PREPARING THE WAY by George B. Wheeler

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 30, 1900

PREPARING THE WAY.

By George B. Wheeler

GEORGE B. WHEELER.

(South Lancaster, Mass.)

PUBLIC sentiment is gradual in its growth. It never moves by sudden fits and starts, although it may seem at times to do so. Often there are influences at work that cause it to move rapidly. These influences are frequently brought to bear in such a way that they are unseen, or unnoticed. Opinions and public measures are sometimes presented, with which the public has no sympathy, yet they are urged in such a way that after a time they find favor, and are finally adopted. Many illustrations might be presented to prove the truthfulness of this statement.

The recent address of a prominent leader of the National Reform party, advocating the death penalty for all who would not keep Sunday as a sacred day, may shock many persons even of those who believe in Sunday laws, but that penalty is in harmony with the views they hold and are advocating of the character of Sunday sacredness. Some time ago Dr. Crafts said, in the Golden Rule: “The Lord’s day is, then, most of all, the sign, the ensign, of the Lordship of Christ. To break the Sabbath, therefore, is to tear the flag of Christ. To desecrate the Lord’s day is to trample on the ensign of the King of all kingdoms, and so is an offense kindred to treason. . . . He that desecrates the Lord’s day denies the Lordship of Christ.”

An article in the North and West says: “Upon keeping the Sabbath holy rests the preservation of God’s word; upon the Bible rests morality; upon morality rests civilization; upon civilization rests human progress; and upon the substantial structure, rising like a marble statue, with the whiteness of the snow from heaven and with the firmness of the rock from the hills, stands the figure of man, his brow wreathed with the crown of human liberty, which God’s fingers designed for him. Sabbath desecration is a blow struck at the base of human liberty.”

This is the character of the teachings that the leaders and advocates of the Sunday-law movement are spreading over the country. The offense that they make out kindred to treason, would, if true, be worthy of death; therefore the penalty advocated in the address before the National Reform convention, and which was loudly applauded, is in harmony with their views of the offense of Sunday-breaking. And these views of Sunday-breaking are what the people of the country are now being taught.

The movement that is now going on to federate under different names the religious organizations of the country, for the purpose of forcing Congressmen, by intimidation, to favor the reforms of the Reform Bureau is already working successfully. Many Congressmen vote on the questions differently from what they otherwise would on account of the pressure of this religious sentiment from their constituency. This is preparing the way for a national Sunday law, advocated and forced upon Congress by the very organization that is now advocating and indorsing the death penalty for those who will not keep Sunday, the mark of the beast. For this the sentiment of the country is now being worked up, thereby providing for the fulfillment of Rev. 13:15.