p. 5 | As to Voting by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · May 10, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 19.

As to Voting

By Editor

1658.—As to Voting.

Kindly state your reasons why Seventh-day Adventists should not vote. Daniel appears to have been connected with the government of Babylon; and the powers that be are ordained of God, then why should not the people of God, as well as others, in these days, have a voice in these things? H. C. H.

We have not said that Seventh-day Adventists should not vote. Whatever reason should debar them from voting should debar all other true Christians. Here are, however, some principles worthy of consideration:

1. All parties in power in nation, state, and municipality to-day have again and again betrayed the trust which good men thought they would keep. Under present political management of "boss rule" no man can be assured that his vote will count for righteousness, whether the party he votes for wins or loses.

2. Moral sentiment or principle is of little account in the politics of to-day. Largely it is a matter of spoils.

3. Where simple, direct local issues are at stake, where the question is clear and plain, it is well for the Christian to record his vote as a protest against wrong, as a witness to the right.

4. But to enter the corrupting pool of politics, to identify himself with the constant perversion of every true principle, is subversive of Christianity and vitiating to his Christian character. Read, for a picture of this time, Isaiah 59; 2 Tim. 3 : 1-5.

5. If a man undertakes to remedy the affairs of this world by any means, he should, to be consistent, be willing to follow it to the end. The bullet may be the logical outcome of the ballot.

6. The true child of God is a follower of Jesus Christ, whose kingdom is not of this world. John 18 : 36. Here he is a "pilgrim" and a "stranger;" an ambassador of another government; his "citizenship is in heaven." Heb. 11 : 9, 13; Phil. 3 : 20. Here are some other scriptures worthy of study: Ps. 146 : 3-10; Isa. 31 : 1-3; Zech. 4 : 6.

7. The Christian can always be the greatest help to any government or any community by living the Christ life. The true influence of the church is never strengthened by politics.

True, Daniel served in Babylon, but as a faithful slave, not as a politician. Rom. 13 : 1 is a general statement as to civil government, the worst of which is better than anarchy. God calls Nebuchadnezzar His servant. But some of our "Christian" politicians, had they then lived, might have endeavored to defeat him, and so have been found working against God. We are told to obey civil rulers; where are we instructed to elect, appoint, install, or do politics for them?