On July 31st, 2012, Lucan Chartier, Assistant Pastor of the Guys Congregation of the Creation Seventh Day Adventist Church submitted himself to secular authorities, and was arrested. He was incarcerated for a period of about 10 days in the state of California, in the same place where, about 20 days earlier, Pastor Walter McGill began to serve a sentence of 30 days for refusing to bear the trade-mark of the mainstream Seventh-day Adventist Church. Legal representatives of the General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists sought, pushed for, and finally succeeded in depriving these evangelists of their freedom to travel and share the Gospel and the Adventist message with those whom they encountered in their ministry.
The significance of Pastor McGill’s arrest has already been discussed on this forum in such places as "Why Was Pastor McGill Arrested?", representing a “line” crossed by the United States with regard to the religious freedom of its citizens, and also by the General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists, a supposedly Christian organization that claims to uphold the principles of Protestantism and the New Testament covenant.
Some, upon receiving the news that a Church member and assistant pastor Chartier has also been imprisoned may be inclined to think, “This is just another example of the same thing.” What I urge readers to recognize is that there is a greater significance to this arrest than may appear at face value. I suggest that there are three main reasons why this particular arrest is also of great spiritual import.
1) The Scriptures tell us, “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” (2Corinthians 13:1) Some, who have been defending the General Conference’s position, can now be under no illusions that the arrest of Pastor McGill was a “fluke,” or an isolated incident. The General Conference, it is apparent, WILL go after all those who seek to use the divinely-inspired name “Seventh-day Adventist” without their carnally-appointed and carnally-defended permission. While this has been long-known by the various ones who have already been subject to their aggression, never before have they imposed such severe penalties upon individuals who are merely following their consciences and the leading of inspiration. In their statements to the public, the Conference’s public relations agents have attempted to make the case that those who have been imprisoned are merely “lawbreakers,” and that the Conference had little, if anything, to do with these arrests. However, these statements are belied by the fact that neither the courts nor the U.S. Marshals would have done anything to McGill or Chartier had the Conference not deliberately, actively, taken them before a modern Pilate, a modern representative of the civil power.
Who had the greater guilt in the trial and death of Christ? The Scriptures tell us, “And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate. Then Pilate said unto them, ‘Why, what evil hath He done?’ And they cried out the more exceedingly, ‘Crucify Him.’ And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged Him, to be crucified.” (Mark 15:1, 14, 15, emphases added) Who has the greater guilt today, in this situation wherein there are so many clear parallels?
The saints, in general, say to the world and its representatives, “He that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.” (John 19:11, emphasis added)
There are now “two witnesses” to the dragon-like power employed against Christians by the General Conference Corporation, even while they seek to pull the “wool” covering their wolfish form over the eyes of the media, their congregants, and the general public. From the emails and letters of support we have received, there are still some people who will not be fooled by misdirecting and overtly false claims of an ecclesiastical institution that presents itself as a champion of religious tolerance and freedom. Two witnesses reveal the true nature of this “image” to the “beast” that was Papal Rome.
2) The second thing this action reveals is the wiliness of the General Conference, and those of its membership who are knowledgeable about the situation, to allow this tremendous affront to Christian principles to pass with little or no comment. Pastor McGill has, at the time of this writing, been enduring his imprisonment and solid-food fast for 20 days. While the latest reports are that his health is being preserved, (for which we, who pray for and support him, give thanks to the Almighty) abstaining from so many nutrients for such an extended period of time can have terrible effects upon the body of even a healthy youth, much more so a 66 year old man.
Knowing that McGill and Chartier are fasting, and intent upon continuing to do so during the entire period of their incarceration should – at the very least – elicit expressions of concern from those responsible for their imprisonment. Of course, neither of the individuals who are fasting are doing so with the mere intention of generating worldly sympathy or expressions of concern. Some may be tempted to think, “Whatever happens, they are doing this to themselves.” However, in doing so they fail to grasp the grip of conscience that holds the Protestant spirit in a much more secure, though voluntary, prison than iron bars ever could.
The name “Creation Seventh Day Adventist” was taken in direct response to the instructions of Heaven, despite the uninformed believing that we have the authority to “Choose for [our]selves another name.”
Similarly, the cleansing fast being undertaken by Pastor McGill is in direct response to the instructions of Heaven, as a close parallel to, and secondary demonstration of, the initial factor at the heart of this controversy.
It is the prayer of Pastor McGill, Lucan Chartier, and all the members of the Creation Seventh Day Adventist Church, that this example will serve as a light in the darkness of wickedness and corruption… as a banner indicating that there are those of us still willing to be faithful to our Father’s instructions, no matter WHAT the cost or consequences.
But what of those who claim to have the spirit of agape, the spirit of God’s perfect and divine love, yet are responsible for both the imprisonment and (indirectly, but actively) the effects of these fasts? Their silence, and their inactivity, speaks more loudly than any polished and prepared press-releases ever could. This second arrest confirms the level of the love that they have toward those whom THEY have cast as their “enemies.”
3) The third thing this reveals is that the General Conference Corporation is not satisfied with breathing its strange fire at a mere “figurehead.” To the worldly mind, Pastor McGill is the “head” of the Creation Seventh Day Adventist Church. However, while Pastor McGill is perhaps the most visible member, and the pastor of the main congregation, he is not the only one willing to obey the dictates of conscience, and the leadings of the Holy Spirit. Chartier’s arrest, because he repainted the Church signs on the Guys, TN Church house, reveals that the individual members are ready, willing, and able to stand up and be counted in this time of cowardice and sloth.
It reveals that the Conference will give no quarter to even the individual members of the faithful flock. Not too long ago, the Conference attempted to obtain the names and financial information (including bank account numbers) of not only McGill and Chartier, but also the family members and friends of the Church’s members. While claiming to be an organization based upon spiritual love and freedom of conscience, the General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists has used unprecedented and astonishing ferocity in seeking to shout down the voices crying in the wilderness, those seeking to prepare themselves, and their fellow men, for the soon return of the Messiah.
The motivations of both the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Creation Seventh Day Adventist Church can only be truly understood from a spiritual perspective. Attempting to cast this controversy as a mere legal dispute, or a matter of “competition,” “products” and “trade” (terms that are offensive to the Christian mind if applied – as the mainstream SDA Church has done – to the Gospel) will yield no intelligent conclusions.
One Church, seeking to follow both the great and small instructions of the Creator, has taken a name that its members conscientiously believe to be divinely inspired. And, under that name, they are teaching the Gospel to the world. Another church, feeling its reputation and financial security threatened by this little movement, has sought assistance from secular powers and worldly courts to try and stop that Church from doing what it believes it is called to do. The Scriptures say of those who believe that our little flock is a threat, and of that little flock itself, “The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are bold as a lion.” (Proverbs 28:1)
The Creation Seventh Day Adventist Church is bold. I do not think even the most fanatical supporter of the Conference’s recent actions will dispute that. We have, like the prophet, refused to so much as “close our windows,” and hide the principles of our faith, though there exists an unjust, oppressive law against it. “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” (Daniel 6:10)
There stand, today, two witnesses against those who have made and signed “the writing” formed by human hands against the Work of Yahweh. And yet, our windows are open, as are our hearts and our doors. We invite all who are willing to come and study with us, for the Day of the Lord is at hand.
Why is Lucan Chartier’s Arrest Important?
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Re: Why is Lucan Chartier’s Arrest Important?
very nice and informative posts,i like this forum very much....
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