p. 457 | The Missionary by W. N. Glenn

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 29, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 29.

The Missionary.

By W. N. Glenn

"THE AMERICAN SENTINEL."

THIS important journal has a special field. Its work is of a political rather than a religious nature; that is, it is set for contesting the political phase of the "image" to the Papal beast that is being made in the United States. The idea is to get the warning of the third angel of Revelation 14 before those persons who would not be inclined to heed it coming from a religious journal, or in the guise of religion, but who, after being awakened to the real character of the work of the National Reformers, would be inclined to receive, from those who had thus enlightened them, further light on the subject. And there are Christians of other denominations who would not read a denominational journal coming from Seventh-day Adventists, who would read a secular or undenominational paper, and accept such evidences as are presented in the American Sentinel, and thus a new avenue of approaching them is opened to our workers.

That these original conceptions in regard to a journal of the character of the Sentinel were correct, has been amply demonstrated in the three and a half years of its publication. It has not only been the means of enlightening our own people regarding the principles and identity of the "image" work, and what is essential to make the image complete, but it has wielded an influence that has been felt throughout the country, by all classes, and has done more toward moulding a sentiment against the National Reform work than any other one instrument. It is recognized as a foe worthy of their steel by even its journalistic opponents; and Senator Blair himself was constrained to acknowledge that the positions assumed, as presented before his committee by one of its editors, were "logical all the way through."

The American Sentinel deals directly with the warning of the people as to the character of the delusive work now going on in our republic, leaving the battle against the false doctrines of the churches to be fought by the journals and other publications adapted especially to that part of the work. There is not room in either the pioneer expositor (the Signs of the Times), or in the special church paper (the Review and Herald), for the matter necessary to do the work of the American Sentinel. The latter is devoted to pointing out the fulfillment of that which its companions in labor have predicted through the exposition of prophecy. It is a necessary auxiliary to their work, as many of our own people even, who for years had been proclaiming and looking for the making of the image to the Papacy in the United States, were not prepared to fully recognize the structure, so far advanced toward completion, until shown its dragonic grimaces through the Sentinel telescope.

When the publication of the American Sentinel was first proposed, many of our brethren thought the move was premature, and even its most ardent advocates were content with a monthly edition for nearly three years. But the rapid growth of that which it was designed to oppose, through the encouragement given by the friendly attitude of a United States senator and the prospect of favorable legislation in Congress, soon convinced its editors and publishers that it must either be enlarged or issued weekly, in order to meet the demand upon its columns. Accordingly, it was changed to a weekly at the commencement of the present year.

Following this advance step, came the demand for an Eastern edition, and as the work allotted to us as a people is one that admits of no delay, the publishers, after due deliberation and careful counsel, promptly decided not merely to issue an Eastern edition, but to remove the main edition to the New York office. This is an aggressive move which will demand the material as well as the moral backing of our people at large,—East, West, North, and South. This forward move, right into the ranks of the enemy's heaviest artillery, will no doubt soon call for heavier ordnance on our part, and a sixteen-page American Sentinel will in all probability be an absolute necessity for the year 1890. The National Sunday Association is endeavoring to form State, county, and city organizations all over the country before the close of the year, and it will devolve upon this paper to show up the more prominent maneuvers of all these additions to the enemy's ranks. It will take space, and money, and talent to accomplish all this; but it must be done, if the body now intrusted with the grave responsibilities of the message would secure the final credit of "well done."

The conflict hastens; it will be a short but terrible one, and the sooner we throw ourselves and all that we have into the struggle the sooner it will be over. The American Sentinel will have to meet the foe in the open field, exposing to the whole people the treasonable nature of his so-called Christian movement; while every division of our denominational forces will be showing the eternal results of bowing to the "image" after its completion.

The missionary societies and the canvassers being the active agents through which our publications are made effective, we would urge upon them the importance of working with the American Sentinel. As it deals with a subject of vital importance and growing interest to all classes, it is bound to yield satisfactory returns for labor performed with it. The favor and influence it has already gained throughout the country, and the prestige established in the minds of influential men, should not be allowed to wane; while the iron is hot is the time to strike. Now is the time to work, while the conditions are favorable. Now is the time that good can be done with the Sentinel. When the enemy's work shall have been accomplished, the warning voice will be of no avail. No one can measure the importance of that little word now, in securing a wide circulation of the American Sentinel. W. N. GLENN.