Earlier text: General ArticlesCOMPARISON OF NATURE AND MORALITY
By Editor
An Atonement Consistent with Reason. COMPARISON OF NATURE AND MORALITY
THAT the laws of nature have no penalties must be apparent to all if we consider the fact that they are never accepted as, or considered, a judicial system. In executing penalties there must be a consideration of the just desert of the crimes committed. But there is no such consideration, there is no discrimination whatever in the case of a consequence of the violation of natural law. In this respect the operations of natural law are as blind and unreasoning as nature itself. There is implanted in man a sense of justice, or convictions of right, to which he finds no counterpart in the operations of nature. These convictions are entirely on a moral basis. This sense of justice is erected in the human mind as a tribunal, a judgment seat, whereat we determine the nature and desert of actions. And mark this truth: before this tribunal we always arraign the actions of intelligent agents, but never the operations of natural law. And in this, what is true of one is true of all; and it shows that all, whatever their theories may be, do in fact and in practice make a proper distinction between moral and natural laws. This should be well and carefully considered. The prime distinction between moral and natural laws is this: the first has respect to intention—the other has not. Fire will burn us, and water will drown us, whether we fall into them accidentally or rush into them madly. The little child, who is yet unconscious of any intention of good or ill, suffers as certainly and as keenly on putting its hand into the fire, as the man of mature mind who presumptuously does the same thing. And should the man willfully and maliciously set fire to his neighbor's house, and the child, playfully and without intention of wrong, do the same thing, all would blame the one and not the other. And were a judge, in the administration of law, to visit the same penalty upon the man and the child, because the actions and results were the same, all would detest such a perversion of justice. Thus we not only find men acting upon the difference between moral and natural laws, but we find them also with great unanimity judging of the actions of moral agents according to their intentions. But the operations of natural law cannot thus be judged, and its consequences, often miscalled penalties, have no regard whatever for the claims of justice. As before said, the child is burned in the fire as certainly as the man; the good suffer under a violation of nature's laws as severely as the most hardened and brutal. The idea cannot be too strongly impressed upon the mind that, confined in our reasoning to the present state, to observation without a written revelation, justice cannot be attained unto nor vindicated. A moral system is necessary, and the idea of probation must be accepted, in order to meet the requirements of justice. Another point should be noticed. When the demands of a moral law and a natural law conflict, as they often do in this mixed state of good and evil, men always give preference to the former, unless their sensibilities are blunted. And they are often false to the theories which they have adopted to be true to this fact. We sometimes meet with men who deny these distinctions; who assert that there are no laws aside from the laws of nature; yet they act in harmony with the propositions herein set forth. Should one refuse to attempt to rescue his fellow-man from impending destruction by fire, and plead in extenuation that it would have involved the violation of law, as he must have been somewhat burned in the effort, they would, as readily as others, abhor his selfishness. Here they recognize the distinction claimed, and place the moral duty of assisting our neighbor above conformity to natural law. HAVING sufficiently shown that there is a distinction between moral and natural law, and that all men recognize it and act upon the fact, even if they do not admit it in theory, we have a question of great importance to propose. None but the reckless and unthinking can pass it by without giving it attention. The candid must admit that it is one of great interest. It is this: Will these aspirations for the right, this innate sense of justice, to which we have referred, ever be gratified? That they are not, that they cannot be gratified in the present state, scarcely needs further notice. Is my moral nature, my sense of right and justice, satisfied to see virtue trodden under foot? to see the libertine mocking over the grave of blighted hopes and a broken heart? to see the priceless treasure of virtuous purity, around which cluster the fondest hopes of earth, sported with as a mere toy of little worth? to see honest toil sink unreputed, and hide itself in squalid poverty and a pauper's grave? to see the vain rolling in wealth accumulated by fraud and oppression? to see vice exalted to the pinnacle of fame? to hear the praises of him whose very presence is loathsome by reason of the filthiness of his iniquities? And when