1868 - General Conference Resolution

General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Sixth Annual Session—May 14, 1868

WHEREAS, In the struggle through which our country lately passed for its national existence, our sympathies were with our rulers and our government in their efforts to maintain law and order; and in view of the unsettled state of our national affairs, and of the troubles lying before us in the future, we shall continue to pray for those in authority, that they may have wisdom to govern with discretion and in the fear of God; and while we cheerfully pay tribute and honor to those to whom they are due, desiring to live peaceable and quiet lives, as law-abiding people,

RESOLVED, That we feel called upon to renew our request to our brethren to abstain from worldly strife of every nature, believing that war was never justifiable except under the immediate direction of God, who of right holds the lives of all creatures in his hand; and that no such circumstance now appearing, we cannot believe it to be right for the servants of Christ to take up arms to destroy the lives of their fellow-men.

Source: General Conference session minutes, General Conference Archives web site.