Swedish Baptist Journal's View of Adventists
By James Sawyer
[The following is an article published last May in the Evangelist, of Upsala, in Sweden. The Evangelist is an organ of the Baptists in that country. We translate it for the REVIEW. S. S.] “This is the name of a religious party in America who have much to say about the second coming of Christ, the millennium, &c. Adventists teach plainly that Jesus will come again, that he will set up his kingdom on the earth, and that he will be a king on David’s throne, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. So far as these points are concerned, Adventists have neither said anything new or wrong in that they point to the coming of Christ and the triumph of the gospel in the earth; but the manner in which they consider the “millennium,” partakes too much of fanaticism, and is altogether too weak and foolish to be made to harmonize with the Scriptures, or to savor of sound sense. “The manner in which Adventists treat the principal prophecies and converse about them is the highest presumption, and one can easily notice that they follow the common error of all fanatics, in placing their dreams and imaginations as a standard for the truth. “But Adventism is a confused mixture of monstrous doctrines. Early and late it makes a noise about the Sabbath question, and claims that the Sabbath should be kept on Saturday. We here begin to notice how little Christianity Adventism takes upon itself. It belongs to Christianity to keep rest-day on Sunday, that day when Christ arose. Adventists would go back to Judaism. Adventism goes backward, instead of forward. The Christian church rests itself—in its Sunday-keeping—upon apostolic example, which is not sufficient authority for the Adventists. Their declaration of the Sabbath question serves as a leading step in their departure from the Bible and Christianity to the most daring infidelity and materialism. “Adventists openly deny the immortality of the soul, claim that the state between death and the resurrection is one of sleep and unconsciousness, that everlasting punishment is not without end, and that the wicked will be entirely burnt up; that is, their existence sooner or later will have an end. This audacious unbelief and error they cover under the garb of piety and holiness. But if we remove the sheep’s clothing, so shall we directly acknowledge that they are in league with the father of liars, who was a bold and daring deceiver. They make out that man is as a beast. Adventists compare the mind to matter, and consider our spirit the same as the breath of our body. It is plain that such ideas must lead to the familiar expression: “Let us eat and drink; for to-morrow we die!” But this deism and Bible contradiction is very welcome to the Adventists. They consider it pleasant to sleep in the grave, slumber unconsciously until the resurrection, and when this takes place then to suffer a little while, and afterwards never more exist. “It has been just so with the wicked and the scoffers in all ages. Adventists have fairly hit the nail on the head. Such a religion has a preference for sin and vice, feeds upon spiritual death, and makes humanity a sepulcher. “Some of these questions have been met in our paper in former years. Those articles should especially be republished by the missionary society of Stockholm. “Among the American Christians and congregations the Adventists have sought to carry on their work for many years. Their organ is at Battle Creek, Michigan. It is called the ADVENT REVIEW, which is issued weekly. We have but little knowledge of the extent of its circulation among the American people. At the same time we have had occasion to learn something of the manner in which Adventism seeks to nestle itself, and spread its influence among emigrant people, such as the Germans, Danes, Norwegians, and Swedes. It ravages among all professions. We have seen articles against the Adventists in the Swedish Lutheran paper, Augustana, in the Swedish Methodist paper, Sandbudet, in the Swedish Baptist, Zions Wakt. The Adventist organ in Swedish, is called Svensk Advent Harold; in Danish, Advent Tidende. Both the last papers have the same matter which is only a translation from the REVIEW. “It remains now to show why we offer to speak of Adventists as they peculiarly carry on their work in America. The reasons are the following:— “In August 14, 1874, we received an account from a brother in North Helsingland, who said that many brethren from the neighboring districts had gone to America and there had embraced Adventism, who now often send back letters and publications containing the views of Adventists to their relatives here; and it has not been in vain. The church had become concerned on account of these Adventist publications, and a prominent member of the church had written a letter to America, which was even published in the Harold. When we received this letter, we wrote immediately to the leader of the district-meeting, at Sundsvall, which meeting was held in September, and we directed them to take up the question about the Adventists, and endeavor to take measures which were necessary in the case. But our letter was not even noticed by the congregated brethren, for the reason that it would make capital for the Adventists, and give publicity to an unknown cause which might result in painful consequences. “On the 5th of Jan., 1875, we received an account from a brother in Westmanland, who complains of his doubts concerning the Sabbath, and imagines that possibly the pope, who has so many times made the commandments of God of no account by his ordinances, had had something to do in bringing about the change of the rest-day, from the last to the first day of the week. “In one church in Upland some of the old church members have, through reading of the Harold, begun to embrace and respect the views of the Adventists. “Many have gone to America and returned, who, during their stay in that country embraced Adventism, and on their return sought to spread it among their relatives and former friends. “Letters and publications, the Harold says, have already been sent over to Sweden by thousands. They are sent gratis when the proprietor finds out the address of a person who is willing to read. In this way multitudes of papers are sent from America to Sweden in order to gain followers. “A fellow-laborer in the Svensk Advent Harold, Dr. Charles Lee, and one Carl Linquist, are designing to visit Sweden the coming summer, and here seek by personal influence to advance Adventism. Dr. Lee was born in Husby, in Upland, Aug. 4, 1840, and joined the Ostuna Baptist church, April 7, 1861. He afterwards went to America, where he practiced medicine for a while, and at last embraced Adventism. He is said to be a gifted man. “When we consider that the baptism of the Adventists is by immersion, and that they baptize only such as confess their faith, they are the more dangerous for our churches; because they in this accidental similarity with us will seek a point of relationship with us. The danger would not be so great, only they look up in time, without respect to the persons, those who embrace fanaticism, and they do not let the right prevail. “We close by quoting an extract from the Harold, for Sept., 1874, which lies before us: ‘To the question, Of what use is it to preach the sleep of the dead, the destruction of the wicked, &c.? the answer is: Because the opposite of these truths is, the soul’s immortality, the consciousness of the dead, and the everlasting torment of the wicked; which is really a repetition of the first lie of Satan. See Gen. 3:1-5.’ “It is said that the devil transforms himself into an angel of light; but in the case quoted he appears to have neglected to put on the mask. “‘For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.’ Acts 20:28, 29.” We understand from the above article how the Adventists of America are regarded by the Baptist organ of Sweden. We are glad to have them speak out and let it be known to the world how the character of this people stands abroad. We are also glad of the information that is here given, that the people in different localities in Sweden have moral courage enough not to be subservient to tradition and the commandments of men. There are two ways in which we see the power of the enemy will be arrayed against the spread of present truth in that country. 1. The leading denominations there are bound to oppose it. 2. In their journals they are ready to publish articles of the truth of which they know nothing. For example: The Evangelist carries the idea that Adventists have a preference for sin, consider man as a beast, and accept fanaticism. Now we hope to live to see the day when the Swedes of good old Sweden will know better than this. We hope to see the day when they shall have found out that a Seventh-day Adventist hates sin in any form; that this people are found to be those who are sighing and crying for the abominations committed in the land, and that they enter into no confederacy with the father of lies; but rather that the loving of their neighbors as themselves is the highest ambition of their lives.