p. 99 | Review and Herald, Vol. 38, No. 13. (9/12/1871)

WHAT MEN HAVE DIED FOR.—

Colonel Montgomery was shot in a duel about a dog; Colonel Ramsey, in one about a servant; Mr. Featherstone, in one about a recruit; Sterne’s father in one about a goose; and another gentleman, in one about an “acre of anchovies;” one officer was challenged for merely asking his opponent to enjoy the second goblet; and another was compelled to fight about a pinch of snuff; General Barry was challenged by a Captain Smith for declining wine at a dinner on a steamboat, although the General had pleaded as an excuse that wine invariably made him sick; and Lieutenant Cowther lost his life in a duel because he was refused admittance to a club of pigeon shooters. In 1777 a duel occurred in New York city between Lieutenant Featherstone-haugh, of the 76th, and Captain McPherson, of the 42d, British regiment, in regard to the manner of eating an ear of corn, one contending that the best eating was from the cob, and the other that the grain should be cut off from the cob before eating. Lieutenant Featherstone-haugh lost his right arm, the ball from his antagonist’s pistol shattering the limb dreadfully, so much so that it had to be amputated. Graham, Major Noah’s assistant editor on the National Advocate, lost his life in 1827, at the dueling ground at Hoboken, with Barton, the son-in-law of Edward Livingstone, in a simple dispute about “what was trumps” in a game of cards.

The Crown of Rejoicing: Winning Souls

To win a soul is your noblest prize; and the greater number you win, the brighter and richer will be that “crown of rejoicing,” which you will wear in the day of the Lord.

Words to Christian Mothers.

By Ellen G. White

BY ELLEN G. WHITE.

I AM sorry to say that there is a strange absence of principle which characterizes the professing Christians of this generation in regard to their health. Christians, above all others, should be awake to this important subject, and should become intelligent in regard to their own organism. Says the psalmist, “I will praise Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” If we would be able to comprehend the truths of God’s word, and the object and purpose of our living, we must know ourselves, and understand how to relate ourselves rightly to life and to health.

A diseased body causes a disordered brain, and hinders the work of sanctifying grace upon the mind and heart. The apostle says, “With the mind I myself serve the law of God.” If then we pursue a course of wrong which weakens or beclouds our mental powers, so that our perceptions are not clear to discern the value of truth, we are warring against our eternal interest. Pride, vanity, and idolatry enslave the thoughts and affections, and blunt the finer feelings of the soul. These resist the sanctifying grace of God. Many do not realize their accountability as parents. A sense of their moral responsibility is not felt in the existence and education of their children who are the dearest objects of their affections.

Children are often made objects of pride, rather than sanctified affection. Parents are not excusable if they do not seek knowledge in regard to the origin of human life, and understand what influence their living and dressing will have on their posterity. It is a crime for parents to pursue a course of life which will lessen physical and mental strength, and perpetuate their miseries for their children. If we do the work God would have us perform in this life, we must have sound minds in sound bodies. When wrong habits wage warfare against nature, we are warring against our souls. The Spirit of God cannot come to our help, and assist us in perfecting Christian characters, while we are indulging our appetites to the injury of health, and while the pride of life controls.

Fashionable women, who live for dress and display, for visitors to admire their dress made after the latest style of fashion, and whose chief happiness is in attending parties, theaters, and balls will have an account to render to their Maker for the responsibilities they assumed in becoming mothers, and then so lightly throwing them off to be controlled by the tyrant fashion.

Health, strength, and happiness, depend upon immutable laws; but these laws cannot be obeyed where there is no anxiety to become acquainted with them. The Creator has given us natural life, and physical laws, which relate to the preservation of the life he has given; and we are under most sacred obligations to become intelligent in regard to the laws of our being, lest we be found unwittingly transgressors, and be obliged to pay the penalty of our lawless course by disease and suffering.

All who transgress physical law must sooner or later suffer the penalty of physical suffering. God has not changed, neither does he propose to change, our physical organism, in order that we may violate a single law, without feeling the effects of its violation.

But many willingly close their eyes to the light. They do not wish to become intelligent on the subject of life and health, because they know that if they do become informed, and put that knowledge to a practical use, they have a great work to do. By indulging their inclinations and appetites, they violate the laws of life and health; and if they obey conscience, they must be controlled by principle in their eating and dressing, rather than be led by inclination, fashion, and appetite. Men and women cannot be practical Christians, and close their eyes to the light.

