BABYLON AND IT'S DAUGHTERS

WHO ARE THE DAUGHTERS OF BABYLON? In Revelation 17, Babylon is represented as a woman, a figure which is used in the Scriptures as the symbol of a church. A virtuous woman represents a pure church, a vile woman an apostate church. Babylon is said to be a harlot; and the prophet beheld her drunken with the blood of saints and martyrs. The Babylon thus described represents Rome, that apostate church which has so cruelly persecuted the followers of Christ. But Babylon the harlot is the mother of daughters who follow her example of corruption. Thus are represented those churches that cling to the doctrines and traditions of Rome and follow her worldly practices, and whose fall is announced in the second angel’s message.{4SP 233.1} The close relation of the church to Christ is represented under the figure of marriage. The Lord had joined his people to himself by a solemn covenant, he promising to be their God, and they pledging themselves to be his, and his alone. Said Paul, addressing the church, “I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” [2 Corinthians 11:2.] But when her confidence and affection were turned away from him, and she sought after vanity, and allowed the love of worldly things to separate her from God, she forfeited the privileges included in this peculiar and sacred relation. By the apostle James those who assimilate to the world are addressed as “adulterers and adulteresses.” [James 4:4.] {4SP 233.2} A profession of religion has become popular with the world. Rulers, politicians, lawyers, doctors, merchants, join the church as a means of securing the respect and confidence of society, and advancing their own worldly interests. Thus they seek to cover all their unrighteous transactions under a profession of Christianity. The various religious bodies, re-enforced by the wealth and influence of these baptized worldlings, make a still higher bid for popularity and patronage. Splendid churches, embellished in the most extravagant manner, are erected on popular avenues. The worshipers array themselves in costly and fashionable attire. A high salary is paid for a talented minister to entertain and attract the people. His sermons must not touch popular sins, but be made smooth and pleasing for fashionable ears. Thus fashionable sinners are enrolled on the church-records, and fashionable sins are concealed under a pretense of godliness. God looks down upon these apostate bodies, and declares them daughters of a harlot. To secure the favor and support of the great men of earth, they have broken their solemn vows of allegiance and fidelity to the King of Heaven.{4SP 234.1} The great sin charged against Babylon is, that she “made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” This cup of intoxication which she presents to the world, represents the false doctrines which she has accepted as the result of her unlawful connection with the great ones of the earth. Friendship with the world corrupts her faith, and in her turn she exerts a corrupting influence upon the world by teaching doctrines which are opposed to the plainest statements of the word of God. {4SP 234.2} Prominent among these false doctrines is that of the temporal millennium,—a thousand years of spiritual peace and prosperity, in which the world is to be converted, before the coming of Christ. This siren song has lulled thousands of souls to sleep over the abyss of eternal ruin.{4SP 235.1} The doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul has opened the way for the artful working of Satan through modern Spiritualism; and besides the Romish errors, purgatory, prayers for the dead, invocation of saints, etc., which have sprung from this source, it has led many Protestants to deny the resurrection and the Judgment, and has given rise to the revolting heresy of eternal torment, and the dangerous delusion of Universalism.{4SP 235.2} And even more dangerous and more widely held than these are the assumptions that the law of God was abolished at the cross, and that the first day of the week is now a holy day, instead of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.{4SP 235.3} When faithful teachers expound the word of God, there arise men of learning, ministers professing to understand the Scriptures, who denounce sound doctrine as heresy, and thus turn away inquirers after truth. Were it not that the world is hopelessly intoxicated with the wine of Babylon, multitudes would be convicted and converted by the plain, cutting truths of the word of God. The sin of the world’s impenitence lies at the door of the church. {4SP 235.4} God sent his professed people a message that would have corrected the evils which separated them from his favor. A state of union, faith, and love had been produced among those who from every denomination in Christendom received the Advent doctrine; and had the churches in general accepted the same truth, the same blessed results would have followed. But Babylon scornfully rejected the last means which Heaven had in reserve for her restoration, and then, with greater eagerness, she turned to seek the friendship of the world.