Tuesday, August 7, 2018

SDA History: World War 1 (Chappel & Sanders)

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress... 2 Samuel 22:2

"William George Chappell worked selling Christian literature. He was called to a tribunal in Brynmawr, South Wales on 25 March 1916. In his notice of appeal he stated that “as I am a Seventh-day Adventist [I] am opposed to war.”
Noting Bible verses that supported a pacifist stance he stated that he felt it more important for him to ‘go preach the Gospel’ than to be involved in the war.
The tribunal disagreed stating that his work was ‘not of national importance’ and only exempting him from combatant service.

Many like Chappel were enlisted in the non-combatant corps and served both in the UK and in France. Arthur Ernest Sanders gained the same minimal exemption at a Watford tribunal on 25 February 1918. He spend the rest of the war serving in army kitchens. Others, unwilling to provide even that service, spent time in prison."
VictorHulbert