words fail to express the horrors of such and kindred evils, must I smile complacently and say, This is right? in this my soul delights? But this is but a mere glance at the facts as they exist, as they have existed, and are likely to exist in this present state. Is it possible that these aspirations, these discriminations of right and wrong, were placed within our breasts to be mocked—to look and long in vain? Is it possible that the Supreme One, who has so nicely arranged the material world, and subjected it to certain laws, has placed moral balances in our hands to no purpose? that we are to long for, but never see, a vindication of the great principles of justice? Is it not rather reasonable to conclude that he has a moral Government, and that our moral sense is evidence that we are within the limits of a moral system? Are not our convictions of wrong proof to ourselves of our amenability to such a system? The very fact that we discriminate between moral and natural laws, as we have seen that all men do, and that all pronounce upon the right or wrong of the actions of mankind, is proof of the general recognition of the existence of a moral Government. And so to look above nature, to acknowledge God as a moral Governor, is necessary, to be true to our own natures, to the convictions planted in every breast. In this great truth our aspirations find rest. Here our sense of justice takes refuge; for a Government is a system of laws maintained, and the very idea of a moral Government leads us to look forward to a vindication of the right principles or laws now trampled upon. Why should we pronounce upon the merit or demerit of human actions, if there is no accountability for those actions? Our feelings of responsibility (the movings of conscience) are but the expectation of a great assize, in or by which injustice, fraud, and every wrong, will be requited, and down-trodden virtue and injured innocence be exalted and vindicated. This is, indeed, but a legitimate deduction from the propositions established, and in this we find a sure vindication of the divine Government in regard to the anomalies of the present state. It must, however, be admitted that there are some who deny the existence of moral wrong, and, of course, of accountability for our actions. But their denial or our admission does not weaken our argument, for the denial is only in profession, not in practice. The denial is based on the alleged inability of man to act except in a given line. Man (say they) is a creature of circumstances; the motives which impel him to action are outside of his own will; he is led of necessity to do just as he does, and he cannot do otherwise. Therefore he is not responsible for his actions. But we affirm that this is only their professed belief; not their actual belief. For in practice we find them uniformly false to their theory. They will, as readily as others, sit in judgment upon, and condemn, the actions of their fellow-men. They will blame any for encroaching on their rights. But it were surely the height of folly, the grossest injustice, to blame one for doing that which he cannot avoid. And how unreasonable to think that God bestows a moral sense, and plants within us the monitor of conscience, to lead us to do right, and yet compels us to do wrong. We count the man immoral and degraded who disregards the distinctions of right and wrong; what contempt, then, is thrown upon the originator of the present system by the theory which admits that these distinctions exist; that of right they should be preserved, yet affirms that they cannot be preserved to any extent whatever. Admitting the existence of a God (and we now speak to the consciences of some), what shall we, what must we, think of a God who would frame a system wherein these distinctions could not be preserved? And yet such is the case, if man has no freedom to act. We all acknowledge the difference between right and wrong, as principles; that it is right to regard our neighbor's life and property; and hence, he that disregards them does wrong. And all are conscious that the wrong we do is of ourselves; and no one ever seeks to throw it back to any other cause until his moral sense is perverted by selfishness and false reasoning. Akin to the above position—at least in its unreasonableness—is the theory which admits the existence of God the moral Governor (though this admission is not essential to the theory), and admits that man is responsible for his actions, and admits that all violations of law are certainly punished, and yet denies a future judgment. This is intimately connected with, or is the outgrowth of the error that there are penalties to natural laws; and that all penalties are inflicted immediately upon the violation. Thus (they say), if a man puts his hand in the fire he violates a law of his being; and he does not wait to an indefinite future time for judgment and punishment; he suffers immediately and certainly; and for the violation there is no atonement or forgiveness. This, to some, appears to be truth, for they advance it; to us it seems like a puerility. We repeat, the