The American Sentinel, Vol. 7, No. 48 (December 8, 1892) | AdventAI

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HERE, then, are these churches professing <page-break/> to be the churches of Christ, yet having gone away from him, their rightful Lord, and joined themselves to another; professing to minister the power of God, yet depending upon the power of man; professing to minister the gospel of Christ, they actually minister the laws of men; professing to persuade men with the message of justification by faith in Christ, they actually compel men by the condemnation of the law of men; professing to lead in the way of righteousness, uprightness and sincerity, they actually lead in the way of unrighteousness, corruption, and deceit; professing themselves to be models of Protestantism, they have actually joined hands with Romanism and follow her customs and require all to receive the sign of her authority; professing to be the example in all things good, they actually set the example in the chief things that are bad.1 paragraphs
BRIBERY is already become so common as easily to frustrate the will of the people: what, then, when these churches take the lead “bribing with a monopoly of worldly honors and emoluments,” all whom they can seduce to compliance with their arbitrary will, regardless of the will of the people whether expressed in the supreme law or in the direct voice of the people? What can be the effect of this upon the State, other than to increase in untold ratio the already too general corruption?1 paragraphs
THE churches profess that the course which they have taken is essential to the preservation of the State, and in this the salvation of the Nation. What effect, then, can such a course have, and only have? We have before shown how that it was to help her bear an overweight of worldliness and worldly influences; that she grasped the arm of the State and formed this illicit connection with worldly power. We there pointed out the utter incongruity of seeking deliverance from an evil, by a positive alliance with the chiefest source of that evil; and how the only effect this could have upon the churches would be infinitely to increase the burden which they already found themselves unable to bear alone. How can that save the Nation?1 paragraphs
By the enactment of wholesome laws, the people have been doing their best to protect themselves from the rule of the tyrannical spirit of the boycott. But how can the people protect themselves from this despotism, when the churches control the law-making power for the general community, and make the boycott in all business relations their chosen means by which to force submission to their will in the local community? What, then, can be the effect of this, other than to so cultivate the spirit of spying and treachery as to destroy mutual confidence and individual integrity; set every man's hand against his neighbor; and fill the land with deceit and violence?1 paragraphs
LAWLESSNESS is already so prevalent as almost to threaten the existence of a republican form of government: what, then, when the professed churches of Christ at one leap land themselves in the lead in this, by disregarding the supreme law, overriding the Constitution, and taking the governmental authority out of the hands of the people and into their own lawless hands? In this they have accomplished their long-announced “object” “to change that feature of our fundamental law” which declares that “governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.” But how can this preserve the State? How can this save the Nation? What effect indeed can it possibly have other than to produce here that condition of lawlessness and confusion, yet of ecclesiastical despotism, that is always created by attempts of the Church to rule?1 paragraphs
BOTH society and the State are already cursed with the unsatiable demand for office, or position of trust, in return for political service rendered: what, then, when the professed churches of Christ make this the very chosen channel through which they would make successful their aims upon the State? What effect, then, can this have upon society and the State, other than to increase this curse even to ruinous depths?1 paragraphs
THE Church of Christ is the divinely-appointed agency to persuade men to send up their petitions to the Lord for help, and for deliverance from every burden and from every evil: what, then, when the professed churches of Christ themselves send up their petitions to men, even though the men be congressmen, and though the petitions be backed up with threats? How can that save the Nation?1 paragraphs
THE Church of Christ is the divinely-appointed agency to “persuade men” to join themselves to the Lord: what, then, when these professed churches of Christ threaten congressmen in order that they themselves may succeed in joining themselves to the Government? How can that preserve the State or save the Nation?1 paragraphs
THE Church of Christ is the divinely-appointed means through which God would call the nations to seek the Lord that they might find him and be delivered from this present evil world: what, then, when these professed churches of Christ themselves seek to the power of this present evil world, join themselves to it, and put their dependence upon it? How can that save the Nation?1 paragraphs
THAT the “evangelical” churches of the United States have taken possession of the governmental authority of the United States, is plain to every one who will candidly consider the subject. That they purpose to keep this power and use it, they have plainly and repeatedly declared.1 paragraphs
WE are inquiring what effect this course will have upon the churches, and through them upon the State? So far, we have found that the effect upon the churches has been, stating it briefly, to commit them to open apostasy from the Lord and from his gospel; to make them the chiefest law-breakers in the Nation, even the destroyers of government itself; and to form them into the grandest system of bribery that this Nation ever saw—bribery in politics, bribery in business, and bribery in amusements. And all this, that they may be confirmed in their effort to make void the law of the Most High.1 paragraphs
