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SUDDEN CONVERSIONS

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 9, 1869

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 33, No. 7.

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SUDDEN CONVERSIONS.

By R. F. Cottrell

Prophecy teaches us that our mild and lamb-like government will make an image to the Papacy by the union of church and state in this hitherto free country, thus giving power to a fallen church to persecute dissenters. And though this union of church and state is plainly called for by a host of popular ministers and politicians, yet the people cannot believe it is imminent. “It will take a long time,” say they, “to accomplish that, if it ever is accomplished, and consequently, if that is to be done before the coming of Christ, he cannot come during the life of the present generation of men.”
But look at the events of the past few years. During the great revival (?) of 1858, a disposition was manifested to crush any testimony against the great national sin of slavery, and a prayer for the oppressed and down-trodden could not be tolerated in the great New York prayer-meeting. But the logic of events during the brief period of the slaveholders’ rebellion, wrought, apparently, a wonderful change, and these pro-slavery churches came out bright and shouting abolitionists, before it was known that they had taken the anxious seat. Flushed and elated with the rapidprogress of the past and deluded by the hope of the conversion of the world to what they call the orthodox creed, how long will it take to bring about the union of church and state, and the enforcement of Sunday laws? The present light upon, and agitation of, the Sabbath question, together with the want of scriptural argument for Sunday, loudly demand the use of a more potent argument—an appeal to civil law—which can only be effected by a union of church and state. And we know that the church is now on the anxious seat, praying for this much-needed conversion. She desires the union; and the state is too corrupt long to repel her advances. The bans are being published, and the desired union will soon be solemnized.
R. F. COTTRELL.