The Military Question

The agitation against slavery, the danger of civil war, and the prophecy of Revelation 13 also led our church leaders to study the duties of believers in time of war. In the fifties the Review began to warn against the spirit of war.FSG 91.1

“A war spirit is abroad, a spirit of hatred and delusion. It is its contaminating influence that we fear—it is the demoralizing influence of familiarity with the ideas of war and bloodshed—it is the unhealthy excitement, the bitter party spirit, that is evil, and causes evil to spread.”—The Review and Herald, May 9, 1854, page 2.FSG 91.2

I would ask, dear followers of Jesus, if man can make it right to kill, when God has said, ‘Thou shall not kill.’ Does not the whole fabric of human governments rest on the sword? Are they not to be dashed to shivers when he comes whose right it is to rule in righteousness?FSG 91.3

“But I am not at war with human governments. No, no. David says in a hymn of praise to God, ‘Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shall thou restrain.’ Psalm 76:10. ‘For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.’ Will thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shall have praise of the same. For he is the minister of God to thee (Christian) for good.” Romans 13:3, 4.FSG 91.4

“My brethren, you keep in mind that Christians are a different company, a little flock, separated, chosen out of the world, to be lights in, or to, the world.”—The Review and Herald, July 31, 1856, page 103.FSG 91.5

Again in the Review, August 14, 1856, we find these words:FSG 91.6

“Has the gospel Of Jesus granted you the right to use the sword, to arm you with carnal weapons, to take the sword to ‘provide for your own household,’ to deliver the oppressed out of the power of the oppressor, by breaking the sixth commandment of God, ‘Thou shall not kill’? Jesus says, ‘Love your enemies.’”—The Review and Herald, August 14, 1856, page 118.FSG 91.7

On the whole, however, our preachers and writers said but little on this topic until the war broke out. Then they were forced to take a definite stand for or against the duty of Christians to bear arms.FSG 92.1

The days of the Civil War in America naturally were a time of great excitement. The Protestant churches were deeply stirred. A few churches even in the North strongly defended slavery, and others were opposed. Among Adventists it was a time of heart searching and prayer. All were against slavery, but some of our people were unsettled in regard to war and just what stand they should take.FSG 92.2

When the war had begun, many inquiries came in from the field. People began to ask what Adventists intended to do to help win the war.FSG 92.3

“The attention of many was turned to Sabbath-keepers, because they manifested no greater interest in the war, and did not volunteer. In some places they were looked upon as sympathizing with the Rebellion. The time had come for our true sentiments in relation to slavery and the Rebellion to be made known. There was need of moving with wisdom to turn away the suspicions excited against Sabbath-keepers. We should act with great caution.”—Testimonies for the Church 1:356.FSG 92.4

Some of our brethren did not exercise the greatest wisdom in what they said and did. Some seemed reckless and even boastful of the brave stand they intended to take. To them the Spirit of prophecy sent both warnings and instruction.FSG 92.5

“I was shown that some moved very indiscreetly.... In Iowa they carried things to quite a length, and ran into fanaticism. They mistook zeal and fanaticism for conscientiousness. Instead of being guided by reason and sound judgment, they allowed their feelings to take the lead. They were ready to become martyrs for their faith. Did all this feeling lead them to God? to greater humility before Him? Did it lead them to trust in His power to deliver them from the trying position into which they might be brought? Oh, no! Instead of making their petitions to the God of Heaven, and relying solely upon His power, they petitioned the Legislature (to be excused from military service), and were refused. They showed their weakness, and exposed their lack of faith....I saw that those who have been forward to talk so decidedly about refusing to obey a draft, do not understand what they are talking about. Should they really be drafted, and, refusing to obey, be threatened with imprisonment, torture, or death, they would shrink, and then find that they had not prepared themselves for such an emergency. They would not endure the trial of their faith. What they thought to be faith, was only fanatical presumption. Those who feel that in the fear of God they cannot conscientiously engage in this war, will be very quiet, and when interrogated will simply state what they are obliged to say in order to answer the inquirer, and then let it be understood that they have no sympathy with the Rebellion.”—Testimonies for the Church 1:356, 357.FSG 92.6

Elder White had written an article in the Review of August 12, 1862, entitled “The Nation,” which provoked much discussion and some strife. The first paragraph gives information concerning conditions, as follows:FSG 93.1

“For the past ten years the Review has taught that the United States of America were a subject of prophecy, and that slavery is pointed out in the prophetic word as the darkest and most damning sin upon this nation. It has taught that Heaven has wrath in store for the nation which it would drink to the very dregs, as due punishment for the sin of slavery. And the anti-slavery teaching of several of our publications based upon certain prophecies have been such that their circulation has been positively forbidden in the slave States. Those of our people who voted at all at the last Presidential election, to a man voted for Abraham Lincoln. We know of not one man among Seventh-day Adventists who has the least sympathy for secession.”—page 84.FSG 93.2

