Seventh-day Adventists.
By Editor
IT has not been the custom of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES to deal in personal matters; it has been our policy, and it is our desire, to say as little as possible about ourselves or our own people. We set ourselves in defense of principles, and would gladly confine our attention to these. But it often happens that principles are wounded through their exponents, and then justice demands that matters relating to persons receive a proper notice. For some weeks past reports concerning the Seventh-day Adventists have been quite extensively copied by the papers throughout the country. These reports were put in circulation by a paper in Battle Creek, Mich., and outlined certain supposed movements having for their object the removal of the editor of the Review and Herald, and other radical changes in the denomination. A Boston paper, in these reports, speaks of W. C. Gage as the largest denominational publisher in the West. At the late meeting of the Publishing Association, Eld. Uriah Smith was unanimously re-elected editor of the Review. The idea of his removal was therefore entirely to the authors of the reports unfounded. In answer to inquiries Eld. Smith furnished the following statement to the Battle Creek Journal:-- To the Editor of the Battle Creek Journal: An inquiry in regard to the correctness of an article which is going the rounds of the papers, concerning the Seventh-day Adventists of this city from an important source is at hand. Such articles we do not generally consider worthy of any notice, and hence have said nothing about it. As, however, an inquiry is raised we will say that the article on which a widely current press dispatch is based first appeared in a paper published in this city. It purports to give some facts, but deals more largely in innuendoes, inferences, and conclusions. What it attempts to relate as facts, is false, and its conclusions and opinions are simply silly. There is no excitement nor turmoil as represented, and the changes which are predicted to occur have never even been contemplated. It would not be worth while to notice the matter at all were it not for the fact that the dispatch based on the article is extensively published by the press of the country. It is much to be regretted that papers, no doubt honestly disposed, should be imposed upon by such misrepresentations. W. C. Gage, who is mentioned as business manager and proprietor of the publishing house, is simply employed as foreman of the job department, and he has no financial interest in the institution except the ownership of two out of the four thousand shares of stock already sold. As for Mrs. White and her writings, they were never apparently held in higher esteem by this people than at the present time. Yours truly, URIAH SMITH, Editor Review and Herald. Battle Creek, Mich., Dec. 26, 1882. We presume many of the papers which published the reports will notice this statement in refutation of them.