TO CORRESPONDENTS by J. H. W.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 2, 1868

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

By J. H. W.

We have on our table a well-written article with a text of promise in quotation marks at the head, upon which the article is based. The exhortation is good, and it would give us great pleasure to publish it, but having carefully searched the Scriptures with the aid of Cruden's Complete Concordance, we can find no such text in the Bible. The sentiment of the quotation is Scriptural, and by bringing together a number of texts we may find the various expressions contained in it, but we do not feel justified in publishing as quotations from the sacred Scriptures ideas merely grouped together in that manner.

We improve this opportunity to make another appeal to our correspondents. The careless manner in which many quote the word of God is highly irreverent, and adds greatly to the burden of the editor. It is irreverent, because it professedly gives the words of the Lord when the Lord had not so spoken. In such cases the sense of the Scripture is often entirely changed. See Eze. xiii, 7. It increases the labor of the editor, who is subjected to the work of looking up, and correcting the texts. Sometimes texts are erroneously quoted, chapter and verse not given; these have all to be found by the Concordance. Frequently every text in a lengthy communication is misquoted, and the labor of correcting is equal to writing the same amount. “Brethren, these things ought not so to be.” God promises a blessing to them that tremble at his word; and such will surely fear to mutilate it. While we are working out reforms in various points may we not have a reform in this matter? Let the text be followed both in the words and the punctuation. J. H. W.