Several years ago,
I was asked to serve
00:01:00.80\00:01:02.81
as the Public Affairs
and Religious Liberty,
00:01:02.84\00:01:04.74
Director for the Northeastern
Conference in New York City.
00:01:04.77\00:01:08.14
And I can
remember very, very well
00:01:08.17\00:01:10.30
my very first
religious liberty case.
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A number of
individuals were asked to work
00:01:13.66\00:01:15.83
for the New York City
Transit Authority on the weekend
00:01:15.86\00:01:19.48
and 12 of those individuals
didn't show up for work.
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They were immediately
suspended without pay
00:01:23.60\00:01:26.24
and asked to come to a
hearing to deal with their case.
00:01:26.27\00:01:30.99
One of those individuals
00:01:31.02\00:01:32.39
was a Seventh-day Adventist
brother for many years.
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And as a conference
official, we went with him
00:01:34.17\00:01:38.10
to discuss the
case with the judge.
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I remember it very, very
well, his name was Daniel.
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And we went there
before this stern judge.
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And the first person
came before the judge
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and the judge asked him,
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"Why didn't you
show up for work?"
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and he said, "Well,
sir, I never got the letter.
00:01:51.43\00:01:53.53
I didn't get
the special letter."
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And he wrote something
down and he said, "Next person.
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Why didn't you show up for work?
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Well, I didn't get the letter.
I just never got the letter."
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And then 3, 4, 5, 6
never got the letter.
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And then the man from transit
authority went to the judge
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and whispered
something in his ear.
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The judge took off his glasses.
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And this is New York
City, tough town, tough judges.
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And the judge said,
"You know gentlemen,
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I'm not having a good day.
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And the judge said and
the next one of you clowns..."
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and that's the term he used.
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He said, "The
next one of you clowns
00:02:26.10\00:02:27.47
that comes up with that excuse,
that you didn't get the letter,
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I'm gonna see to it that
you don't have a good day."
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So I asked the Seventh-day
Adventist fellow next to me,
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"What are you
gonna tell the judge?"
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He said, "I
didn't get the letter."
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I said, "You're
gonna tell him that."
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He said, "yeah, I
really didn't get the letter."
00:02:42.19\00:02:44.61
And so we were next up.
00:02:44.64\00:02:47.18
And he said,
"Well, what's your story?"
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and the Adventist brother
said, "I didn't get the letter."
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And the judge stood up.
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He said, "You
didn't get the letter?"
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He said, "No, I
didn't get the letter,
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but before you say anything
judge, I need to tell you this,
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even if I had gotten the letter,
I wasn't gonna come to work
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because I don't
work on Saturdays.
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I've never worked on Saturdays
and I wasn't gonna come in."
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And I kind of
sank down in my chair
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and the judge sat
back down in his seat.
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And he said, "Come here."
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And the fellow walked up
to the judge and he said,
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"I've got your file
right here in front of me.
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I know that you're a
Seventh-day Adventist.
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I've looked at your work record.
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I've looked at your history
and I just wanted to see..."
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and the term he
used, "I just wanted to see
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what kind of jitterbug, you are
gonna do in front of me today."
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He said, "I know all about
you Seventh-day Adventist."
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He said, "There's a
Seventh-day Adventist nurse
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that takes care
of my mother-in-law.
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I know the kind
of people you are.
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So I want you to stay after
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because I need
to talk with you."
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He said, "But the
rest of you jokers,
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you need to come and
meet me in my office."
00:04:03.50\00:04:06.41
And we-- I don't know
00:04:06.44\00:04:07.81
what really happened
to the rest of those guys,
00:04:07.84\00:04:09.46
but I know the Seventh-day
Adventist brother Daniel,
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he got his job
back, he got his pay back
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and he was in good standing
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with the New York
City Transit Authority.
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Religious Liberty
is one of those things
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that you don't
need until you need it,
00:04:20.84\00:04:23.26
but when you need it
you really, really need it.
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And perhaps that is
why, Religious Liberty
00:04:27.68\00:04:29.97
the campaign, this day,
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is one of the first
campaigns of the year
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because it is so
very, very, very important
00:04:33.89\00:04:36.98
to the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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The history goes
back many, many years
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when we talked before
Congress, about the need to have
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religious freedom
here in the United States.
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And so we are
looking forward to a very,
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very important message
this day from Lincoln Steed.
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He is the editor
of "Liberty" magazine
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and has a number of
other jobs that they give him
00:04:55.43\00:04:57.64
to do there at the
General Conference office.
00:04:57.67\00:04:59.69
But he edits "Liberty" magazine,
00:04:59.72\00:05:02.20
really one of the
finest journals produced by
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the Seventh-day
Adventist Church.
00:05:04.50\00:05:06.19
And he has much
to tell us today.
00:05:06.22\00:05:07.72
He is an
interesting fellow to talk to,
00:05:07.75\00:05:09.20
has the worldwide knowledge.
00:05:09.23\00:05:10.95
And so liberty
weekend or liberty Sabbath
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is not just a North
American division thing.
00:05:14.13\00:05:16.18
It is a
worldwide thing, although,
00:05:16.21\00:05:17.76
it is very much focused here,
on the North American division.
00:05:17.79\00:05:20.66
So we are looking forward
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to a powerful
message from Lincoln Steed.
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Allow me to greet
you in the name of Jesus.
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My name is C.A. Murray.
00:05:27.36\00:05:28.73
This is the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:05:28.76\00:05:31.62
here at Three
Angels Broadcasting Network
00:05:31.65\00:05:33.73
in West Frankfurt, Illinois.
00:05:33.76\00:05:35.44
And we are so very, very
happy to welcome our guest
00:05:35.47\00:05:38.70
here in our audience
and our worldwide audience
00:05:38.73\00:05:42.08
to this very, very special day.
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We're going to have
prayer and then we've asked
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Jill Morikone to
bring us the special music.
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Then after she shall
have finished playing.
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The next voice,
you'll be hearing
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will be that of Lincoln Steed,
00:05:53.60\00:05:55.44
Pastor Elder Lincoln
Steed who is the editor
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of "Liberty"
magazine and directs
00:05:59.02\00:06:01.58
the religious liberty work
at the General Conference office
00:06:01.61\00:06:05.29
in Silver Spring,
Maryland. Shall we pray?
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Father God, we do
thank you so very, very much
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for the
privilege of serving you.
00:06:12.68\00:06:15.49
We thank you that
we are not left alone,
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when it comes to lifting up
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the mighty and
matchless name of Jesus.
00:06:20.06\00:06:22.54
We know that there are forces
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that would like to curtail
the spread of the gospel.
00:06:24.20\00:06:27.34
That would like to put it
in a box and hide it away.
00:06:27.37\00:06:30.35
But we're thankful that
our light cannot be hidden
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and shall stand for
all the world to see.
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We ask that you would keep
the doors of employment open.
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Keep the Congress
and the legislators
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not only in the States,
but across this country.
00:06:47.15\00:06:51.04
Give them an
understanding of the need
00:06:51.07\00:06:54.48
to allow men and
women to worship,
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according to the
dictates of their conscience.
00:06:57.67\00:07:00.66
And Lord just help us to
hold up the name of Jesus,
00:07:00.69\00:07:04.13
so that men and
women will be saved.
00:07:04.16\00:07:07.97
Bless this day not
only in this place,
00:07:08.00\00:07:10.39
but around the world.
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And we thank you
dear Father for every good
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and perfect gift
in Jesus name. Amen.
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And now, Jill Morikone followed
by Pastor Lincoln Steed.
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It's great to
be at Thompsonville
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and on 3ABN again
00:11:17.53\00:11:19.69
at this time of special
emphasis for religious liberty.
00:11:19.72\00:11:23.98
You know religious
liberty is not just
00:11:24.01\00:11:25.92
a solid biblical principle.
00:11:25.95\00:11:28.34
It's not just a well tested
00:11:28.37\00:11:30.84
constitutional
principle of the United States.
00:11:30.87\00:11:32.98
It's not just an underlying
principle of the United Nations
00:11:33.01\00:11:36.89
expressed in the universal
declaration on human rights.
00:11:36.92\00:11:40.50
It is a concern
of every human being.
00:11:40.53\00:11:43.10
It's in a knight need,
00:11:43.13\00:11:45.04
for all of those
that serve a higher power.
00:11:45.07\00:11:49.99
And it's not just a
United States concern.
00:11:50.02\00:11:52.70
It concerns people
all around the world.
00:11:52.73\00:11:55.66
This year, as we promoted
00:11:55.69\00:11:57.06
to our churches
though in North America,
00:11:57.09\00:11:59.74
we've told them about a
case in the United States
00:11:59.77\00:12:03.41
that sometimes
thought by people,
00:12:03.44\00:12:04.97
that it's
somebody else's problem,
00:12:05.00\00:12:07.27
that we're not restricted here.
00:12:07.30\00:12:09.13
That no one ever
troubles us about our faith.
00:12:09.16\00:12:12.54
But those of you
that are in North America
00:12:12.57\00:12:15.03
and had a chance
to see the materials
00:12:15.06\00:12:16.54
that we've send
out, particularly,
00:12:16.57\00:12:18.14
to the Seventh-day
Adventist churches.
00:12:18.17\00:12:20.01
Know that, we've told
an incredible story there
00:12:20.04\00:12:22.72
that happened
only a few months ago.
00:12:22.75\00:12:25.18
Of a group of
student, book or Bible sellers
00:12:25.21\00:12:30.90
and witnessing group that
went out down at Louisiana,
00:12:30.93\00:12:35.01
as many similar groups
regularly go door to door
00:12:35.04\00:12:38.27
all over the United
States and Canada in particular.
00:12:38.30\00:12:41.20
And as they came into the town,
00:12:41.23\00:12:43.11
in advance they'd
send out a letter,
00:12:43.14\00:12:44.98
to tell the town
that they would be coming
00:12:45.01\00:12:46.74
and that they would be
sharing with the community.
00:12:46.77\00:12:49.05
They send it to the authorities,
as is typically done.