Christians are required to love God with all their heart, with all their mind, with all their soul, and with all their strength, and their neighbors as themselves. The powers of the entire being God claims, to be devoted to his service. In how much higher degree we can render service to God in the vigor of health, than when palsied by disease.

It is not only the privilege, but the sacred duty, of all to understand the laws God has established in their being, and to be so governed by these laws as to bring their habits into harmony with them. And as they more fully understand the human body, the wonderful work of God’s hand, formed in the image of the Divine, they will seek to bring their bodies into subjection to the noble powers of the mind. The body will be regarded by them as a wonderful structure, formed by the Infinite Designer, and given in their charge to keep this harp of a thousand strings in harmonious action. By intelligence they may be able to preserve the human machinery as perfect as possible, that they “may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ.” Here is the secret of true happiness.—Health Reformer.

The Christian's Privilege of Working for God

The Christian esteems it his highest privilege to work for God; the sinner considers such labor lost.

Teeth and Food.

By R. T. Trall

BY R. T. TRALL, M. D.

Naturalists can determine the natural dietetic character of animals by the structure of the teeth and jaws. Judged by this rule, man is found to be frugivorous. In this opinion all naturalists—Cuvier, Lawrence, Bell, Monboddo, and others—agree. But, in the face of these facts, physicians are continually asserting that the teeth of the human being indicate his omnivorous character. They tell us that man has carnivorous teeth, and therefore should eat flesh.

Now we meet this assertion with a flat contradiction. There are no such teeth in his head. It is true that those of his teeth which are intermediate between the cutting front teeth and the grinding back teeth do resemble, in some respects, the canine teeth of flesh-eating and omnivorous animals. But they also differ in some respects, and the differences are quite as significant as the resemblances. Without this resemblance there would not be symmetry between the incisors (cutting teeth) and the molars (grinding teeth). No unprejudiced person, on comparing the teeth of a dog, or lion, or tiger, or cat, or hog, or bear, with those of a man, would ever suspect the “higher animal” of being carnivorously inclined.

But the structure and motions of the jaws are entirely conclusive on this subject. Flesh-eating animals do not have the lateral or grinding motion of the under jaw. This is peculiar to graminivorous and frugivorous animals. The carnivora and omnivora have only the up and down, or cutting and tearing, motion of the jaws. The under jaw plays against the upper as one blade of a shears does against the other. Flesh-food only needs to be divided, cut or torn, into small pieces before being swallowed; grasses, grains, and fruits, require grinding; hence horses, cattle, sheep, the monkey tribes, and all animals subsisting directly on the fruits of the earth, have the lateral motion of the under jaw.

That man can masticate animal food is true. A cow, a horse, and a sheep, has been taught to eat beef-steak, and to prefer it to oats, hay, or grass. But who will say that this is not a perversion of the normal appetite? Animals, too, domestic and wild, have learned to love salt; and physicians, reasoning from morbid propensities instead of normal instincts, have told us that salt is necessary, or, at least, useful for such animals—that they had a “natural craving” for it. They might argue that man has a natural desire and necessity for alcohol and tobacco, because so many become addicted to their use. Indeed, our current literature, medical and secular, is everywhere pervaded and saturated with the doctrine that all human beings naturally crave stimulus of some kind, and in proof we are reminded that a majority of the nations and tribes of the human family have contrived some method of manufacturing from grains, fruits, and roots, some kind of intoxicating liquor. It would be just as good logic to say that, because a very large portion of the human family are addicted to lying and cheating, these are normal instincts!

