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SHALL ALL MEN VOTE?

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Tuesday, May 12, 1885

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 62, No. 19

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SHALL ALL MEN VOTE?

By B. F. Purdham

BY ELD. B. F. PURDHAM.
It seems that this is becoming a very important question in the minds of some people, and doubtless it will become more so as we near the great conflict just before us. It very often occurs that when we present our views in regard to the Sunday movement, persons will answer us something like this: “If that question is ever put to a vote, I shall not vote at all,” or, “If I don’t vote for the true Sabbath, I shall not cast any vote,” etc. But we have reason to believe all will vote on one side or the other when the question is once brought fully to the front; but how the matter will be brought about, is a point not yet so clearly settled. It is evident that those who shall contend for the true Sabbath of the Lord, will do so from a sense of duty. But those who vote for the enforcement of a different day from that which God has set apart, will do so for various reasons. Some, perhaps, because they have really a sacred regard for the day, others because their friends vote that way, and still others to be popular, or for other selfish interests. It now appears reasonable that a law may be enacted, compelling every man to cast his vote in some way.
The following paragraph from the Page Courier of Jan. 22, 1885, published in Luray, Va., seems to have considerable bearing upon this point, and may be of interest to the readers of the REVIEW:— “The returns from the late presidential election show that nearly 3,000,000 voters did not go to the polls. In Pennsylvania nearly 200,000 men did not vote. In New York the number reached almost 250,000. In a popular form of government voting is a duty, not a privilege. The payment of taxes is made a qualification of voting—men must pay to vote. Ought it not rather to be treated as a duty, and the man who fails to vote be made to pay for his failure? Why not, therefore, impose a poll tax to be collected if the individual does not vote, and to be remitted if he does? Such a tax would bring many more voters to the polls. We would have a fuller expression of opinion, and become ‘a government of the people.’ If all the people do not join in voting, why not restrict the number at once? If restriction is good, why not carry it to its fullest extent, and place the elective franchise in the hands of but one individual? If all should vote, make them do it or pay for the failure.”
Notice the expression in quotation marks,—“a government of the people.” This agrees exactly with the words found in Rev. 13:14: “Saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” It seems that everything is preparing for the fulfillment of the prophetic word, and every movement points, as fingerboards, to that one great object, namely, the enforcement of “the mark of the beast.”
While those who oppose the truth of God are so zealous, devising every means they can for the accomplishment of their purposes, may the Lord help us to be more earnest and faithful in our duties, and do all we can to get the warning message before the world, in order that all the honest hearted may hear and obey it. Let us work “while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work.” John 9:4.
Sands, Page Co., Va.