Explanation Wanted by Editor

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 27, 1865

Explanation Wanted.

By Editor

EDITOR REVIEW AND HERALD, Dear Sir : I take the liberty to drop you a few lines of inquiry, which if you will answer in the Review or otherwise, you will enlighten me very much. I find in "Testimony for the Church, No. 7," by Ellen G. White, the following language, which I am unable to harmonize with the facts in the case: On page 4, it reads thus: "Thousands have been induced to enlist with the understanding that this war was to exterminate slavery; but now they are fixed. They find that they have been deceived; that the object of this war is not to abolish slavery, but to preserve it as it is." Again on page 5: "They see no good results from the war only to preserve the Union." Again on the same page, "If they succeed in quelling this rebellion, what have they gained? They can answer, discouragingly, Nothing. That which caused the rebellion is not removed. The system of slavery, which has ruined our nation, is left to live and stir up another rebellion."

Now, friend Smith, I am not seeking to get into any argument, but merely seeking for truth. Therefore I hope to get an explanation from you, in any way that may suit you best.

Yours seeking for the truth. G. N. SAPPINGTON.

Lynerville, June 2, 1865.

ANSWER.

We understand the statements above referred to in "Testimony No. 7," had reference to matters simply as they then existed. We do not understand that they had any reference to any turn that events might take subsequent to that time. And when we read, "The object of this war is not to abolish slavery," we take it to mean, not that that event never would come in as an object of the war, but only that it was not then, at the time the testimony was given, its object. And this, probably, no one will now deny. Indeed, Mr. Lincoln has expressly affirmed that abolition of slavery was brought in only as a military necessity; that if he could, he would have restored the Union as it was, slavery and all. And this being so, we believe, not only from the "Testimony," but from other evidence, that many who entered the service at that time were grievously disappointed to learn that they were to fight, not for the direct extinguishment of slavery, but to restore the Union as it was. But then they could not help themselves, as they were fast in the service. The turn events have since taken, must be very gratifying to such, those of them who have lived to see it. But this would not destroy the fact of their disappointment at the beginning.

And then had our rulers been able to carry out their designs as they then existed, and had they restored the Union as it was, slavery retained, what would have been gained? We answer, Nothing, as every Republican, at least, will be ready now to acknowledge.

We are therefore unable to see any discrepancy between the statements in the "Testimony," and the course of events, as they have existed, and do at the present time exist.—ED.