{4SP 236.1} Those who preached the first message had no purpose or expectation of causing divisions in the churches, or of forming separate organizations. “In all my labors,” said Wm. Miller, “I never had the desire or thought to establish any separate interest from that of existing denominations, or to benefit one at the expense of another. I thought to benefit all. Supposing that all Christians would rejoice in the prospect of Christ’s coming, and that those who could not see as I did would not love any the less those who should embrace this doctrine, I did not conceive there would ever be any necessity for separate meetings. My whole object was a desire to convert souls to God, to notify the world of a coming Judgment, and to induce my fellow-men to make that preparation of heart which will enable them to meet their God in peace. The great majority of those who were converted under my labors united with the various existing churches. When individuals came to me to inquire respecting their duty, I always told them to go where they would feel at home; and I never favored any one denomination in my advice to such.” {4SP 236.2} For a time many of the churches welcomed his labors; but as they decided against the Advent truth, they desired to suppress all agitation of the subject. Those who had accepted the doctrine were thus placed in a position of great trial and perplexity. They loved their churches, and were loth to separate from them; but as they were ridiculed and oppressed, denied the privilege of speaking of their hope, or of attending preaching upon the Lord’s coming, many at last arose and cast off the yoke which had been imposed upon them.{4SP 237.1} In the days of the Reformation, the gentle and pious Melancthon declared, “There is no other church than the assembly of those who have the word of God, and who are purified by it.” Adventists, seeing that the churches rejected the testimony of God’s word, could no longer regard them as constituting the church of Christ, “the pillar and ground of the truth;” and as the message, “Babylon is fallen,” began to be proclaimed, they felt themselves justified in separating from their former connection.{4SP 237.2} Since the rejection of the first message, a sad change has taken place in the churches. As truth is spurned, error is received and cherished. Love for God, and faith in his word, have grown cold. The churches have grieved the Spirit of the Lord, and it has been in a great measure withdrawn. The words of the prophet Ezekiel are fearfully applicable: “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling-block of their iniquity before their face. Should I be inquired of at all by them?” “I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols.” [Ezekiel 14:3, 4.] Men may not bow down to idols of wood and stone, but all who love the things of the world and take pleasure in unrighteousness have set up idols in their hearts. The majority of professed Christians are serving other gods besides the Lord. Pride and luxury are cherished, idols are set up in the sanctuary, and her holy places are polluted. {4SP 237.3} Anciently the Lord declared to his servants concerning Israel: “The leaders of this people cause them to err, and they that are led of them are destroyed.” [Isaiah 9:16.] “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it so; and what will ye do in the end thereof?” [Jeremiah 5:31.] “For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them, every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest, every one dealeth falsely.” [Jeremiah 6:13.] The Jewish church, once so highly favored of the Lord, became an astonishment and a reproach through neglect to improve the blessings granted them. Pride and unbelief led to their ruin. But these scriptures do not apply to ancient Israel only. The character and condition of many nominally Christian churches are here portrayed. Though in possession of far greater blessings than were granted to the Jews, they are following in the steps of that people; and the greater the light and privileges bestowed, the greater the guilt of those who permit them to pass unimproved. {4SP 238.1} The picture which the apostle Paul has drawn of the professed people of God in the last days is a sad but faithful delineation of the popular churches of our time. “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof,” “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God,” “lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,” [2 Timothy 3:2-7.]—such are a few specifications from the dark catalogue which he has given. And in view of the frequent and startling revelations of crime, even among those that minister in holy things, who dare affirm that there is one sin enumerated by the apostle which is not concealed under a profession of Christianity?{4SP 239.1} “But what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?” “And what concord hath Christ with Belial?” “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” [2 Corinthians 6:14-18.]{4SP 239.2} At the proclamation of the first angel’s message, the people of God were in Babylon; and many true Christians are still to be found in her communion. Not a few who have never seen the special truths for this time are dissatisfied with their present position, and are longing for clearer light. They look in vain for the image of Christ in the church. As the churches depart more and more widely from the truth, and ally themselves more closely with the world, the time will come when those who fear and honor God can no longer remain in connection with them. Those that “believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness,” will be left to receive “strong delusion,” and to “believe a lie.” [2 Thessalonians 2:11, 12.] Then the spirit of persecution will again be revealed. But the light of truth will shine upon all whose hearts are open to receive it, and all the children of the Lord still in Babylon, will heed the call, “Come out of her, my people.” {4SP 239.3}