suffering from contact with fire is not a judicial infliction to serve the ends of justice, as penalty is; it is but a consequence of the violation of natural law; and that it falls as certainly and as severely on the innocent as the guilty. The innocent and unconscious babe suffers by the fire as readily, as certainly, as the willful man. And we can go further in the illustration: the man in cruel malice may hold the hand of the child in the fire; the child does not offend against law, for it did not put its hand in the fire, and it vigorously tries to withdraw it. Here the man does all the wrong, and the child suffers all the penalty! Such is the wisdom, such the justice of this theory. The truth is, that the child suffers as a consequence of the man's wrongdoing. He deserves punishment (the infliction of a penalty) for the action; and if justice is ever vindicated, he will be punished, according to his intention and his commission of a great moral wrong. The admission that all sin will be punished makes necessary the admission of a future judgment; for without that, justice will never be vindicated, and our aspirations for the right will never be satisfied. But one more fallacy of this character we will notice. It is found in the oft-repeated idea that God is so loving, so kind, that he will not mark to condemn our aberrations from duty. It is not necessary to say that this is a denial of the Scriptures in regard to the character of God. But, laying the Bible aside, where is the evidence that God so loves his creatures that he will not mark their faults or maintain the justice of his government? Surely it is not learned from nature that love is the sole attribute of Deity. How came any by the idea that the Deity must possess that degree of love supposed in the statement? Whence do they derive their conceptions of such love, and of its necessity in the divine character? Can any tell? They may reply that these conceptions are intuitive; that they are evolved from their own consciousness; that they have an innate knowledge of the moral fitness of things, and according to this, they clothe Deity with such attributes as their moral sense determines to be fitting to such a Being. Our reply to this is twofold. 1. We deny that such ideas are developed by intuition. The intelligent skeptics of this land and in this age do not derive their knowledge of right, and of the abundance of love in the character of Deity, from the light of nature. They derive them from their surroundings; from the prevalence of Christian influences and Christian literature. To show just what man can learn from nature and by mere intuition, we must take him entirely separated from the influence of the Bible and Christianity. And we hazard nothing in saying that, where Christian example and the teachings of the Bible were entirely unknown, man never developed an exalted idea of Deity. To the contrary, where men have trusted to the light of nature and to the power of human reason, their conceptions of Deity were low and base, generally vile; and this was the case even where there was considerable proficiency in philosophy and the arts. Many deny the Scriptures who are indebted to them and to their influence for very much of the knowledge of which they are proud. 2. In thus exalting love in the divine character at the expense of other attributes, they are only partially true to their higher nature; partially just to their own consciousness. Our consciousness, our self-judgment of the moral fitness of things, gives us as definite and clear conceptions of justice as of love. All the propositions established in this argument tend to this point. We are apt to lose sight of justice, and to exalt love. This is quite natural with all who have any sense of wrong (and who has not?), for we feel the need of love or mercy, and are ever willing or anxious to screen ourselves from justice. But in this, as before remarked, we do violence to our moral sense, to gratify our selfish feelings. Can any one dispassionately reason and reflect on this subject, and accept the idea of a God of even partial justice? The idea is alike repugnant to reason and to reverence. God must be strictly, infinitely just. Who would not choose to be annihilated rather than to possess immortal existence in a universe governed or controlled by a being of almighty power, but lacking justice? Many professed believers in the Bible manifest the same tendency, to exalt the love of God above his justice. It is a great perversion of the gospel. God is infinite in every perfection. His love cannot be more than infinite. If his justice were less than infinite, he would be an imperfect or finite being. The gospel plan was not devised, and Christ did not die to exalt his love above his justice, but to make it possible to manifest his infinite love toward the penitent sinner, without disparagement to his infinite justice; “that he might be just, and the justifier of him who believeth in Jesus.” Rom. 3:23–26. But this will be examined when we come to the Biblical argument.377 EDITOR. North Pacific Sabbath-School Association.
