Twenty Years Ago by R. F. Cottrell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 28, 1871

Twenty Years Ago.

By R. F. Cottrell

TWENTY years ago, namely, May 19, 1851, an article was published in the ADVENT REVIEW AND SABBATH HERALD, Vol. 1, No. 11, entitled, “Thoughts on Revelation xiii and xiv,” in which the views now held by Seventh-day Adventists on the Two-horned Beast and Third Angel’s Message, were briefly set forth. At that time there were a few, a mere handful, that held that the United States was the government symbolized by this beast with two horns like a lamb, and hence that this country was the theater of the last conflict of the people of God with earthly, persecuting powers, and that the time had come for the warning message of Rev. 14:9-12, to be given, and here was the proper place for its rise.

This view that our government was thus described in prophecy was new to me. But on a careful examination of the evidences I came decidedly to the conclusion that the application was right, and I embraced the view. Twenty years have sped, (how quickly!) and how does the evidence now stand?

If our position is right, this government is to make an image to the papal beast. As that beast consisted of the union of church and State, the ecclesiastical power controlling civil governments, an image to that beast, must be a similar establishment. Is there any prospect of a union of church and State in this country? Is this demanded? Is the saying now being addressed to our people “that they should make an image to the beast”? There is no disguising the fact that this measure is being urgently demanded.

Twenty years ago we could refer to individual testimonies and certain projected movements in favor of legislation on religious subjects, which showed a tendency in that direction; but now there is a fully organized national association with this very object too plainly inscribed upon their banner to be mistaken. A religious amendment to our national constitution is plainly called for, so plainly that men do not fail to comprehend it. Says the Examiner and Chronicle, “This agitation for a national religion, officially professed, has for its logical outcome persecution—that, and nothing more nor less.” Some of our political papers are raising the voice of warning against it; representing that while the Old World is struggling for emancipation from the thralldom of church and State, the National Association is for binding these galling shackles upon our hitherto free nation in this respect.

But it may be said that our people are too enlightened for this measure to carry. They are too enlightened to do so; but they are too corrupt not to do it when personal and party considerations clamor for it. When it shall be seen that the movers of this measure hold the balance of power, so that the party that secures their vote will secure their own political advancement, one party or the other will pledge themselves to carry it forward, in order to lift themselves into power, and thus it will be carried. I say this with the more confidence, because the prophecy affirms that “he had power to give life unto the image of the beast.” When this is done, he will “speak,” to cause that as many as will not worship the image of the beast shall be killed.

That which twenty years ago was a matter of faith, is now almost a matter of sight. Will those who profess faith in the Bible as the word of God, open their eyes to the approaching trial, and prepare themselves to stand in that “hour of temptation,” by heeding the message of the third angel, and keeping “the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus”? Why not believe that word of prophecy, which is so manifestly true?

R. F. COTTRELL.