THE DAUGHTERS OF BABYLON

THE BEAST AND ITS IMAGE! This is a reproduction in part, of an article written by J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH in the year 1861. How much more may we ad to this discription of such a power at thew present time, 150 years or so latter? Yet the vital truths of God's word stand vindicated! IMAGE OF THE BEAST ALTHOUGH much has been said on this subject, it may not be out of place for us again to call attention to it.{ARSH January 15, 1861, p. 69.9} The beast which is to make this image is the two-horned beast of Revelation 13:11-18. The beast to which an image is to be made is the Papal beast, i.e., the Roman Catholic church clothed with civil authority. It is said to make an image to the first beast. The first beast is the one introduced in the preceding portion of the chapter, which receives a deadly wound. And it is after this deadly wound that the two-horned beast makes an image to the first beast. The first beast receives the civil power of the dragon. This dragon, we see by what is said of it, is the civil power which bore rule at the time of Christ’s birth. This was the Pagan Rome power. In A. D. 538 the Pagan Rome power gave its seat - the seat of empire of Rome, the city of Rome - into the hands of the Catholics, with civil authority to persecute heretics. This power it held for 1260 years, which ended in 1798. In the year 1798 when the French army under General Berthier entered Rome, and deposed the Pope, and established the Papal power, the deadly wound was inflicted on this first beast.{ARSH January 15, 1861, p. 69.10} The two-horned beast which makes the image to this first beast is seen coming up at the time this wound is inflicted on the first beast. It has been clearly shown that the government of the United States has come up in the right time, on the right territory, and in the right manner to fulfill the specifications in regard to this two-horned beast. It comes up out of the earth. Its predecessors came up by the striving of the four winds upon the great sea [Daniel 7], the sea representing nations, etc. Revelation 17. While the powers symbolized by the four beasts of Daniel 7 have successively come up by the overthrow of the government of their predecessors, this two-horned beast “comes up,” not by winds’ striving, not by the justling of nation against nation, not by powers’ being overthrown to establish it; but it plants itself in territory which previously was unoccupied by civil governments. Our declaration of independence having been made in 1776, in 1798, the time the deadly wound was inflicted on the first beast, this power was a lamb (youthful) power, “coming up.”{ARSH January 15, 1861, p. 69.11} The rise of our government since 1798, as expressed by an English Journalist in 1853, has not a parallel in the past history of the human race. It is also found that the government itself answers to the description of this beast. While it is lamb-like in its profession, both in its civil and ecclesiastical departments, it is dragon-like in its action. While the civil power declares in its declaration of independence that all men are entitled to liberty, by its voice, or laws, it holds about four millions of beings in slavery. The ecclesiastical power of the government, which is Protestant, claims to grant to all, toleration and freedom of faith. Yet at the same time it joins in with the voice of civil authority in enforcing slavery, while the measures by which it does so may gall the consciences of men.{ARSH January 15, 1861, p. 69.12} Here also a series of wonders have been performed, and now even miracles are done by the beast. Spiritualism with all its satanic deceptiveness is working upon the people, and the way is being fully prepared for a saying to go forth that an image should be made to the first beast. When this image is made men are to be caused to worship it under severe penalties. It is true we do not expect the making and execution of the great decrees of the beast until after the third angel’s message of Revelation 14, shall have accomplished its warning against the work of this beast. We understand, however, that steps are now being taken which will result in the making of that image. We do not understand that the making of that image will be a momentary work, but like the rise of the beast itself, will occupy a little space of time in its development. We would inquire at this time, How far developed is the image of the beast?{ARSH January 15, 1861, p. 69.13} It may be said that the making of the image of the beast is yet future, and that there are no means of telling how it will be done. I think the best way to form our theories upon this subject would be to look at the rise of the first beast - to look at the steps which were gradually taken to bring it into action as a persecuting power. Similar steps will probably be taken to make an image to the beast that were taken to make the beast.