p. 553 | COMPLIMENTARY by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 9, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 35.

COMPLIMENTARY.

By Editor

THE Herald of Truth, in its issue of the 28th ultimo, takes occasion through reference to the Sunday-law agitation to mention Seventh-day Adventists. That one may be able to appreciate the friendliness, courtesy, amiability, and charity of our contemporary, we print its note entire. It is thus that our neighbor discourses:—

"We can but believe that it was a mistake for Mr. Crafts to give the prominence which he did to the Adventists. They are zealots who compass sea and land to persuade one man to pronounce their seventh-day Shibboleth. These people are twenty centuries behind in the march of truth, and two centuries behind in their methods of warfare. They live on logic and would die but for disputes. Two centuries ago they would have exactly fitted their time. But under the Spirit of God and the broad wings of the angel of charity, we believe that to-day there is something paramount to proselytism, something nobler than narrow dogmatizing about a day, and something more Christ-like than stealing the Lord's sheep from another's fold in order to fill one's own. These people recruit their ranks not from the forces of Satan, but from the churches of Christ. They especially delight to feed on the life-blood of Baptists. A taste of Baptist blood makes them voracious.

"We believe their spirit is filled with strife, narrowness and dogmatism and unchristian proselytism. We most heartily wish that they had as much Christianity as the Salvation Army people, who try to save the lost and let other people alone. We believe Baptists at least should let these people alone, for they are joined to their idols. Baptists could do better than pay their money for printing to people who live on Baptist life."

We do not consider that the above words merit a reply. The spirit which dictated them must be evident to any one of the least spiritual discernment. We will however depart from our convictions and in mercy point out some facts to our neighbor. Perhaps the Herald has cooled sufficiently to profit by them.

1. The prominence which Mr. Crafts gave Adventists. Was it not the other way? Mr. Crafts himself said that no people would go so far to hear him or gave him better attention than ours. The best congregations he has had since coming to this coast has been where Adventists advertised him and thus gave him prominence. Is it not because his hoped-for success was so signal a failure that our contemporary feels so blue?

2. Eighteen centuries back carry us to the fountain head, uncorrupted by tradition. We plead guilty of going no further back. Two hundred years ago were not such bad times for the Baptists. They developed such men as Roger Williams, men who had convictions worth defending and consciences which could not compromise, whose motto and whose walk was forward and up. The "up grade" is better than the "down grade," isn't it, neighbor?

3. We prize "logic" much better than its opposite. We live however "by the faith of the Son of God." Evidently logic is a commodity scarce in the Herald sanctum. We have heard a certain story about "sour grapes."

4. The charge of proselyting and stealing comes with a bad grace from Baptists. "Dogmatizing about a day" falls in the same category. Baptists have dogmatized about a rite, a form,—immersion—during the whole of their existence. They exist by virtue of that. It is their shibboleth, although many through the spirit of compromise, and so-called charity, are coming to pronounce it "sibboleth," they have not quite courage enough to "frame to pronounce it right." But, neighbor, cling to that one truth. It is a precious heritage left of your fathers, who felt that that truth was worth dogmatizing about at times, and teaching to others who knew it not, wherever they were. They believed even as we that God's truth is for all the world, for all sects and classes. We endeavor to present that truth as it is in Christ Jesus. If Baptists come to hear, they are always welcome. So are all others. We present before them God's word, centuries old though it be, and invite them to accept of that. It is true that Baptists have joined our ranks. It is true that they are the life-blood of the Baptists that do so. But they are not compelled to so do, other than the word and Spirit of God compels them. It takes good men and women, honest in heart, who have the courage of their convictions, to follow advanced light. Honest Baptists who have taken Bible testimony for baptism, would naturally accept of, not our theory, but the Bible truth of the Sabbath. With your advanced nineteenth-century charity, and advanced position in the march of truth, with such superior methods of warfare, can the sheep not be kept in the fold, the life current checked?

Proselyting is not a new charge. Jesus and his apostles stirred up Judaism and drained its spiritual life-blood. Martin Luther gathered many out of the Roman Catholic churches. John Wesley, and scores of others, the noble Baptist denomination included, are among those which have gathered many of their numbers from other bodies. What is the Baptist Church doing in the State and Church countries of Europe to-day? But we are not made up of Baptists, neighbor, only as we are all Baptists. The majority of our people first found light and truth and liberty and life with us. They were begotten through the word carried by our instrumentality; but to God we give the glory.

And this work will go on. If Baptists do not accept of the down-trodden truths of God's word, the life-blood will continue to flow from the Baptists till it comes in contact with the truth of God. Seventh-day Adventists may apostatize as a body, they may be boycotted as our neighbor advises, but the work will go on till every honest, regenerate soul, from Baptists as well as others, has accepted present truth. Can you show a better way, Brother Herald, than the way of truth?

5. You say, "We believe their spirit is filled with strife," etc. Why, neighbor? What is your evidence? Did you ever attend one series of Seventh-day Adventist meetings? Would charity prompt or truth justify such a sentence?

6. To the last sentence we will let a former editor and publisher of the same journal, the Herald of Truth, make answer. After dealing with a Seventh-day Adventist firm for years, in the last number of that journal under his management, March 15, 1889, Rev. G. S. Abbott, D.D., said:—

"A NOTE.—I wish to put on record my grateful appreciation of the consideration shown to me all these years by the Pacific Press of Oakland, whose honor in dealing, and whose perfection of type and press work, is probably unsurpassed on the Pacific Coast. G. S. A."

We have corrected some of your mistakes, neighbor, have pointed out some uncharitable allusions and conclusions. What will you do? If we have spoken or taught evil, bear witness of the evil from the word of God; but if we have spoken well, why dost thou smite us? Shall we hear from you again? M. C. W.