A True Statement by Editor

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 23, 1879

A True Statement.

By Editor

WE are sorry that circumstances call for the publication of such matter as the following, but justice sometimes compels it. The letter in the Standard was sent to us from the East, by a person who is a stranger to us, with a request to explain. We have the utmost confidence in Bro. Wood, and in his statements. Our experience, somewhat extensive, with that people, is not such as to give assurance of fair dealing when a challenge is given for a debate.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISM.

BRO. ERRETT:—Recently Eld. Wood, a Seventh-day Advent preacher, pitched his tent in Santa Anna. He preaches in a very belligerent manner, and raised quite a sensation. A Baptist preacher by the name of Parker, announced in the paper a sermon on "The Immortality of the human spirit." Mr. Wood was there, and at the close of the meeting stood up on one of the seats and announced that he would review the sermon in his tent. The general impression was that Mr. Wood was too smart for Mr. Parker. This gave him more confidence, and he opened out on the Seventh-day doctrine, and quite a number of good people were about carried away, when Bro. Lyle put a stop to his game by showing the other side. For over two hours he had the best of attention, while he expounded Paul's letters to the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians and Hebrews, we are "not under the law"—that the old covenant is "taken away."

At the close of the sermon Mr. Wood said he would not debate then, but as soon as he finished his series of discourses he would. Consequently a challenge to debate the Sabbath question soon appeared in print. Elder Wood accepted the challenge; but when Bro. Lyle called on him to make arrangements, Mr. Wood utterly refused to affirm anything, claiming that Bro. Lyle challenged, and hence must do all the affirming. This Bro. Lyle did not see fit to do, especially as the advent effort was already killed. Bro. Lyle agreed to affirm his position on the first day, in language framed by Mr. Wood, provided he would affirm his Seventh-day doctrine. But no, he would affirm nothing. Such a piece of cowardice we seldom ever see.

S. J. S. RUBOTTOM.

ORANGE, Los Angeles Co., Cal., Sept. 7.

A TRUE STATEMENT.

IN answer to the article in the Christian Standard "Seventh-day Adventism," I pen the following, which is a statement of facts. The article in the Standard comes far short of telling the truth; but that is accounted for when we come to understand that it was written by a man and published by a people who claim that the ten commandments are abolished. People living in this vicinity need no explanation, but I write this so those who may see the article in the Standard will understand the matter. Mr. Rubottom who signed the article knew nothing of our meetings, nor what was done in Santa Ana, only what was told him, as he lives in Orange, and he told me himself that he was in the tent but once while I had it in Santa Ana. He states that "quite a number of good people were being carried away by the Seventh-day doctrine when Mr. Lyle interfered." Mr. Lyle sent a request for the use of the tent to preach against the Seventh-day Sabbath before I had preached in favor of it. I granted his request, and he made two attempts, working hard for about four hours, trying to show that the ten commandments are abolished. He crossed himself so many times his own members could see it, and one called out from the congregation and set him straight. His attempts were reviewed to the satisfaction of the people as the following will show. When his attempt was made against the Law of God, no one had taken a stand on the truth, but immediately after, twenty-four signed the covenant, and several of these were members of his church. So the reader can see how he "killed the advent effort." A short time after he challenged me to debate the Sabbath question which I accepted, but on talking with him, I found him to be a very unreasonable man, and unchristian-like in his talk, and he utterly refused to debate unless he could have his own way in the matter, and seemed indignant because I asked him to bear half of the expenses if we should hold it in the tent. When I found there was no reason in him, and he was void of common courtesy, I asked him to come to the meeting that night and make the arrangements before the congregation; that he also refused to do, and went off mad.

At the close of my tent meetings, and after all the attempts against our position, I immersed nine; the first ever immersed in Santa Ana notwithstanding there is a Campbellite (Disciple) and a Baptist church in the place.

J. L. WOOD.