Seventh-day Adventists Defended by a Stranger.
EDITOR SIGNS: On my way home from California, when the train stopped at Cedar Rapids, a man came aboard and took a seat directly opposite me. He had a cigar in his hand, and soon applied a match and commenced smoking. From his conversation with a gentleman in the next seat, I learned that he was on his way to Washington, and that he had some business with the President; I also heard some remarks about members of his church. When he had finished his conversation and was ready for a second cigar, I inquired, "Are you a minister?" He replied, "Yes, of the — church." I then asked, "Have you a church of Seventh-day Adventists in your town?" He answered, "Yes; but they don't amount to anything only to make trouble in other churches." He then commenced pouring down the severest anathemas on the Seventh-day Adventist people. The first charge was that they are unorthodox; then, that they have no religion except the seventh day for the Sabbath; their ministers are an ignorant set of men; and lastly, that they are Spiritualists and fanatics! My first thought was to make no reply. In an instant, however, I resolved, by the help of God, to try to defend the truth. So I replied to him: "You say they are not orthodox. I had the privilege, a few weeks ago, of attending a State convention at Healdsburg, Cal., which lasted ten days. They had services four times each day; frequently these were Bible-readings, in which hundreds of passages of Scripture were cited in defense of the doctrines of the church; and I am satisfied that they are as orthodox as any church on earth. As to the seventh day being the Sabbath of God's appointment, you, sir, believe it as firmly as they; we all believe it. And I challenge you to produce a single text of Scripture to prove that, by divine authority, the Sabbath was changed from the seventh to the first day of the week." He then quoted what Paul says about "another day of rest." I remarked that Paul was not treating of the Sabbath at all, but of the rest that remains for the people of God. I then continued, regarding the Seventh-day Adventists: "As to the religion of their church, I never was among a people where more brotherly love and Christian fellowship seemed to prevail than I witnessed during the meetings at Healdsburg. You said, sir, that their ministers are illiterate, ignorant men. Have you ever heard Elder —?" He said he had not. I replied: "I heard him twice, and I have heard several of the bishops of your church; his discourses compare favorably with those of any of your bishops that I have heard. There were a number of ministers of fine talents at that meeting. You charge them with being 'offshoots of Spiritualists;' no people are farther from that delusion. Their standard writings denounce everything connected with Spiritualism." "But before closing my conversation with you, sir, I wish to make one remark—the Seventh-day Adventists are unqualifiedly devoted to the cause of temperance. In this they are an example to all the churches. They require their members to abstain from all intoxicating beverages, and tobacco in every form." The color came deeply to his face. "And what have you to say against the use of tobacco?" he asked. "I say, sir, it is an expensive, loathsome, filthy practice,—unfit for human beings to indulge." "Filthy!" he ejaculated; "point out wherein it is filthy!" He had, by accident or design, discharged his saliva nearer my feet than his own, and I just turned my index finger toward it.