Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-02-11

warnings ltOln Ine pens vi DIOS. huu
nicutt and Mcdonald about the insidi-
ous and insistent proselyting methods
of the Seventh Day Adventists in GER
tain quarters of Louisiana. | have
reason to know that much is being
done through a teeming press and 9th
er methods to propagate this most silly
and yet pernicious form Oferror. Here
is an obiect-lesson worth studying.
Ten or fifteen years ago, and more,
this man Sims (wllose name is now the
synonym of insane wickedness and
hypOcritical pretension to religion)
was shouting member'of the Meth
odist Church, South. He had made
such brave soldier, and seemed SO
earnest, that all outward blemishes
were hidden thereby. He was regard
ed by many as a saint; married into
one of the best and most solidly reli-
gious families of the community.
Presently there came along certain
from the NorthWdrd who taught that
Christians generally were keeping the
wrong day for Sabbath. Working on
that vein of superstitious adherence to
the letter (even though fatty adverse
to the spirit), Bob Sims embraced the
Seventh-Day craze, and ere long began
to flousish as religious crank. His
first real trOuble-and sin-begaD by
working his farm on Sunday. Ere
long he gloried therein, and studious-
ly cultivated, in sight of the public
road, all through the Christian Sab
bath. This naturally brought him be-
fore the civil courts. Combining the
the false plea of religion with that un-
answered stigma that railroads are al
lowed to ply their work on Sunday,
he always escaped punishment. Sue
ceeding in one defiance of the law, he
tried another. Heat first secretly,
and then openly-distilled whisky,
etc. contrary to the laws, even such
as we have. He waxed more and
more independent of all government;
prated of "persOnal liberty to do
what he wished with his corn and his
fruit, etc. Through such demoraliz-
ing talk; aided by his cheap, unlicens-
ed groggery, he drew a large follow
ing. Some seem to have been delud-.
ed by the religious (9) features of his
teaching, and came almost to worship
him as god. They seriously talked
of his rising again the third day after
he was hung.
Through a series of years he has
gone Oh from bad to worse, some of
his neighbors protesting, others indif-
ferent, and a considerable number
drawn into his many and multiplying
errors. Time and space would fail me
to tell of all the foolish and pernicious
errors taught by this clan, orally and
through a small sheet issued at Wo-
mack Hill, but evidently printed chief
ly in the Northwest. This was con-
stantly filed with yituperation against
the church, the ministry, all law and
government, sacred or secular. With
so much of Outlawry professed and
practiced, it is not wonderful, though
very sorrOwful, that such an end should
have overtaken the leaders in this an
archism
From this history let us draw these
warnings: "Let him that standeth
take heed lest he fall Errors of the
head lead astray the heart and life.
1t is dangerous, as we'll as foolish, to
set up the judgment on religious sub
jccts contrary to the general consent
of religious teachers from the apostles
down. Prying into and prOphesying
about the second coming of Christ is
treading on forbidden ground. Let us
make every effort to secure consisten
cy in our laws. So long as railroads;
etc, are allowed to desecrate the Sab
bath, thousands will excuse them
selves in other forms of violation of
Gods most oft-repeated command.
Serious errors of doctrine, such as
subvert the order of religious worship,
ought to be rooted out of community
before they become deeply set. Plow
deep and SOW broadcast the seeds of
that true kingdom which teaches rev.
erence for authority ;whose outgrowth,
flower and fruitage is righteousness
and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
j. p. DRAKE.
Shubuta, Miss, Jan. H. 1892.