The Removal From Battle Creek
By Editor
[THE movement to secure a Sunday law for the District of Columbia called forth some discussion in the Battle Creek papers, and the opinion was expressed that in removing to this city we had not bettered our situation. The following letter, which appeared in the Morning Enquirer, puts the matter in a clear light. —ED.] BATTLE CREEK, MICH., April 20, 1904.
Editor of Morning Enquirer. DEAR SIR: I read an article in the Enquirer on the experience of Seventh-day Adventists in the removing of their organ, THE ADVENT REVIEW AND SABBATH HERALD, to Washington, D. C. To those not fully acquainted with the circumstances, the matter may seem as suggested in said article, “Jumping from the frying-pan into the fire.” I would, however, call the attention of your kind readers to the fact that the whole body of Seventh-day Adventists claims rightfully to have a solemn, supreme warning of love to the whole world from our Lord Jesus, declaring the judgment of the living and of the dead to be almost finished, describing the people who shall stand in the judgment as having repented of every sin, and having accepted, instead of sin, our Saviour’s righteousness, keeping the commandments of God (the Sabbath of the Lord, the seventh day of the week), and having the faith of Jesus Christ. Such tremendous task is to be finished before the death of the last ones of the old people’s generation, those who saw the last special sign (the falling of the stars in 1833) of his coming, mentioned by our Lord. Such task requires of us a most determined, persevering effort in God’s strength. Yet we had become so ease-loving and slack, especially in this city, that God’s visitation, by fire, was permitted to arouse us to a sense of our sacred duty. What we have to fear, in view of the great and precious light confided to us, is not Sunday laws, prison cells, or fines, and they are sure to be our lot, but above all things, we dread the loss of our Heavenly Father’s blessing, through unfaithfulness in telling our fellow citizens and all others of God’s love and great salvation in Jesus Christ. In view of this, is it not fitting and right that we should willingly consent to the removal of our printing office to our capital city, and by that means work successfully among our leading men, who have a willing heart, and through them, among those whom they may reach with the last message of mercy to a loved and lost world, from Him who made us and all things, and yet died that we might have eternal life at his near coming? Will not our work be more quickly done thus than in keeping our plant in Battle Creek, where we would rather it would remain, so far as our choice goes? Can we not in Washington reach representatives, not only of our whole nation, but also of all other nations, and thus secure the blessing of him who says, “I am with you alway”? Yours kindly,
PAUL E. GROS.