CONSCIENCE AND WAR

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22922, 19 January 1940, Page 2

CONSCIENCE AND WAR

ATTITUDE of SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS

Willingness to perform non-com-batant service allowed by consciences with an affirmation of the freedom of the invidual to follow his own -conscience in his relationship with the State, was expressed in a resolution passed at the South New Zealand Conference of the Seventh Day .Adventist Church, now in session at Addington. The resolution, which followed a report of the committee on constitution, also affirmed the principle of reserving the seventh day of the week for acts of mercy and necessity.” The full text is as follows: —

“We hereby define what is, and has ever been, our denominational attitude towards military Service, that, as loyal citizens, we will conform to all the requirements of the Government which do not conflict with the law of God; that is, we will perform any non-cpm-batant service which our conscientious convictions will allow. Nevertheless, in harmony with, OUr denominational teaching throughout the world,: and believing that each and every individual is primarily responsible to God alone for his moral behaviour, this conference reaffirms, the - true principles of religious liberty, that each and every member of this denomination shall be free to follow his own conscience in all matters pertaining to the relationship which he shall sustain to the State, it being understood, however, that every true Seventh-day Adventist believes that he should observe the Sabbath of the Lor.d (from sunset Friday until sunset Saturday), when acts of mercy and necessity only should be done.** . .