The North Pacific Sabbath-school Association held its fifth annual session in connection with the camp-meeting held at Beaverton, Oregon, June 20–26, 1883. First meeting June 22, at 8:45 A. M. Prayer by Brother W. C. White. Delegates called for and credentials were handed in. It was voted that all ministers and members of Sabbath-schools present be invited to participate in the deliberations of the Association. Minutes of last session were called for, read, and accepted. Report of labor called for and read, showing quite an increase in that direction, also in interest in the Sabbath-school work. No of schools at commencement of Conference year 6
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Greatest No. of scholars during last year............ 195
“ “ “ “ “ this “ ... 305 The schools at West Portland and Seattle failed to report on account of the removal of most of their officers and members. Committees were appointed as follows: On Nominations, Eld. W. L. Raymond, W. P. Wilson, and John Cole; on Resolutions, W. C. White, Sister Eliza Jones, and Sister Jennie A. Benham. Sister Benham read an interesting essay on the subject of “Sabbath-schools and how to conduct them.” A second meeting was called June 25, at 5 P. M. Prayer by Eld. E. W. Barnes. Minutes of previous meeting read and approved. Committee on Nominations reported the following list of officers: President, Eld. C. L. Boyd; Secretary, R. D. Benham; Executive Committee, W. P. Wilson, and Henry Atkins. These were unanimously elected. Committee on Resolutions reported as follows:— WHEREAS, The schools in this Conference are so situated as to render weekly teachers’ meetings impracticable, therefore Resolved, That each officer and teacher should labor independently to acquire a thorough understanding of the subject studied, and of the best methods of teaching and of securing earnest work among the students; and WHEREAS, We but partly understand the words and actions of Bible characters unless we have a knowledge of the objects and circumstances that surrounded them, therefore Resolved, That we should industriously study such histories, Bible dictionaries, and atlases as are within reach. Resolved, That we heartily recommend the use of pictures and maps in the teaching of the primary classes. WHEREAS, The interests of the Sabbath-school in many instances are deteriorated by the neglect of parents and guardians to regularly attend Sabbath-school, or by their coming in late, and with very deficient lessons; also by their failure to interest themselves in assisting their children in getting their lessons during the week, thereby causing double neglect, therefore Resolved, That we seek God with greater earnestness, making the Sabbath-school a subject of prayer, and that teachers bring the pupils’ names individually before the mercy seat, striving to set a good example in promptness, cheerfulness, and a good understanding of the lessons by a careful study of the Scriptures, assisted by a frequent perusal of the “Spirit of Prophecy” in connection with the lesson. Resolved, That we do all in our power for the furtherance of the Sabbath-school work, in procuring all available materials; also that the teachers of the primary classes should practice drawing so that if no articles in the form of pictures or object lessons are available they present the subject more clearly by having hand-blackboards to draw rude pictures on, as this way of illustration has been proved the most interesting to little ones, impressing the lesson more fully and pleasingly on their minds. These resolutions called out interesting remarks from several, especially from Bro. W. C. White, who gave some instructive words on how to make the school interesting, the art of teaching and questioning, etc. After a second reading these were taken up separately. The fifth resolution especially called out an animated discussion on the feasibility of blackboards and map-drawing in the classes, from Brn. White, Colcord, Barnes, Dickinson, Sister Jones and others. It was then moved to amend this resolution so as to read: “We recommend that the teachers of primary classes use blackboards, maps, etc. Carried. These resolutions were then adopted. The following questions were asked: 1. “Should we have an unconverted teacher?” Answered by Bro. W. C. White in the negative. 2. “What should be done with a person who refuses to lay aside his paper at recitation?” Answered by Elder Boyd; after which a short but interesting essay was read by Sister McCoon, of East Portland. Adjourned. R. D. BENHAM, Sec. C. L. BOYD, Pres. The Foundation of Character.
