WHAT OUGHT WE TO URGE?
By Editor
HERE is something so good that we can not resist the impulse to publish it. It is from a Canadian paper, the Shawville Equity of July 24:— “DEAR SIR: There is a peculiar-looking man, claiming to be deaf, going around the village and country soliciting subscriptions for papers, pamphlets, and books. I would advise the public to have nothing to do with his papers, etc. The paper which he is seeking to introduce is SIGNS OF THE TIMES, published in Oakland, California. Among the evils which it seeks to advance is the overthrow of the Christian sabbath. For this purpose they urge the complete freedom of all religious belief and practise from State control or restriction, thus making it an easy matter for sabbath-breakers and all enemies of Christianity to spread their pernicious teachings and practises, which would be a curse to our land. W. KNOX.” Of course it is not all true, but we presume the writer meant to tell the truth. The “man” was probably “deaf,” for there is no proof presented to the contrary, and deafness per se is neither crime nor sin. The SIGNS OF THE TIMES most emphatically does not seek “to overthrow the Christian Sabbath.” The Christian Sabbath must be the Sabbath which Christ the Creator made (Gen. 2:2, 3; Col. 1:16), and which Christ the Teacher and Example affirmed and kept (Matt. 5:17–20; 12:1–12; Luke 4:16; John 15:10). This is the seventh day, the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Ex. 20:8–11. What is there wrong about this? Yes, the SIGNS OF THE TIMES urges “the complete freedom of all religious belief and practise from State control or restriction.” The Lord never demanded a greater privilege for Himself than He was willing to grant to others. All that Christianity or truth desires is “a fair field and no favor.” Let the believers, and the friends of truth and Christianity, live their religion, and follow the Word of God, if they would have power over the ungodly. Truly then, as of old, God would put His fear upon all the nations round about. He who is not willing to grant “complete freedom of all religious belief and practise from State control or restriction,” either does not believe the truth or has no faith in the promises of God. The truth is of God, and God is almighty. The effort to suppress error by error’s methods, will ever result in the spread of error and increase of sin and the exaltation of those thus oppressed. True Protestantism looks to God and persuasion. The opposite trusts in force.