American Sentinel, vol. 5

May 1, 1890

“Front Page” American Sentinel 5, 18.

E. J. Waggoner

It is said that the Catholics of Manitoba have a grievance, the Legislature of that Province having passed an act forbidding the Catholics to have separate schools, and requiring all classes to patronize the national secular schools. This is certainly an infringement of religious liberty. People of any religion, or no religion, certainly have a right to educate their children in their own faith, and in their own schools, if they see fit to do so. It seems clear that the State should make it possible for all children to obtain an education, the same as it provides means whereby they may, if other sources fail, obtain food and clothing, but it would be just as consistent for the State to insist that all children shall eat certain things and be clothed in a certain way, as to insist that they shall be educated in a certain way. The Catholic opposition to public schools is certainly unwise and wrong, but Protestants should not go to the other extreme and deprive Catholics of their right to maintain their own schools. Catholics have rights as citizens, as well as Protestants. AMS May 1, 1890, page 137.1

In the Christian Nation, of March 26, Rev. John A. Dodds discusses the Wisconsin Supreme Court decision on the Bible in the schools. He declares that ac-cording to this decision “Wisconsin is well on the way toward the religion and morality of the Hottentots and of the French revolutionists;” and that, “if the Supreme Court of Wisconsin has interpreted the Constitution aright in this respect, it is certainly a covenant with death and an agreement with hell.” He says, “It is un-American, unchristian, and in the light of our past history, it is a falsehood.” He announces that the “condition of things in that State will bring the wrath of Almighty God on the whole Nation if it be allowed to continue,” and quotes “Shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this?” He calls it “The surrender of the Inagua charta of our American Protestant Christian liberty.” He supports his statement by the following piece of logic:- AMS May 1, 1890, page 137.2

Bible morality and Bible religion is the parentage of every State in the Union, therefore the command to honor thy father and thy mother is binding on all the States individually and unitedly. “He that wasteth his father and chaseth away his mother, is a son that bringeth reproach.” Proverbs 19:26. Reproach in this case attaches to all the members of the family. AMS May 1, 1890, page 137.3

And upon this he calls loudly for the removal of this reproach, by having the Constitution of the United States “so amended as to give an undeniable legal basis” to Christianity, or rather to what the theological instructors shall declare is Christianity. AMS May 1, 1890, page 137.4

“Special” American Sentinel 5, 18.

E. J. Waggoner

To all to whom the SENTINEL comes we wish to say this word. The SENTINEL is invariably discontinued at the expiration of the time for which it is paid, unless it be requested to be continued. Many of the friends of the SENTINEL send copies to their friends. Sometimes those to whom it is sent do not want it, and write to us to discontinue it; but we are helpless in the matter for we do not send it. Then when those persons find it is not stopped they send another order sharply reproving us for not stopping their paper; whereas we not only do not send it but we do not know who does send it. Sometimes friends of the SENTINEL order from this office copies sent to individuals. In such cases when we receive word to stop sending it we can comply, and we invariably do comply promptly. No paper is ever sent to any person from this office after that person has notified us that he does not want the paper. AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.1

Therefore, dear friends, if the SENTINEL continues to come to you after you have asked us to stop sending it, you may know that we do not send it, do not know who does, and therefore cannot stop it, and that it is useless to write to us a second time on the subject. AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.2

Also it is well to bear in mind that, although the SENTINEL. may come to you without your having subscribed for it, you will never be asked to pay anything for it. We do not send any SENTINELS anywhere except those which are paid for. If you have not subscribed and yet receive the paper, you will understand that somebody is either sending it to you himself, or has sent money to us to pay for sending it to you. AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.3

“Back Page” American Sentinel 5, 18.

