p. 42 | Another View by Ethan Lanphear

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · January 15, 1880

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 3

Another View.

By Ethan Lanphear

EDITORS OF THE REVIEW AND HERALD, AND BRETHREN OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST DENOMINATION: As I feel a deep interest in the Redeemer’s kingdom and in the cause of Christ generally, I desire to say a few words through your paper in reference to a seeming opposition of the Seventh-day Baptists against the Seventh-day Adventist people, that has developed from the action of the late S. D. B. Conference, and an article since written by A. E. Main, and published in the Sabbath Recorder. That Conference was largely controlled by delegates from the Eastern Association, where there is probably least known of the lives of your people and the doctrines of your denomination; the Southern, Western, and North-western Associations being lightly represented in that Conference. I am satisfied that the spirit of Eld. Main’s article, and that manifested by the few opposing ones at that Conference, do not represent the true feeling of the S. D. Baptists as a people.

Since my views on the subject of keeping up friendly relations with your people were published in the Sabbath Recorder, and copied into the REVIEW, I have received several letters on that subject, from one of which I will quote to substantiate the fact that I desire

to set forth to your people. This is from a Seventh-day Baptist of Quiet Dell, W. Virginia, in the South-eastern Association. He says:—

“After reading your communications in the Sabbath Recorder, especially the last, under the heading, ‘Is It Wise?’ I wanted to let you know that you are not alone in your views in regard to fellowshiping Seventh-day Adventists. I, too, think it very unwise in the Seventh-day Baptists to refuse to send a delegate to their Conference. I cannot see where the harm would have been in doing so. I embraced the Sabbath under their preaching. I have lived near them in Minnesota and in California, and have attended their meetings and Sabbath-schools; and I must say, that, as a body, I have ever found them more strict in their observance of the Sabbath than the Seventh-day Baptists are. They preach the Sabbath, and in fact all their doctrines, boldly and above board, whether it pleases the people or not; and that is more than many S. D. Baptists do. In some things we might take pattern of them. . . .”

“While I mourn over the fact that we have decreased in numbers during the past year, I rejoice at their prosperity; and I trust they may never have to report, as we have been compelled to do, ‘Less in numbers than last year.’ But I tell you what’s a fact, unless the S. D. Baptists wake up, and preach the Sabbath more than they have done, and try to please God more and man less, as G. M. C., of Dodge Center, Minnesota, said in his letter in the Recorder of Dec. 11, we can soon order our monument and write the epitaph.”

“And another thing that will help to lessen our numbers, and swell the ranks of the Adventists is to carry out the plan suggested by Bro. A. E. Main in Recorder of Nov. 13. I have talked with every Seventh-day Baptist in Quiet Dell, and find them, to a man, in favor of sending a delegate to the S. D. A. Conference, and of esteeming them as Christians. Your reasons for doing so are good.

“I have talked with a great many S. D. Baptists during the past seven years, and I know that if all S. D. Baptists that hold to a great many S. D. Adventist views were stricken off the roll at our next Conference, a far greater number would fail to respond than did last year.”

I might quote from others; but I think this sufficient to satisfy your people that a better spirit exists between the two denominations than Eld. Main’s communication and the last act of our Conference would indicate.

Most respectfully,

ETHAN LANPHEAR.

Plainfield, N. J., Dec. 25, 1879.

Another View.*

Another View.