So far as the scientific argument is concerned, it is all on the vegetarian side. But the advocates for flesh-eating often resort to experience, and this is just as fatal to their position as science is. They tell us that the people of the most developed and progressive nations are generally flesh-eaters. This argument, however, proves too much, for they are also liquor-drinkers and tobacco-users. Their superior physical and mental condition is attributable to the influences of latitude and longitude, soil and climate, and not to flesh, alcohol, and tobacco. Their superiority is in spite of these deteriorating habits, and not with their assistance, as most physicians and many pseudo-physiologists would have us believe. And it is true, too, that the lowest and most degraded tribes of the human family are flesh-eaters. We do not say that flesh-food is the sole nor the principal cause of their degradation. There is no argument for nor against flesh-eating to be derived from the fact that persons who eat flesh are more or less elevated or deteriorated in the social scale. The real issue lies deeper, and it is purely a scientific question. Does flesh, or do fruits and farinacea, afford the best material for the human organism? Physiology, animal and vegetable, and anatomy, human and comparative, demonstrate beyond all peradventure that man is designed by nature to subsist directly on the productions of the vegetable kingdom, except during the period of infancy.—Health Reformer.

Nineteenth Century Wars and Civilization's Hollow Boasts

There has not been a single year of peace since this century began. In the first fifteen years there was war all over Europe, extending to this continent. In the next ten years, Mexico, Central and South America were involved. In the next twenty-five years the great European powers carried on war in Africa and Asia, followed by the Crimean war and other wars in various countries in Europe. Since 1800, England has waged forty-nine wars, France thirty-six, Russia twenty-one, Austria twelve, and Prussia seven. All this does not include the numerous revolutionary movements and intestine struggles in both hemispheres or our own India wars and civil war, all of which caused great misery and loss of life. We may boast of our civilization and brag loudly of the moral progress of the nineteenth century; but the facts stated show all such boasts and brags to be—brags and boasts only.

The Cause.

THERE has never been a time when the friends of the cause of Bible truth, and pure religion, have so much to encourage them as at the present. The cause, in all its branches, is being placed upon a footing that is truly gratifying.

When we accepted positions of importance at Battle Creek, a little more than two years since, a general discouragement was upon the work at head-quarters, which affected the cause more or less everywhere. By reason of bad management, our institutions located in this city were much embarrassed, and their very existence was threatened. Our people had donated liberally to create capital stock, and to know that their free-will offerings to the Lord and his cause were not managed in the love and fear of God to his glory, had a discouraging and depressing influence upon the donors.

And here we will state, that probably on no point will the people of God be more keenly stung than on the unfaithful use of means they have consecrated to the Lord’s cause, by those who stand at the head of charitable enterprises. Such men stand in a very responsible place. If they are unfaithful, they are sure to discourage the liberal, dry up the streams leading to the treasury, and make the cause to languish for want of means. Men who stand at the head of charitable institutions must be self-sacrificing men, consecrated to the work of God, hating covetousness.

When we returned to our position at Battle Creek about two years since, the Publishing Association was paying ten per cent on $6,000, the Office was destitute of stock, no cash on hand, they had overdrawn some at the bank, and our stock of books on hand was comparatively low. By the blessing of God we have paid all interest-bearing notes, have $5,000, worth of stock on hand, and $6,000 more in books than two years since, and by New Year’s shall be in our new building which costs $10,000, and all bills paid. This has been accomplished by the closest application to business which has fearfully worn us. But with great pleasure we here express gratitude to God who has sustained us, and to those with whom we have been associated for their faithful co-operation.

As we leave this work for the rest that change may give, it is with feelings of love and thanksgiving to our faithful God that he has permitted us to see the publishing work raised to that state of prosperity it enjoyed when we were stricken down six years since; and that it has been, during the past two years, greatly increased. And we would here state that if those who may manage this work in time to come think it an easy task, that they can work leisurely, selfishly, and carelessly, and see the work prosper, they will find themselves greatly disappointed.

Two years since our Health Reform Institute was seeing its darkest time. Heavy debts were upon it. And in consequence of shaken confidence in its management, patrons were very few. At first we saw no other way than to sell out, and refund what was left to those who had taken stock. But on second thought faith revived, and by the grace of God we were able to declare that God would vindicate every appeal to his people in the several Testimonies to the Church respecting health reform and the Health Institute. We have worked in accordance with our faith, and with the blessing of God, and the co-operation of faithful friends at the Institute, and also abroad, it has been gradually rising, and is now enjoying a full tide of prosperity.

The Health Reformer has added 1500 subscribers the last ten months, and with energetic co-operation of the friends of reform, it can reach 10,000 in one year from this date. Here is a charge of our choice. When restored to our usual strength, God willing, we will labor temperately in this most encouraging field, until the Health Institute, Reformer, with hygienic tracts, pamphlets and books, shall stand on a level, in point of prosperity, with the Publishing Association, with its numerous works.