By Ellen G. White
NEVER did greater responsibilities await the youth than await them now. Never was it more important that a right mould be given to the character of the rising generation. Upon every youth, God has bestowed varied capabilities, mental, moral, and physical; and he requires that those be cultivated and improved. We are formed for activity; every power of mind and body must be developed, strengthened, and increased by use. No one should feel that he is his own master, and can do as he pleases with his time and his intellect. Time and talents belong to God, and he has intrusted them to us, to be employed for his glory. Christ has purchased us with an infinite price. All that we are, and all that we possess, is his. His mercy and tenderness have been exercised toward us throughout our life, and he justly claims our gratitude, our reverence, and love. He claims our obedience also. We should respect his laws in every particular. They are given, not to deprive us of any good, but to guide our feet into safe paths,—the paths of peace and happiness. Furthermore, our love and obedience are due to God as our Creator. He who has bestowed upon us every blessing which we enjoy, he who has formed us, who understands our needs, and who rejoices in the happiness of the creatures he has made,—he is entitled to our implicit faith and ready obedience. To obey God is to accept the guidance of infinite love and wisdom. It is to pursue a course which will ennoble the character and strengthen the intellect, and which alone will prepare us for a life of true enjoyment and real usefulness. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." We are not placed in this world merely to seek the enjoyment of the present life; but, by forming a true and noble character, we are to prepare for the future, immortal life. Dear youth, you have a work to do which no other can do for you. Be determined that you will possess a right character. You cannot receive this as a birthright, you cannot buy it with money, you cannot procure it by fraud; but you may have it, if you will seek it in the right way. A noble character must be formed, must be built up by your own patient, painstaking effort, while you rely in faith upon the merits of Christ your Saviour. None should look with indifference upon this important matter. We must not leave our character to be formed by circumstances. The farmer who through indolence or neglect leaves his field uncultivated, reaps a harvest of briars and thorns. So the youth who slothfully neglects the cultivation of mind and heart, will possess a deformed, unlovely character. He will not respect himself, and he will not be happy, try hard as he may. The youth cannot afford to float carelessly along, exposed to the many influences that are ready to draw them away from the truth, from religion, from peace, and happiness, receiving any impression that Satan may choose to make upon the mind. There are stern battles to fight against hereditary and cultivated faults of character and disposition. Satan watches every opportunity to divert the mind from thoughts of God. He seeks to prevent us from searching the heart, from studying the law of God and comparing our life and character with its perfect standard. We must guard against his wiles. We should ever remember that life is short, and if we would attain to that perfection of character which Christ requires of us, every hour of our probation must be wisely improved as a treasure more precious than gold. The formation of a good character involves hard work and severe self-denial; but it richly repays the effort. It is a resistance of the devil. It is the obtaining of daily victory over selfishness, pride, and folly, and the daily cultivation of love, mercy, and beneficence. Satan is constantly seeking to strengthen the evil traits of character, that your influence may be exerted to lead others to a wrong course. Resolve in the strength of God to defeat his purpose. Set your mark high; and conquer self at any cost. Persevering, well-directed labor will succeed. While excellence of character can never be attained except by your own exertion, do not forget that at every step you need and may obtain help and grace from Christ. He himself passed through all the experience of childhood and youth, and he knows how to sympathize with the young. He will never forsake a soul that trusts in him. He will listen to the prayer of the contrite, and will be a present help in every time of need. Do not, then, become discouraged in your efforts. Labor more earnestly for a symmetrical character than for silver or gold. You will meet with disappointments and discouragements. Your efforts may not be appreciated, your failures may call forth severe censure. But do not yield to discouragement. The Saviour pities your weakness, he reads the desire of your heart, and he marks every sincere effort to do the right. Then be of good courage. Look in faith to Jesus. Be much in prayer. While you are engaged in your work, at home, or at school, even while walking in the street, let the heart's silent petitions ascend to God. Have also regular times for prayer, and let them not be neglected. In this course you may be successful in overcoming the evils of your nature; you may enjoy peace, hope, and joy in Christ, and by words and example you may exert an influence to encourage others in the right way. Do not fear to stand firm for the right under any and all circumstances. Do not think it uncourteous to meet with a decided "No," those who would suggest evil thoughts, or would urge you to any act which God would not approve. "When sinners entice thee, consent thou not." Do they sneeringly call you a coward, tell them that if it is cowardly to fear to do wrong, then you are a coward. The bravery that is evinced in sacrificing principle, for fear of ridicule, is a low, Satanic spirit that you should ever hold in contempt. "Dare to be a Daniel!
