An Appeal by Ethan Lanphear

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 9, 1866

An Appeal

By Ethan Lanphear

TO THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST BRETHREN OF THE UNITED STATES.

Dear Brethren: Having been more or less acquainted with you as a denomination of Christians since your organization, and believing you to be honest and sincere in your faith and practice; yet knowing that many of you have refrained from taking any part in our national, or political affairs of government, by voting, or otherwise, I appeal to you in behalf of our government in this critical struggle to maintain itself upon the principles of freedom, humanity, and religion. We have just emerged from a terrible war, brought upon us by slaveholders, rebels, and rebel sympathizers; and while this war was pressed upon us by wicked men, God, the great ruler of the universe, opened the heart of our nation to break the yoke of the oppressed, and set the slave, the oppressed of our land, free. But ere these poor slaves are out of the wilderness of slavery, a policy is introduced by an accidental Executive power, to leave these unfortunate people without protection by the government, and in the hands of ex-rebels. And as the effects of Mr. Johnson's policy are already seen in New Orleans, Texas, Missouri, and all through the Southern States, by murders and outrages upon the negroes and loyal men of the South, it seems to me that every Christian in our land should raise his voice, and use his influence by the ballot, and by every lawful means to head off such a policy, and to elect men to enact laws that will rule in the fear of God. Dear brethren, shall we have another civil war sprung upon us? Are our sons and brothers to be called to another deadly combat, in order that God's poor shall be protected, and their cause vindicated? In the name of God, humanity, and religion, let us, while Mr. Johnson is using every means in his power

as an executive officer, to sell every office under his jurisdiction to make votes, to vote the control of our government into the hands of rebels at the South, and rebel sympathizers at the North, and to fasten oppression upon our nation, and to form a basis for wicked men to oppress and rule our country, let us, like Christians, use our powers as God has given them to us, to avert and to prevent such a calamity from our country.

And in conclusion, brethren, I again press this appeal. Will you not by the help of God help the liberty-loving people of our land to save it from the hands of the wicked, and those that would oppress?

As a friend to humanity, and a believer in the religion of our Saviour, I respectfully submit the foregoing for your candid consideration.

ETHAN LANPHEAR.

Allegany Co., N. Y.

NOTE. We publish the above because we are in sympathy with the sentiments it expresses. But whether we could render any essential service to the cause of humanity by participating in the impending elections, or not, is a question which each one must decide for himself. It is thought by men who are supposed to possess the highest degree of political foresight, that the triumph of Republican principles in the North, this fall, will but hasten the usurpation and revolution which Mr. Johnson contemplates, and so all the sooner involve our country in direst trouble. How this is, we cannot say; but for our own part we feel less and less inclined to have any connection with political matters, but the more earnestly to long for the coming rule of the Prince of peace, until which time we know that righteousness will not reign among men, nor justice, with but rare exceptions, hold its seat in places of trust and power.—ED.