. Although many believe this warning points to a time yet in the future, in 1900 Mrs. White penned these words, "Get out of the large cities as fast as possible. Establish church schools. Give your children the Word of God as the foundation of all their education." Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 195. Clearly, she could see that it was time for this step by step process to begin.

The Sunday law crisis beginning in the late 19th century signaled the need for God's people to start relocating out of the large cities. As early as 1897 we find this counsel, "The Protestant world have set up an idol sabbath in the place where God's Sabbath should be, and they are treading in the footsteps of the Papacy. For this reason I see the necessity of the people of God moving out of the cities into retired country [places,] where they may cultivate the land and raise their own produce. Thus they may bring their children up with simple, healthful habits. I see the necessity of making haste to get all things ready for the crisis." Country Living, p. 21. By 1903 it was absolutely clear: "The time has come, when, as God opens the way, families should move out of the cities." Country Living, p. 24. Just three years later, in 1906, she would share the startling words, "'Out of the cities; out of the cities!''-- this is the message the Lord has been giving me. . . . We must make wise plans to warn the cities, and at the same time live where we can shield our children and ourselves from the contaminating and demoralizing influences so prevalent in these places." Life Sketches, pp. 409, 410.

As God Opens the Way

Ellen White also made clear that such moves must be made under the guiding hand of God. Thus we find her using phrases such as "Until it is possible for them to leave," "Whenever possible," "As fast as possible," "As far as possible," "As soon as possible," etc. Thus we should understand that her strong appeals to leave the cities did not mean that we should drop our work cold and make sudden or rash moves. We must watch for the guiding hand of providence. This, in fact, is paralleled in the siege of Jerusalem. While the Christians recognized the sign for their departure from the city, they could not leave until God made clear his timing through the providential retreat of the Roman armies.

This helps us understand why Ellen White would recommend to those living in the cities to "Work for God in the neighborhood of their homes." Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 128. This did not constitute counsel to remain indefinitely in the city. As we have just seen, she taught that we must not move ahead of the Lord's leading. Until such time as God should open the way to leave, we should be devoted to missionary endeavors. "More and more, as time advances, our people will have to leave the cities. For years we have been instructed that our brethren and sisters, and especially families with children, should plan to leave the cities as the way opens before them to do so. Many will have to labor earnestly to help open the way. But until it is possible for them to leave, so long as they remain, they should be most active in doing missionary work, however limited their sphere of influence may be." Review and Herald, Sept. 27, 1906.

We see here a process that takes time. The early nineteen hundreds were a time of transition for God's people to change the way they worked the cities. It would be well to take this into consideration when looking at the case of S.N. Haskell referred to in Knight's article. It should not surprise us that the Haskells moved into New York City in 1901. This was right around the time the signal was beginning to sound with greater clarity. In the coming days the message would become more urgent as Mrs. White would give these stirring appeals -- "The time has come, when, as God opens the way, families should move out of the cities." Adventist Hime, p. 139 (1903). "'Out of the cities; out of the cities!''-- this is the message the Lord has been giving me." Review and Herald, July 5, 1906.

Weighing the Counsel on Ellen White's Balances

Referring to Mrs. White's counsel regarding establishing sanitariums, Knight states, "When it came to a conflict between the denomination accomplishing its mission and rural living, the need to complete the mission successfully always won out from her perspective."⁴ Thus, we are led to believe that leaving the cities was an optional issue, in contrast to reaching the lost in the cities. A closer look reveals, once again, a misrepresentation of the Spirit of Prophecy counsel on this subject.

In September of 1902, a group met to consider plans for the erection of a building in the city of Los Angeles to be used for a restaurant and sanitarium. There was an outpost location already functioning which was out of the city but "Out at one side," as Mrs. White put it. Apparently, the needs of the people seemed to call for a center more accessible to those not on that side of the city. Nevertheless, the counsel remained, ". . . I could not give advice to build a sanitarium in any city. I could not do it, because it has been so distinctly laid before me that when a sanitarium is built, it must be located where it can accomplish the end in view -- the object for which it is established. . . . The word has come that sanitariums should be located out of the cities. God has a purpose in that." After reiterating some of the reasons for establishing sanitariums out of the cities, she recognized that she was repeating counsel already given with great clarity, ". . . Well, I have written it; you have had it; it is just as forcible now as when I wrote it. I see nothing to change my mind in regard to Los Angeles on these points. . . ." Manuscript Releases, Volume 1, pp. 248-249.