00:12:49.08\00:12:52.78
But on this particular day,
as they were going door to door,
00:12:52.81\00:12:55.75
the police car pulled up
next to the student leader,
00:12:55.78\00:12:59.48
asked him what they were doing.
00:12:59.51\00:13:01.06
Said you have no
right to be sharing
00:13:01.09\00:13:03.64
these religious materials here.
00:13:03.67\00:13:05.11
There are
ordinances against this.
00:13:05.14\00:13:07.19
And things escalated.
00:13:07.22\00:13:09.30
And in a few moments, the
leader found himself handcuffed,
00:13:09.33\00:13:13.27
in the police car and taken
back to the county head quarters
00:13:13.30\00:13:17.88
and put in jail
because as they said,
00:13:17.91\00:13:21.17
you are not allowed to share
your Christian materials here.
00:13:21.20\00:13:26.02
That was a pretty easy
battle to win constitutionally.
00:13:26.05\00:13:29.36
But you know laws are one thing,
but local attitudes are another.
00:13:29.39\00:13:33.13
And we put up this
story to tell people
00:13:33.16\00:13:36.11
that you cannot
always take for granted,
00:13:36.14\00:13:39.61
the religious liberty
that you think you have by law.
00:13:39.64\00:13:43.56
A few months ago now,
00:13:43.59\00:13:45.40
the Seventh-day
Adventist Church worldwide,
00:13:45.43\00:13:47.94
put out an
urgent item of concern
00:13:47.97\00:13:50.30
for a Seventh-day Adventist
leader in a far flung country
00:13:50.33\00:13:53.46
from the United
States in Togo, Africa,
00:13:53.49\00:13:56.18
a country that most
people don't even think about.
00:13:56.21\00:13:58.53
They'd be hard pressed
to put a pin on the map
00:13:58.56\00:14:01.14
where Togo is, there on
the east coast of Africa,
00:14:01.17\00:14:04.96
a small country of
only 6 million people.
00:14:04.99\00:14:08.06
And of that 6 million,
only about 20-25% are Christian,
00:14:08.09\00:14:13.94
the similar amount
Muslim and the rest
00:14:13.97\00:14:16.65
basically animist religions.
00:14:16.68\00:14:18.76
Seventh-day Adventists
00:14:18.79\00:14:21.60
in that little country.
We have an active program.
00:14:21.63\00:14:25.46
And then nine months ago
or about ten months ago now,
00:14:25.49\00:14:29.81
in a move that still has
our church leaders troubled
00:14:29.84\00:14:33.05
and perplexed on
what to do about it.
00:14:33.08\00:14:35.49
One of our
leaders, a Pastor Monteiro,
00:14:35.52\00:14:39.02
a Sabbath school
leader which is leading out
00:14:39.05\00:14:41.29
in the Bible
studies, within the church
00:14:41.32\00:14:43.72
primarily concerned with
church membership operation.
00:14:43.75\00:14:46.81
Pastor Monteiro was accused,
00:14:46.84\00:14:49.49
by a criminal who had
been caught by the police,
00:14:49.52\00:14:51.77
accused to being the ring leader
00:14:51.80\00:14:54.65
of a criminal gang
that had killed as many as
00:14:54.68\00:14:57.17
20 young women,
drained their blood.
00:14:57.20\00:14:59.51
It's not clear whether
for medical or animist uses,
00:14:59.54\00:15:03.39
but drained their blood,
killed them in a vicious way.
00:15:03.42\00:15:06.41
And here, Pastor
Monteiro, a Christian leader
00:15:06.44\00:15:08.78
is accused of being
the criminal mastermind.
00:15:08.81\00:15:11.69
Another Seventh-day
Adventist layman was arrested
00:15:11.72\00:15:14.81
and claimed that
he was an accessory.
00:15:14.84\00:15:17.19
He happens to head up,
00:15:17.22\00:15:18.59
one of the cell phone
companies in that area.
00:15:18.62\00:15:21.54
Some other Christians
were also brought into jail.
00:15:21.57\00:15:24.19
And our Pastor
Monteiro has been now in jail
00:15:24.22\00:15:27.10
for the best part
of the year on a charge
00:15:27.13\00:15:29.89
of this heinous
crime, but no evidence given.
00:15:29.92\00:15:33.36
And the judges
are quite forth right
00:15:33.39\00:15:35.70
in saying well,
they know of no evidence.
00:15:35.73\00:15:37.47
There's nothing to convict him
on, but he languishes in jail.
00:15:37.50\00:15:41.73
Meanwhile, on
television and in the media,
00:15:41.76\00:15:44.85
in general, they are portraying
00:15:44.88\00:15:46.64
Seventh-day Adventist Christians
00:15:46.67\00:15:48.95
as the type of
people that would do this,
00:15:48.98\00:15:50.95
the type of people that
should not be in that country,
00:15:50.98\00:15:53.45
the type of people that
are dangerous criminals.
00:15:53.48\00:15:57.06
And of course, this goes to
the root of religious liberty.
00:15:57.09\00:16:01.79
Many people around the world
00:16:01.82\00:16:03.35
whether they are
Seventh-day Adventists,
00:16:03.38\00:16:05.05
whether they're Christians,
whether they're Muslims,
00:16:05.08\00:16:07.57
whether they're
any belief system.
00:16:07.60\00:16:10.66
Often in the minority, they find
00:16:10.69\00:16:12.59
that they are accused
of anti-social behavior.
00:16:12.62\00:16:15.63
They find that they are
accused to being something
00:16:15.66\00:16:18.74
that's against the public view.
00:16:18.77\00:16:20.96
They're not always
charged with being--
00:16:20.99\00:16:23.67
in this case as he is
a Seventh-day Adventist,
00:16:23.70\00:16:25.80
but they are always
charged as being a problem
00:16:25.83\00:16:29.79
at root because their
religion does not fit.
00:16:29.82\00:16:32.71
This is a challenge
to religious liberty.
00:16:32.74\00:16:36.71
And I do ask anybody
who's watching this program
00:16:36.74\00:16:39.38
to pray for Pastor Monteiro.
00:16:39.41\00:16:41.73
He's actually a
native of Cape Verde,
00:16:41.76\00:16:44.03
a small group of islands
00:16:44.06\00:16:45.43
about 400 miles off
the coast of Africa.
00:16:45.46\00:16:47.90
So he's away
from his own homeland,
00:16:47.93\00:16:49.82
in a country where
the judicial system
00:16:49.85\00:16:53.36
is problematic at best.
00:16:53.39\00:16:55.16
They probably do
the best they can.
00:16:55.19\00:16:56.56
But it's not well organized,
where the political structure
00:16:56.59\00:17:00.07
is fluid and all
sorts of influences
00:17:00.10\00:17:05.13
and other things that
we couldn't even imagine
00:17:05.16\00:17:08.91
enter into the
execution of justice.
00:17:08.94\00:17:11.31
And we can just pray
that the Lord intervenes
00:17:11.34\00:17:14.98
and that religious liberty
is upheld in that country.
00:17:15.01\00:17:18.56
It reminds me
though, when I've heard
00:17:18.59\00:17:21.06
about Pastor
Monteiro and pray for him
00:17:21.09\00:17:23.34
still because this is
not a story, that's finished.
00:17:23.37\00:17:26.12
It reminds me that
nearly a decade ago,
00:17:26.15\00:17:28.78
just over a decade ago,
our Liberty magazine promotion
00:17:28.81\00:17:32.87
featured another
Seventh-day Adventist leader
00:17:32.90\00:17:36.13
in another far flung
country who was imprisoned,
00:17:36.16\00:17:40.22
essentially
because of his faith,
00:17:40.25\00:17:42.42
but the charge that was overlaid
00:17:42.45\00:17:44.66
over that
imprisonment was terrorism.
00:17:44.69\00:17:47.75
Since 9/11 in the United States,
00:17:47.78\00:17:50.44
we've learned that
anyone accused of terrorism
00:17:50.47\00:17:53.11
is essentially beyond the law.
00:17:53.14\00:17:55.63
Every aspect of society
is against such a person
00:17:55.66\00:17:58.64
because it doesn't
matter whether you're--you know,
00:17:58.67\00:18:01.30
whether you're a
capitalist or some other beliefs
00:18:01.33\00:18:05.09
in democracy or
communist or whatever.
00:18:05.12\00:18:07.13
The whole world has decided
terrorism is unacceptable
00:18:07.16\00:18:11.61
and so for the
charge of terrorism
00:18:11.64\00:18:13.34
to be laid against
someone essentially
00:18:13.37\00:18:15.50
because of their faith is
a very dangerous development.
00:18:15.53\00:18:20.96
We featured
Pastor Anthony Alexander
00:18:20.99\00:18:24.29
in that promotion
so many years ago,
00:18:24.32\00:18:26.92
a man, a Seventh-day Adventist
pastor and teacher in Sri Lanka.
00:18:26.95\00:18:33.72
The years have
gone by fairly quickly
00:18:33.75\00:18:35.64
and it's now about four
years since the civil war
00:18:35.67\00:18:38.96
in Sri Lanka has
come to a bloody end.
00:18:38.99\00:18:41.63
Those that watch the
news and television closely
00:18:41.66\00:18:44.42
might well remember that the
26 years civil war in Sri Lanka
00:18:44.45\00:18:50.99
ended with the government forces
of the Singhalese population.
00:18:51.02\00:18:55.44
That's the Buddhist
majority in that country,
00:18:55.47\00:18:58.83
finally pushing the
Hindu Tamil Tiger guerillas
00:18:58.86\00:19:06.70
up to the tip of the
country where they were trapped.
00:19:06.73\00:19:09.20
They couldn't leave the land
and they just advanced killing
00:19:09.23\00:19:12.21
as they went until the
last man, women and child
00:19:12.24\00:19:15.49
of that faction were
destroyed. And it ended.
00:19:15.52\00:19:19.71
But when Pastor
Alexandra was charged,
00:19:19.74\00:19:22.53
it was still an
active civil war.
00:19:22.56\00:19:23.98
It was still so
active that few years after
00:19:24.01\00:19:26.66
when I visited
there with Dr. John Graz,
00:19:26.69\00:19:28.52
world religious liberty leader.
