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REV. W. F. CRAFTS ON THE DECALOGUE

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Tuesday, November 25, 1884

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 61, No. 47

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REV. W. F. CRAFTS ON THE DECALOGUE.

By E. P. Saunders

Sunday evening, Oct. 26, the writer attended the services of the Yorkville Presbyterian church, at Lexington Ave. and 86th St. The pastor, Rev. Wilbur F. Crafts, occupied the pulpit.
The theme of the evening was the decalogue. The Scripture read in the opening services was a collection of New Testament passages showing the perpetuity of the law.
The sermon was an analysis of the ten commandments with a practical application of them, as rules of Christian living for the church of the day.
By way of introduction, the preacher defined the law figuratively by saying that it was a mirror, which, when held up before the transgressor, would reveal the stains of sin upon him; but which could not be employed to wash them away. “The blood of Christ,” he said, “is the only means of their removal.”
The sermon progressed beautifully and logically through the first, second, and third commandments, condemning the varied and multitudinous forms of idolatry and profanity. But when the fourth came up for treatment, logic and consistency took their flight. Said the speaker, “How many professed Christians when they hold that holy Sabbath law, ‘Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy,’ up before them, and examine their conduct in its reflections, are obliged to drop their eyes in shame and condemnation!” Very true; but his reference was to Sunday desecration and not to Sabbath desecration, as his subsequent remarks clearly indicated. He ignored entirely the remainder of the command, “six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God,” etc.
After listening with somewhat of impatience to the subsequent part of his discourse, I came home determined to address certain questions to the worthy brother at my earliest convenience. Consequently, on the following morning I wrote him a letter, which was in substance as follows:—
“Rev. W. F. Crafts, Dear Sir: I too believe in the perpetuity of the decalogue, the fourth commandment with the rest. The Sabbath is an Edenic institution, and not a Jewish. It was started on its mission at the birth of the race, and its mission cannot be fulfilled until the end of time; hence it cannot be abrogated. Thus far we seem to agree, but I desire to ask a few questions:—
“1. Was not the Sabbath law given with exclusive reference to a particular day of the week—the seventh?”
“2. What right, then, have we to quote that law as a command to remember and keep a day which it does not recognize as holy?”
“3. Can an institution, designed to commemorate an event which occurred on the last of a given series of days, be consistently transferred to the first, or any other of the series?”
“4. Since Jehovah founded the Sabbath, and made it holy, can any being other than God change it?”
“5. Was the day of the Sabbath changed by either Christ or his disciples? on the contrary, did not both he and they keep the Sabbath of Jehovah?”
“6. Did not the Christian Church keep the Bible Sabbath for more than 200 years after the death of the apostles?”
“7. Is not Sunday observance the child of Romanism?”
On the next day I received the following unsatisfactory reply:—
“Dear Sir: The points to which you refer are fully treated in my forthcoming book on the Sabbath, to be issued Nov. 29. See circular inclosed.
“Cordially yours,
“W. F. CRAFTS.”
The circular referred to is from the publishing house of Funk and Wagnalls, 10 and 12 Dey St., N. Y. It contains a list of six books on various topics, either written or edited by Rev. Mr. Crafts. Among them is the book referred to in his letter. The mention of it in the circular runs as follows:—
“The Sabbath for Man, a study of the obligations and advantages of the Day of Rest, based on Scripture, Literature, and especially upon a symposium of correspondence with persons of all nations and denominations. By Rev. Wilbur F. Crafts. 12 mo, 640 pp. $1.50.”
So I am patiently waiting to see a full treatment of the Sabbath question from the anti-Sabbatarian standpoint. When the book appears I hope, and expect, that our brethren of the Outlook will review it thoroughly and give the public the result of their investigation.
When will men learn their proper attitude toward God’s word? When will they cease to go to it for arguments to defend their traditions and notions? When will they enter upon its study with minds and hearts open to conviction? with feet ready and anxious to follow where it leads?
May the day hasten when the precious book shall be acknowledged, not only in creed but in practice, as the only rule of faith and conduct.—E. P. Saunders, in Sabbath Recorder.