{ARSH January 15, 1861, p. 69.14} Some have said when an image to the beast is made it will enforce Purgatory and all the doctrines of the Papal church. That would not necessarily be the case. A power that should enforce the doctrines of the Papacy would restore Papacy instead of making an image. An image to anything must be something that is in appearance like the thing, yet is not the thing itself. An image to the Papacy we should understand would be some other class of religionists that should take similar steps in enforcing its sentiments to those taken by the Papacy. We think it can be made clear that but five distinct steps were taken by the church before she came into the position marked in prophecy as the “beast with seven heads and ten horns.” We think we can show that four of those steps have been taken by the nominal, creed-making Protestants of this time; and they are already striving to take the fifth step, which will fully constitute them the image to that beast.{ARSH January 15, 1861, p. 69.15} The overt steps taken by the church were, First, the making of a creed. For this purpose Conventions were called, Synods and Councils convened, and the result was a great universal creed. The second step was to make that creed a rule of faith and test of fellowship. This was no sooner done than it was decided to try unruly members by the creed instead of the Bible. So for the third step, this creed became the tribunal by which men were judged. The fourth step was to brand all as heretics who did not subscribe to the creed. In the fifth step they obtained the aid of the civil law to enforce penalties on those whom they had branded as heretics. It was for some time after they had formed their creeds, that they could only threaten what they would do to heretics, but they did not punish them because no laws were passed by which they could do it.{ARSH January 15, 1861, p. 69.16} As an illustration of this matter we would refer to Theodosius’ edict which was made in the year A. D. 380. This may be found in Gibbon’s Rome, chap 27. After having given an account of Theodosius’ baptism he says: “And, as the emperor ascended from the holy fount, still glowing with the warm feelings of regeneration, he dictated a solemn edict, which proclaimed his own faith, and prescribed the religion of his subjects. It is our pleasure (such is the imperial style) that all the nations which are governed by our clemency and moderation, should steadfastly adhere to the religion which was taught by St. Peter to the Romans, which faithful tradition has preserved, and which is now professed by the pontiff Damasus, and by Peter, bishop of Alexandria, a man of apostolic holiness. According to the discipline of the apostles, and the doctrine of the gospel, let us believe the sole deity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; under an equal majesty, and a pious trinity. We authorize the followers of this doctrine to assume the title of catholic Christians; and as we judge that all others are extravagant mad-men, we brand them with the infamous name of heretics and declare that their conventicles shall no longer usurp the respectable appellation of churches. Besides the condemnation of divine justice, they must expect to suffer the severe penalties which our authority, guided by heavenly wisdom, shall think proper to inflict upon them.”{ARSH January 15, 1861, p. 69.17} It was several years however before severe penalties were inflicted upon them.{ARSH January 15, 1861, p. 69.18} But it seems from his next statements that even these penalties were not immediately executed. He says: “The theory of persecution was established by Theodosius.... but the practice of it, in the fullest extent, was reserved for his rival and colleague Maximus, the first among the Christian princes, who shed the blood of his Christian subjects on account of their religious opinions.” In these edicts the emperors were beginning a work which finally resulted in the giving of the civil power into the hands of the Papal church.{ARSH January 15, 1861, p. 69.19} As we have before shown it is by the two-horned-beast power (our own government) that an image is to be made to this first beast. Some regard it perhaps as all fancy that we should suppose any such thing will be done here. We already see four steps have been taken by the Protestant church, and a plea set up that like causes produce like results, we should conclude an “image to the beast” would be the result of taking these steps. But we have the sure word of prophecy declaring that this power will make an image and we look on the taking of these steps as a fulfillment of the prophetic testimony concerning this power. