A Friendly Word with the Voice of the West.
By Editor
THE Voice of the West and Second Advent Pioneer is the title of the paper recently started a few miles west of us, in Buchanan, Mich., by Elder J. V. Himes. With that paper, being a near advent neighbor, it will be a pleasure to us to endeavor to cultivate friendly and social relations. Our readers have seen frequent mention in these columns of Elder Himes, but never otherwise than in terms of respect and esteem, especially for the part he acted in the former history of the great advent movement. With all that he has passed through on account of false brethren discouragements and affliction, he is still pressing forward the work of publication and making known the coming of the Lord as he views it, with all the energy of former times, manifesting a zeal and perseverance worthy of the whole truth. But having, as we conceive lost the true prophetic key, or in other words, still clinging to the idea that the prophetic periods extend to the coming of the Lord, of which there is no proof in the Sacred Scriptures, it is impossible for him at the present time, on that principle, to make a right application of these periods, at least all of them. Hence in regard to these main pillars of prophecy he is liable to adopt every view but the right one; and hence his present fallacious application, or what we must regard as such, of ending these periods in 1867-8, and placing the coming of the Lord at that time. But we are digressing from the object of these lines. In the Voice of July 30, the Editor under the heading of "My Journal," describes a visit to Lapeer, Mich., in which we find a few things for comment. He says: "Saturday, July 16.—This being the Seventh day, or the Jewish Sabbath, and being in a place where the Seventh-day Adventists have a church, and regular worship, I arranged to worship with them in the morning, and preach in my own place in the p. m. and evening. Their meeting had just begun on my arrival.—There were about thirty present, all of whom, as I found afterward, were professors. Elder Higley conducted the service. It consisted in reading the Scriptures, prayers, addresses, and exhortations. Some twenty-five spoke and prayed. It was a good, heavenly, spiritual meeting. It was good to be there. I enjoyed it much, and could but ask God's blessing upon them." We are certainly glad if Eld. H. enjoyed his meeting with the S. D. Adventists in Lapeer. If he saw some good fruits there, it may perhaps lead him to conclude that the tree which bare them is, at least, not bad. But why call the seventh day "the Jewish Sabbath?" We have endeavored to study the subject of the Sabbath somewhat carefully, and we have failed to find that there ever was a weekly Jewish Sabbath, or a weekly Sabbath that was peculiar to the Jews, any more than the command, Thou shalt not kill, or steal, was peculiar to them. Popular parlance, to be sure, has coined the phrase, and passes it glibly from mouth to mouth; but Adventists, above all people, should have learned that that is not a reliable source from whence to adopt theological terms, and that all is not necessarily divine which is gray with the dust of antiquity, and receives the homage of the multitude. As Eld. H. has now located in a State where Sabbath views are comparatively prevalent, we hope he will see fit to carefully re-consider the subject of the Sabbath, and in speaking of it, use only such terms as he can readily produce a warrant for from the Scriptures of truth. Again he says: "It is true they hold to some views, which they have added to the Advent faith, which I do not see to be true. But I do not doubt their honesty or sincerity in these things." We must differ somewhat from the statement that the views we hold have been added to the Advent faith. But one view occurs to our mind which could be said to be added, understanding by the term of course that which is not especially connected with the Advent doctrine; and in that we are happy to see by late numbers of the Voice that Elder Himes is himself fully with us. We refer to the sleep of the dead, and destruction of the wicked. Other prominent points of our faith may be summed up under the following heads: The sanctuary, the third angel's message, the Sabbath, and spiritual gifts. As to the sanctuary, that is not an addition to the Advent faith, but simply an adjunct of the first angel's message, or first part of the Advent proclamation. It is a glorious apartment of truth into which the 2300 days opened the door in 1844. Spiritual gifts is a subject included in "the faith of Jesus;" and the Sabbath is included in "the commandments of God," and these both in the "third angel's message," which is itself but the third link in the Advent chain, or the third era in the great proclamation of the Advent which is to prepare a people for the coming of the Lord. Thus these are not additions, but only further developments of the same great system of truth. We saw a magnificent portion of the stately edifice in 1844, but other proportions we have discovered since. And we now see a relation of parts, and a great harmony of the whole not before perceived. Much as we then saw, as