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known!" Christianity and Civilization
CHRISTIANITY has carried civilization along with it whithersoever it has gone; and, as if to show that the latter does not depend on physical causes, some of the countries the most civilized in the days of Augustus are now in a state of hopeless barbarism. If you would not fall into sin, do not sit by the door of temptation. THE AMERICAN COMPROMISE.—CONCLUDED.
Having noticed the main points in this movement to amend the Constitution of the United States, as set forth in the prophecy, we will again notice the agencies by which it may be brought about. And it will not be without a struggle. Compromises are not made in times of quiet and peace. In studying the prophecies we foresaw years ago that interests naturally averse to each other must combine to carry into effect that which John in the Revelation saw would be accomplished, and, therefore, a compromise of these interests must be effected. But a compromise is the fruit of an emergency. We also said years ago that the test would be on a religious question, and, therefore, it would affect, not merely States, but neighborhoods. No geographical lines would mark the boundaries of the trouble. Every school district would feel its influence, and strife and contention and ill-will would abound throughout the land. Our charity was so great that we have often said that if the abettors of the scheme could get a glimpse of the result of their efforts they would pause and shrink from the responsibility of carrying their work further. Of course when we gave this as our view of the future of their course they mocked at us as foolish alarmists; as being frightened for nothing. They said no such state of things would be produced. But now behold the change! The Christian Statesman quotes from the Chicago Journal, which says: "The Sabbath question with its religious aspects, will in all probability be carried to the ballot-box for final settlement in the future." People used to laugh at such a statement made twenty years ago; now they do not. Yet it is difficult to convince some even now that we understood this from the prophecy. The Statesman regards the coming conflict as one in which "all the baser elements of Society will be arrayed against the friends of pure morals and religion." With such statements continually given to the world, it would seem that they who so strongly assert that "Sunday in politics" is not and will not be a religious question ought to confess their mistake. But the particular point to which we wish to call attention is in these words of the Statesman:— "The battle will be serious. It will divide neighborhoods and separate very near friends. It may involve perils and require sacrifices of which few are dreaming to-day. But we welcome the prospect as the only pathway to the purity and order and peace of the better days which are beyond." Thus step by step our opposers concede all that we have ever claimed, and that which they have so strenuously denied. To show how minds are affected when in perplexity, and how easily Spiritualism may become the motor in troublous times, we copy the following from an exchange:— "When the Czar was in some perplexity respecting the measures to be taken for the safe conduct of the coronation ceremonies, it was suggested to him that he should 'ask counsel of the spirits,' at the hands of a lady medium, who had been practicing for some years in London. The lady (who is an American) was accordingly sent for to St. Petersburg, and gave a 'sitting' to the Czar. The result of the seance was so satisfactory that the preparations for the coronation were hurried forward with greater energy than before, haste being recommended with much emphasis. Everything having passed off extremely well in Moscow, the Czar has come to think that 'there may be something in Spiritualism after all;' and the lady, on her part, is said to be extremely well satisfied with the results of her visit to the Russian autocrat." That Spiritualism claims to be a religion the evidence is every day increasing. Thus we find in the Banner of Light a notice of the "Church of the New Spiritual Dispensation," in Brooklyn. A speaker at a camp-meeting said: "We strengthen the religious sentiment in man. Our great work is the proof which we offer of immortality." Another speaker said: "The difference between us and the church is that they believe and we know whereof we affirm." This was said concerning the emigration of their friends to another sphere. The principal phenomena in Spiritualism at present are found in "materializations." In former years a number of spirits would attend and speak to their friends; now they materialize, that is, appear in sight of their friends. As many as twenty-five are reported as appearing in one evening. Of course this is more convincing, and appeals more strongly to the feelings of those present. By such means it is making great progress. An American writing from England says: "Spiritualism seems to be making good progress. The growth is steady and often silent, and, therefore, from an external point of view, it may seem scarcely so large as it really is. Opposition