The Wrangell sentinel., 1951-02-23
WHAT YOUR ADVENTIST NEIGHBoRS BELIEVE


 It is really surprising how human Seventh-day Adventists are!
 They do not exhibit long faces, wear funny clothes, or bother anybody. They might belong to the Rotary club-or is it the Lions?-participate in the community chorus or the Red Cross drive. Just ordinary folks.
 But still, they are different" They don't smoke; although they won't preach at you if you dc They don't drink. They don't gamble. They go to church faith fully-but on Saturday instead Of Sunday; and they try to observe the Sabbath even when they aren't in church.
 They top the list in pro- digiOus giving to gospel work operate nearly 4,000 schools, 160 hospitals and clinics, 52 publishing houses, and are es- tablished in 228 countries.
 What makes your good Seventh day Adventist neighbors the way they are?
 Looking To the Future
 Well, in the first place, they put a great deal of emphasis on the future. They believe the end of the world is near and feel an urgent obligation to prepare themselves and others for it. They take strong exception to the lax ity in today's religious conditions. They believe that the judgment of the world is rapidly nearing it's completion. They believe that a vital part of their message Is "The hour of His judgment is come" and that the close of pro- bation for the world will have been announced in heaven before Christ comes. Now is the time of preparation.
 Your Seventh day Adventist friends are eminently "Ortho- dOx." They adhere strictly to observance of the Ten Com mandments-havi no part Of present-day attempts to abolish them as a rule of right and the standard of Gods judgment.
 But they also believe that the law condemns us completely be- cause its sole purpose is to point out sin-and we all have sinned Our only hope of making the grade eternally is in accepting the unmerited favor of Christ-we are then under his grace. But the law is still there. We cannot go on breaking it because we have been pardoned.
 The Desecrated Flag
 They believe that the seventh day of the week, which the Bible and history establish as Saturday, was consecrated by God, accord ing to the fourth commandment. at creation and has been ob- served by those who have known and lived the truth ever since They join others in inviting any one to show that Jesus or the apostles ever observed or told anyone to observe any other day
 But they certainly do not be- lieve that because of this, they have a corner on salvation, or an exclusive title to it. Many an honest soul with an imper- feet knowledge of truth will be saved for his integrity.
 So far from being an unin- portant quibble, they believe the matter of Sabbath observance is supremely important. The Sab bath, as 8 memorial of Gods creative power, is to him what the Stars and Stripes are to America. It is called his sign" No other day would do any more than any other flag would do for patriotic citizens.
 They will show you that the substitution of Sunday for the Sabbath crept into the church long after the death of Christ, and was admittedly sanctioned by the Roman Catholic church and passed along to Protestant ism today.
 Much confusion, they believe results from devious attempts to escape the embarrassing origin of Sunday observance. And much confusion also results from the lack of understanding of the diff ference between the eternal Ten. Commandments and the tenn porary ceremonial laws given to the Hebrews as shadows" of the coming death of Christ.
 Seventh day Adventists feel that they have a divine mission today in restoring the old paths"-pOinting mankind again to the requirements of Gods law, so widely disregarded to- day and the grace of Jesus that saves us from its penalty.
 They feel the urgency of work conditions permits no frivolou conduct, but demands a sober, "a tional outlook, brightened by radiant optimism, engendered b, the hope of an eternity in a nev and perfect world.
 This ls No. i2 of ssslss, fslIlno btlss y of the beliefs end hopes of 7o0,o0o Q, your seVenth-doY Adventist neIshbors and friends.
 EEC -