E. J. Waggoner

A New Orleans paper states that the Mayor of that city regards the Louisiana Sunday law as objectionable, and a hardship upon poor people. He favors its strict enforcement, however, as the best means for securing its repeal. AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.4

China ought to be the ideal National Reform country. A Chinese mandarin can order a man’s head to be cut off at any moment. But within three months he must forward to the Emperor an affidavit from two persons declaring that the execution was in the interest of religion and morals. He has no difficulty in getting such affidavits, as he can cut off the heads of any who refuse to make them. AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.5

Rev. Dr. Howard Crosby has recently published a volume of lectures on the book of Revelation, in which he says that the spiritual ruin noticeable in so many countries where Christianity was once the prevailing creed, or where a nominal adherence to it is still the rule of the majority, is due to the admission of the world into the Church-“of joining the Church to the State; of forming alliances and friendships with the world; of compromising and thus letting down the standard of holiness and separation between Christ and Belial.” AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.6

By means of a “decoy” letter the Voice obtained an interview with the manager of last year’s anti-Prohibition campaign in Pennsylvania; and in the interview it got a great host of matter that with great delight it published to the world. In the interview certain prominent and responsible men of Philadelphia were named, and certain things were said about them; but these men unanimously declare the statements to be without a particle of foundation in fact. Now the question presents itself, Who was it that was decoyed, the Voice or the other man? The Voice confessedly worked a deceitful trick to obtain information. How does the Voice know but what the other party did the same in giving the information? We confess that on reading the Voice’s account, there was a certain air of open innocence amounting almost to verdancy, which is very seldom found amongst men of such political experience as the gentleman who was interviewed. It is certain that names were given, and statements were made, with such an air of recklessness as to cast doubt upon the whole thing by reason of its very extravagance. AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.7

Taking the whole case as it stands, so far, we cannot help wondering whether the Voice’s decoy did not partake somewhat of the character of a boomerang. And the question is, Who was it that was decoyed? AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.8

In an article entitled, “Thoughts on Conscience,” in Word and Work, Rev. E. Bailey says:- AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.9

A conscience illuminated and instructed by the word of God is free from condemnation, and is strong to bear the reproaches of men and the accusations of Satan.... AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.10

Such a conscience is above the laws of men, and is not amenable to earthly tribunals. No civil power can have any control over the conscience... In secular things we are to submit to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, but in all religious things we are left to God and our conscience. AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.11

This is true, and it does not alter the case a particle to call civil that which is religious. AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.12

The best method of opposing error is by the advocacy of truth. AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.13

The Kansas Worker, the organ of the Kansas Tract Society, says” “A true advocate of temperance will want the saloons closed every day in the week, and a law to that end can be enforced as well as a law that only closes them on Sunday. Such a law, instead of being in the interest of temperance, is in the interest of Sunday.” The Worker tells the truth, as all religious papers should. Of course all papers, and all persons, too, ought to tell the truth; and we wish they would. AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.14

The first item in the editorial columns of the Christian Statesman tells us that “Rev. Wilbur F. Crafts has resigned his position as Publishing Secretary of the American Sabbath Union, which he found would confine him to New York and vicinity, in order to be free to make a transcontinental trip, in the interest of Sabbath reform.... In the autumn, he expects to return to the pastorate.” AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.15

Thus we are quietly told that the Sunday Union, as represented in the person of Mr. Crafts, expects to die in the autumn. Is this latest off-shoot of the National Reform Association to be uprooted in its early youth? Possibly the Sunday Union has become irrevocably wedded to the civil Sabbath, and the parent organization has decided that it is wiser to await the slower but surer appeal to religious prejudice. At the late convention in Washington, it was decided to eliminate the term “civil” Sabbath from the National Reform vocabulary. Perhaps, as its occupation is gone, the organization which was the exponent of the idea contained in that expression, is to go with it. AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.16

Bound volumes of the Pacific Health Journal for 1888 and 1889, Oakland, California, have found their way to our table and are most welcome visitors. These volumes are neatly and substantially bound in half roan, and present a very neat appearance. But it is the contents of the volumes which make them valuable. They abound in useful information and practical every-day hints which cannot fail to be exceedingly helpful to every one who cares to profit by them. The volumes are well worth the price at which they sell. They may be order together, or singly, from the Pacific Press, Oakland, Cal. Price, post-paid, $2.25 per volume. AMS May 1, 1890, page 144.17