00:19:28.55\00:19:30.89
We landed at
Colombo and the plane
00:19:30.92\00:19:33.06
had to go into a tight spiral
00:19:33.09\00:19:35.19
from cruising
altitude to the airport,
00:19:35.22\00:19:37.71
to avoid being out and around,
00:19:37.74\00:19:39.27
where the
guerillas could shoot us down
00:19:39.30\00:19:43.47
because they had
actually attacked the airport.
00:19:43.50\00:19:45.15
And in the largest single attack
on any airport in the world,
00:19:45.18\00:19:49.60
they destroyed dozens of planes.
00:19:49.63\00:19:53.00
Pastor Alexander was teaching
at our school in that country.
00:19:53.03\00:19:56.88
And one of his students
registered and he befriended him
00:19:56.91\00:20:01.42
and taught him as
any teacher would.
00:20:01.45\00:20:03.24
And then the
government said this young man
00:20:03.27\00:20:05.00
is actually a member of
the Tamil Tiger guerillas
00:20:05.03\00:20:08.33
and you Pastor
Alexander are a terrorist
00:20:08.36\00:20:12.16
for aiding and
abetting this cause.
00:20:12.19\00:20:14.85
And so he was put on
trial, put in prison.
00:20:14.88\00:20:18.04
He was imprisoned for
about a year in total.
00:20:18.07\00:20:20.46
And he came up for trial
and then hearings periodically.
00:20:20.49\00:20:23.77
And our lawyers
and our church leaders
00:20:23.80\00:20:25.63
would go over and sit
in all those hearings.
00:20:25.66\00:20:27.31
They would talk to
authorities and at no point,
00:20:27.34\00:20:30.21
did they think that he was
going to escape imprisonment.
00:20:30.24\00:20:34.39
And sometimes, they
feared that he would be executed
00:20:34.42\00:20:36.76
because that was the
nominal sentence for that.
00:20:36.79\00:20:41.06
Amazingly and I
think providentially
00:20:41.09\00:20:42.96
because of the
Lord's intervention,
00:20:42.99\00:20:45.97
he was released suddenly
and taken out of the country,
00:20:46.00\00:20:49.49
and is now living in Canada.
00:20:49.52\00:20:51.72
But what impressed me about
Pastor Anthony Alexander was
00:20:51.75\00:20:55.63
when I spoke to
him upon his release
00:20:55.66\00:20:57.59
and asked him about what
happened when he was in jail.
00:20:57.62\00:21:01.65
Remember, he had done nothing,
00:21:01.68\00:21:04.85
was guilt by
association at best,
00:21:04.88\00:21:06.94
but he was put in jail
because he's a Christian,
00:21:06.97\00:21:10.46
in a Buddhist and Hindu
00:21:10.49\00:21:12.80
dominated country,
primarily Buddhist.
00:21:12.83\00:21:15.22
His religion was seen as
vaguely threatening anyhow.
00:21:15.25\00:21:18.57
And as a Tamil,
he was of course,
00:21:18.60\00:21:21.35
the same ethnic
persuasion as the guerillas.
00:21:21.38\00:21:24.84
And so that was
enough to put him in jail.
00:21:24.87\00:21:26.99
But he told me
amazingly that it was
00:21:27.02\00:21:30.51
the Lord's will
that he be imprisoned.
00:21:30.54\00:21:32.86
Because in prison he was able
00:21:32.89\00:21:34.35
to witness to
many of the prisoners.
00:21:34.38\00:21:37.87
And he said that
there were 60 people
00:21:37.90\00:21:41.12
joining together
every Sabbath in worshiping.
00:21:41.15\00:21:44.41
He told me and
I've repeated this,
00:21:44.44\00:21:46.59
a number of
times over the years,
00:21:46.62\00:21:47.99
but every time I tell
it, it's amazing to me.
00:21:48.02\00:21:50.61
That he was regularly tortured,
his ankles tied together,
00:21:50.64\00:21:54.44
he was held up and
they would beat on his feet
00:21:54.47\00:21:57.31
until he was almost crippled
and of course, no mark on him.
00:21:57.34\00:22:00.34
Then other times,
they would put a book
00:22:00.37\00:22:02.12
on his head and
beat on his head,
00:22:02.15\00:22:03.69
until there was a brain injury
or perhaps permanent damage
00:22:03.72\00:22:07.45
because he said his memory was
never quite the same afterwards.
00:22:07.48\00:22:10.43
But he said when it was all over
00:22:10.46\00:22:14.38
that it was God's
will that he be in jail.
00:22:14.41\00:22:17.53
And he did not
want to be released
00:22:17.56\00:22:19.45
because these people
were worshipping with him.
00:22:19.48\00:22:21.28
And he said that was
only, as he was released
00:22:21.31\00:22:24.47
that another minister
of religion and I think
00:22:24.50\00:22:27.62
a Seventh-day Adventist,
but I'm not sure was imprisoned
00:22:27.65\00:22:30.67
and was able to continue
00:22:30.70\00:22:32.07
the pastoral care
of that prison group.
00:22:32.10\00:22:34.96
That he was released and he saw
again, the Lord's hand in that.
00:22:34.99\00:22:40.93
We do need to see
religious liberty.
00:22:40.96\00:22:42.95
It's a little bit more than
just a judicial intervention
00:22:42.98\00:22:47.44
or a legal intervention,
when we have difficulties.
00:22:47.47\00:22:51.54
And goodness
knows, around the world
00:22:51.57\00:22:53.91
people of different
religious persuasions
00:22:53.94\00:22:56.36
not just Seventh-day Adventist
and not just Christians.
00:22:56.39\00:23:01.05
For example, Islam,
00:23:01.08\00:23:03.08
we think it's uniformly
00:23:03.11\00:23:05.24
antagonistic
toward Christianity.
00:23:05.27\00:23:07.63
That is not
quite true, although,
00:23:07.66\00:23:10.14
it's being very true,
lately in many countries.
00:23:10.17\00:23:12.67
But within Islam, groups
like the Ahmadiyya Muslims,
00:23:12.70\00:23:16.57
there are a group of
about 8 million worldwide,
00:23:16.60\00:23:19.08
are viciously
persecuted and in Pakistan
00:23:19.11\00:23:21.87
they are above the
protection of the law
00:23:21.90\00:23:24.31
and regularly
large groups of them,
00:23:24.34\00:23:26.25
Ahmadiyya Muslims are not just
in prison, but are massacred.
00:23:26.28\00:23:31.16
These are real
problems, but what often happens
00:23:31.19\00:23:37.64
is that the
persecution presents in a way
00:23:37.67\00:23:40.87
that is not
obviously about religion.
00:23:40.90\00:23:43.11
People lose their
right, to go door to door.
00:23:43.14\00:23:47.00
Now we still have
it in the United States
00:23:47.03\00:23:48.83
because of a Supreme
Court action several years ago.
00:23:48.86\00:23:51.83
Another church group challenged
00:23:51.86\00:23:54.44
local town
ordinances that restricted them.
00:23:54.47\00:23:56.70
And so we're able to
go and witness and sell
00:23:56.73\00:23:59.53
religious
materials door to door.
00:23:59.56\00:24:01.78
But it could've been otherwise,
even in the United States.
00:24:01.81\00:24:04.13
But a regulation
can stop that behavior.
00:24:04.16\00:24:06.91
In other countries, the
church loses its permit.
00:24:06.94\00:24:12.43
And therefore, as
we've seen even pictures
00:24:12.46\00:24:14.41
that have been
shown to many people,
00:24:14.44\00:24:16.09
in some of the
ex-Soviet Republics
00:24:16.12\00:24:18.13
we've seen
pictures of bulldozers,
00:24:18.16\00:24:20.53
bulldozing down
Christian churches,
00:24:20.56\00:24:22.84
some seventh Adventist churches.
00:24:22.87\00:24:25.10
It's not persecution
according to those in authority.
00:24:25.13\00:24:28.05
You just fail to get
the right building permit
00:24:28.08\00:24:31.11
or the right occupancy permit.
00:24:31.14\00:24:33.60
But above this
all, stands a prejudice
00:24:33.63\00:24:36.46
against the religious viewpoint.
00:24:36.49\00:24:38.19
That's religious persecution,
00:24:38.22\00:24:40.36
that's an attempt to
restrict religious freedom.
00:24:40.39\00:24:47.37
What do we do though,
00:24:47.40\00:24:49.06
when it comes up to
a personal restriction?
00:24:49.09\00:24:53.24
It's fine to talk theory.
00:24:53.27\00:24:54.98
In the United States, we talk
00:24:55.01\00:24:56.40
about the
constitution all the time.
00:24:56.43\00:24:58.52
When we're looking overseas,
00:24:58.55\00:24:59.92
we talk about
people groups here,
00:24:59.95\00:25:01.32
there or whatever and
it can be an abstraction.
00:25:01.35\00:25:04.50
It can be something, you know,
00:25:04.53\00:25:06.25
that it's
shocking to read about,
00:25:06.28\00:25:08.07
but, you know,
it might as well be,
00:25:08.10\00:25:10.71
a tale of the Arabian nights,
00:25:10.74\00:25:12.43
you know, 1001
nights, it's a story.
00:25:12.46\00:25:14.34
It's not real to
us, but what about
00:25:14.37\00:25:16.89
when as Satan said to
God in the Book of Job,
00:25:16.92\00:25:20.06
when he was
trying to persuade God,
00:25:20.09\00:25:22.70
that Job was not
a faithful servant.
00:25:22.73\00:25:24.52
He says, you know, touch him.
00:25:24.55\00:25:26.20
Put out your hand and touch him.
00:25:26.23\00:25:27.69
And then see if he's faithful.
00:25:27.72\00:25:30.84
That's the bottom-line question
about religious liberty.
00:25:30.87\00:25:34.72
Will that person,
keep their faithfulness
00:25:34.75\00:25:37.30
at the time of extreme stress?