THE pagan superstitions, the pagan delusions, and the pagan vices, which had been brought into the Church by the apostasy, and clothed with a form of godliness, had wrought such corruption that the society of which it was a part could no longer exist. From it no more good could possibly come, and it must be swept away. “The uncontrollable progress of avarice, prodigality, voluptuousness, theater-going, intemperance, lewdness; in short, of all the heathen vices, which Christianity had come to eradicate, still carried the Roman Empire and people with rapid strides toward dissolution, and gave it at last into the hands of the rude, but simple and morally vigorous, barbarians.” “Nothing but the divine judgment of destruction upon this nominally Christian, but essentially heathen, world, could open the way for the moral regeneration of society. There must be new, fresh nations, if the Christian civilization, prepared in the old Roman Empire, was to take firm root and bear ripe fruit.”—Schaff.3 paragraphs
SUCH being the final result to the churches, of this course of evil in which they have even now gone so far; and the churches being one with the State in this course; it is inevitable that the ruin of the churches will be the ruin also of the State. Therefore it is as plain as A B C that this course upon which these churches have entered means the destruction of the State and the ruin of the Nation. What they in their apostasy and bad ambition promise shall save the Nation only proves its speedy and awful ruin. This is certain.1 paragraphs
In that case the Lord made the savage nations of the North the instruments of his judgment in sweeping away the mass of corruption which the union of Church and State had built up there. But in this case where can any such instruments be found? There are none. Civilization has encompassed the earth. Not only that, but in this case “all nations” are involved in the corruption. Where then shall the Lord find a people to execute his judgment and sweep away this mass of corruption? For the reasons given they can not be found upon the earth. A people is found, however, and here is the Lord’s description of them:A. T. J.6 paragraphs
Nor only is this evident from what has already been said, but this same thing has been worked out once in history, for the instruction of all people and nations, showing clearly enough just what the result must be. In the original apostasy, the Church succeeded in joining herself to the State, promising like this to save the State. The means then employed by Constantine and the bishops, in establishing the “Christian” religion and making that a “Christian State” were the same as now employed here, and were such as to win only hypocrites. This was bad enough in itself, yet the hypocrisy was voluntary; but when through the agency of the Sunday laws the Church then, as now, secured control of the civil power to compel all who were not church-members to act as though they were, hypocrisy was made compulsory; and everybody who was not voluntarily a church-member and a hypocrite, was compelled either to be a hypocrite, anyhow, or a rebel. And as in addition to this, all were required to change or revise their faith according as the majority in the councils changed and decreed; all moral and spiritual integrity was destroyed. Hypocrisy became a habit; dissimulation and fraud became a necessity of life; and the very moral fiber of men and society was vitiated.1 paragraphs
At the same time there is “heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven and God hath remembered her iniquities.” Rev. 18: 4, 5. Thank the Lord, there are yet some of the people of God in these churches. There are yet some Christians there. But they can not remain there much longer without becoming partakers of her sins. They can not stay there much longer and remain Christians. They can not stay there much longer without receiving of her plagues, and of the judgments of God upon her iniquities. Her judgment cometh and hasteth greatly. “Strong is the Lord God that judgeth her.” And it is written: “A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all.” Rev. 18: 8, 10, 21.1 paragraphs
THERE is but one thing more that they can possibly do in this direction, and even this they will do, that is, enter into alliance with Satanic power itself, by joining hands with Spiritualism. This they will do as certainly as they have done that which they have done. Then will be completely fulfilled the prophecy which now is but partly fulfilled—Rev. 18: 2, 3. We have already shown how these churches have presented themselves as “a cage of every unclean and hateful bird;” but then the whole of the verse will be fulfilled and the world will hear that cry of the angel of the Lord which comes “mightily with a strong voice saying, Babylon the great, is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.”1 paragraphs
An Anti-Christian Scheme.C. P. B.19 paragraphs
Christians Do Not Persecute.Editor10 paragraphs
Organizing in Virginia.AMY A. NEFF15 paragraphs
Persecution in Russia and America.C. P. B.12 paragraphs
An Unfortunate Disparity.4 paragraphs
Degradation of Sacred Things.7 paragraphs
The Gloomiest View Yet.W. H. M.10 paragraphs
Thanksgiving.8 paragraphs
“The Constitution and Religion.”8 paragraphs
A Hindrance to Religion.6 paragraphs
Unconstitutionality of Sunday Laws.9 paragraphs
One Creed.W. A. COLCORD.12 paragraphs
Will They Maintain It So?4 paragraphs
“Should Church Property Be Taxed?” is a live question, and one fully answered in the tract bearing that title, No. 43 of the “Sentinel Library.” The author of this tract is a Baptist minister in the city of Brooklyn, and has shown himself master of his subject. 16 pages, price two cents; one dollar per hundred.1 paragraphs
ONE of the most misleading claims set up by the National Reformers is that Israel was in reality a republic, and that therefore a theocracy is not inconsistent with popular government. The fallacy of this claim is fully shown in the tract, “THE REPUBLIC OF ISRAEL,” 8 pages; price, one cent; fifty cents per hundred.1 paragraphs
ARE you thoroughly versed in regard to the proper relations that should exist between Church and State? If not you ought to read the revised edition of "CIVIL GOVERNMENT AND RELIGION," No. 32 of the "Sentinel Library." There is nothing better to loan to your neighbors to read during the long winter evenings. Large pamphlet; price twenty-five cents. Usual discount for large orders.1 paragraphs
