CAN’T BUY FOR CASH by H. F. Phelps

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 5, 1895

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 21, No. 48.

“CAN’T BUY FOR CASH.”

By H. F. Phelps

Certain Master Plumbers in St. Paul Can Not Secure Supplies.

Master Plumbers’ Society Said to be at the Bottom of a Combine to Freeze Out Non-members.

BY H. F. PHELPS.

SUCH were the prominent headlines of a two-column article in a recent morning paper in the city of St. Paul, Minn. It appears that some nine years ago the master plumbers of the city formed an organization for the laudable purpose of mutual benefit, such as might accrue to members of the organization in legitimate trade. In course of time new measures were adopted, till it has become a combine by which prices have advanced nearly one hundred per cent., which increase, of course, came out of the consumer.

All seemed to go well until certain leaders who were deepest in the plot, determined that it was the duty of all master plumbers in the city to become members of the organization. This led to the resolution to drive all who refused to let others dictate as to their duty, out of the business. In order to accomplish their purpose, they entered into a further combine in a grand boycott, not to sell goods to non-members, even for the cash. This last move resulted in an explosion, the end of which is not yet. But the movement has a moral, to which the writer would call the attention of the reader and student of the Bible.

For more than fifty years Seventh-day Adventists have applied the symbol of Rev. 13:11–17, to the Government of the United States, claiming that, according to the indications of the prophecy, this government would yet become a persecuting power, in the making of an image to the beast, and enforcing Sunday observance by authority of statute laws. They no longer say these things are coming, but they are now here. The very embryo, at the least, of the image to the beast, is in the Supreme Court decision that “this is a Christian nation.” And life has been given to the image, by that national edict of the congress of 1892, in proclaiming to the world that the papal Sunday is the Sabbath of the nation, by that noted act forbidding the opening of the gates of the World’s Fair on the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday. And recent experiences of Seventh-day Adventists, in at least ten different states, suggest that persecution may yet become general without a national Sunday law.

In all this it becomes quite evident that the demands of the National Reformers for an amendment of the national Constitution and a national Sunday law, may never be realized. This is to say that their schemes may not be crystallized into national laws; for the machinery is all here by which they may accomplish their desires, and the prophecy be completely fulfilled without that. These men have themselves said that “all that the National Reform Association seeks, all that this department of Christian politics works for, is to be found in the development of that royal truth, ‘This is a Christian nation.’” In other words, let that Supreme Court decision be carried to its ultimatum, and the prophecy will be fulfilled to its utmost, even so far as that no man shall buy or sell, even for the cash, except he shall have the mark of the beast. Some have thought that there would be a change of the national Constitution; but it is all in the development of that “royal truth.” Some have reasoned that probably the time would never come when men could not purchase the actual necessities of life for the cash, but that the rights of citizenship would be taken away, so that they could not buy or sell real estate. But the reader will notice that there is no such limitation indicated in the prophecy. It evidently covers the whole ground, “Can’t buy for cash,” except those who shall belong to the great combine, and receive the mark of the beast. Now let us see what the probabilities are before us, and the moral of the tale at the beginning of this article.

A decision has been rendered that “this is a Christian nation.” Next the Congress of this “Christian nation” has decided by solemn legislative enactment that the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday, is the sabbath of this “Christian nation,” and the “Christian courts” are enforcing its observance.

In line with all this we see certain great organizations of Christians, organized before the nation was declared to be a legal Christian nation, organized for Christian purposes, working for Christian temperance and for the advancement of the cause of Christianity. All these were laudable objects, and their efforts worthy of encouragement so long as they adhered to first principles, that of advancing Christianity by Christian methods. But contemporary with and following the legal acts of making this a legal Christian nation, all of these great organizations at once partook of this legal spirit of a legal Christianity becoming religio-political; and every one of them have declared themselves in favor of the legal Sunday sabbath, and its enforcement by statute laws. Thus they are a unit in the work, and, inasmuch as there is a united sentiment among them, how easily they could enter into a grand combine to boycott, refusing to sell, even for the cash, to any one who will not become a member of the organization and keep the nation’s Sunday sabbath. Then what do we have?—A complete fulfillment of the prophecy. Not even the actual necessities of life can be bought under such a general boycott, even for the cash.

It is suggested that such a thing can not be; look still further at the inspiration of such a movement. There is nothing within a man so strong as religious sentiment. If men will combine and refuse to sell, even for cash, when prompted with the desire of gain, what will they not do when prompted by religious enthusiasm? Let all these great organizations which have allied themselves to the nation’s sabbath, and who are moved with an intensity of desire to make the nation truly Christian according to their ideas of Christianity, and believing that in the observance of the nation’s sabbath is salvation to the nation, and that alone of all things will

go far toward making the nation Christian, and stay the tide of evil that is constantly on the increase; let them meet the constantly increasing influence of those who keep the commandments of God, as by their life and example they are testifying to the world that there is no salvation in such a course, but only ruin to the nation and to all who are combined with such a course; let these, fired with a religious zeal bordering on fanaticism, and with a determination bent on securing the accomplishment of that which they really believe to be the only right and true course to pursue; let these decide that only one obstacle is in the way of the realization of their hopes, turn their efforts against this obstacle,—the commandment keepers, those who observe the true Sabbath,—and a general boycott in order to coerce the obstinate, would not be impossible, but would be a logical result of the course they have entered upon. When this course would fail, as it would, then they would be ready for the death decree. And that finale is not far away. Who will be ready?