00:25:37.33\00:25:40.16
You know, I
can't think of a better
00:25:40.19\00:25:42.21
biblical example of
someone that was faithful
00:25:42.24\00:25:45.32
through all sorts of
situations than Daniel.
00:25:45.35\00:25:49.95
And that's really
where I take the title
00:25:49.98\00:25:51.83
to this presentation today.
You know, "Dare to stand alone."
00:25:51.86\00:25:55.68
When I was young
fellow in Australia,
00:25:55.71\00:25:57.79
where I grew up, I can remember
00:25:57.82\00:25:59.54
singing that song you
know, dare to be a Daniel,
00:25:59.57\00:26:02.49
dare to stand alone,
standing by a purpose true.
00:26:02.52\00:26:05.39
Daniel did it. As a
young man, probably,
00:26:09.29\00:26:12.49
barely out of
his teens or may be
00:26:12.52\00:26:14.09
even in his teens taken
from his homeland by force.
00:26:14.12\00:26:17.40
Perhaps, you know,
physically turned into a eunuch.
00:26:17.43\00:26:20.90
We don't know the abuses
heaped upon him, very likely.
00:26:20.93\00:26:24.26
Then kept. Well, it's
true in king's palace,
00:26:24.29\00:26:27.02
but as a person apart.
00:26:27.05\00:26:30.74
And then faced
with regime after regime
00:26:30.77\00:26:33.52
and their claims and their
tests that were put upon him
00:26:33.55\00:26:36.75
and he distinguished
himself over and over again,
00:26:36.78\00:26:39.53
several times faced
with the death penalty,
00:26:39.56\00:26:42.29
if he could not
come up with the answer
00:26:42.32\00:26:44.60
or come up with something
that vindicated himself,
00:26:44.63\00:26:48.01
in front of the king and
in front of the authorities.
00:26:48.04\00:26:51.78
The story that I want
to refer to this morning
00:26:51.81\00:26:54.23
is so well known.
00:26:54.26\00:26:57.01
There are several stories
in Daniel, we could talk about,
00:26:57.04\00:26:59.25
but the one I want
to bring to your mind
00:26:59.28\00:27:01.05
is Daniel in the lions' den.
00:27:01.08\00:27:05.02
You know, there's
no more powerful story
00:27:05.05\00:27:07.08
from that Book of Daniel.
00:27:07.11\00:27:09.51
When I was working in Idaho,
I noticed on my way to work,
00:27:09.54\00:27:13.80
sometimes driving through Nampa.
00:27:13.83\00:27:16.64
There was a bar, a night
club with no windows on it
00:27:16.67\00:27:19.06
and it was called Daniel's den.
00:27:19.09\00:27:21.80
There are some threats
to ask spiritual security
00:27:21.83\00:27:25.10
that are very much like that.
00:27:25.13\00:27:26.70
But Daniel faced
something palpable,
00:27:26.73\00:27:30.19
the lions that
would have eaten him alive
00:27:30.22\00:27:32.86
and why did he go there?
00:27:32.89\00:27:34.99
That's an amazing question.
It's a question of state craft.
00:27:35.02\00:27:39.25
It's a question of his integrity
00:27:39.28\00:27:40.83
that he so
distinguished himself,
00:27:40.86\00:27:43.27
that following
the military collapse
00:27:43.30\00:27:47.05
of
Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar,
00:27:47.08\00:27:49.23
his son or grandson its
not quite clear in the record,
00:27:49.26\00:27:51.95
but following the
military collapse of Babylon,
00:27:51.98\00:27:54.43
that great city.
00:27:54.46\00:27:55.83
As Babylon says this
city that I've created,
00:27:55.86\00:27:57.85
it collapsed in one night,
00:27:57.88\00:27:59.78
after Belshazzar's
moment of denigrating
00:27:59.81\00:28:03.16
the sacred things
of the Jewish people
00:28:03.19\00:28:05.54
and carousing and celebrating
there or even though,
00:28:05.57\00:28:08.56
there was an
army outside the walls
00:28:08.59\00:28:10.21
that he thought
could never get in.
00:28:10.24\00:28:11.98
And the Bible says
in Daniel Chapter 5,
00:28:12.01\00:28:14.79
I think it is,
it says in one night
00:28:14.82\00:28:17.75
or that night
Belshazzar was slain
00:28:17.78\00:28:21.86
and his kingdom fell.
00:28:21.89\00:28:23.79
Daniel had had prominence
00:28:23.82\00:28:26.37
in Nebuchadnezzar
and Belshazzar's court.
00:28:26.40\00:28:28.92
In fact, as that episode
ends, Daniel is given authority.
00:28:28.95\00:28:34.42
He's made one of
three rulers of the kingdom.
00:28:34.45\00:28:37.23
And then it fell.
And the next morning,
00:28:37.26\00:28:39.87
King Cyrus is the ruler
of the Medes and the Persians
00:28:39.90\00:28:44.09
who took over
that great civilization
00:28:44.12\00:28:46.21
and that great power.
00:28:46.24\00:28:47.85
And it's amazing to
read there in Chapter 6,
00:28:47.88\00:28:51.02
what happened with Daniel.
00:28:51.05\00:28:54.77
It says there,
"It pleased Darius,"
00:28:54.80\00:28:56.68
in verse 1 of Chapter 6,
00:28:56.71\00:28:58.51
"It pleased Darius to set
over the kingdom 120 satraps,"
00:28:58.54\00:29:04.95
rulers "to be
throughout the kingdom,
00:29:04.98\00:29:07.97
and over them three presidents,
of whom Daniel was one."
00:29:08.00\00:29:13.55
So as far as the
protection of law,
00:29:13.58\00:29:15.56
Daniel had it.
00:29:15.59\00:29:16.96
He was one of the
rulers of the system
00:29:16.99\00:29:19.21
that was predicated on
other guards, other peoples.
00:29:19.24\00:29:22.02
He distinguished himself
by his personal integrity.
00:29:22.05\00:29:25.87
And yet now the
story takes a strange twist
00:29:25.90\00:29:30.30
because it says
that there was jealousy.
00:29:30.33\00:29:32.97
That many of those 120
00:29:33.00\00:29:35.31
and certainly the
two other presidents
00:29:35.34\00:29:37.66
were jealous of Daniel,
00:29:37.69\00:29:39.06
didn't like that he
was gaining prominence.
00:29:39.09\00:29:41.59
And it says by
agreement, they came together.
00:29:41.62\00:29:45.21
And discussed how
could they destroy
00:29:45.24\00:29:47.22
and get rid of this Daniel,
this person from another place,
00:29:47.25\00:29:51.98
another religion? How
could they get at him?
00:29:52.01\00:29:54.91
They couldn't find
any fault with him.
00:29:54.94\00:29:57.74
And it's interesting to me,
00:29:57.77\00:29:59.14
as I read that to realize in
the United States in particular,
00:29:59.17\00:30:02.26
where we defend
people in the workplace,
00:30:02.29\00:30:04.58
Seventh-day
Adventist particularly
00:30:04.61\00:30:06.53
for their faith
stance. It's very important,
00:30:06.56\00:30:10.50
that when they're challenged,
00:30:10.53\00:30:11.90
say, on getting Sabbath,
the seventh day Saturday,
00:30:11.93\00:30:16.16
day of rest off.
00:30:16.19\00:30:17.56
It's very important
that the rest of their
00:30:17.59\00:30:19.41
work experience be exemplary.
00:30:19.44\00:30:22.01
If they're not good workers,
then nobody is much convinced
00:30:22.04\00:30:25.13
that this person
wants a spiritual exemption.
00:30:25.16\00:30:29.36
And they could find
nothing with Daniel.
00:30:29.39\00:30:32.26
There was no
weakness in his system.
00:30:32.29\00:30:34.57
So then they
thought a little bit further
00:30:34.60\00:30:36.26
and they realized it
had to be his religion.
00:30:36.29\00:30:38.57
They had to get
him on his religion.
00:30:38.60\00:30:40.21
So by agreement,
00:30:40.24\00:30:41.93
they went to the king with
a very flattering proposal.
00:30:41.96\00:30:45.06
You know, oh, King,
you're a great king.
00:30:45.09\00:30:49.29
How about you pass a law, a
law of the Medes and Persians
00:30:49.32\00:30:53.08
that can't be
changed, that's inflexible.
00:30:53.11\00:30:54.84
It's like the U.S. Constitution,
it sits there, as a benchmark.
00:30:54.87\00:30:58.77
You know pass this
law that nobody can make
00:30:58.80\00:31:02.03
any application or
appeal to God or a man,
00:31:02.06\00:31:06.67
other than to
you, for one month.
00:31:06.70\00:31:10.56
And I've read some
commentators that say,
00:31:10.59\00:31:12.70
you know, this is implausible.
Why would he do such a thing?
00:31:12.73\00:31:15.32
Well, that seems to
me, those commentators
00:31:15.35\00:31:16.93
ignore the reality
of the Roman Emperors.
00:31:16.96\00:31:19.82
They were inclined to fall
for the idea that you're a God.
00:31:19.85\00:31:22.95
You're like the
gods, appeals to him
00:31:22.98\00:31:25.75
and sensibilities of
people of great ambition.
00:31:25.78\00:31:29.12
But more than that Cyrus
00:31:29.15\00:31:30.52
has just recently
conquered this kingdom.
00:31:30.55\00:31:32.48
This was a perfect
opportunity for him,
00:31:32.51\00:31:34.58
to show that his kingly power,
00:31:34.61\00:31:37.00
his dominion over this new
00:31:37.03\00:31:39.53
and polyglot
system was complete.
00:31:39.56\00:31:42.07
And that all gods and
people need to bow before him.
00:31:42.10\00:31:44.30
And he said,
"Yes, I'll sign it."
00:31:44.33\00:31:46.03
So he signs it.
00:31:46.06\00:31:47.88
And the next
thing is most important
00:31:47.91\00:31:50.17
to what I'm trying to
share here this morning.
00:31:50.20\00:31:53.12
It says, "When Daniel
00:31:53.15\00:31:56.71
knew that the
document had been signed--"
00:31:56.74\00:31:59.87
what did he do?
