UNDER THE CANVAS | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 9, 1879

UNDER THE CANVAS.

THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS CRUSADING DENVER.

The Denver (Col.) daily Tribune, under the above heading, gives the following account of an interview with Eld. Corliss, while engaged in the tent-meeting he has just held in that city:—

A reporter of the Tribune, while walking up Sixteenth street the other evening, observed, on the corner of Sixteenth and Glenarm streets, a mammoth tent. On entering he learned that it was a tabernacle or cotton church, erected for the purpose of holding a series of advent meetings. Entering into conversation with Eld. Corliss, the minister in charge, the following, in substance, passed between them:—

“For what object is this tent here?”

“We hold religious services here each evening.”

“How are these services conducted?”

“We are giving a series of biblical lectures. Each service is opened with singing and prayer, then follows a discourse upon some interesting Bible theme.”

“What denomination do you represent?”

“That body of Christians known as Seventh-day Adventists.”

“At what point of time do you look for the end of the world?”

“We do not preach the definite time of the second coming of Christ. From the fulfillment of prophecy, and the signs of the times, however, we regard that eventful day near.”

“But have not your people set the time for the end of the world?”

“We have not. Mr. Miller and his associates and followers, who were Adventists, did set the time, and were disappointed. But Seventh-day Adventists have arisen since the passing of Mr. Miller’s time in 1844. And while there have been branches of Adventists who have set different times, and have as often been disappointed, Seventh-day Adventists have from their earliest existence repudiated definite time-setting.”

“Does Freeman, of the Pocasset tragedy, belong with your branch of Adventists?”

“He does not. That company being interviewed a few weeks since by Eld. D. A. Robinson, of Massachusetts, confessed ignorance of the existence of such a people as the Seventh-day Adventists.”

“From what point of time do the people holding your distinctive views date their existence? what are your religious sentiments? and what are your people doing?”

Here Eld. Corliss became talkative, and gave in substance the following historical sketch of his people:

As early as 1845 two of the ablest first-day Adventist ministers examined the claims of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, and finding no divine authority in the New Testament for the change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week, they began to teach their people in harmony with the declaration of the divine law, that “the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.” But the pressure brought to bear against them by their brethren for what was regarded as practical heresy, was such that they soon abandoned the original Sabbath of Jehovah.

Eld. Joseph Bates of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, was the first Seventh-day Adventist minister who remained firm to the advocacy of the Sabbatarian views. He embraced the Sabbath from reading the productions of Elders Preble and Cook upon the subject, and in 1846 published a pamphlet in defense of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. The writings and discourses of Eld. Bates called the attention of Eld. James White and his wife, Mrs. E. G. White, to the Sabbath question in 1846, since which time they have been able and ardent advocates of the doctrines now held by Seventh-day Adventists.

Mr. and Mrs. White have traveled and preached extensively. Their field of labor has extended from Maine to California, and from Dakota to Texas, embracing twenty-four States and Territories, besides the Canadas. And in connection with their public labors as speakers, they have been among the most prominent writers and authors in the denomination. Eld. White has acted the part of editor and publisher since 1849, and Mrs. White has 5,000 pages of her own writings in the field. In 1861 a publishing association was incorporated according to the laws of the State of Michigan, and located at Battle Creek. Its growth has been rapid, and its influence wide-spread and powerful. It is said to be as complete a publishing house as exists on the continent. Periodicals and publications are issued here in six languages besides the English.

In 1875 a publishing association was by them incorporated according to the laws of the State of California, and located in the beautiful city of Oakland. This publishing house has a complete outfit of steam presses, type and bindery, and also has a type foundry where stereotyping, electrotyping, and the manufacture of type are extensively carried on. From their California publishing house is issued a weekly paper entitled The Signs of the Times, which has a circulation in all the States and Territories, the British Provinces, and in Europe wherever the English language is read. They regard the press as the right arm of their strength, and circulate their reading matter through tract and missionary societies which are organized wherever they extend their work. Their ministers are all evangelists. In the warmer seasons they extend their work by means of portable cotton meeting-houses like the one we have here in Denver. There are not less than eighty of those in operation the present season in the United States and Canada, besides one in England and another in Norway.

Seventh-day Adventists are a most thorough temperance people. They regard it necessary to observe strict temperance in all their habits of life in order to enjoy health and clear mental and spiritual vision. From their first existence this work of reform has been progressing among them, until they have, as a denomination, put alcoholic drinks, tobacco, tea and coffee out of the camp. This great work has not been accomplished by rigid rules, making abstinence from these useless and hurtful things a test of Christian fellowship, but by enlightening the mind and earnestly appealing to the conscience. In 1867 a legally incorporated association was formed by them, to more fully carry out health and temperance principles. This has resulted in a mammoth institution known as the Battle Creek Sanitarium for the cure of the sick. The main building is 150x137 feet, four stories in height above the basement. Besides this there are seven large cottages, in all capable of entertaining three hundred patients. In 1874 the Seventh-day Adventists formed an educational association under the laws of Michigan. They have a neat school building of brick, 37x71, with two hall wings, each 17x37, three stories high above the basement, capable of accommodating five hundred students. The annual attendance is five hundred. This school is known as the Battle Creek College.

“In the presentation of their religious sentiments, Seventh-day Adventists adopt the literal interpretation of the sacred Scriptures. They hold that every text should be understood as meaning what it says, excepting those passages where it is evident from the text and context that a parable or figure is employed. Hence they understand the plain declarations of the word of God relative to the second appearing of Jesus Christ as meaning word for word just what they say. And applying the rule of biblical interpretation to the fourth precept of the moral code, the ten commandments, they are shut up to the observance of the seventh day, the only day of the week commanded to be sacredly observed as the Sabbath in all the Bible. These two prominent features of their religious faith distinguish them from other denominations; hence they have taken the name, Seventh-day Adventists.”