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH. To be continued.) {ARSH January 15, 1861, p. 69.20} (Concluded.){ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.7} On the first step taken by the church of Rome we would say: Nearly every prominent sect of the present time has her creed which they tell us is founded upon the Bible. Yet we find the sentiments of their creeds discordant, which shows of course that they are not all drawn from the fountain of truth. In regard to what the churches of our land have done in regard to creed-making we will make a few quotations from a sermon preached by Charles Beecher at the dedication of the Presbyterian Church at Ft. Wayne, Ind.:{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.8} “Our best, most humble, most devoted servants of Christ are fostering in their midst what will one day, not long hence, show itself to be of the spawn of the dragon. They shrink from any rude word against creeds with the same sensitiveness with which those holy fathers would have shrunk from a rude word against the rising veneration of saints and martyrs which they were fostering.”{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.9} “The creed system is now exerting upon the clergy of the Protestant churches a secret, unsuspected, but tremendous power against the Bible - a power of fear. Yes, while it professes to venerate and defend the Bible, it is virtually undermining it.”{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.10} “The religious world has what is called a public sentiment of its own, and this is formed chiefly by the great evangelical denominations. Other denominations are, owing to their paucity of numbers, less perceived. By one or the other of these denominations, the first fact is, the young candidate is to be licensed; for public sentiment has settled that an unlicensed preacher is no preacher at all. He must have license, then; all his hopes center on that. But there is not one of these great evangelical denominations from which he can get license, unless he will subscribe the creed of that denomination. In other words, the Protestant evangelical denominations have so tied up one another’s hands, and their own, that, between them all, a man cannot become a preacher at all, anywhere, without accepting some book besides the Bible.”{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.11} Thus we see the first overt step of Rome has been taken by the Protestant sects of our land.{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.12} The second step of Rome has been taken, and these creeds are also made a test of fellowship, as appears from the further testimony in Beecher’s discourse, which we quote because it displays the exact facts in the case:{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.13} “It is true, each denomination says, ‘We inflict no penalty - we only decline to receive into our ranks one who does not agree with us.’ And this is so specious, it sounds so reasonable, that it might deceive the very elect; but it is the most consummate stroke of infernal craft, and doubly distilled jesuitism.{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.14} “It is like Rome, handing over the victims of the Inquisition to the civil arm, charging it to do them no harm, and then piously lauding her own lamblike disposition. It is true, the denominations do not do the candidate any harm, they only silently leave him to his inevitable fate.”{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.15} The third step of Rome is taken, and the creed is made the tribunal by which its members are tried. Did our space admit we might relate scores of instances where members have been denied a Bible trial, and when in trial by the church they have shown that their peculiar sentiments were in accordance with the Bible, they have been tried by the creed, and expelled from the society of the creed powers. A case came up in Wisconsin not many months since. A Baptist deacon, with his wife and daughters, embraced the present truth. In the winding up of the trial it seemed necessary to tell these individuals why they were set aside from the church. The clerk said, “We do not want you to think, Bro. Wright, because we expel you from the church, that we do not consider that you keep the commandments of God, for we believe you do; but your faith does not agree with the Baptist Treatise!”{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.16} That the fourth step has been taken, and those are anathematized who do not subscribe to the Orthodox creeds of this time is clear from the following testimony from Beecher concerning an unlicensed minister:{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.17} “Unlicensed, without moral affinities with the minor sects, alone, before he has formed the self-sustaining habits of a man, before he has yet tried his armor, self-distrustful, generally poor, often in debt, inexperienced, he finds an invisible, intangible Power has entangled and enveloped him in complicate, writhing folds. The frown of society is upon him, public sentiment is against him - the public sentiment of good men, yea, of the best and most devoted! He is whispered to be unsound, unsafe, heretical! He is called by every sectarian name most frightful to ears evangelical, right or wrong; and yet nobody does it. He is smitten; he looks here and there, behind and before; he can see nobody. And thus he is politely, and respectfully, and silently, and invisibly crushed. He is in the religious world what a broken-down candidate is in the political - dead.