SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 2, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 47.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS.

WHAT A SECULAR PAPER SAYS.

THE Colorado Sunday Sun of September 3 contains the following summary of belief and work of Seventh-day Adventists. It is a much fairer representation of our people than the secular press generally gives, owing, doubtless, partly to ignorance:—

Since the day of Wm. Miller the name Adventist, or Adventism, has, in the minds of the majority of people, associated itself with that which is weak minded, ludicrous, and fanatical, simply because of a mistake and disappointment connected with his work. In spite of this, however, the world, both religious and secular, has become permeated with the idea, indefinite, it is true, that we are living just before some great event—some crisis in the world's history, and with many the admission at least forces itself upon the mind that that event may be the end of the world—the second advent of Christ.

As the attention of the community is now called to this people by their camp meeting in this city, some facts concerning their belief and the nature of their work as given by themselves we deem of interest to the readers of the Sunday Sun. Seventh-day Adventists—a name significant of the two distinguishing features of the faith of this people, viz., the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, as the Sabbath, and a belief in the personal second advent of Christ—have arisen since the movement known as the "Millerite movement." They indorse Wm. Miller and his work, however, believing that his work was of the Lord, and that even his mistake in setting the definite time for Christ to come was a matter noticed in prophecy. God permitted the mistake and disappointment for a purpose—to test, develop, and separate those who truly love the doctrine of Christ's coming from those who might be led to accept it upon the evidence through fear, rather than through love. The stigma which has since rested upon the name Adventist in consequence of that mistake, has constantly worked to this end since that time. Its effect is to prove true disciples now, the same as the reproach borne by Christ when upon earth, proved true disciples.

As to the mistake being a fulfillment of prophecy, they cite as a parallel the mistake of the disciples when Christ rode into Jerusalem, and they threw their garments into the way and cried, "Hosanna! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." They verily believed that he was there to take the throne of David and reign king in Jerusalem.

All this was prophesied and must be fulfilled, for he said, "If these hold their peace the very stones will cry out." Prophecy must be fulfilled, yet they mistook as to what was to occur. So with the proclamation given by Wm. Miller. It fulfilled its design. It aroused the world on the subject of the second advent of Christ, and from that awakening through all the way along bearing the reproach of the mistake, has grown a work which is world-wide, constantly increasing in power, and is now attracting the attention of the nations of the earth in a remarkable manner.

They believe they are simply carrying out the work of reformation begun by Luther and carried on by succeeding reformers, and as successively dropped by the various denominations as they have adopted their respective creeds, thus binding themselves about and precluding progress in the development of all the truth.

Seventh-day Adventists have never set a definite time for the coming of Christ, believing that the day or time is not to be known, but that we may know by the fulfillment of prophecy and the signs of the times when it is "near even at the doors."

Their work has been in some respects phenomenal. They are not numerous, probably less than 50,000 in the world, neither are they possessed of means generally, yet their work has grown marvelously in all branches.

They have something over 1,000 organized churches, nearly 500 ministers, and about as many more Bible readers and missionaries. The ministry is supported by the tithes of the people, which they pay systematically into the various Conference treasuries. The amount of the tithes of the denomination last year was between $300,000 and $400,000. The publishing and educational branches of their work are especially successful. They have extensive publishing houses and branches in London, New York, Oakland, Cal.; Battle Creek, Mich.; Basel, Switzerland; Christiania, Norway; Cape Town, South Africa, and Melbourne, Australia. Many publications are issued in twelve or fifteen different languages. They have seven denominational schools located in various parts of this country, one in Australia, one in South Africa, and the establishment of others is under contemplation. Much interest is taken in the subject of healthful living.

One of the largest sanitariums in the world, located at Battle Creek, Mich., and another at St. Helena, Cal., are under the direction of this people. In connection with the one located at Battle Creek a school for the education of medical missionaries is conducted. A hospital and two "homes," one for orphans, the other for old people, are established at Battle Creek, in connection with the Sanitarium, at a cost of over $100,000.

Perhaps in no direction is the aggressiveness of the people more marked than in their espousal and promulgation of the principles of religious liberty. They hold most tenaciously to the original principles of American government, believing them to be truly Christian principles upon the question of religious legislation. They maintain that the Constitution, insuring as it does perfect religious freedom, shall be preserved inviolate, and they most strenuously oppose every movement which tends in the opposite direction.

They claim when Christ spoke these words—"Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's," he enunciated in reality the very principle upon which our government was established. It is therefore with deep concern and regret that they witness the prevalence of a departure from these principles, especially among religious bodies, as evidenced by the almost universal clamor for Sunday laws.

For years they have published a weekly paper in New York City, the American Sentinel, wholly devoted to the maintenance of these principles and the preservation of the Constitution as it is. At their last General Conference an appeal and remonstrance were passed which set before the world their position upon this question distinctly. The preamble and closing paragraph read as follows:—

"WHEREAS, The Supreme Court of these United States, contrary to the principles upon which our government was established, and contrary to the Constitution of the same, has declared this to be a Christian nation; and,

"WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States, following in the same course, has violated the Constitution and invaded the rights of the people by legislating upon the subject of religion, deciding a religious controversy and establishing a religious institution in the matter of closing the World's Fair on Sunday; therefore, be it

"Resolved, That we do hereby submit to the government and people of the United States this our appeal and remonstrance."

Then follows the remonstrance, closing thus:

"We, therefore, as Christians, as Protestants, as American citizens, and as men, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, in the name and by the authority of the natural rights of mankind, of the Constitution of the United States, of the history of more than 1,800 years, and of the Lord Jesus Christ, solemnly publish and declare that we are and of right ought to be free and independent of all connection, direction, dictation, interference, or control, of the Government of the United States in matters of religion or religious observance, or institutions of any kind or degree; and that as such, as far as earthly authority is concerned, we have full right to be religious or not religious, to worship or not to worship, to observe a day or not to observe it, according to the dictates of our own consciences and the convictions of our own minds.

"And for the support of this appeal, remonstrance, and declaration, and with a firm reliance on the protection of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we mutually pledge to each other and to the world our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

They regard their present work as small, compared with what it will yet be, believing that the messages of the three angels recorded in Rev. 15 are symbolical of the work which is going to the earth to prepare a people for the coming of the Lord, who shall, in the language there used, be found keeping "the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus."