p. 4 | THE SABBATH RECORDER by Editor

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 24, 1859

THE SABBATH RECORDER.

By Editor

THE Sabbath Recorder, the organ of the Seventh-day Baptist denomination, is published in N. Y. city. Standing forth as it has in defense of the true Sabbath, in opposition to the traditionary practice of Sunday-keeping, we have been interested in its course and position. But we have long felt that the Sabbath was too great and glorious a truth, and too far in advance of the dark-age theology of the present day, to make, while repudiating all connection with Sunday, common cause with other doctrines which may claim a twin relationship to Sunday; in other words, to be held in connection with the equally traditionary doctrines of the consciousness of the dead, the eternal torture of the wicked, a spiritual kingdom of Christ, &c. Hence we may be allowed to express our gratification in seeing, especially of late, many of the correspondents of the Recorder—the majority of them, if we rightly judge—

taking what we consider a Bible view of these questions, and freely and forcibly expressing their views through the columns of that paper. As an illustration, we present in another column the article, "Does the World turn over?"

So marked has the correspondence of the Recorder become on these subjects that we may almost adopt the language of Eld. S. S. Griswold, found in its issue of Nov. 10th. He says:

"I am well aware that my views are not accordant with what seems (especially of late) to be the sentiments of the Sabbath Recorder. For, if I have rightly read its columns, it has, after long vacillation, hoisted the flags of annihilationism, destructionism, millerism, and material paradiseism. I use the above names only to designate certain views, and not in any individual manner; for far be it from me to speak lightly of any one's religious views. Nor do I mention them as though they must be errors; for I frankly admit that they may be the true Bible doctrine on those subjects. And while I as yet do not accept them as the true exegesis of the inspired record, I have great respect for those who do. For, unless there underlies the letter of the Bible a spiritual meaning, they are true without doubt."

The italicizing of the above is our own. "Unless there underlies the letter of the Bible a spiritual meaning, they are true without doubt." This is almost as good as the unequivocal stand which others have taken upon these questions. It is an admission that, according to the plain letter of the Bible, that is, if it is to be taken literally and means what it says, these views are undoubtedly correct. We look upon this as quite an advance in the right direction; being, as it is, a frank admission that the opposite of the views we hold is only supported by that hidden, spiritual and mystical interpretation of the word of God, which was introduced by the fathers of the speculative philosophy, and has been continued by their successors to the present time. Of these persons Mosheim (Church Hist. Cent. ii, part 2, chap. ii, § 5) thus speaks: "They attributed a double sense to the words of Scripture; the one obvious and literal, the other hidden and mystical, which lay concealed as it were under the veil of the outward letter. The former they treated with the utmost neglect, and turned the whole force of their genius and application to unfold the latter; or, in other words, they were more studious to darken the Scriptures with their idle fictions than to investigate their true and natural sense." But for this course on the part of early commentators, views opposite to the obvious and literal teaching of the Scriptures would undoubtedly never have obtained in the church; and certainly when the controversy is brought to hinge upon this point (as in Eld. G.'s position), whether the Scriptures shall be understood literally or mystically, we are confident that it cannot with many be of long continuance.

We regard the great truths of man's state in death, the destiny of the wicked, and the coming of the Son of man, as especially needed at the present time to check the downward spiritual tendencies of this age, and to lift up a standard against the floods of Spiritualism and infidelity which are beginning to sweep over the land. Hence we are gratified to see them obtaining among any people or in any denomination.