Manuscripts and Memories of Minneapolis

THEY ARE FOR TEMPERANCE

But Seventh Day Adventists Can Not Indorse
the Prohibition Party.

The Adventists held a social meeting at 5:30 yesterday morning, and at 9 a.m. Elder Wagner [sic], of Oakland, Cal., began a discussion of law and Galatians, or Justification by Faith, that lasted an hour and a half. The regular business session was called at 10:30 and consisted of the reading of missionary reports. The same business was continued at 2:30 p.m., and at 4:30 the International Tract and Missionary Society met and heard reports of work in Southern States. MMM 557.2

The evening session was occupied by Elder Jones, editor of the American Sentinel, of Oakland, Cal., who spoke on “The Union of Church and State.” He is, in accordance with the tenets of the sect, unalterably opposed to the union of the church and state, or anything approximating it. He believes that in the near future there will be persecution for conscience’ sake in the United States. He spoke of the radical temperance ideas of the Adventists and stated that, although many of the people of this denomination are in favor of constitutional prohibition, they can no longer affiliate with the Prohibition party on account of the Sunday plank in the third party platform, which according to Adventist ideas is likely to lead to religious persecution. He thinks the rights of the infidel should be as much respected as those of the Christian, and believing with Horace Greeley that the writing of the name of God on a plow beam would do as much good as writing it in the constitution, asks that the latter remain as it is. MMM 557.3

n.a., “Holding Meetings Still” Minneapolis Tribune, (10/24/1888), p. 5. MMM 558.1