TO CORRESPONDENTS by Uriah Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 19, 1877

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

By Uriah Smith

J. H. Cook: We have no evidence that Alexander Campbell became a convert to the Sabbath before his death.

J. R. Calkins: We get the victory over the number of the name of the beast by refusing those institutions and practices which he sets forth as evidence of his power to sit supreme in the temple of God, by adopting which, we should acknowledge the validity of his title, by conceding his right to act for the church in behalf of the Son of God. We understand that verses 5 and 6 of Rev. 15, go back again in the prophecy to the beginning of the sanctuary work, as the prophecies are not consecutive, but composed of independent lines.

M. C. Wilcox: We have not received the pamphlet you mention.

G. D. Chester: You will find an exposition of 1 Pet. 3:19, 20, in Man’s Nature and Destiny, pp. 87–95, or State of the Dead, pp. 73–79.

F. A. Marvin: The question of dealing with cheese factories in a manner not to infringe the Sabbath, we leave to the wisdom of those living in those localities, and knowing more of the circumstances attending such dealings, or to the consciences of those engaged therein. We believe that a conscientious Sabbath-keeper will be quick to discern any plan of the enemy which is drawing him into an infringement of the Sabbath; and in all cases where there is the least doubt, he will give his conscience the benefit of the doubt, by refraining from everything that is questionable.

T. Brown: For an exposition of Isaiah 65:20, see REVIEW, Vol. 43, No. 1. On Matt. 5:19, see works on the Sabbath question; and on Ps. 49:19, see works on the nature of man.

F. Morrison: Prov. 21:18, “The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright,” seems to refer to those instances in which the punishing of the wicked has preserved the righteous. Thus when Achan was stoned, he was a ransom for the camp of righteous Israel. The seven sons of Saul, when they were hanged, were a ransom for the kingdom of righteous David. And often the righteous are delivered out of trouble, and the wicked coming in his stead, seems a ransom for him. Prov. 11:8.

Questioned. A correspondent questions the date of the great auroral display noticed last week. He thinks it occurred in 1836, instead of 1837. We gave the date as we found it in the book.

A. M. Johnson: See an explanation of Acts 26:23; 1 Cor. 15:20, etc., in “State of the Dead,” pp. 115–125, where the question of the resurrection of Moses is discussed in full. In regard to the newspaper paragraph trying to show that Christ was in paradise on the day of his crucifixion, because he was in Heaven when conversing with Nicodemus, John 3:13, it will be sufficient to say, there is a difference between Christ’s personal presence, and his presence by his Spirit, which any one can see and understand; and when the writer will tell how Christ could say, I have not yet ascended to my Father, when he was there, according to his view, all the time, it will be worth while to notice his remarks further.

“Is it wrong for railroad companies to run their cars on the Sabbath? And if so, is it consistent in Sabbath-keepers, under ordinary circumstances, to travel by railroad on the Sabbath?” —J. R. Whitham.

Ans. It certainly is wrong for R. R. companies to run their cars as they do on the Sabbath for purposes of traffic. But suppose that all R. R. companies, and all who travel, were Sabbath-keepers, would there be anything wrong in steaming up and running a moderate distance to attend a Sabbath meeting, and for that purpose only? Would there be any where near the amount of work involved in this that would have to be put forth if the same company should go by private conveyances? And if this could be done, it may be asked further, May not a Sabbath-keeper avail himself of the fact that the cars do run, to accomplish just that for himself that he would do, in the case previously supposed? In some cities, Sabbath-keepers to get to meeting at all, have to avail themselves of the street cars, where the same principle would apply. And between the cities of Oakland and San Francisco, Cal., Sabbath-keepers have to pass by cars and steamer. If they go from one to the other for Sabbath meetings at all, they have to go in this way; for there is no other. Is it not right?

D. S. Plum: We have no Catholic catechisms for sale. They can be had at Catholic book stores in large cities.

J. W. Lesan: To meet the misrepresentations of your Methodist minister on Matt. 28:1, and other texts that speak of the first day of the week, you need the tract on this subject, published at this Office, entitled, “Argument on Sabbath.” It fully answers the false reading of the Greek of those passages, by ministers and self-styled scholars. We would recommend you to procure a quantity for distribution in your neighborhood. U. S.