Say Ye Not, A Confederacy
By John M. Hopkins
“For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” Isa. 8: 11-13. It is very evident from the following portions of this eighth chapter of Isaiah, that it was not limited in its application to the Hebrew nation. Verse 16 reads, “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” Evidently this applies when the seal of the law of God, the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, is being placed upon the hearts of his remnant people. See Eze. 20: 12, 20; Rev. 7: 1-3; 13: 11-18; 14: 6-12. (As the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is the sign of God’s creative power, the seal of his law as Maker and Ruler of heaven and earth, so Sunday, primarily dedicated to the worship of the sun,—hence called Sunday,—and it is later incorporated into the rites and ceremonies of the Catholic Church, and in the third and fourth centuries and onward, enforced by civil law, is the mark of the papacy; it is the sign, or seal, of that law-changing power. Dan. 7: 25.) Hence we understand that the texts quoted above from Isaiah 8 have a special application at the time when the threefold message of Revelation 14 is being given to the world. “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples,” means, we think, applying the seal of God’s law, the Sabbath truth, to the disciples of Christ, instead of, and in opposition to, the seal, or sign, of the beast and his image—Sunday. But what bearing has the heading of this article upon this Sabbath question? some may question. Just this: for many years the Lord of the Sabbath has been calling the attention of the world to the claims of his holy day. This is the burden of the third angel’s message of Revelation 14. The unchanged law (unchanged by the Lord), the perpetuity of the Sabbath, is admitted by many, and indeed by the best and ablest theological teachers of Christendom. Notwithstanding this, the great body of Protestant churches, and the Catholics also, tenaciously cling to Sunday. Having, however, no divine authority to advance in its support, it being obnoxious and hateful to God as a usurper and the supplanter of his holy day, behold! the great body of churches are now uniting in great “federations” for the purpose of concerted action, not, it is true, at present in the interest of Sunday observance only, but for other supposed needed reforms. But the principal thing, the great outcome of all this unity of churches the world over, will be Sunday legislation. Indeed, this is most apparent from the following: “An inter-church conference on federation was held in the city of Baltimore under the auspices of the local ministerial union, on Tuesday, January 30, at the Eutaw Place Baptist church. . . . The presiding officer, W. H. Dunbar, D. D., president of the ministerial union, said, in answer to the question, Why this gathering of the representatives of the church of Jesus Christ to-day? . . . ‘We are gathered to concentrate our powers to unify the influence of the church in molding public sentiment and creating the demand for more effectual legislation.’” Now when we take into consideration the fact that for many years the chief aim of the National Reform Association, having its headquarters in our national capital, aided by other powerful organizations, as the W. C. T. U., the Y. P. S. C. E., and many others, backed up by this great body of churches—when we see them constantly appealing to our State and national lawmaking powers for more stringent Sunday laws; when we hear them plainly, positively affirm this as being their object, we are forced to believe it. Strange it may seem to many, strange it is in fact, that professed Protestants, intelligent men and women, with the dark, awful history of the past before them,—the history of the terrible result to both church and state of the union of church and state,—should desire and labor with untiring zeal to bring about a like condition in this country. While Sunday legislation will be the chief aim, there will, doubtless, be other matters of religious belief acted upon by legislative bodies, and the inevitable result will be persecution, imprisonment, confiscation of property, fines for disobeying the civil law rather than disobey God, or shameful sacrifice of principle, and hypocrisy on the part of many. The writer once heard a noted Congregational minister, Rev. W. J. Brown, say in a public address: “It is the duty of the legislature to interpret and enforce the law of God.” It is shocking that any Protestant minister should make such a statement. Let us analyze that statement by a few interrogations:— First, can any State legislature, composed as they mainly are of unchristian men, often many of them very sinful men, interpret the law of God? Let God answer: “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor. 2: 14. Second, were they to attempt it, what would be the result? While not professing anything themselves, nearly all men in civilized countries have had some religious ideas or doctrines impressed upon the mind in early life, and when brought to action would very naturally contend for their particular beliefs. This would inevitably throw the whole legislative body into contention and disorder. Imagine this in Minnesota. Then step over the line into Iowa, Wisconsin, or Dakota, in each of which there would most likely be a different view on many points enacted in their legislative halls. Upon crossing the boundary lines of each State, one would be compelled to change his creed to be in accord with the usages of another State. This, of course, would necessitate a final tribunal to decide upon the several differences of opinion. And who, pray, would be the head of this tribunal?—The pope, of course! And I want to say to you overzealous, misguided confederacy people that that is just the logical outcome of your whole federation movement; you are driving the whole Christian world into the lap of Rome. Now, for the sake of righteousness; for the sake of the precious cause of Christ, whom many of you honestly, sincerely love; for the sake of peace and liberty in every land; for the sake of all you hold dear, spiritually, intellectually, socially, politically, call a halt to your misguided efforts. . . . Third, were the several legislative bodies of the world to undertake to interpret and enforce the law of God, those who accepted their decision would accept the state instead of God, they would exalt Cæsar and dethrone Christ from their hearts. Then shall the state be allowed to dictate in matters of religion?—Never! Should this federation enterprise succeed, God only knows the awful consequences that may result from it. Seventh-day Adventists are not working to protect themselves. They are working for principle, for humanity. They are not the only ones who will suffer in consequence of this unwise, wicked measure. It will throw the whole world, religious and civil, into the most horrible whirlpool of confusion, disorder, strife, cruelty, and oppression that the world has ever known. The seeking of legislation by the religious bodies of the world is a shameful confession on their part that they have lost the power of God from among them. Paul said: “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” Rom. 1: 16. State law can never make a man a “new creature in Christ Jesus.” How much better, how infinitely better, would it be for Christians to put away their sins, their idols, their worldliness, and turn to the Lord instead of to the state, seek power from on high to convert lost sinners to Christ, accept God’s message of mercy, of warning, fall into line with the plans and workings of God!