p. 21 | A VAIN TRICK by Uriah Smith

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

A VAIN TRICK.

By Uriah Smith

Our opponents, for the purpose of conjuring up that strongest of weapons against the truth, prejudice, are continually representing that we claim that the observance of Sunday is to be enforced under the penalty of death. We do not so teach. And if our friends would cease to manufacture positions for us, it would be more agreeable to us, and in the end infinitely better for themselves. In United States in Prophecy, p. 113, our views are set forth on this point as follows:—

“The acts ascribed to the image are speaking and enforcing the worship of itself under the penalty of death; and this is the only enactment which the prophecy mentions as enforced under the death penalty. Just what will constitute this worship, it will perhaps be impossible to determine till the image itself shall have an existence.”

In relation to the mark, which is Sunday-keeping, we quote again from the same page as follows:—

“The mark of the beast is enforced by the two-horned beast either directly or through the image. The penalty attached to a refusal to receive this mark, is a forfeiture of all social privileges, a deprivation of the right to buy and sell.”

This the prophecy says; and there we leave it. There is no excuse for any to place us in the false light above referred to. U. S.