SHORTSIGHTED by Uriah Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 13, 1876

SHORTSIGHTED

By Uriah Smith

It is in some quarters urged as an objection to the views we hold respecting the future enactment of a Sunday law, &c., that the opposition to it is now among some classes quite strong and active. They point to the formation of the National Liberal League, to the spiritualists, the German element, &c., and consider this sufficient evidence that the movement will never carry, and that, consequently, all our teaching upon this point is vain and foolish.

This is the most shortsighted view of the matter that could be taken. Do not these objectors see that this very opposition is to be the strength of the Sunday movement? The ultra ground taken and sweeping demands made by the infidel element, as embodied in the Liberal League, shows to all thinking people that one of two things must follow: Either they must give up all the forms and features of religion now connected with the government, and let the Constitution become wholly irreligious and infidel, or they must throw around them additional safeguards in the Constitution. This issue pressed upon them will arouse all professedly Christian people, and all whose sympathies are on that side, to exert their utmost power to maintain what they already hold by the addition of new guarantees. And this class unquestionably hold the balance of power. Thus the infidels are simply precipitating the crisis, and hastening the adoption of laws which they wish to avoid. And the opposition now manifested greatly strengthens, instead of weakening, the position we hold. U. S.