DENOMINATIONALISM

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 18, 1867

DENOMINATIONALISM.

The United Presbyterian General Assembly, in session at Xenia, Ohio, last week, showed considerable zeal in maintaining denominational peculiarities. They voted “that Sunday School Libraries should be wholly subject to pastors and elders, and no books, except those that are published by the Presbyterian Board of Publication, should be admitted which they have not approved.” They enjoined upon all the Presbyteries within their bounds to ascertain the number of unbaptized children, whose parents are members of their communion, and report at the next Assembly. They also adopted a Pastoral Letter in regard to what they called the Sabbath, which is described as follows:

“It deprecates the fact that the Sabbath is now being profaned to an unusual degree; that all kinds of business, especially railroading, the sale of milk, bread, and newspapers, and one department of the Government, are being carried on without interruption on the Sabbath day, as well as nearly every phase of amusement. It argues the theology, morality, and physiology of the practice, and in every respect condemns it. As a remedy for this evil tendency, the Letter counsels ministers and elders to cultivate in their families, and in all over whom their influence extends, just and scriptural views of the sacredness of the day. It recommends that all pastors, as soon and as often as may be convenient, preach on the proper observance of the Sabbath.”

Of course the word Sabbath, as used here, means Sunday every time, and the proposed sermons on the subject will all insist that Sunday is the Sabbath. Who can estimate the aggregate of “false witness” contained in, and stimulated by, that Pastoral Letter?—Sabbath Recorder.