This Week’s Paper by Uriah Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 21, 1875

This Week’s Paper.

By Uriah Smith

We are happy to present this week many interesting articles on a variety of interesting topics.

The Progress Department has a most encouraging and cheering tone, owing not only to the fact that upwards of forty are reported as having embraced the truth, which is of itself most cheering, but also to the evidence that those who have embraced the truth, find great peace and joy therein. This is the legitimate effect of new light and truth received cheerfully into the heart. Any one who loves truth for its own sake can but rejoice when led into its new and delightful fields; and this is the fruit we like to see appear.

The article on the Morality of the Sabbath is this week of more than ordinary interest. The picture of what this world would be, did all mankind conscientiously and faithfully observe the Sabbath of the Lord, is one delightful to contemplate. This, however, will never be in this revolted world. But, thank God, the day is not far distant when in a world free from sin, a world filled with every rational delight and heavenly joy, all flesh shall come up from Sabbath to Sabbath to worship the Lord. Isa. 66: 23. Then shall the Sabbath reign in its native glory all the earth o’er. Oh! what will the Sabbaths of eternity be! We long for their dawning.

In the article, “The Signs of the Times,” from the Cincinnati Christian Standard, which gives a striking picture of the Christian world at the present time, Adventists are referred to as “full of debate, and flourishing more in the direction of schism than in any other.” This is true of first-day Adventists, not of Seventh-day Adventists, who, we are happy to say, enjoy a most cheering state of union, and are moving forward in the direction of greater unity, and co-operation of effort in the good work.

Everything touching the papacy will be eagerly read; for great interest now centers upon that power from a prophetical point of view. The nature of the present contest between Roman Catholicism and the governments of Europe, is well set forth in the article entitled, “Temporal and Spiritual,” which we quote from Dr. Holland in the February number of Scribner. We are glad to see these questions discussed in such publications as Scribner, the leading magazine in this country, which is equivalent to saying, the leading one in the world. The reader is also referred to another article in this number on the same subject, entitled, “A Wonderful Contrast.” Thus while Europe is moving in the direction of a separation of Church and State, can any but Seventh-day Adventists account for the fact that in this country a movement has been set on foot, looking toward their union?

A sad fact is revealed in the article on Opium; that as intemperance in the sale of intoxicating drinks goes down, intemperance in the use of opium comes up. This shows that any reform, to be permanent, must spring from a quickened condition of the moral nature. Otherwise the depravity shut out of one channel will manifest itself in another, as diseases under the influence of medicine change their form but are not cured.

The conclusion of the article on the Millennium, disproving one of the popular fables of these days, will be found on the first page. Also No. 2 of the important series of articles on The Law of God. This subject lies at the very foundation of correct Biblical interpretation. Let these articles be carefully studied.

U. S.