A Plain Misstatement of Fact

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 19, 1915

A Plain Misstatement of Fact

We have read through the years many charges against Seventh-day Adventists, but none more palpably wrong than the one contained in the Word and Way (Baptist) of July 29. The writer, who evidently considers himself a redoubtable champion of truth, relates how he entirely broke up an effort being carried on by Seventh-day Adventists, by preaching two sermons against them, and showing up their unscriptural doctrines. Of this people he says:—

They not only contend persistently that it is the duty of people to keep holy the seventh day, the old Jewish Sabbath, our Saturday, but they actually go so far as to preach that persons cannot be saved, if, having heard them preach, they do not at once change to the observance of the Jewish Sabbath. They then proceed to announce further their heretical and dangerous doctrine: That if men do not accept Christ in this world, God will send them messengers in the spirit world to offer them Christ; and if they then accept him, they will be saved just as people are saved who accept him during this life. Of course, Satan is glorified and delighted when people believe such doctrine.

We plead guilty to the charge of advocating the perpetuity of the law of God, and the Sabbath institution as a part of that law. Indeed, in our position with reference to the law of God we stand with the fathers of the Baptist Church, with such men as C. H. Spurgeon and other honored leaders of that historic church. Declares the “Baptist Church Directory: A Guide to the Doctrines and Discipline, Officers and Ordinances, Principles and Practices, of the Baptist Churches:” —

We believe that the Scriptures teach that the law of God is the eternal and unchangeable rule of his moral government; that it is holy, just, and good; and that the inability which the Scriptures ascribe to fallen man to fulfill its precepts arises entirely from their love of sin.

Speaking of the immutability of the ten commandments, C. H. Spurgeon declares:—

JESUS did not come to change the law, but he came to explain it, and that very fact shows that it remains; for there is no need to explain that which is abrogated. . . . By thus explaining the law he confirmed it; he could not have meant to abolish it, or he would not have needed to expound it.

This was the teaching of the Baptist fathers, and we believe that professedly it is the teaching of that church at the present time. Why, then, we ask, should Seventh-day Adventists be called to account or charged with being disseminators of false doctrines, for teaching the plain principles of truth contained in the decalogue? The fourth commandment declares plainly and unequivocally that “the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.” We have no record that God has ever abrogated this command. In no place in the Sacred Record does he declare that the first day has taken the place of the holy seventh day.

But to the charge of preaching a future probation, as this writer states, we plead not guilty. The charge is a plain, and let us hope, ignorant, not willful, misstatement of fact. Indeed, one has only to read the literature of Seventh-day Adventists to see that they take a strong position against this theory. This journal has but recently concluded a series of articles in which the pernicious doctrine of a second probation was shown to be unscriptural and illogical. Seventh-day Adventists believe unqualifiedly that the close of probation, just preceding the second coming of Christ, determines for all time the destiny of every person who has ever lived on this earth, and that for the impenitent there is no further sacrifice for sins, and no hope of salvation in any future state.

It might be well for this Baptist brother, who advertises that he has published a book dealing with some of these questions, to better inform himself with reference to the doctrines taught by Seventh-day Adventists. Perhaps he may find it necessary to revise his review of their positions.