00:31:59.90\00:32:03.81
It tells me first of
all, he was not disengaged
00:32:03.84\00:32:07.19
from the situation even though,
00:32:07.22\00:32:09.39
he doesn't seem to be present,
00:32:09.42\00:32:10.79
when they made
their presentations
00:32:10.82\00:32:12.19
and when they
plotted and planned.
00:32:12.22\00:32:13.59
He was aware of
it. And at the moment,
00:32:13.62\00:32:15.78
he knew that they had
succeeded in their plan.
00:32:15.81\00:32:19.34
It says, "When he knew
that it had been signed,
00:32:19.37\00:32:22.78
he went to his house,
00:32:22.81\00:32:24.66
where he had
windows in his upper chamber
00:32:24.69\00:32:27.23
opened toward
Jerusalem and he got down
00:32:27.26\00:32:29.32
on his knees three
times a day and prayed
00:32:29.35\00:32:32.96
and gave thanks before his God."
00:32:32.99\00:32:36.76
Couple of things there.
00:32:36.79\00:32:39.10
Would you be
thankful in such a moment?
00:32:39.13\00:32:41.18
He knew that
imminent was a punishment
00:32:41.21\00:32:44.28
for this disobedience.
00:32:44.31\00:32:45.68
You know, they'd put
the penalty to the king.
00:32:45.71\00:32:47.65
It was written into the law.
00:32:47.68\00:32:49.05
You were thrown to
the lions. He gave thanks.
00:32:49.08\00:32:53.19
And I imagined that his thinking
00:32:53.22\00:32:54.82
was very much
like Pastor Alexander.
00:32:54.85\00:32:56.96
He gave thanks that
he had this opportunity
00:32:56.99\00:32:59.30
he had been given to
him to witness to his Lord.
00:32:59.33\00:33:03.11
It wasn't a moment of crisis.
00:33:03.14\00:33:05.02
It was a moment
of opportunity. Amen.
00:33:05.05\00:33:08.03
And Daniel did not have to
pray three times to the Lord.
00:33:08.06\00:33:11.77
You know, what did Paul
say, "Give thanks continually."
00:33:11.80\00:33:14.75
He could have
prayed in his heart,
00:33:14.78\00:33:16.22
to his heart's content.
00:33:16.25\00:33:18.89
God's happy with that.
00:33:18.92\00:33:21.13
But I think he saw
this is an opportunity,
00:33:21.16\00:33:24.21
not that he was
under any requirement
00:33:24.24\00:33:26.42
for these three prayers
or six prayers or five times.
00:33:26.45\00:33:29.04
I think it's like the Muslims.
00:33:29.07\00:33:30.49
No, he was under
an internal obligation
00:33:30.52\00:33:33.61
to be proud of his God
00:33:33.64\00:33:35.01
and to witness for
Him before them all.
00:33:35.04\00:33:37.57
And Daniel knew
what would come of that.
00:33:37.60\00:33:40.52
And he was not wrong, of course.
00:33:40.55\00:33:42.98
It says, "By agreement
again, they went to the king."
00:33:43.01\00:33:45.67
Oh, King, you
signed this document.
00:33:45.70\00:33:47.60
This Daniel, he
doesn't pay any attention.
00:33:47.63\00:33:51.75
You know, it might have
been this Pastor Monteiro.
00:33:51.78\00:33:55.01
Well, he's been accused,
but he must be a troublemaker,
00:33:55.04\00:33:58.98
comes from another
place, another religion.
00:33:59.01\00:34:01.65
You know, this Pastor Alexander,
00:34:01.68\00:34:03.66
you know, he is of those
people of the insurgency,
00:34:03.69\00:34:08.08
must be guilty.
They said to the king,
00:34:08.11\00:34:11.35
"Your law cannot be
changed. You must execute it."
00:34:11.38\00:34:15.03
And to his credit, the
king was troubled by it.
00:34:15.06\00:34:19.92
He didn't want to
act against Daniel.
00:34:19.95\00:34:22.80
And says Darius
stayed up all night,
00:34:22.83\00:34:24.73
trying to figure
out what? Was stayed up?
00:34:24.76\00:34:27.37
Spent most of the day rather,
00:34:27.40\00:34:28.93
trying to figure
a way to solve this,
00:34:28.96\00:34:31.30
and then he delivered
Daniel to the lions' den.
00:34:31.33\00:34:33.60
And said your God
is able to save you.
00:34:33.63\00:34:36.42
And then he stayed up
all night, worrying about it.
00:34:36.45\00:34:41.64
You ever wondered why
the stone was put over,
00:34:41.67\00:34:44.41
over that entrance.
00:34:44.44\00:34:46.07
It's troubled
me for a long time.
00:34:46.10\00:34:48.91
Recently I read,
what very few people read,
00:34:48.94\00:34:51.39
outside the
Roman Catholic Church
00:34:51.42\00:34:54.76
and the Orthodox Church
that there's an ancillary book
00:34:54.79\00:34:59.42
that is not uniformly
regarded as authoritative,
00:34:59.45\00:35:03.27
"Bel and the Dragon."
00:35:03.30\00:35:05.28
But it tells the story,
00:35:05.31\00:35:06.68
there about
Daniel in the lions' den
00:35:06.71\00:35:08.22
from a little
different point of view.
00:35:08.25\00:35:11.27
It also tells
the story of Daniel
00:35:11.30\00:35:13.60
before the same King Darius
where a challenge was set up,
00:35:13.63\00:35:19.75
that this god Bel was eating
food at night in this temple.
00:35:19.78\00:35:25.44
And Daniel said,
"This god's--he's not real.
00:35:25.47\00:35:28.99
It's just a fanciful god."
And so a challenge was set up,
00:35:29.02\00:35:32.42
that if Bel was to be
seen to be eating the food,
00:35:32.45\00:35:37.04
Daniel would die.
00:35:37.07\00:35:38.79
If not, then the
priest would die.
00:35:38.82\00:35:41.75
And Daniel cleverly showed
the king by putting a chalk,
00:35:41.78\00:35:47.00
I think it was, on the floor,
00:35:47.03\00:35:48.40
that there were
footsteps of the priest
00:35:48.43\00:35:49.80
coming in at night
and stealing the food
00:35:49.83\00:35:52.38
or eating the food,
they and their families
00:35:52.41\00:35:54.39
who came through a secret door.
00:35:54.42\00:35:56.50
I believe the king put
the stone over the door,
00:35:56.53\00:36:01.52
not to keep Daniel in,
00:36:01.55\00:36:03.17
it was supposed he
would probably die,
00:36:03.20\00:36:04.81
moments after being thrown in.
00:36:04.84\00:36:06.50
It was to stop
outside interference
00:36:06.53\00:36:09.79
that the issue would be plain.
00:36:09.82\00:36:11.40
When the stone was removed,
was Daniel alive or was he dead?
00:36:11.43\00:36:15.16
And it would be up
to the lions and to God.
00:36:15.19\00:36:17.96
No one would sneak in. You
know, and put him to death.
00:36:17.99\00:36:22.61
And in the morning
when the king came,
00:36:22.64\00:36:24.14
Daniel said, "God sent His angel
and He shut the lions mouth."
00:36:24.17\00:36:29.00
I heard a powerful
black preacher holding
00:36:29.03\00:36:32.82
forth on Daniel in the
lions' den, the other day.
00:36:32.85\00:36:34.74
And he made the point
that these words remembering,
00:36:34.77\00:36:37.04
the lions mouths were
open as they came at him.
00:36:37.07\00:36:39.24
God shut their mouths.
00:36:39.27\00:36:40.64
They were not passive
lions when he went in there.
00:36:40.67\00:36:43.03
They did what you'd expect.
00:36:43.06\00:36:44.60
And as they did later,
when the plotters were thrown,
00:36:44.63\00:36:47.85
they and their families
thrown into that same thing.
00:36:47.88\00:36:49.74
It says before they pretty much
cease their fall into the den,
00:36:49.77\00:36:55.33
their bones were
broken and they were eaten.
00:36:55.36\00:36:58.27
But God shut their
mouths. Amen. Praise God.
00:36:58.30\00:37:01.25
We can't all be Daniel.
00:37:04.99\00:37:07.77
You know, I
don't know about you.
00:37:07.80\00:37:11.16
I tried the best,
but as I look at my life,
00:37:11.19\00:37:14.05
you know, there are many cases
00:37:14.08\00:37:15.45
that I haven't witnessed
for the Lord as I should.
00:37:15.48\00:37:17.58
There are many cases
00:37:17.61\00:37:18.98
that I haven't stood
for religious freedom,
00:37:19.01\00:37:21.99
which is the freedom
that God gives all of us.
00:37:22.02\00:37:24.92
You know what Jesus spoke
about the gospel of liberty.
00:37:24.95\00:37:28.59
And I know in previous
religious liberty sermons,
00:37:28.62\00:37:31.32
I tried to emphasize this.
00:37:31.35\00:37:33.17
Religious liberty is something
that we have as a gift of God.
00:37:33.20\00:37:38.09
No man gives it.
00:37:38.12\00:37:40.13
The best they can do
is acknowledged that.
00:37:40.16\00:37:43.83
So we inherently
shows have something
00:37:43.86\00:37:46.16
and it's up to us to show
it. And if I look at my life,
00:37:46.19\00:37:49.21
I haven't always
showed it adequately.
00:37:49.24\00:37:51.02
There are times
when I've not taken
00:37:51.05\00:37:53.01
advantage of the
opportunity like Daniel had.
00:37:53.04\00:37:55.74
Knowing that, that
there was a bad situation,
00:37:55.77\00:37:58.29
have I made a point
of witnessing to my Lord?
00:37:58.32\00:38:03.05
We got to avoid the
tendency that many people have
00:38:03.08\00:38:07.42
when there's a
stress on their faith.
00:38:07.45\00:38:09.43
When there is a stress on their
witness that they moderate.
00:38:09.46\00:38:12.19
They just sort of
pull back and keep quiet.
00:38:12.22\00:38:15.71
You know what if
in the United States,
00:38:15.74\00:38:17.63
every town had an ordinance
against witnessing door to door.