{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.18} “Now there never was a torture of the Inquisition more exquisitely suited to extort conformity from an agonized victim. Not the body, but the mind is on the rack. Every most noble feeling is tried to the utmost. His natural need of livelihood, his care of family and of friends, his sense of reputation, his honest ambition, his tastes, his intellectual habits, his hopes of usefulness, yea, the very inmost, sacred emotions of his devotional experience, are here taken hold of - in the dark - by an unseen, ruthless hand - and are wrung, and racked, and wrenched, to the last extreme of mental torture. And there is no eye to pity, nor arm to save. The public will not hear him. He is nobody, an outcast, a mad-man.{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.19} “This, my friends, is the penalty which good men, out of good motives, unconsciously, yet really are proposing to the eyes of every candidate for the ministry, this intense spiritual martyrdom. During seven years it stares him in the face, during the whole forming time of his opinions. And for what?{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.20} “For daring to say, ‘I do not receive your creed as containing the system of doctrines contained in the Bible;’ and for daring to say what God has said, ‘With that Bible alone I am perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.’ For repeating and holding on upon this declaration of God, he falls a spiritual martyr. And is not that an apostasy, then, that martyrs him? And is not the Protestant church apostate? Oh! remember, the final form of the apostasy shall rise, not by Rome’s aggressive march; not by the pope’s long arm, outstretched to snatch our Bible; not by crosses, processions, baubles. We understand all that. Apostasy never comes on the outside. It develops. It is an apostasy that shall spring into life within us; an apostasy that shall martyr a man who believes his Bible ever so holily.... That is the apostasy we have to fear, and is it not already formed?{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.21} “Accept the Bible and the book, and you may put your own private construction on both, as every one does. Accept the Bible, and put your own private construction on that - the great paw of the beast is on you. This is what I call taking the Bible out of the hands of the ministry.{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.22} “There is nothing imaginary in the statement that the creed power is now beginning to prohibit the Bible as really as Rome did, though in a subtler way. During the whole course of seven years’ study, the Protestant candidate for the ministry sees before him an authorized statement, spiked down and stereotyped, of what he must find in the Bible, or be martyred. And does any one, acquainted with human nature, need be told that he studies under a tremendous pressure of motive? Is that freedom of opinion? - ‘the liberty wherewith Christ maketh free?’ Rome would have given that. Every one of her clergy might have studied the Bible to find there the pontifical creed on pain of death. Was that liberty?”{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.23} Those who have embraced the unpopular, yet Bible doctrines of the Sabbath and near coming of the Lord, and have held fast their integrity in the midst of the rage and anathemas of a modern orthodox creed power are prepared to appreciate what we say when we tell them this is a manifestation of the fourth apostate step of modern Protestantism.{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.24} The fifth step taken by Rome was to reach forth the arm and secure the civil power. Already is the church striving for laws to enforce an almost universal tenet, Sunday-keeping, which is purely traditional, and contrary to the commandment of God relative to the Sabbath.{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.25} Several years since, Dr. Durbin, of the Christian Advocate and Journal, gave his views on this subject as follows: {ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 76.26} “I infer therefore that the civil magistrate may not be called upon to enforce the observance of the Sabbath (Sunday) as required in the spiritual kingdom of Christ; but, when Christianity becomes the moral and spiritual life of the State, the State is bound through her magistrates to prevent the open violation of the holy Sabbath, as a measure of self-preservation. She cannot without injuring her own vitality, and incurring the divine displeasure, be recreant to her duty in this matter.”{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 77.1} Here is another statement which appeared in the N. Y. Evangelist in 1854 relative to this matter:{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 77.2} “The principle that Christianity is recognized by the State as something which essentially belongs to it, gives us, we think, the true and simple basis upon which the laws relating to the observance of the Sabbath are to be enforced. The law throws its protection round the sacredness and quiet of the first day of the week, not because it recognizes it as a sacred day in itself considered, but for other reasons.”