In the Question Chair

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 8, 1901

In the Question Chair.

[Designed for the consideration of such questions as will be of interest and profit to the general reader. All correspondents should give their names and correct post-office address, that queries not replied to here may be answered by mail.]

830.—Connection with a Liquor House.

Do you think it is right for one who professes to be a Christian to be in any way connected with the business of a wholesale liquor house? Or, to be more specific, Is it consistent for the deacon of a Seventh-day Adventist church to keep the books of a liquor house? C. A. D., Parker, S. D.

ANSWER.—In all matters of right or wrong every one must decide for himself. We cannot be conscience for any one. The foregoing question is so adroitly put that it does not require us to decide on the moral quality of the action, but only whether or not we think it right to do the acts named, which may or may not be right independently of any views we may hold upon the subject. For ourself, personally, we should withdraw from any such connection on account of the undesirable association. While one could keep books for such a firm, as he could do any other manual labor, without being at all responsible for the business, still the connection would not naturally be congenial to any Christian. We know of one who has left the employ of such a firm on this account, which we think was a commendable step to take.

831.—The Tithe.

Does the tithing system call for the laying by, every week, a tithe of our income, be it large or small, and then devoting that tithe to the advancement of the cause of Christ? Can we send Canadian money? Mrs. J. B., London, Ore.

ANS.—Yes; “upon the first day of the week let every one . . . lay by him in store.” This tithe is to go into the treasury of the Lord, and to be devoted specifically to the support of the gospel ministry. The duty of supporting the poor is made very incumbent upon the Church, but the tithe is not to be used for this purpose. Means is provided in the Lord’s plan, outside the tithe, for all other necessary purposes. This is the “offerings,” so closely associated always with the tithe: “tithes and offerings.” As to your question about forwarding Canadian money for the purpose, we have to say, Canadian money is at a discount here; and if that is sent, a sufficient amount should be included to cover that discount, so that the treasury will receive the full amount in current American funds.

832.—Joshua’s Long Day.

At the time Joshua commanded the sun and the moon to stand still was a day lost, thus jogging the reckoning one day forward, so as to bring the Sabbath upon Sunday, as is so positively affirmed by some Sunday-keepers? B. G. J., Bergen, N. Y.

ANS.—Some people seem to be greatly puzzled over things claimed to be lost; as, lost time on the Sabbath question, the ten lost tribes of the children of Israel, a lost week on the change from old style to new, etc. But the very things the objectors affirm about these lost things show that they know all about them, and therefore they are not lost. Time cannot be lost unless it mysteriously disappears from view, and people lose all track of it, so that they cannot tell what has become of it. But how was it in this incident in the experience of Joshua?—The Lord was interfering in behalf of His people. Five kings of the Amorites combined against the Lord’s people. The Lord gave His people the victory. But the day was hastening to its close, and was likely to end before Israel had put their enemies to complete rout. They needed more time before darkness interrupted their work. So Joshua lifted up a prayer that the operations of nature might be arrested in their behalf: “Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.” Joshua 10: 12. Then, says the record, “The sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hastened not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel.” Joshua 10:13, 14. It will be noticed that all this time is called “a day;” it was not two days, a day was not lost, but one day was only lengthened out to an unusual degree; but it was the same day all the while. Suppose, for instance, that it was the third day of the week when this battle began. The motion of the sun was apparently arrested, so that it hastened not to go down about a whole day; that is, the daylight part of that day was lengthened out about twelve hours more; but what day was it still?—The third day. That week had only seven days; but it was a long week; for one of its days was a long day, but that did not make a new week, nor derange the numbering of the days of the week at all. The fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh days would follow the third just as usual. No time would be dropped out, and no change of reckoning made. As to how the miracle was effected, it is only necessary to suppose that the power of refraction was greatly increased, so that the sun appeared to be above the horizon, and impart light to the earth, when in reality it was not. This of course is suggested only because it seems an easier way to have the miracle effected than it would be to absolutely stop the revolution of the earth upon its axis, and all other dependent motions of the heavenly bodies. It seems more consistent to have it all done by one simple miracle than by a multiplicity of them.

833.—Power to Forgive Sins.

Did the apostles have power to forgive sins, as positively declared by Catholics, who take John 20: 22, 23, as authority for their teaching that the Church can forgive sins? G. B. J., Bergen, N. Y.

ANS.—Undoubtedly they did, in the particular instance referred to in John 20; but that does not by any means sustain the Catholic heresy that the priest can forgive sins; for the apostles were given no power to confer that gift upon others, and did not do so, so far as we have any record. That was a special occasion for which power was particularly conferred upon them, but did not descend to their successors. The idea that it did, and that the Church can forgive sins, is forbidden by other scriptures.