The National tribune., 1892-03-31

| ton from the first TO the second apartment of
the heavenly sanctuary. Heb, 8: %, 2i.) That
Christ did this Which the prophetic period ex.
pired in 1914, since which time the closing
work of the priesthood ofChrist is being done
preparatory TO his taking his final and endless
| position in reference to, his people their
| King REV, 10: l0-16.4 }sFrom this it will be
| seen that Seventh Day Adyentists believe that
the prophetic period ended in 1914, and they
have never set time for Christ's coming.
The Adventists believed from the irst that
they were prophetic people, having a specific
work to prepare the world for Christs coming.
They believed they found such work foretold
| in many Scriptures, particularly in Rev., IA: g.,
| Z. Here symbolic angel, preaching the Cos
pei, proclams a special message: Fear God
and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judg-
ment is come"
Prior to 1914 Adventists believed their work
was fulfilling this prophecy. They also applied
the following message REV, Ia; s. to their
work just previous to their disappointment
They had raised the cry, Babylon is fallen {;
come out of her my people, (Rev.. 10: l, d. and
in response to the call $4,000 persons left the
other churches. 1t was now seen that before
the coming of Christ brought to view in this
line of prophecy, REV. IA: 14,) there was
another message the last of the series, called
tho Third Angels Message" rev, IA: 9-13.)
Those who proclaim this message will keep the
Commandments of God (Vs. 12)
Their attention was now directed to the law
of God to learn in what respect they must
change their practice in order to keep the Com
mandments of God Their minds at once rested
upon the Fourth Commandment. In every
other prccept of that law, which all Christians
acknowledge to be binding, their lives were in
harmony, but with this one they were at yari-
ance. They were observing the first day, but
the Commandment said 1.-THE seventh day is
the Sabbath" Searching the Scriptures they
found no evidence, even hint, of such q
change being made by Christ or his Apostles.
Examining the works of the great theoogians
they found many of them acknowledged there
was no Scripture for a frst-day Sabbath and
the reasons which they urged for its support
were various and contradictory. Surely, what
had no support in the Scriptures, and out
side of them had no common line of defense,
could not have the sanction of God They
also found that through the Christian age there
had been those who had kept the seventh day,
and they became satisfied that this change was
the result Of the apostasy foretold in Thess.,
2: 3-S. They Immediately began the observ-
anCe of the seventh day.
In the prophetic message Of Rev., IA 9-13,
which they now felt it their duty to proclaim,
there is n warning against the beast and his
image. In common with all Protestants they
believed the beast to be representation Of the
Papacy. The 18th of Revelation describes an
other beast which comes up out of the earth.
and which makes an image to the first beast
and causes its subjects to worship the image.
REV, 10: 11-17.)
The time of the rise of the new power and
many other specifications led them to believe
that the United States of America is here pre-
dicted that they would yet contrary to the
letter and spirit of the Constitution, establish
such relations between the Government and
some phase of protested Christianity as would
4. nf A
image to the beast" to thisnnion; that they
would finally enforce their dogmas by law, es-
pecially the observance of Sunday; that this
would bring about the last great persecution
just previous to Christs coming. (Rev., IL: 17O
This position was taken in 1850, and the eff
forts that have recently been made in Congress
for a general Sunday law, and the arrest and
imprisonment Of their members in Arkansas
and Tennessee in the last few years has
strengthened them in their belief that before
the end of time there will be seen again the
spirit of persecution which disgraced the early
colonies of this country.
1t will be seen, then, that they believe they
are prophetic people; that the messages of
Rev., IA CID, are an inspired description of
their work in advance; that they are giving
the last message Of warning the world will
ever hear, and that their work is to 20 to every
nation.
They do not ignore the good that has been
and is being done by other Christian bodies,
but they hold that God has given them special
light to make ready people prepared for the
Lord.
Aside from the doctrines already described,
and their belief in conditional immortality,
they hold about the same views as other evan
gelical churches.
Having such view Of their work it is not
strange that they are very earnest, and mani
fest much zeal in proclaimng their doctrines.
1t is not within the province of this article to
describe the plans which they have carried out,
nor to give dates Of the establishment of print.
ing houses, conferences, and missions.
They have met sturdy and determined re-
sometimes amounting to outright per-
secution, but they have everywhere made
constant progress until now they are beginning
to attract the attention of the people not only
in this country, but in nearly every country of
the world.
When we consider the unpopularity of their
doctrines, the poverty of their early pioneers,
and the strong opposition against which they
have so successfully combatted we are COM
PEELED to wonder at the success which has fol-
lowed their efforts. They claim TO have made
greater progress during the 40 years of their
ex istence than did Methodism during the same
length of time during their early history.
Their organization is very simple. COM
pany Of believers covenant together to keep the
Commandments oil God and the Ehlth OF Jesus.
(Rev., IA: 12.) All the churches in a State, or
otherwise defined section, form Conference.
Delegates from all the churches elect tho Con-
ference officers in annual session. Delegates
from all the Conferences compose the General
Conference. The General Conference has the
oversight Of the work everywhere. An Ex-
ecutive Committee Of nine is empowered to act
for the General Conference There is also a
Genera. Conference Association, which can hold
property in any country.
The following statistics have been gathered
from the latest church reports:
No. of churches. 900
No. of Conferenc es.......................... "a
No. OF ministers APO
NO. oil memDers.... ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. III 40
No. OF missions ............,.,.............
There are also many scattered believers and
companies not included in the
above report
In publishing work they are especially
strong, operating five large houses located at
Battle Creek Mich; Oakland CAL; Basle
Christiana Norway, and Mel
bourne Australia. They have also branch
houses in London, England; Chicago H.;
New York City, and Toronto, Canada. These
houses print papers and books in II languages. |
The present worth Of the four principal pub
fishing houses is estimated to be 1858, 2G1 o.
Their literature consists of many bound vol
umess pamphlets and tracts, from the 81 SUBJ
scripton book to the penny leahct. About |
], 200 canvassers will be engaged in selling the
books of the denomination the present season
1892. and the sales now reach annually over