March 2019

Is the modern (post-1800’s) conservation movement consistent with Christian and/or Seventh-day Adventist principals and theology? We will explore this over the next few issues. 

Protection of God’s creatures has been a part of the Seventh-day Adventist movement since it’s inception. Cpt. Joseph Bates, one of the four principle founders of the denomination advocated compassion for living creatures. In 1848 he published a tract about the Sabbath truth. In it he pointed out that the Sabbath rest was not only for man, but also a protection for animals and all of creation. It is our duty to let our animals rest on the Sabbath because they cannot speak for themselves. “He has also given this day of rest to the beasts of burden, and makes man accountable for causing them to violate his day.”1 Bates took his beliefs of protecting animals further by becoming vegetarian. 

Elliot J. Waggoner was another renowned evangelist early in the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He wrote several books. In one he said, “From the living creatures around us, as well as from inanimate nature, God designs that we shall learn lessons concerning Him and His love.”2

During John Muir’s life, Adventist’s found his notions of nature preservation agreeable and saw fit to advertise and even republish some of his articles and books in our own publications. However, in one editorial, the author quotes Muir’s article “Among The Birds of Yosemite” in which Muir laments the slaughter of song birds for food and sport when cattle where widely available. The editor takes Muir to task and asks why cattle should not be spared as well? Why not preserve all God’s animal creatures when other food sources are available? This concept of nature preservation was radical when published in 1899 and is still radical today.3 

In the midst of WWI one Adventist writer noted how wasteful modern humans had become. He regretted, “Civilized peoples have been too prosperous for their own good, and in almost every stratum of society there has been excessive eating and drinking, and unnecessary and inexcusable waste.” He realized times would get harder as the war drug on and that Christians had a duty to avoid waste to ensure food for the starving in Europe affected by the war. His advice still holds true today, “[we] should learn thoroughly the lesson of judicious economy in food consumption. While we conserve foods, we must at the same time conserve health.” He points out that we should balance reducing waste with good health. We should neither make environmentalism into an idol nor chase health, wealth, or any earthly treasures without restraint.4 

In a 1945 issue of the S.D.A. periodical The Journal of True Education, an article was published on the importance of teaching children an appreciation for nature. The author gave the following as a key reason, “A knowledge of natural resources and wild life creates an interest in them and a desire to protect them. Future citizens must know the need for conservation and learn what they themselves can do about it.”5  

Do we not have a historical tradition that emphasizes admiration and care for our world, our environment? This historical tradition stretches back to our founders. Few Christian denominations can claim such a historical emphasis on admiration and care for the natural world as Seventh-day Adventists. Yet care of natural areas is not unique to us. It is a responsibility many Christians recognize, and all possess.   

Christians should activity take part in efforts to preserve natural areas. We should seek to spend more time in such places as well. Wild nature contains an innate beauty that evokes awe and humility that point us to the Divine Creator. In a sermon given in the open air beside the beautiful Goguac Lake in Battle Creek, MI, Sister White remarked, “such scenes should be sacredly regarded by us.” (pg. 291)6 Creation is the first book by which we were to read of God’s character. It is still so. We now live in a world surrounded primarily by our own creation in which we can read of our own character. But if our goal is Christ-likeness than we need to surround ourself with more of his Creation and less of our own. For by beholding we become changed, 2 Cor. 3:18.

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Sources:

1. James White, “A Word To The Little Flock,” (1848, republished 2007): p. 47, SDA Pillars online, accessed March 27, 2019 from https://sdapillars.org/media/download_gallery/Vindication.pdf. 

2. E.J. Waggoner, “The Gospel In Creation,” (1893): p. 28, International Tract Society: London, digitized by White Horse Media online, accessed March, 27 2019 from https://www.whitehorsemedia.com/docs/the_gospel_in_creation.pdf.

3. “Slaughter of The Innocents,” Good Health XXXIV no. 3 (March, 1899):173, accessed March 27, 2019 from http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/HR/HR18990301-V34-03.pdf. 

4. G. H. Heald, “No Great Loss Without Some Small Gain,” Central Union Outlook VI, no. 45 (Nov. 11, 1917):2-3, accessed March 27, 2019 from http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/CUO/CUO19171111-V07-45.pdf. 

5. Margret C. Drown, “The Teaching of Nature,” The Journal of True Education 7, no. 2 (April, 1945): 16-17, accessed March 27, 2019 from http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/JTE/JTE19450401-V07-02.pdf. 

6. Ellen White, untitled address, quoted in “Mrs. White's Address at Goguac Lake,” The Health Reformer 12, no. 10 (Oct., 1877): 289-294, accessed March 27, 2019 from http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/HR/HR18771001-V12-10.pdf.