Returning to the Sabbath Truth
By Manning Curry
Bro. White : I wish to say through your paper that I have concluded that it is safer to obey the truth than to follow the traditions of men. It is known to many of the readers of the Review that I for a time observed the Sabbath of the Bible. But through a false train of thought my feet were turned away from the truth unto fables touching the Sabbath of the Lord. This was truly humiliating to me, notwithstanding I had endeavored to live faithful to my high calling during the time of my departure from the holy commandment delivered unto me. When through careful investigation I saw my mistake I was led to say, How frail a thing is man, how liable to be deceived! But what shall I do? was my most earnest and solemn inquiry.63I reviewed the whole argument over and over, and every time came out that the Sabbath was made for man. I laid the matter before my companion. At first she was not at all inclined to look favorably toward the Sabbath, but her arguments were easily met, yet her prejudice against the change was very great. "What will you do? the Sabbath brethren will not have confidence in you, and your brethren will reject you." All this had some degree of plausibility to me for a moment; but when the awful responsibilities of the day of judgment had rolled upon my mind, and rushed into my very soul, I was ready to exclaim with all my heart, Let God be true, if it makes every man a liar. At this stage of the matter I found my feet upon the rock. Thanks be to God for all this! I esteem the smiles of the supreme God far above the smiles of frail man, who is but a grasshopper. Thrice happy is the man that rises in God's favor, though he falls in man's. It is better far to be owned of the Lord amid the trying scenes of the day of wrath, than of deceitful men here for a moment. It is about a year since I returned to the Sabbath. During this time I have been zealously engaged in restoring that which I had destroyed. But I can here say that I had said but little against Sabbath-keeping during the time that I did not keep it, because I could see but little that could be said; also I thought that the no-Sabbath theory was rather out of order. There was not much about it that looked enticing. And relative to Sunday-keeping, I never saw any light in it; all was dark to me. But not so when the seventh-day Sabbath stands as an abiding institution from creation down to the end of the world; all is order, all is light. The little church that I preached to, that had just been raised up by the preaching of the word through my feeble labors, now numbering eleven, have investigated the Sabbath truth, and are now keeping it. To God be all the praise! While we find our humble faith despised and scoffed at by a wicked world, and the proud and scornful church, those of like precious faith seem very near to us. Our brethren have many times expressed a wish that some circumstance might occur that might place the Sabbath truth a little nearer the high position God designed it should occupy. This might be brought about if some able speaker should appear in our midst. If we were able to pay the expenses of a tent-meeting, it would, in this rich and populous country, give an extensive hearing, and doubtless bring in a good harvest. Our brethren bear one qualification for the kingdom, and that is the inconvenient one—poor of this world. It is quite probable that we might not harmonize on all points of faith, yet we feel a strong attachment to Sabbath-keepers, because it is our truth that is most shamefully abused, and all that is earthly, sensual, and devilish, is incensed against it. If this should be counted worth anything for the Review, you are at liberty to publish it. It will be gratifying to my feelings that many of the good people that I have formed such a strong attachment to while among them, should at least hear that I had recovered myself from the snare of the Devil into which I had fallen. And believing that I have obtained favor of God, and have at this time his approval, I most humbly ask the forgiveness of those dear brethren with whom I have, shoulder to shoulder, beat the strong tide of opposition and hatred. I acknowledge with regret that I have caused the bleeding truth of the holy Sabbath of the Lord our God to be lightly esteemed. But all the atonement that I can make for my past wrong is to do right in the future. Yours yet in hope of eternal life,
Manning Curry.