p. 136 | The War by Editor

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 23, 1862

The War.

By Editor

It will doubtless be gratifying to the readers of the Review for the brethren to speak out freely through the Review on the present war, and the duty of Seventh-day Adventists in relation to it, provided their articles are free from that blind prejudice which has been ready to attack every advance which we as a people have made. A Bro. M. writes from Pennsylvania against our suggestions, and denounces organization, name, &c., &c. However much relief he may have felt in sending his denunciatory letter to the Office, he cannot expect us to publish it. We give those which appear kind and candid.

Bro. Ingraham writes from Monroe, Wis. Sept. 13, 1862:

"I wish to say that what you have written on the subject of drafting is satisfactory to my mind, and I wonder how any one could find fault with your position. It is not the intention of this government in this war to crush any man's religious faith, but to wipe out this unholy rebellion. When the two-horned beast makes war upon the saints with the sole object to destroy our faith in the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, I say die, to a man, before yielding to such a decree."

Bro. A. G. Carter writes from Rubicon, Wis., Sept. 18, 1862:

"It would seem most natural to me, from 2 Cor. x, 4; Rom. xii, 19-21, that the followers of Christ should not use carnal weapons, nor avenge. But how shall we understand Rom. xiii, 1-4? 'Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but of God.'"

"Shall we understand this in an unlimited sense, or as referring to righteous rulers only? In verse 4 we read, 'For he is the minister of God to thee for good.' It does not seem to me that such a ruler would require God's children to do that which would be the means of breaking any of the ten commandments. I desire to understand this subject better than I do. Who among the Lord's messengers will undertake to help me to a better understanding of Rom. xiii, 1-4?"

"I acknowledge that I am a right-out-and-out coward when I am required to go into the carnal war, and if the same law was to be binding on us that was on the Jews, I would surely show my heels. See Deut. xx, 8. 'And the officers shall speak further unto the people and say, What man is there that is fearful and faint-hearted, let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart. But let me have a place in that war whose weapons are not carnal, and I will stick as close as a brother.'"

Sept. 18. "You say in Review No. 15, under the caption, To Correspondents, 'Well-written articles, harmonizing the Scriptures on the subject, will be thankfully received.'"

"I can say such articles will be thankfully read by A. G. Carter. I was interested and comforted while reading what was written in last week's Review, 'To Correspondents.' I am anxious in such times as these to fully understand our duty to the rulers. I freely confess that I do not fully understand the Scriptures on that subject."