00:38:17.66\00:38:21.37
Would we cease to
witness door to door?
00:38:21.40\00:38:23.61
I hope not.
00:38:23.64\00:38:25.49
You know, it's to be, you know,
00:38:25.52\00:38:29.08
we should be very thankful
00:38:29.11\00:38:30.48
that we still in
most western countries
00:38:30.51\00:38:32.79
and many others still have
00:38:32.82\00:38:34.20
the right to do
things like that.
00:38:34.23\00:38:36.01
But we do not do it
because we have the human right.
00:38:36.04\00:38:38.97
We do it because we have
the liberated right from God.
00:38:39.00\00:38:42.21
I want to tell you a story
00:38:46.63\00:38:48.00
that I just
picked up on recently,
00:38:48.03\00:38:49.40
even though, I've known
it since I was a young man.
00:38:49.43\00:38:53.50
And I need to
tell you about Idaho.
00:38:53.53\00:38:55.94
And there's
probably, a few Idahoans,
00:38:55.97\00:38:57.92
watching this broadcast
and I hope I don't offend them.
00:38:57.95\00:39:01.01
But I came as a young
man to the United States
00:39:01.04\00:39:04.26
when I was a teenager
and lived on the east coast.
00:39:04.29\00:39:07.02
And it wasn't all that
different from Australia.
00:39:07.05\00:39:10.63
Few accent differences
and you know the greenbacks,
00:39:10.66\00:39:14.00
instead of the
Australian dollar,
00:39:14.03\00:39:15.45
but a similar society.
Then I went back to Australia.
00:39:15.48\00:39:19.22
Worked there for nine
years and after that term,
00:39:19.25\00:39:22.23
I got a call to a publishing
house in Boise, Idaho,
00:39:22.26\00:39:26.69
Seventh-day Adventist
Publishing House, one of--
00:39:26.72\00:39:29.06
now two large houses
in the United States.
00:39:29.09\00:39:34.43
And I remember
looking in the encyclopedia
00:39:34.46\00:39:37.57
and other sources to
find out about Idaho.
00:39:37.60\00:39:40.28
I never heard of
this, what it was like.
00:39:40.31\00:39:42.17
I just heard of it,
potatoes, was all I thought of.
00:39:42.20\00:39:44.76
And their PROs
worked pretty well.
00:39:44.79\00:39:47.73
I wish they hadn't done it
00:39:47.76\00:39:49.13
because there's a lot
more there than potatoes.
00:39:49.16\00:39:50.54
But as I looked at the pictures,
00:39:50.57\00:39:51.94
it was an alien landscape.
00:39:51.97\00:39:53.96
You know tumbleweeds and desert,
00:39:53.99\00:39:56.48
as well as, some
better stuff north of the--
00:39:56.51\00:39:58.74
that Rodeas, Rodeos or
Redias I think the Californians,
00:39:58.77\00:40:02.78
might say Rodeo drive.
00:40:02.81\00:40:05.54
But it was a
different landscape to me.
00:40:05.57\00:40:09.30
But one thing I knew,
one thing I knew from Idaho,
00:40:09.33\00:40:13.03
I knew about one man that
had lived most of his life
00:40:13.06\00:40:16.64
in that country or in that--
00:40:16.67\00:40:18.73
in the capital,
the Boise, Idaho.
00:40:18.76\00:40:21.64
I'd read a book,
when I was a young person
00:40:21.67\00:40:23.61
about the story
of Harry Orchard.
00:40:23.64\00:40:29.22
Don't know how many
that are listening to this,
00:40:29.25\00:40:31.46
have even heard
of this man's name?
00:40:31.49\00:40:33.47
And I don't know, how
many have really heard
00:40:33.50\00:40:36.27
or aware of the
great social dislocations
00:40:36.30\00:40:38.96
of just over 100 years
ago, in the United States
00:40:38.99\00:40:42.11
and the battles between
capital and labor and the--
00:40:42.14\00:40:44.88
in particular the
Western Miners Federation?
00:40:44.91\00:40:47.82
There was almost
open range warfare
00:40:47.85\00:40:50.55
between the miners union
00:40:50.58\00:40:53.09
and the mine
owners, and the capitalists
00:40:53.12\00:40:55.26
and the moneyed
interests from the east coast.
00:40:55.29\00:40:56.91
Many of them, that
were determined to restrict
00:40:56.94\00:40:58.98
the workers to minimum wages.
00:40:59.01\00:41:01.07
And pretty much, surf like
relationship to the owners.
00:41:01.10\00:41:06.32
And the mine
owners or the mine unions
00:41:06.35\00:41:09.08
rather were determined to resist
00:41:09.11\00:41:11.19
and they went
about it the wrong way.
00:41:11.22\00:41:12.81
They hired some thugs.
00:41:12.84\00:41:14.21
And one of them was a
man named Harry Orchard,
00:41:14.24\00:41:17.74
who went on a trail of murder
00:41:17.77\00:41:19.96
and bombings and assassinations
00:41:19.99\00:41:23.31
that almost goes
big as the imagination.
00:41:23.34\00:41:26.46
And I'll just share with
you what I found recently,
00:41:26.49\00:41:30.66
online that a record from
the New York Times in 1907,
00:41:30.69\00:41:36.55
when Harry Orchard, a convicted
criminal by that stage,
00:41:36.58\00:41:39.34
gave evidence in a
major case against the union.
00:41:39.37\00:41:44.68
And there were
people like Clarence Darrow,
00:41:44.71\00:41:46.44
famous attorney presenting
their case in the court room.
00:41:46.47\00:41:51.00
And this is what the
newspaper said it says,
00:41:51.03\00:41:53.90
"For three hours
and a half today,
00:41:53.93\00:41:56.09
Harry Orchard sat
in the witness chair
00:41:56.12\00:41:58.19
at the Haywood trial
00:41:58.22\00:41:59.59
and recited a history
of crimes and bloodshed,
00:41:59.62\00:42:01.60
the like of which no
person in the crowded courtroom
00:42:01.63\00:42:04.71
had ever imagined.
00:42:04.74\00:42:06.45
Not in the whole
range of "Bloody Gulch"
00:42:06.48\00:42:08.90
literature will
there be found anything
00:42:08.93\00:42:11.64
that approaches a
parallel to the horrible story
00:42:11.67\00:42:14.83
so calmly and smoothly
told by this self-possessed,
00:42:14.86\00:42:18.38
imperturbable murderer witness."
00:42:18.41\00:42:21.05
That's the story
of Harry Anderson.
00:42:21.08\00:42:23.44
You know the bunny
inclined personified of his era,
00:42:23.47\00:42:28.86
a murderer and what it
brought into the conviction
00:42:28.89\00:42:33.30
and the prison sentence.
00:42:33.33\00:42:34.88
Initially, he was
condemned to death.
00:42:34.91\00:42:36.53
Then it was commuted
to life imprisonment.
00:42:36.56\00:42:38.47
What brought him there
was a horrible assassination
00:42:38.50\00:42:41.66
of the recently
retired governor of Idaho,
00:42:41.69\00:42:44.36
Governor Steunenberg.
00:42:44.39\00:42:46.60
Steunenberg lived in the
little town of Caldwell, Idaho,
00:42:46.63\00:42:50.54
just a few miles
from where I lived,
00:42:50.57\00:42:52.16
for many years
working at Pacific Press.
00:42:52.19\00:42:55.23
He lived in Caldwell, Idaho.
And on this particular day,
00:42:55.26\00:42:58.72
he'd walked from
his home in the town,
00:42:58.75\00:43:00.83
down to a hotel
where, not to drink,
00:43:00.86\00:43:04.27
but where he was socializing
00:43:04.30\00:43:05.72
with some of the
people in the town
00:43:05.75\00:43:07.49
and then he
walked back to his home.
00:43:07.52\00:43:10.36
And the guy was killed by a bomb
00:43:10.39\00:43:12.23
that Harry Orchard
had set at his gate.
00:43:12.26\00:43:15.67
It was a
remotely triggered device
00:43:15.70\00:43:17.48
where Harry Orchard
didn't need to be there,
00:43:17.51\00:43:19.85
that was part of the
genius of his assassinations.
00:43:19.88\00:43:22.34
He was never there
when the person was killed.
00:43:22.37\00:43:24.92
But he actually passed
the governor on the street,
00:43:24.95\00:43:28.25
as he was
walking back to the hotel
00:43:28.28\00:43:30.18
and the governor
was walking to his home.
00:43:30.21\00:43:33.46
He was rounded up shortly
after because even though,
00:43:33.49\00:43:36.99
his alibi seemed pretty good.
00:43:37.02\00:43:38.39
In a little town,
people knew he was a stranger.
00:43:38.42\00:43:40.21
They thought that
he was up to no good
00:43:40.24\00:43:42.20
and he pretty soon cracked.
00:43:42.23\00:43:44.80
What is amazing about
the story of Harry Orchard
00:43:44.83\00:43:48.50
is not the horrible
things he did, as it was said.
00:43:48.53\00:43:52.04
You know that was
extraordinary in itself,
00:43:52.07\00:43:53.87
but the amazing thing was
as he was in jail on trial
00:43:53.90\00:43:58.43
and then convicted.
00:43:58.46\00:43:59.83
He was visited by
several Christians,
00:43:59.86\00:44:02.06
but in particular
the son of the governor,
00:44:02.09\00:44:06.68
bringing a message from
Governor Steunenberg's wife.
00:44:06.71\00:44:10.51
The son and the mother
were Seventh-day Adventist
00:44:10.54\00:44:14.79
and they
witnessed to Harry Orchard
00:44:14.82\00:44:16.77
and he accepted
Christ, his life changed.
00:44:16.80\00:44:20.21
And unlike most
jailhouse conversions,
00:44:20.24\00:44:23.58
he didn't want lesser sentence.
00:44:23.61\00:44:26.17
He agreed readily
that he was deserving
00:44:26.20\00:44:28.18
of anything and everything.
But he changed his life.
00:44:28.21\00:44:32.10
He confessed freely
of all of the crimes
00:44:32.13\00:44:34.00
that he had done.