to Spiritualism is manifestly greatly on the decline." The decline of opposition to Spiritualism—we might say the general cessation of that opposition—opens the way for the union of the parties necessary to the formation of the image; to the union of the Church and the State for the enforcement of the Sunday. The religion of Spiritualism is popular religion. But in this it is not far removed from the position of the Churches. It announced as its mission, as early as 1849, the proving of the immortality of the soul. Recently we saw a notice of a Spiritualist lecturer giving a lecture in the city of New York in favor of the civil Sunday law. There is nothing whatever to hinder the Spiritualists in a body taking that position. Especially, if in case of emergency, they be accepted generally as the true exponents of the received doctrine of the immortality of the soul, and mediumship, clairvoyance, and materialization be accepted as the power of God to demonstrate the truth of that doctrine. Spiritualism will get the chief glory of the movement, and what more can they ask? And when shall we look for a party who will withstand the popular current? The great majority of the churches are already in line, demanding Governmental action to accomplish this very object. They do not hesitate because of the fact that there is no Bible proof in favor of the Sunday; this fact makes them rather more clamorous for a law which shall remedy this omission of the Scriptures. Sunday they will have, and a law they must have to enforce it. The Baptists professedly stand aloof from those denominations which accept doctrines which have no higher authority than Catholic traditions, but they, too, must have Sunday; a day for which they have only tradition and the authority of the Catholic Church. Politicians are already watching the horizon for the breeze which shall waft them into office through the action of the allied forces of the churches. And old party issues are dying out; therefore this will the more readily be seized upon. And the time will come when the strife between the National parties will be as to which is best entitled to this as their own issue. The common classes, the workingmen, are assured that the success of this movement is the only means of securing to them the right of one day in each week for "rest and recreation." This, of course, is a fallacy, but it is a popular one, and well answers the purpose. And as an effective means of cementing the whole, we are assured that the multiplicity of accidents, the tornadoes, and the pestilence, are evidences of the displeasure of Heaven upon the land because we do not acknowledge God in our National Constitution! Thus the superstitious feelings of the people are played upon to accomplish that which cannot be accomplished by preaching the word of God. And with the whole the letter of the decalogue becomes a dead letter. Indeed, learned men of nearly all denominations are already either preaching openly that the decalogue was a Jewish law which has been abolished, or else taking positions which lead to that result. The Methodist Church was built up on opposition to antinomianism, yet antinomian teachings have received high indorsement in that body when put forth against the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. There is one body of Christians to which we think we can point with confidence as standing aloof from all efforts to unite Church and State. It is the Seventh-day Adventists. We have great confidence also that many of the Seventh-day Baptists will be found steadfast in the same position. But we know of many among them who think we make too much of the Sabbath and Sabbath reform, and who deny that it is a subject of prophecy in Rev. 14. As these things press upon them we feel assured that they will become converted to a greater devotion to the Sabbath, and accept the faith of the prophecy of the Third Angel's Message of Rev. 14:9–12, or else accept the popular demand for a Sunday law, under the specious pretense that it will be politic to keep two days and thus obey the law of the land. The prophecy points out two parties, and no more. One which worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark. The other, which keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. And now, if any yet think we make too much of this matter, we request them to read in a prayerful spirit the words of the Most High on which our faith is based. We here repeat "the message" of Rev. 14:9–12:— "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." If the commandment of God says the first day is the Sabbath, then keep it; for on the commandments he will bring every work into Judgment. Eccl. 12:13, 14. But if it says "the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God," and you be found keeping the first day, because tradition and human law indorses it, you will surely be found against those who obey God. The wrath of God is terrible; what can this world offer to compensate those who fall under the denunciations quoted above from God's word? Do not put off a consideration of this matter till you see more of its fulfillment. It is a work of faith, without which you cannot please God.