The article did not, however, take a clear stand on either side of the military question, and consequently our people were still more or less undecided. The war dragged on with much bickering and confusion, but soon the voice of God’s messenger to His people rang out clear and definite, and all rallied round the same banner as noncombatants. Mrs. White wrote:FSG 93.3

“Satan was the first great leader in rebellion. God is punishing the North, that they have so long suffered the accursed sin of slavery to exist; for in the sight of heaven it is a sin of the darkest dye. God is not with the South, and He will punish them dreadfully in the end. Satan is the instigator of all rebellion. I saw that you, Bro. A, have permitted your political principles to destroy your judgment and your love for the truth.”—Testimonies for the Church 1:359.FSG 94.1

“I was shown that God’s people, who are His peculiar treasure, cannot engage in this perplexing war, for it is opposed to every principle of their faith. In the army they cannot obey the truth and at the same time obey the requirements of their officers. There would be a continual violation of conscience.”—Testimonies for the Church 1:361.FSG 94.2

As Adventists studied this testimony they said, “If Adventists cannot bear arms in this war for freedom of the slaves, they should not bear arms in any war.” Then as they studied further the Ten Commandments as exemplified in the life and teaching of Christ, they became strongly convinced that while they should gladly and at any sacrifice serve their Government in caring for the wounded and helping the needy in time of war, they could not bear arms or take life. The General Conference declared Adventists to be noncombatants, and in a short time they prepared statements setting forth our principles, and sent them to the Government, where they were favorably received. A great revival set in among the Adventists, so that the time of the Civil War became most fruitful in a spiritual way. Led by the Spirit of prophecy, the General Conference recommended that our people give themselves to prayer and fasting, and there were special places and seasons for revival work. They were also earnestly exhorted to pray for those in authority and for the cause of freedom. Thus the Spirit of prophecy led us into the way that we should follow in days of war, and Mrs. White could speak as she did freely in America because she was a citizen of the United States.FSG 94.3

Under the guidance of the messages from the servant of the Lord, Seventh-day Adventists drew up the following declaration:FSG 95.1

“Resolved, that we recognize civil government as ordained of God, that order, justice, and quiet may be maintained in the land; and that the people of God may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty. In accordance with this fact we acknowledge the justice of rendering tribute, custom, honor, and reverence to the civil power, as enjoined in the New Testament. While we thus cheerfully render to Caesar the things which the Scriptures show to be his, we are compelled to decline all participation in acts of war and bloodshed as being inconsistent with the duties enjoined upon us by our divine Master toward our enemies and toward all mankind.”—Seventh-day Adventists in Time of War, page 24.FSG 95.2

Our people were unanimous in their support of this statement. Our strongest men wrote in the Review in favor of it. Thus Elder White wrote:FSG 95.3

“As a denomination of non-combatants, Seventh-day Adventists should give thanks to God for the provision made by government for the exemption of non-combatants from bearing carnal weapons, on conditions specified by law.FSG 95.4

“In view of the foregoing, we recommend to our people that prayer and giving of thanks for those in authority constitute a proper worship, and, also, of family and private devotions. And beside this, we recommend that the second Sabbath in each month be especially set apart to fasting and prayer in view of the present terrible war, and the peculiar relations which non-combatants sustain to the government, that they may still enjoy liberty of conscience, and lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty.”—The Review and Herald, January 31, 1865, page 77.FSG 95.5

It took moral courage for a small group of Americans to preach their convictions of the United States in prophecy, based on Revelation 13. It meant even more to come out in a clear, balanced statement and say that Adventists were noncombatants. But neither Mrs. White nor other pioneers of the advent church were people who compromised with evil or who feared to take the consequences of the course they felt God wanted them to follow. The revivals that came and the spiritual victories gained during those years of civil war fully and finally established the advent church in the United States and gave it a recognized standing. Up to that time it had been looked upon as a small, unstable sect that would soon die out.FSG 95.6

A high-minded, fearless attitude against evil is an outstanding trait of the testimonies of the Spirit of prophecy, but they also strongly advocate tact and wisdom in dealing with every situation. The matter of military service of God’s children in any country can best be taught and settled by citizens of the country involved. Mrs. White was an American, and her instruction on that question was given in America. Though our European members discussed the question at meetings in Europe where she was present, she never to our knowledge spoke or wrote on the military issues in Europe or here else outside her native land. But the instruction she had given in America during the Civil War placed the question on the high level of the moral law and was so explicit that Adventists have come to understand that to follow Christ is to be a noncombatant seeking to serve and to save life but not to destroy. We know now that God had preserved America to be a place of refuge for the oppressed of earth in the latter days, to be a strong home base for the last message of mercy to mankind, and that there was indeed a beautiful providence in choosing His messenger here for this generation.FSG 96.1