00:44:34.03\00:44:36.01
Not just to get it off his chest
00:44:36.04\00:44:39.64
and not just to
implicate other people,
00:44:39.67\00:44:41.31
but to confess. And as
I read the story again,
00:44:41.34\00:44:45.58
something clicked with
me that I hadn't known,
00:44:45.61\00:44:47.85
when I read it as a
young fellow in Australia.
00:44:47.88\00:44:50.82
A previous editor
of Liberty Magazine
00:44:50.85\00:44:53.37
about 50-60 years ago had
gone around telling the story,
00:44:53.40\00:44:59.49
with the evidence from
Governor Steunenberg's wife
00:44:59.52\00:45:02.20
that what had made the
difference in their family
00:45:02.23\00:45:05.07
was the Liberty Magazine
and religious liberty materials.
00:45:05.10\00:45:08.53
She said directly and
looking at the timeframe on it,
00:45:08.56\00:45:13.18
it was probably the few
of the special publications
00:45:13.21\00:45:16.38
that preceded the dated
copies of Liberty Magazine
00:45:16.41\00:45:19.97
which began a couple of moths
00:45:20.00\00:45:21.56
after Harry
Orchard's conviction.
00:45:21.59\00:45:24.25
But she said, "We've been
receiving your Liberty Magazine
00:45:24.28\00:45:27.70
and your religious
liberty materials."
00:45:27.73\00:45:29.64
And she said, "We'd
accepted the Sabbath
00:45:29.67\00:45:31.96
because of that." And she said,
00:45:31.99\00:45:34.16
"The governor kept his
first Sabbath on this earth
00:45:34.19\00:45:37.83
before he was killed because
of religious liberty materials."
00:45:37.86\00:45:43.01
And because of that
they're accepting the Sabbath
00:45:43.04\00:45:45.90
and becoming
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:45:45.93\00:45:47.68
They wanted to share
what they'd discovered
00:45:47.71\00:45:49.98
with this criminal, this
man that so wronged them.
00:45:50.01\00:45:53.26
And he became a Christian too.
00:45:53.29\00:45:56.06
And, you know,
it works two ways.
00:45:56.09\00:45:57.46
I'm trying to show
that religious liberty
00:45:57.49\00:45:59.39
can change lives that their
wonderful sense of forgiveness
00:45:59.42\00:46:03.65
also changed Harry
Anderson-- Harry Orchard's life.
00:46:03.68\00:46:09.18
And someone who
started off badly,
00:46:09.21\00:46:12.20
you know, none of us, I
think, are likely to approach
00:46:12.23\00:46:14.75
the human level of
desperation and crime
00:46:14.78\00:46:17.89
that Harry
Orchard had showed up.
00:46:17.92\00:46:20.16
And yet there's
redemption even in prison.
00:46:20.19\00:46:23.29
And he lived about
50 years in that jail,
00:46:23.32\00:46:27.72
never let out.
00:46:27.75\00:46:29.12
He served out his
natural life in that jail.
00:46:29.15\00:46:32.03
He was baptized. The
records are not clear
00:46:32.06\00:46:34.76
whether he actually
was baptized in the prison
00:46:34.79\00:46:38.89
or was released,
under guard to be
00:46:38.92\00:46:41.39
baptized in the
Adventist church,
00:46:41.42\00:46:42.79
but he became a
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:46:42.82\00:46:44.54
He became a trusted prisoner
00:46:44.57\00:46:46.63
who was a leader in
that narrow Christian--
00:46:46.66\00:46:50.93
not Christian that
narrow prison community.
00:46:50.96\00:46:55.73
We can do that.
00:46:55.76\00:46:57.52
Pastor
Alexander, Pastor Monteiro,
00:46:57.55\00:47:00.22
they were put in
there because of something
00:47:00.25\00:47:02.06
they didn't do, but
still condemned for being
00:47:02.09\00:47:05.01
what they were in
some ways Christians.
00:47:05.04\00:47:08.20
Harry Orchard in the
prison for something he did do,
00:47:08.23\00:47:11.37
something wrong,
took the chance to make
00:47:11.40\00:47:14.08
a great witness for a faith
00:47:14.11\00:47:16.05
and a liberty in
spite of prison bonds,
00:47:16.08\00:47:21.98
to witness to the
power of religious liberty.
00:47:22.01\00:47:25.11
There is a quote that
I want to share with you
00:47:25.14\00:47:27.25
and the time is going quickly,
00:47:27.28\00:47:28.65
but I do want to share
this from Charles Spurgeon,
00:47:28.68\00:47:33.77
a great Baptist preacher
of just over 100 years ago.
00:47:33.80\00:47:37.84
He preached one of his sermons
on Daniel in the lions' den.
00:47:37.87\00:47:40.79
With sermon
1,154, a number of us,
00:47:40.82\00:47:45.05
repeat our
sermons from time to time.
00:47:45.08\00:47:47.44
And it's been said that
some revivalist preachers
00:47:47.47\00:47:50.99
of the 1700s, only
have one or two sermons,
00:47:51.02\00:47:54.73
but Spurgeon had thousands.
00:47:54.76\00:47:56.34
But one of them was
Daniel in the lions' den
00:47:56.37\00:47:58.93
and this is what he wrote.
00:47:58.96\00:48:00.34
He said, "Now it
is a great privilege
00:48:00.37\00:48:02.63
that we enjoy civil
and religious liberty
00:48:02.66\00:48:04.64
in our favorite land." He
was talking about England.
00:48:04.67\00:48:07.50
But of course, you can
apply in the United States.
00:48:07.53\00:48:09.49
Of course, you can
apply in Australia,
00:48:09.52\00:48:11.21
any country that
honors religious freedom
00:48:11.24\00:48:14.00
can make that claim.
00:48:14.03\00:48:15.64
Even though, 60
to 70% of the world
00:48:15.67\00:48:18.04
according to the Pew Forum,
00:48:18.07\00:48:19.59
live under severe
restrictions of civil liberty,
00:48:19.62\00:48:22.18
religious liberty.
00:48:22.21\00:48:23.76
He says, "Now we
have this privilege.
00:48:23.79\00:48:25.47
We are not under such cruel laws
00:48:25.50\00:48:27.32
that are in other times
00:48:27.35\00:48:28.72
and in other
countries lay restricts upon--
00:48:28.75\00:48:30.79
restrictions upon conscience.
We are allowed to pray
00:48:30.82\00:48:34.41
according to the
conviction of our judgment
00:48:34.44\00:48:36.30
and the desire of our heart.
00:48:36.33\00:48:37.88
But as I want you to
value the privilege very much,
00:48:37.91\00:48:40.59
I will put this
opposition to you.
00:48:40.62\00:48:42.24
Says Spurgeon, suppose there
was only one place in the world
00:48:42.27\00:48:47.06
where a man might pray enough
for his supplications onto God.
00:48:47.09\00:48:50.13
Well, I think there
is not a man among us
00:48:50.16\00:48:52.96
that would not like to get there
00:48:52.99\00:48:54.65
at sometime or another
or at least to die there.
00:48:54.68\00:48:58.44
Oh, what pains we should
take to reach the locality
00:48:58.47\00:49:01.98
and what pleasure we would
endure to enter that edifice."
00:49:02.01\00:49:05.45
And then he says, "But
now that prayer is free."
00:49:05.48\00:49:09.32
Think about Daniel
praying with a consequence.
00:49:09.35\00:49:12.87
"Now that prayer
is free without money
00:49:12.90\00:49:14.81
and without price
00:49:14.84\00:49:16.21
and the poorest need
not bring a farthing,
00:49:16.24\00:49:18.22
when he comes to
an audience with God,
00:49:18.25\00:49:20.28
oh, how prayer is neglected.
00:49:20.31\00:49:22.89
Perhaps, it would not be a
bad thing on some accounts,
00:49:22.92\00:49:25.94
if we--there could be a
law to prevent men from praying
00:49:25.97\00:49:29.48
because some would
say, 'We will pray.'
00:49:29.51\00:49:32.22
They would pray.
00:49:32.25\00:49:33.98
They would get over the
shock and stoutly protest,
00:49:34.01\00:49:36.80
'We are not to be
kept down. We must pray.'"
00:49:36.83\00:49:42.28
Ah, he says-- "He
would say or they would say,
00:49:42.31\00:49:44.46
'You can pray in your heart.
You need not bend the knee.
00:49:44.49\00:49:47.28
You can pray in your soul.
00:49:47.31\00:49:48.85
But it will not
do to sell principle
00:49:48.88\00:49:51.54
or to abide
with strict integrity
00:49:51.57\00:49:53.18
and sterling truth
in the smallest degree.
00:49:53.21\00:49:56.08
Every jot and tittle
has its intrinsic value.'"
00:49:56.11\00:49:59.70
And then he
concludes by giving an example
00:49:59.73\00:50:02.17
of an earlier age in
England with John Bunyan.
00:50:02.20\00:50:04.33
He says, "Look at John Bunyan,
00:50:04.36\00:50:06.01
the author of
"Pilgrim's Progress."
00:50:06.04\00:50:07.76
Look at him,
when they bring him up
00:50:07.79\00:50:09.39
before the magistrates and
tell him he must not preach.
00:50:09.42\00:50:12.58
"But I will preach," he said.
00:50:12.61\00:50:14.53
"I will preach
tomorrow by the help of God,
00:50:14.56\00:50:17.37
but you'll be put in
prison again," they said.
00:50:17.40\00:50:19.69
"Never mind, I'll
preach as soon as I get out,"
00:50:19.72\00:50:22.11
said John Bunyan.
00:50:22.14\00:50:23.51
"But you'll be hanged or
kept in prison all your life.
00:50:23.54\00:50:27.10
If I lay in prison," he said,
00:50:27.13\00:50:29.05
"till the moss
grows upon my eyelids.
00:50:29.08\00:50:31.58
I can say
nothing more than this,
00:50:31.61\00:50:34.60
that with God's
help I will preach,
00:50:34.63\00:50:37.15
whenever I get a chance."
