TO CORRESPONDENTS

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 10, 1878

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Is there a difference between a righteous person and a holy one, or so much difference that a righteous man will not be saved unless he goes on unto the perfection of holiness? CORRESPONDENT.

ANS. There can certainly be no such difference. A righteous man is one who does right,

and that right-doing makes him a holy man. There is this difference between the words holy and righteous: The former may be used with reference to things as well as with reference to persons; the latter, with reference to persons only. We could speak of the holy vessels of the sanctuary, not the righteous vessels. Righteousness implies the action of a free moral agent. But when applied to persons, both words must mean the same thing.

Is the payment of S. B. or the one-third compulsory, or a test of fellowship? D. H. L.

ANS. The remark has often been made, that the plan adopted by our people for raising means, is systematic benevolence, not systematic compulsion. It is not a tax, nor compulsory, nor a matter of church fellowship. Everything should be voluntary, and of the person's own free will. So, at least, we have supposed it to be held.

L. HASKINS: We send your request to the president of the Ohio Conference, H. A. St. John, Clyde, O.

ANNIS F. COATS: For an answer to your questions on the sanctuary, see the work lately published on that subject. In regard to the question of lyceums, we do not see why one could not be so conducted among S. D. Adventists as to be beneficial to those engaging in it.

ANSWERED BY LETTER: H. A. St. John, G. I. Butler, J. H. Waggoner, J. L. Lewis, M. Stratton, M. W. Harris, S. J. Hersum, J. O. Carlson, D. C. Babcock.