BIGOTRY by Adolphus Smith

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 22, 1868

BIGOTRY

By Adolphus Smith

The charge of bigotry is frequently preferred by their enemies against S. D. Adventists. As regards a few, or certain individuals among them, it may be true. But it cannot apply to this people as a body, who zealously, and on every proper occasion, advocate doctrines, which though distasteful to world-loving professors of religion, can nevertheless be supported by sound and incontestable arguments from the word of God.

In the “Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge,” bigotry is thus defined:

“Bigotry consists in being obstinately and perversely attached to our own opinions; or a tenacious adherence to a system or opinion adopted without investigation, and defended without argument, accompanied with a malignant, intolerant spirit toward all who differ.”

The article goes on further to say: “Bigotry is mostly prevalent with those who are ignorant; who have taken up principles without due examination; and are naturally of a morose and contracted disposition.”

Webster thus defines it: “Bigotry. Obstinate or blind attachment to a particular creed; unreasonable zeal or warmth in favor of a party, sect, or opinion, excessive prejudice.”

For our opponents to say that S. D. Adventists have attained to the belief that the seventh day is the Sabbath, that the dead are unconscious, that the wicked are to be destroyed, and that the second advent of Jesus is near at hand, without investigation, evinces ignorance or malice on their part.

No doubt the Jews thought Peter one of the most unqualified bigots of a most bigoted sect, when he declared Jesus of Nazareth whom they had slain and hanged on a tree, as the author of an unquestioned miracle, and said, “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Those who charge us with bigotry, and resist the truth, I exhort to become as reasonable as Gamaliel at least, to whose concise and pithy argument before the Jewish Sanhedrim, the reader’s attention is invited. See Acts v, 34–39. ADOLPHUS SMITH.