That's the attitude of Daniel.
00:50:37.18\00:50:42.05
When he knew they passed a
law, then he went and prayed.
00:50:42.08\00:50:46.50
And John Bunyan
would say the same thing,
00:50:46.53\00:50:48.44
"When they said I
cannot preach, I will preach."
00:50:48.47\00:50:52.80
When they tell you, you
cannot meet in the church.
00:50:52.83\00:50:56.14
Will you meet or will
you keep in your house?
00:50:56.17\00:50:58.56
As one record from
John Bunyan's time said
00:50:58.59\00:51:02.66
if there was
someone who is fined,
00:51:02.69\00:51:04.06
it said he kept to
his bed like a hound.
00:51:04.09\00:51:07.24
We don't want to be those
sort of dogs of religious world.
00:51:07.27\00:51:11.22
We want to be those that
pick up the spiritual warfare
00:51:11.25\00:51:14.07
and witness for our faith.
00:51:14.10\00:51:17.93
Ellen White, who
wrote many valuable things
00:51:17.96\00:51:20.23
for Seventh-day Adventist
00:51:20.26\00:51:21.63
and fulfilled a
strong leadership role
00:51:21.66\00:51:25.31
in the early Adventist
Church, wrote something
00:51:25.34\00:51:28.35
that I think goes to the heart
00:51:28.38\00:51:29.75
what I'm trying to
share with you today.
00:51:29.78\00:51:32.27
In the book called
"Prophets and Kings"
00:51:32.30\00:51:34.23
which is largely retelling
these Old Testament stories
00:51:34.26\00:51:38.53
in a very winsome way for people
00:51:38.56\00:51:40.56
that probably haven't
read or too lazy to read
00:51:40.59\00:51:43.37
the Bible accounts that
seems a little archaic to them.
00:51:43.40\00:51:46.23
But in that book on page
546, Ellen White wrote this
00:51:46.26\00:51:51.03
and her inference
is spot on in my view.
00:51:51.06\00:51:53.75
She says, "The power--"
00:51:53.78\00:51:55.79
She is talking
about the power of God.
00:51:55.82\00:51:58.14
"The power that
is near to deliver
00:51:58.17\00:52:00.39
from physical harm or distress."
00:52:00.42\00:52:03.08
And Daniel
would agree with that.
00:52:03.11\00:52:05.01
God's power
closed the lion's mouths.
00:52:05.04\00:52:08.19
God's power could
release Anthony Alexander.
00:52:08.22\00:52:13.52
I'm sure of that. It
was not legal intervention.
00:52:13.55\00:52:16.89
We defend Seventh-day Adventist
and others in the workplace,
00:52:16.92\00:52:21.07
using available laws.
00:52:21.10\00:52:22.47
But so often, it's
divine intervention
00:52:22.50\00:52:25.02
either on the minds of someone
00:52:25.05\00:52:26.53
or some providential
change in the status quo.
00:52:26.56\00:52:30.38
At the end of
day, it's God's power.
00:52:30.41\00:52:32.52
She says, "The power
that is near to deliver
00:52:32.55\00:52:35.59
from physical harm or
distress is also near to save
00:52:35.62\00:52:41.69
from the greater evil."
What's the greater evil?
00:52:41.72\00:52:46.07
She says, "Making it
possible for the servant of God
00:52:46.10\00:52:49.88
to maintain His integrity,
under all circumstances
00:52:49.91\00:52:54.93
and to triumph
through divine grace."
00:52:54.96\00:52:57.90
That's what's really going on.
00:52:57.93\00:52:59.36
It's not whether
you're imprisoned
00:52:59.39\00:53:01.24
or whether you get out,
00:53:01.27\00:53:02.65
whether you're
sent to the lions' den
00:53:02.68\00:53:04.68
and whether you're eaten
00:53:04.71\00:53:06.08
or whether you're
there the next morning.
00:53:06.11\00:53:07.79
The real question before God
00:53:07.82\00:53:10.21
and before man is to
maintain your integrity.
00:53:10.24\00:53:15.32
And on religious liberty,
00:53:15.35\00:53:17.42
I'm speaking as a
Seventh-day Adventist
00:53:17.45\00:53:19.76
on the Seventh-day
Adventist acknowledge--
00:53:19.79\00:53:23.33
Seventh-day Sabbath
we get it from the Bible.
00:53:23.36\00:53:25.75
But, you know, when I
talk about religious liberty,
00:53:25.78\00:53:27.87
I have to be ready
to defend to the death,
00:53:27.90\00:53:30.91
if need be.
00:53:30.94\00:53:32.31
Someone who's a
Muslim or a Jehovah's Witness
00:53:32.34\00:53:35.43
or whatever or Roman Catholic,
00:53:35.46\00:53:37.27
if they--in a point of integrity
are insistent upon worshipping,
00:53:37.30\00:53:41.37
the way they see fit.
It's not for me to say
00:53:41.40\00:53:45.96
that I condemn you because
you're worshiping the wrong way.
00:53:45.99\00:53:49.58
As a Seventh-day Adventist
knowing a certain truth,
00:53:49.61\00:53:52.05
it's my
obligation to share with them
00:53:52.08\00:53:53.77
what I have. But on the
dynamic of religious liberty,
00:53:53.80\00:53:57.18
I have to defend
the right of everybody
00:53:57.21\00:54:00.11
to live up to their conscience
00:54:00.14\00:54:02.12
because the
greatest evil possible
00:54:02.15\00:54:04.84
is to deny your conscience,
to act in an immoral way
00:54:04.87\00:54:11.43
against what you
know to be the right way.
00:54:11.46\00:54:15.81
And Daniel was faithful.
00:54:15.84\00:54:18.05
I believe Pastor Monteiro,
no matter what the charges,
00:54:18.08\00:54:21.69
there has the chance to live
00:54:21.72\00:54:24.40
and to exist in
that prison in a way
00:54:24.43\00:54:27.92
that keeps his integrity.
00:54:27.95\00:54:29.70
Harry Orchard-- and you know,
00:54:29.73\00:54:32.13
an openly avowed
criminal, redeemed his life
00:54:32.16\00:54:36.05
by answering finally
to that higher morality.
00:54:36.08\00:54:39.83
And each of us can do that.
00:54:39.86\00:54:41.95
I believe that this is the
most incredible obligation,
00:54:41.98\00:54:46.15
laid upon human
beings. And some constitution--
00:54:46.18\00:54:50.91
the U.S.
constitution even embraces this.
00:54:50.94\00:54:54.23
And our religious
liberty construct does.
00:54:54.26\00:54:56.60
Some people may
believe in nothing.
00:54:56.63\00:55:00.63
You know, it's
rather empty prospect,
00:55:00.66\00:55:03.16
but God can
deal with that person
00:55:03.19\00:55:05.60
if their
integrity is maintained.
00:55:05.63\00:55:08.78
We cannot force
people to act a certain way.
00:55:08.81\00:55:12.24
We cannot force obedience.
00:55:12.27\00:55:14.07
We cannot force of
certain type of worship.
00:55:14.10\00:55:16.52
What we can
require-- as the Bible says,
00:55:16.55\00:55:19.51
"What does God require of you,
00:55:19.54\00:55:21.04
but to live
justly and to serve God."
00:55:21.07\00:55:24.41
We need to answer
to the higher powers
00:55:24.44\00:55:26.15
and allow other
people to do that.
00:55:26.18\00:55:28.98
And in the few moments
left, I'll repeat the charge.
00:55:29.01\00:55:32.23
Religious liberty,
it's a vital liberty.
00:55:32.26\00:55:35.37
It is in many
ways the first liberty.
00:55:35.40\00:55:38.29
The U.S. Constitution
00:55:38.32\00:55:39.69
and those that
formed it understood this.
00:55:39.72\00:55:41.47
Religious freedom
goes to personal integrity.
00:55:41.50\00:55:45.86
It goes to how we
relate to the higher powers,
00:55:45.89\00:55:49.07
not just to a
president or even a dictator.
00:55:49.10\00:55:51.97
Now how do we relate to God?
00:55:52.00\00:55:55.21
And we must
realize as I read before
00:55:55.24\00:55:57.39
and I'll repeat it.
00:55:57.42\00:55:58.79
"The power that
is near to deliver
00:55:58.82\00:56:01.07
from physical harm or
distress is also near to save
00:56:01.10\00:56:06.37
from the greater evil."
00:56:06.40\00:56:08.82
There are many
evils in this world,
00:56:08.85\00:56:10.63
but the greatest evil is to
deny God and to deny conscience.
00:56:10.66\00:56:15.21
We can't do it
in our own selves.
00:56:15.24\00:56:17.31
And we should never
insist on it in anybody else.
00:56:17.34\00:56:20.42
We should allow everybody
to operate with integrity.
00:56:20.45\00:56:25.82
And this continues by saying,
00:56:25.85\00:56:27.42
"It is possible
for the servant of God
00:56:27.45\00:56:30.36
to maintain his integrity
under all circumstances
00:56:30.39\00:56:35.35
and to triumph
through divine grace."
00:56:35.38\00:56:37.65
What did Paul say?
00:56:37.68\00:56:39.05
"I've determined to be content
under all circumstances."
00:56:39.08\00:56:43.04
Religious liberty is at
root, not about easing our way
00:56:43.07\00:56:47.70
in whatever situation we're in.
00:56:47.73\00:56:49.95
Troubles will come upon
us, but they're not troubles,
00:56:49.98\00:56:53.69
if we look at it
with this higher purpose.
00:56:53.72\00:56:55.96
They are opportunities
whether it's in prison,
00:56:55.99\00:56:59.33
whether it's before a tribunal
00:56:59.36\00:57:01.80
or whether it's before the court
of our neighborhood opinion.
00:57:01.83\00:57:06.11
I pray that as we witness,
as we speak about liberty,
00:57:06.14\00:57:10.40
it's done in a way
that will bring glory to God
00:57:10.43\00:57:13.48
and will aid and encourage
our personal integrity.
00:57:13.51\00:57:17.24
That is true religious liberty.
00:57:17.27\00:57:20.52