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[Bob Pickle]

Here are some Spirit of Prophecy statements about "conservatives."

"But as real spiritual life declines, it has ever been the tendency to cease to advance in the knowledge of the truth. Men rest satisfied with the light already received from God's word, and discourage any further investigation of the Scriptures. They become conservative, and seek to avoid discussion" (CW 39).

This quote uses "conservative" in a different way than we usually use it today, but it makes sense nonetheless. However, this quote cannot be used to endorse a view that isn't supported by the Bible.

[Bob Pickle]

In the Church of England were those who rejected the creed and authority of Rome, but who embraced many of her customs and ceremonies if these weren't condemned in the Scriptures. Regarding this development Ellen White stated:

"To the conservative and compromising, these arguments seemed conclusive. But there was another class that did not so judge. The fact that these customs 'tended to bridge over the chasm between Rome and the Reformation' (Martyn, volume 5, page 22), was in their view a conclusive argument against retaining them" (GC 289).

What do you make of the use of the word "conservative" with the word "compromising"? We don't usually think of today's conservatives as being compromising, but it all makes sense given the context of the statement.

[Murcielago]

Ah, so conservatives want to conserve the old and not progress into the new.

[Bob Pickle]

"The great work of reform must go forward. The Health Institute has been established at Battle Creek to relieve the afflicted, to disseminate light, to awaken the spirit of inquiry, and to advance reform. This institution is conducted upon principles which are different from those of any other hygienic institution in the land. Money is not the great object with its friends and conductors. They conduct it from a conscientious, religious standpoint, aiming to carry out the principles of Bible hygiene. Most institutions of the kind are established upon different principles and are conservative, making it their object to meet the popular class halfway and to so shape their course that they will receive the greatest patronage and the most money" (3T 165).

Here we see that "conservative" institutions are all about money and compromise rather than firmly standing upon Bible principles.

[Bob Pickle]

"Some were censuring our course, saying that we were not as conservative as we ought to be; we did not seek to please the people as we might; we talked too plainly; we reproved too sharply" (3T 312).

So this sort of conservatism doesn't want to offend, will try to be politically correct, and tries not to reprove too strongly.

[Bob Pickle]

"But as real spiritual life declines, it has ever been the tendency to cease to advance in the knowledge of the truth. Men rest satisfied with the light already received from God's word, and discourage any further investigation of the Scriptures. They become conservative, and seek to avoid discussion" (CW 39).

The above appears to come from 5T 706-707. I think that is interesting since that part came out in 1889. Thus it could be referring to the efforts to avoid discussion of Jones and Waggoner's 1888 message.

[Bob Pickle]

"When persons who are uniting with the world, yet claiming great piety and love, counsel the faithful workers for God to be less zealous and more conservative, our answer must be an appeal to the word of God" (ST 01-03-84).

That's from an article entitled "Heathen Plots Against Nehemiah."

[Bob Pickle]

Here is the quote we are really after:

"The work which the church has failed to do in a time of peace and prosperity she will have to do in a terrible crisis under most discouraging, forbidding circumstances. The warnings that worldly conformity has silenced or withheld must be given under the fiercest opposition from enemies of the faith. And at that time the superficial, conservative class, whose influence has steadily retarded the progress of the work, will renounce the faith and take their stand with its avowed enemies, toward whom their sympathies have long been tending. These apostates will then manifest the most bitter enmity, doing all in their power to oppress and malign their former brethren and to excite indignation against them. This day is just before us" (5T 463).

Again we see "conservative" tied to the idea of compromising, since the quote refers to "worldly conformity." It is worldly conformity that has hindered the work. Imagine what could be done if people weren't as concerned about losing money if they talked too plainly or stood too firmly on Bible principles.

I had a preacher call today and say that in Ellen White's day, "conservative" meant "liberal." I can see why he thought so given the fact that "conservative" was tied to compromise and a failure to stand firm on Bible principles.

[Murcielago]

I would suggest that compromising to the papacy and being superficial go hand in hand. These are people whose religion is that of policy rather than Christ. They always tended toward policy and tradition, as good conservatives do, and completely miss the mark, which is Jesus Christ and him crucified.

[Dedication]

Labels can be deceiving.  As one person put it.  You can split a church into two churches -- one for the "conservatives" and one for the "liberals" only to find that each still has conservative and liberal poles.  A conservative in one church may be regarded as a liberal in another and vise versa.

Though I have found that "conservatives" do, more often then not, hinder the work.   Everything the church does, according to them, MUST be done according to the way it was done in the past or people are labeled as liberals and everything that isn't according to tradition is criticised till the person who was eager to reach out and witness is filled with discouragement.  The growth rate in our churches in America is frightfully low.


Many of our churches are so riddled with formalism that it's almost an endurance test to sit through. 
Of course we also have the other "deep end" where people turn it into a party and entertainment with little or no real spiritual food.  Reverence is all but gone, and a person needs ear plugs to save their sanity.   This is obviously wrong, and trying to fill the spiritual void with useless junk.     This causes the conservatives to be strengthened in their conservation of the old formal traditions.

I think in Christ's day we see the conservatives (Pharisees) being very strict  but largely unloving, insisting on proper procedures but lacking a true connection with God.
There we also see the liberals, (Sadducees) embracing the cultures and the world, but also lacking a true connection with God.

Jesus and His followers didn't fit in either category.

For us, we need to find the way of Jesus!

[Murcielago]

I remember Bill Loveless saying "Tradition is the living faith of the dead, and traditionalism is the dead faith of the living."

[Bob Pickle]

Here are some Spirit of Prophecy statements about "conservatives."

"But as real spiritual life declines, it has ever been the tendency to cease to advance in the knowledge of the truth. Men rest satisfied with the light already received from God's word, and discourage any further investigation of the Scriptures. They become conservative, and seek to avoid discussion" (CW 39).

This quote uses "conservative" in a different way than we usually use it today, but it makes sense nonetheless. However, this quote cannot be used to endorse a view that isn't supported by the Bible.

Is Gregory "conservative" in the above sense because he avoids discussion regarding the implications of Acts 15 and 9T 260-261?

[Gregory]