Correction from Elder Jones
By Editor
From Elder Jones, of London.
BROTHER JONES has felt called upon to write the following note, which we publish as he requests:— To the Editors of the Signs of the Times :
DEAR BRETHREN—Allow me to correct a statement in your issue of August 1, in the editorial headed "Great Britain," that "the doctrines of the Seventh-day Adventists, through our publicatious and the brief visit of Elder Andrews, had taken strong hold of those who revered the Sabbath of the fourth commandment." To my knowledge not one person belonging te the Seventh-day Baptist churches of Mill Yard, Natton, and Belfast, or the Seventh-day Baptists scattered over the kingdom has embraced those doctrines, nor have we ever asked the Adventists for missionary help. Though in the past many "discouragements" have attended us, yet we are united, and determined to work more than ever for the Sabbath cause, success steadily attending our labors. Yours very truly,
London, August 20, 1878.
W. M. JONES. We think Brother Jones has taken the remarks to which he refers in too strong a light; he denies that any of the churches there have embraced our peculiar views. The editorial in question did not claim so much. It has not been the intention of any one to place Brother Jones and others in Great Britain in a false light, nor have we any special interest in turning people away from the S. D. Baptists to the S. D. Adventists. We are always pleased to have openings for successful labor presented before our missionaries. But we fully endorse the remark made by Brother Andrews recently that we would not willingly engage in a work which was calculated to draw members from the S. D. Baptists to ourselves, because the number of Sabbath-keepers would not be increased thereby. In the work of Sabbath reform we are together, and we can say as Abraham said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between us, for we are brethren." There is no practical question of difference between us. We do not intend to undervalue any Scripture doctrine which we hold and teach. But in the matter of the commandments of God, which relate primarily to moral and Christian character, we are agreed; other points in which we are not agreed, are not of the same primary importance, as they do not so directly relate to obedience to the great moral law. We can assure Brother Jones, and his friends in Great Britain, that no one among us has any intention to place them in a position which they would dislike to occupy, and if any thing has been said on a simple misunderstanding of facts, we know not why it should hinder fraternal feelings between them and our missionaries in Europe. We are pleased to hear of their prosperity, and have reason to believe that they, in turn, have been pleased with our success in the Sabbath reform. With the apostle we say, "Let brotherly love continue."