we now walk about Zion, many are the towers and bulwarks we can count, which we could not then. We rejoice in these glorious truths, and we would that others, yea, all, might take their stand with us, and enjoy them too. Again we quote: "The Seventh-day Adventists have treated me with kindness, and in my severe trials in time past have not, like some, stood in the cross-ways to help on the affliction, but gave me their kindly Christian sympathies. They have among their number many who are the fruit of my labor, having since been converted to their view of the Sabbath, and other questions, which separated them from me, of which I have not complained. Let every one be fully persuaded in their own minds. And if our Seventh-day brethren are more industrious, and efficient in making converts, and by their zeal and industry turn our members over to their side, it is their right to enjoy the results of their labors. And if we have been remiss, and have neglected to spread and defend the Advent faith as we should have done, the remedy now, is, not to complain, or to contend with others; but to go to work as we should, and what little time remains, use it in preparing a people for the coming kingdom." We can say in behalf of S. D. Adventists that the kind treatment our friend speaks of has been but the spontaneous development of kind feelings toward him. It is a pleasure to bestow sympathy where not only the justice of the cause demands it, but where it is appreciated. But there is an intimation in the above, not intentional, perhaps, that it has been by remissness in defending the Advent faith, that they have lost any members to the Sabbath cause, as though this cause was antagonistic to Adventism. Whereas we shall claim that it is only by promulgating the Advent faith according to the original standard, only with greater clearness, as we have received further light, that has brought any accessions to our members. Again we read: "While we shall continue to preach the Advent faith, as from the beginning with Father Miller, and not turn off on the switches set for us, by kind and well-disposed persons, or otherwise, we do not intend to turn aside to "vain wrangling" or controversial questions, or bitter strife with brethren who look with us for the coming of the Lord, however much we may differ on other points. Our warfare is with the common enemy." Another intimation, perhaps more than this, that we are switched off the track, and are setting switches to run others off. Now as to the original Advent faith, and the question who are adhering to it, and carrying it out, we are willing to compare notes with any class of people calling themselves Adventists. Go back to 1863 and 1864. All Adventists were then agreed that the Advent movement was the especial work of the Lord, that they were giving the judgment-hour proclamation, or the first angel's message, that the longest of the prophetic periods would end about that time; and that then the Lord would come. How is it with the different classes of Adventists now? How is it, for instance, with Elder H.? He does not believe the prophetic periods there ended as then held that they would. We do. He does not believe that the arguments which proved their termination at that time—arguments which never have been shaken in the least, are legitimate and sound. We do. If we did not, half our ground of sympathy for Eld. H. would vanish from beneath our feet. That past work he throws entirely aside, and goes to work upon a new foundation; whereas we make that work the very basis and foundation of our present position. That the Lord did not then come, we are both agreed; and the only main feature of his former Advent faith that he still retains, namely, that the second advent of Christ is near at hand, we hold in common with him. Now who are adhering to the original Advent faith, and who are switched off? We respectfully represent that we are not the latter. No, reader, the Adventism of Seventh-day Adventists is the only logical and legitimate continuation of the Adventism of '43-4, that is to be found in the land. It is that very movement and nothing else, only in its further development. In regard to strife, it is not pleasant; and were we not living in a world of error, it would not be necessary. Into any unnecessary, or vain, or bitter, strife, we should feel as loth as any one to enter. But it is important to have the truth. We are to worship God in spirit and in truth. Hence we cannot render him acceptable worship unless we have the truth. Especially is it necessary on a subject like the Sabbath—a subject which affects our practice, our characters, and our relations to God, that we know on what ground we stand. "First pure, then peaceable," is the rule laid down by the apostle. No peace till there is purity. No cessation of strife so long as there is opposition to the truth. If all the inhabitants of the land were unanimous in keeping holy the Sabbath of the Lord, there would then, so far as we are concerned, be peace on this subject. But while that state of things does not exist, we cannot forbear crying aloud, to show the people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.