Not a Call to Abandon the Cities

Without a doubt, an abandonment of the cities at this time would be diametrically opposed to the Scriptures and the Spirit of Prophecy. Indeed, we must go after the lost living in these great centers of population -- but, we must do it in God's way. In His Word and in the Spirit of Prophecy we find our manual. We are to "Leave the cities, and like Enoch come from your retirement to warn the people of the cities." Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, p. 250. "Said the messenger of God, 'Shall not the cities be warned? Yes, not by God's people living in them, but by their visiting them, to warn them of what is coming upon the earth.'" Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, p. 253 (1902).

Yet some will ask, "How will we reach the people in the cities while living outside of them? It doesn't seem practical! How can we really reach the masses for Christ if we do not live 'With them', coming close to them by dwelling where they do?" Mrs. White responds -- "He [Enoch] did not make his abode with the wicked. He did not locate in Sodom, thinking to save Sodom." Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, p. 1087 (1900). "When iniquity abounds in a nation, there is always to be heard some voice giving warning and instruction, as the voice of Lot was heard in Sodom. Yet . . . all that Lot and his family did in Sodom could have been done by them, even if they had lived in a place some distance away from the city." Evangelism, p. 79. (1903).

There's a deeper issue involved here. It's a faith issue -- "Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper." 2 Chronicles 20:20. Will we follow His plans, even when they seem to counter human wisdom? Jesus looked ahead to our day and asked, "When the Son of Man cometh shall He find faith in the earth"? Luke 18:8. Fortunately, we weren't left without an answer to that question, for this same Jesus, through John the Revelator told us of a group of people living in the last days who "Keep the commandments of God and the FAITH OF JESUS." Revelation 14:12.

God stands ready to bestow such a blessing as we have never witnessed if we will but trust in Him. If we will consecrate ourselves wholly to Him, devoting ourselves to much prayer and seeking with determination to follow His clear instructions, He will show us how to work. He promises, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6.

Just what is at stake here? Much is at stake, for what we decide will determine the effectiveness of our outreach to those lost souls we so desire to reach. "Much depends upon laying our plans according to the Word of the Lord, and with persevering energy carrying them out." Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 178. If we are indeed so concerned about effectively reaching the lost billions, it would seem that we would be most earnest in seeking to follow God's clear instructions on how to evangelize the cities. It is time for Seventh-day Adventists to lay plans according to the Word of the Lord!

The Call to Awake

How can we conclude that the Spirit of Prophecy advocates God's people remaining in the cities today when we read such statements as the following: "I could not sleep past two o'clock this morning. During the night season I was in council. I was pleading with some families to avail themselves of God's appointed means, and get away from the cities to save their children. Some were loitering, making no determined efforts. . . . The angels of mercy hurried Lot and his wife and daughters by taking hold of their hands. Had Lot hastened as the Lord desired him to, his wife would not have become a pillar of salt. Lot had too much of a lingering spirit." Country Living, pp. 6-7.

More than a century has passed since the signal was first given to leave the large cities, but many are loitering there as Lot loitered in Sodom. World events are screaming at us that the end of all things is at hand, we hear the rumble of the return of the Roman armies in a call for Sunday legislation. It is time to wake up! Indeed, the Holy Spirit is impressing many that it is time to move to retired homes secluded in the mountains. Yet at this very time the Adventist Review would have us disregard clear counsel while imagining that in such blatant disobedience we are still working in the "Spirit of Christ"!

Mrs. White gave us some insight as to why such sentiments would be proclaimed from leaders in our own church. At times God allows this to awaken those who are sleeping. "God will arouse His people; if other means fail, heresies will come in among them, which will sift them, separating the chaff from the wheat. The Lord calls upon all who believe His word to awake out of sleep." Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 707.

Just now it is imperative that Seventh-day Adventists study the counsel of God on this topic for themselves. Do not let someone else do this for you. We are told about the Bereans, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Acts 17:11. Every wind of doctrine is blowing. We are seeing the "Very last deception of Satan" among God's people, which is to "Make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God." Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 48. We are warned that, "Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God's remnant people in the true testimony." Ibid..

I too think of the Bereans, and I wonder if they have any kin.

1. Steve Chavez, "Where are the Bereans," Adventist Review, February 21, 2002, at URL http://www.adventistreview.org/2002-1509/story4.html.
2. George Knight, "Another Look at City Mission," Adventist Review, December 6, 2001, p. 25.
3. Ibid., December 6, 2001, p. 27.
4. Ibid.