HENRY M. STANLEY, the African Explorer—By Arthur Montefiore, F. R. G. S. Brought down to 1889. 12mo. 160 pages, fully illustrated, cloth extra, 75 cents.1 paragraphs
JOHN WILLIAMS, the Martyr of Erromanga—By Rev. J. J. Ellis. 12mo, 160 pages, fully illustrated, cloth extra, 75 cents.1 paragraphs
Address all Orders to1 paragraphs
This plea for the workingman has been pooh-poohed by the advocates of rigid Sunday closing, but it is certainly worthy of consideration. No one can see the entire Fair in a single day. It follows that if the average workingman must deduct both the time and the money necessary to see the Fair from his already too scant wages, or else forego the privilege, thousands will be compelled to do the latter. This does not prove, however, that the Fair should be opened on Sunday; it simply shows that Congress in deciding for a closed Fair ignored the working men in order that a sop might be thrown to the churches.1 paragraphs
ALL these men work on Sunday because they feel that it would be wrong to do otherwise. They acknowledge only one Sabbath, namely, the seventh day, and they can not conscientiously observe another day by abstaining from worldly labor and business as the law of Tennessee requires. They believe that the fourth commandment not only requires them to abstain from worldly pursuits on the seventh day, but that it requires them to regard and treat all other days alike, to do on the other six days whatever work or business they have to do. And in this they are not peculiar. In the Mail and Express of November 29, 1892, the editor, who is also president of the American Sabbath Union, says:—5 paragraphs
On the last day before its recent adjournment, the Vermont Legislature by a vote of ninety-nine to sixty-seven rejected a resolution indorsing the action of Congress in closing the World's Fair on Sunday. This action is the more significant in view of the fact that two years ago the Legislature of that State passed a resolution requesting the closing of the Fair. Other indications are not lacking to show that if public sentiment ever was in favor of Sunday closing, it is rapidly changing.1 paragraphs
Six of the Seventh-day Adventists indicted some weeks since in Henry County, Tenn., for quiet Sunday work, have been arrested and placed under bonds to appear for trial early in February, 1893. Other arrests are to follow, if they have not been already made.1 paragraphs
THESE men will doubtless be convicted. They are all members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and as it is already in evidence in the trials held last May that it is the habit of members of that church to work on Sunday, it is a foregone conclusion that all the accused are guilty of Sunday work.1 paragraphs
THIS being the view entertained by Adventists, it follows that to obey any Sunday law that forbids them to follow their secular vocations on Sunday, is at the same time to violate their consciences. And in requiring them to do this under penalty, the State of Tennessee abridges their liberty, and violates the Constitution of that State which declares that “no human authority can, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience.”1 paragraphs
THE Sun, of this city, remarks that “President Higginbotham’s action in behalf of the directors of the Columbian Fair, asking that the act of Congress requiring the gates to be closed on Sunday be reconsidered and reversed, ought to effect that result.”1 paragraphs
In his plea for an open Fair, President Higginbotham says that “a large majority of the people of the United States are in favor of opening the Fair on Sunday.” The Sun declares its belief that “a very large proportion, perhaps a majority, of the people who are regular church-goers are in favor of having the Fair open, because it will afford a better place to pass the time than would otherwise be chosen by the great body of visitors.”1 paragraphs
“But the strongest argument,” says the Sun, “and one which ought to be decisive, is that Sunday is the only day which tens of thousands who ought to see the Fair can command for that purpose. If they can not visit it on Sunday they will not visit it at all, or at best they will see comparatively little of it. If the Fair is not for them it might almost as well not be held.”1 paragraphs
As we have said before, an open Fair is not compatible with Sabbath-keeping. Those who regard Sunday as the Sabbath, could not, in the very nature of the case, consistently attend the Fair on that day. But that is no reason why they should insist that the tens of thousands who regard Sunday only as a holiday should not be permitted to visit the Fair, provided those who have the management of it and who are responsible for it, are willing that they should do so. The evil of this Sunday-closing movement is, that it has by threats of political boycott induced Congress to do something that it had no right to do, and to take sides in a religious controversy, something which the framers of the Federal Constitution designed to forever prohibit.1 paragraphs
It is stated that the ministers of Port Jervis, this State, irrespective of creed, have combined with the undertakers and signed an agreement to discontinue the holding of Sunday funerals hereafter. They say that they shall decline to attend any such services except in cases of absolute necessity. The agreement is signed by ten ministers, Protestant and Catholic, and two undertaking firms, and was read yesterday from the various pulpits. Sunday funerals had become so prevalent that the clergy resolved to break up the custom, and thereby lessen their labors on that day. This shows the amount of regard the ministers have for “the poor working-man,” for by this action many wage-workers will be compelled to take choice between a day’s wages and the privilege of paying the last sad tribute of respect to departed friends, and when burying their dead, many sorrowing families will be denied the satisfaction of the presence and manifest sympathy of a large number of neighbors and friends. Many of the ministers are becoming as lazy, wicked and heartless, as were the popish priests just before the Reformation.1 paragraphs