{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 77.3} From this it seems that they are trying to shape the matter so that laws may be passed enforcing Sunday without violating the constitution, which declares that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 77.4} During the last three years special efforts have been made in some parts, especially in the State of New York, to get more stringent Sunday laws. Last spring the Tribune took a stand somewhat against this Sunday legislation, whereupon some of the opposite party thought to make it a party issue. Accordingly a question was asked to the Tribune, which called out the following answer: “We answer categorically that the Lincoln party, as such, has no opinions whatever on the Sunday question.” This was taken up by the Albany Atlas and Argus of Oct. 6, which retorted against them: “Lincoln don’t care if the Sabbath is violated or not.” Here was an attempt to make a party issue of it, but it has not yet become such. Neither do we claim that these stringent Sunday laws will be immediately passed, but we wish to show that Protestants are desirous of taking the fifth step taken by Papacy before her persecutions of God’s people. And as we shall now pass to show, the legislative powers say they shall and must take the step.{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 77.5} Before me lies the N. Y. Observer, of Aug. 23, 1860, which gives an account of a large and enthusiastic meeting which was held at Saratoga Springs, Aug. 12, the object of which was to consider the subject of taking effective measures to secure laws for the observance of Sunday. The Hon. Millard Fillmore, Ex-president of the United States, presided over the meeting:{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 77.6} “On his right sat Gov. Buckingham, of Connecticut, and Hon. J. W. Beekman, of New York, and on his left Gov. Morgan, of New York, and the Hon. Wm. C. Alexander, of New Jersey, representatives (with the honored chairman of the meeting) of the three great political parties which, in the apprehended shock of their collision, now threaten to rend the land asunder. Would that this spectacle of Christian co-operation could be witnessed on a still grander scale! But even on this limited field of observation it was a stirring sight to behold the champions of opposing interests of State relinquishing their weapons at the foot of the cross.”{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 77.7} Here we see is a point, and probably the only point on which they all could unite. Of this large concourse of people he says:{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 77.8} “Probably no two men thought exactly alike on any other subject. Doubtless all did not agree as to the grounds on which public action should be taken, or as to the extent to which that action should be pushed. But I have no question, from the tone of the meeting and from casual remarks I overheard, that if it had been put to the vote it would have been resolved by acclamation that our American Christian Sabbath - the precious birthright of our national independence - must and shall be preserved.{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 77.9} “Mr. Cook proceeded to state what had been already done by the Sabbath Committee, and what they still proposed to do. Their success in silencing the Sunday newsboys, and closing the Sunday groceries should stimulate all the friends of good order to more vigorous, more systematic, and more persistent effort in the same direction. He paid a high and deserved compliment to the New York Press for their handsome and efficient co-operation in the good cause. He stated very pointedly and distinctly the question on which this holy war is waged. It was not whether we should have a Sabbath or not; that was settled by unanimous consent. The question is, Shall we have our own Christian, American Sabbath - the Sabbath of our childhood and of our fathers, the Sabbath of rest and holy quiet - or an imported European Sabbath? The speaker then ably contrasted the two conflicting methods of Sabbath observance, and argued vigorously against the lawless pretensions of a part of our German population. His statements were succinctly and effectively presented, and were heard with marked attention.”{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 77.10} Ex-president Fillmore said that he “had aimed to secure the benefits of the day of rest through a long career of more than ordinary physical and mental exertion, and giving his full assent to the claims of all who desired to make it a day of worship, and to vindicate the prerogative of the civil authority. While he deemed it needful to legislate cautiously in all matters connected with public morals, and to avoid coercive measures affecting religion, the right of every citizen to a day of rest and worship could not be questioned, and laws securing that right should be enforced. He was happy to perceive that the gentlemen of the Sabbath Committee had avoided the mistakes connected with many attempts at moral reform, and their object had his entire approbation.”{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 77.11} We look on these testimonies as a call for an image. May we all so obey the third angel’s message, so keep God’s commandments that we shall be prepared to stand when the trying time of the image beast’s decrees shall come.{ARSH January 22, 1861, p. 77.12} J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH. Battle Creek, Jan., 1861.