Interview/Discussion with Mr. Tufts, and the Temperance Work
NP
1910
Previously unpublished.
Present: W. C. White, J. O. Corliss, C. H. Jones, and D. E. Robinson. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 1
[Elder Corliss:] A year ago, last month, and the month before, Mr. Tufts—the man who has been trying to put this Sunday bill through—wrote three articles through the Pacific Monthly, a Congregational paper, on “Seventh-day Adventism Exposed”; “Seventh-day Adventists, the Foes of Church and State”; then, “Judaizing Legalists.” I felt as though a reply should be made, so I went to the editor of the paper. He said that he could not spare space for more than one article in reply. So I wrote an article, and he printed it just as I wrote it: “Seventh-day Adventists and Their Critics.” Mr. Tufts had evidently read Canright’s book, and he followed Canright largely. I proved by Elder Isaac Morrison and C. L. Taylor that he had not told the truth in some points. In that article I closed up thus: 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 2
(Here Elder Corliss read a statement suggesting that as there was not space in the paper for a review of the doctrinal points, a friendly discussion be arranged between Mr. Tufts and the writer.) 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 3
I did not hear a word from Mr. Tufts about this at that time, but the other day I received a letter from him. He has now come back to California. This is what Mr. Tufts writes: 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 4
(Reads letter suggesting that plans be laid for a discussion, in the large towns throughout the state, of doctrinal points of difference.) 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 5
Of course, I consider this as a bluff that he is putting up. He wanted to get me to crawl out so he could have my letters to read in public. I have answered him in this way: 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 6
(Reads reply)
Now I wanted to lay this matter before you, and see what you think, whether such a plan would give the public a better understanding of our positions on temperance and the Sabbath. Of course he will bring your work into it. I want to have a council of the leading brethren here today, and I do not want to start anything that the Lord does not want done. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 7
E. G. White: Are you afraid to bring out these things? I should think you had learned by this time that we are to stand for the truth and to advocate the truth. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 8
Elder Corliss: He is a very mean man to talk, but I do not think he is any worse than that man we met in Australia. I do not think he is near as bad. That man brought people to the truth by his meanness. I think this man would carry on a campaign of that nature that would turn people against him and in our favor. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 9
E. G. White: Well, if you have got a man to be with you that could be— 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 10
Elder Corliss: Who would you suggest? 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 11
E. G. White: I do not know as I am a proper one to suggest. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 12
J. O. Corliss: Would you suggest Elder Healy? 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 13
E. G. White: Well, I do not know enough about Elder Healy. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 14
J. O. Corliss: He is a very shrewd, sharp man to meet an adversary. He is one of the keenest men that I know of. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 15
E. G. White: Then I should think he might be a suitable one. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 16
W. C. White: Why should not these questions come before the leading men of the conference? Elder Irwin is the president of the Union Conference, and he is right here, and the leading men are going to be gathered here. Is it your desire to take the lead in saying what shall be done and what should not be done in a matter of this sort? 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 17
J. O. Corliss: All I wanted was to get your ideas, and then let the brethren decide. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 18
E. G. White: From the light that I have, we have got to come to that point, and if we have not learned to stand on the Word of God, so that they cannot overthrow our positions— 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 19
W. C. White: What shall we say to our brethren that will bring forward your many counsels, through the years past, not to enter into discussion? 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 20
E. G. White: I have not had the matter brought before me before this time, and I do not know just what ought to be done. I do not think I ought to take any responsibility in the decision. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 21
J. O. Corliss: I do not ask that. But I have taken your writings in the past to mean this: that we should so conduct ourselves as not to provoke men into discussions, but when we are pushed into it by direct challenges, as we were in Australia, you advised that discussion take place, you know. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 22
W. C. White: But you know this, Brother Corliss: nineteen-twentieths of the cases where she has reproved for entering into discussion are cases where we have been challenged by others. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 23
E. G. White: I do not think that my name should appear in this matter. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 24
J. O. Corliss: Here is the point. I do not want to do anything that the Lord does not want, and I wanted to see you, to see what your judgment was in reference to the thing generally. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 25
E. G. White: I have been surprised that it has not come to this point before now, and whether it is the time now, and it seems that you have got to meet it some way. I cannot tell how. You must come to a decision among yourselves, and I will say Amen. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 26
J. O. Corliss: That is all I cared for. I did not know but you would say positively, “No.” If you did, that would end the whole thing. But I can see that you are taking a wise course in not taking a position either way, that you feel that we ought to do that which is for the best to uphold the light. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 27
E. G. White: Yes, that is the only way we can do. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 28
J. O. Corliss: Now I will not trouble you longer on that point, but there is one other thing that I would like to get your counsel on. There have been coming to us from Southern California, and in fact from some other sources, an expressed desire to have a campaign start on temperance—in favor of state-wide prohibition, without connecting with the political party. Elder Andross has been to me about it in rather an urgent way to have something of the kind this year, to take away a certain stigma that is being attached to us, that in our opposing Sunday laws we are yoked up with the saloon-keepers. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 29
E. G. White: Everything in that line should be understood just as it is, and it will depend on how the subject is handled. When they handle it under the influence of the Spirit of God, the angels of God will make the impression. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 30
J. O. Corliss: I ought to explain a little further. I talked about it down at the conference, and I did not get any direct opposition to my ideas, although there were some who did not know what was best, from what they said. My idea was this, that for this year, inasmuch as the legislature does not meet again for two years, that this year we could get up some sort of a petition, petitioning the next legislature to pass laws forbidding the sale of liquors in the state. We could get 200,000 or 250,000 names, and it would perhaps show to Californians that we were in favor of temperance. It would place us where that stigma would be taken away; and also it would educate the people on the line of prohibition or temperance. Then after that, we could go next year, before the legislature met, with our Sunday law petitions, and we could get more people to sign it than we could without that. That was my idea. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 31
There is another point in it that I ought to speak of. My idea was that we could have a certain number of gatherings at our camp meetings, and in other places, but in the meantime to get some of the best things of yours on temperance, and then get some other things from leading temperance people in the United States, that would be keen and clear, and have these in leaflets that we could distribute freely, and let it be known that it came from our people. Then, of course, we would have to do something in the way of connecting with the W.C.T.U., or these temperance men, in a way that we would have control of the thing ourselves, but get them to co-operate with us if we could. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 32
E. G. White: I have been looking for something of this kind that would have to be, but still I do not know—this is the first that I have heard, but I have been surprised that we did not get up and meet them, because we can. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 33
J. O. Corliss: The only question in my mind has been whether the time is right for it or not. 25LtMs, Ms 70, 1910, par. 34