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As early as the 1860's Adventists were predicting a future crisis where America would downgrade the first admendment when it comes to protecting religious liberty.
Speaking of our republican form of government (as a republic)
" Republicanism and Protestantism became the fundamental principles of the nation, the secret of its power and prosperity. Millions have sought its shores, and the United States has risen to a place among the most powerful nations of the earth. {HF 273.1}"
" when she (our Protestant nation) shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with Spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and Republican (form of) government, ...then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan, and that the end is near."—5T451. {ChS 160.4}
Thanks for sharing that.
The eschatology we have does predict that in the future all Christian churches will unite (as in "cooperate") on the point that America needs federal legislation passed that calls for no work on Sunday similar to Senate Bill 2983 in the year 1888 that ultimately failed to pass at the federal level but is upheld at state levels and has faced first amendment challenges only to be upheld by the Supreme Court saying such no-work laws are not infringing on the first amendment.
(some today are considering it just for the issue of climate change alone if you look in the news).
But the issue that SDAs point to is not merely that such a legislation will not "allow work" on Sunday (which we could easily comply with) but that it will not tolerate worship services - full observance - of the Bible Sabbath on Friday/Saturday. At that point -- it is a "prediction" about what would happen in the future.
Many who are not SDA have predicted that such a prediction as we have had since the 1860's - could never happen under any circumstances.
They often say it can't happen because America is so firmly grounded in the religious liberty of the first amendment that the idea of closing down Christian churches nation wide for any reason - even for what would be viewed as a national emergency or health or civil unrest issue , even if it was just specific to a day of the week - is still unthinkable .
Those who scoffed at such an idea as is predicted in SDA eschatology in the 1860's might view the year 2020 as a wake up call were they alive to see it. (food for thought). And those that think that the 1888 Senate Bill 2983 sort of thing could never have happened might want to read up on it.
Speaking of our republican form of government (as a republic)
" Republicanism and Protestantism became the fundamental principles of the nation, the secret of its power and prosperity. Millions have sought its shores, and the United States has risen to a place among the most powerful nations of the earth. {HF 273.1}"
" when she (our Protestant nation) shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with Spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and Republican (form of) government, ...then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan, and that the end is near."—5T451. {ChS 160.4}
One thing about SDA theology that gets me though is that their eschatology is that at some point in the future the apostate church will come into political power and enforce Sunday worship. Anyone who does not worship on Sunday will be jailed and/or killed.
The last 4 years have shown me that many things I thought were impossible and wouldn't ever happen, happened. However with this eschatology I just don't see it...
Thanks for sharing that.
The eschatology we have does predict that in the future all Christian churches will unite (as in "cooperate") on the point that America needs federal legislation passed that calls for no work on Sunday similar to Senate Bill 2983 in the year 1888 that ultimately failed to pass at the federal level but is upheld at state levels and has faced first amendment challenges only to be upheld by the Supreme Court saying such no-work laws are not infringing on the first amendment.
The bill proposed by Senator Blair, and upon which the argument was made, is as follows: -- "50th CONGRESS, } S. 2983. 1st SESSION. }
"In the Senate of the United States, May 21, 1888, Mr. Blair introduced the following bill, which was read twice, and referred to the Committee on Education and Labor: -- "A bill to secure to the people the enjoyment of the first day of the week, commonly known as the Lord's day, as a day of rest, and to promote its observance as a day of religious worship.
"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That no person, or corporation, or the agent, servant, or employee of any person or corporation, shall perform or authorize to be performed any secular work, labor, or business to the disturbance of others, works of necessity, mercy, and humanity excepted; nor shall any person engage in any play, game, or amusement, or recreation, to the disturbance of others, on the first day of the week, commonly known as the Lord's day, or during any part thereof, in any territory, district, vessel, or place subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States; nor shall it be lawful for any person or corporation to receive pay for labor or service performed or rendered in violation of this section.
"Section 2. That no mails or mail matter shall hereafter be transported in time of peace over any land postal route, nor shall any mail matter be collected, assorted, handled, or delivered during any part of the first day of the week: Provided, That whenever any letter shall relate to a work of necessity or mercy, or shall concern the health, life, or decease of any person, and the fact shall be plainly stated upon the face of the envelope containing the same, the postmaster-general shall provide for the transportation of such letter.
"Section 3. That the prosecution of commerce between the States and with the Indian tribes, the same not being work of necessity, mercy, or humanity, by the transportation of persons or property by land or water in such way as to interfere with or disturb the people in the enjoyment of the first day of the week, or any portion thereof, as a day of rest from labor, the same not being labor of necessity, mercy, or humanity, or its observance as a day of religious worship, is hereby prohibited; and any person or corporation, or the agent or employee of any person or corporation, who shall willfully violate this section, shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten nor more than one thousand dollars, and no service performed in the prosecution of such prohibited commerce shall be lawful, nor shall any compensation be recoverable or be paid for the same.
"Section 4. That all military and naval drills, musters, and parades, not in time of active service or immediate preparation therefor, of soldiers, sailors, marines, or cadets of the United States, on the first day of the week, except assemblies for the due and orderly observance of religious worship, are hereby prohibited, nor shall any unnecessary labor be performed or permitted in the military or naval service of the United States on the Lord's day.
"Section 5. That it shall be unlawful to pay or to receive payment or wages in any manner for service rendered, or for labor performed, or for the transportation of persons or of property in violation of the provisions of this act, nor shall any action lie for the recovery thereof, and when so paid, whether in advance or otherwise, the same may be recovered back by whoever shall first sue for the same.
"Section 6. That labor or service performed and rendered on the first day of the week in consequence of accident, disaster, or unavoidable delays in making the regular connections upon postal routes and routes of travel and transportation, the preservation of perishable and exposed property, and the regular and necessary transportation and delivery of articles of food in condition for healthy use, and such transportation for short distances from one State, district, or Territory, into another State, district, or Territory as by local laws shall be declared to be necessary for the public good, shall not be deemed violations of this act, but the same shall be construed, so far as possible, to secure to the whole people rest from toil during the first day of the week, their mental and moral culture, and the religious observance of the Sabbath day."
from; First Sunday Law - proposed by Senator Blair-1888
(some today are considering it just for the issue of climate change alone if you look in the news).
But the issue that SDAs point to is not merely that such a legislation will not "allow work" on Sunday (which we could easily comply with) but that it will not tolerate worship services - full observance - of the Bible Sabbath on Friday/Saturday. At that point -- it is a "prediction" about what would happen in the future.
Many who are not SDA have predicted that such a prediction as we have had since the 1860's - could never happen under any circumstances.
They often say it can't happen because America is so firmly grounded in the religious liberty of the first amendment that the idea of closing down Christian churches nation wide for any reason - even for what would be viewed as a national emergency or health or civil unrest issue , even if it was just specific to a day of the week - is still unthinkable .
Those who scoffed at such an idea as is predicted in SDA eschatology in the 1860's might view the year 2020 as a wake up call were they alive to see it. (food for thought). And those that think that the 1888 Senate Bill 2983 sort of thing could never have happened might want to read up on it.
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