We have been too willing to work. And our people made a mistake in putting so much work upon us that it has broken us down, and compelled us to lay it all off at once. We have been asked to remain in positions in which we have been placed, and go away from the work, and rest. This we cannot do. If our people put responsibilities upon us, we cannot so easily lay them off. The man that can, is the very man that is totally unfit to occupy such positions. Our people have tried this kind, and have seen the result.

God is with his people. He has met them graciously at all their camp-meetings, and is ready to bless the labors of his self-sacrificing, toiling servants everywhere. Mrs. W. returns from New England with good news. Her relation of blessed facts and incidents relative to the good camp-meeting in old Maine, made us feel almost well again. We long to meet the brethren in New England with renewed strength, and the power of the gospel. Oh, for a nearness to God! Brethren, the fields are white. Put in the gospel sickle. It is now good fishing ground almost anywhere. Drop in the hook, brethren, in faith, and keep at the work.

Laborers are wanted. They are wanted at Battle Creek. They are wanted everywhere. Men are wanted who can labor in God. Self-sacrificing laborers are wanted. Men are wanted who can labor, and toil, and sacrifice, and endure, in view of pay in the next world. God, in his providence, has matters prepared, pertaining to his cause, to our hand, and now he calls for laborers. When laborers shall volunteer, from the farm, from the shop, from various professions, and from the schools, and consecrate all to God, as did those who first entered upon the work, then shall we see the cause prosper gloriously.

Coming up out of the Earth.

By Uriah Smith

The last symbol of Rev. 13, the beast with two horns like a lamb, was described, as he came forth and took his place among the symbols of earthly governments, as “coming up out of the earth.” This expression is most clearly designed to point us to the contrast between the manner of its rise and that of the other symbols introduced in the prophecy. They rose out of the sea. Daniel’s four beasts came up as the four winds of heaven strove upon the great sea. The first beast of Rev. 13, the one preceding the symbol under notice, and embodying all the characteristics of Daniel’s four, also came up out of the sea. There was all the fury of the gale, the roaring and dashing of the waves, the noise and tumult of the raging storm; and in the midst of this confusion, as if stirred up by the fearful commotion, these four beasts reared their heads. In other words, the empires of which they were the symbols, arose by the upheavals of revolution, and through the strife of war.

The two-horned beast comes up out of the earth. No tempest of political excitement is raised, no armies clash together like the waves of the sea. John beholds only the unbroken surface of the immovable earth, and coming up calmly and peaceably, bearing on his head the symbols of gentleness and innocence, the horns of a lamb, this beast arises.

In the rise of our own government, this very feature, the peacefulness of its rise and progress, is one of the prominent things that arrest the attention of the beholder. Political writers mention it; and the more remarkable part of it is, that, without dreaming that prophecy had pointed all this out eighteen hundred years ago, they use terms to describe it, almost identical with those used by the prophet; at least, those which are exactly parallel in meaning; showing that the same channel in which the mind of the inspired writer was led when making the prediction, is followed by the political historian in recording its fulfillment.

This is shown in the following extracts which I give from a work entitled, “The New World Compared with the Old,” by George Alfred Townsend. The first extract is from pages 462, 463. Two sentences I italicize to more particularly arrest the attention of the reader:—

“Our attention is turned from Europe to the near Orient, whence are to come the problems of multitude and mode which will speedily overflow the Rocky Mountains, and meet Europe half way on the plains of Missouri. Destinies of colossal magnitude tower in that Asiatic mist, and with youth, but confidence, we accept them. This hemisphere was laid away for no one race; the pilgrims, and they of the caravans of the earth, have seen our star, and at last the English Magi also.

“And ours is the government of which Emile de Girardin in ‘La Liberté’ says (1868): ‘The population of America, not thinned by any conscription, multiplies with prodigious rapidity, and the day may before [long be] seen, when they will number sixty or eighty millions of souls. This parvenue is aware of his importance and destiny. Hear him proudly exclaim, “America for Americans!” See him promising his alliance to Russia; and we see that power which well knows what force is, grasp the hand of this giant of yesterday.”

“‘In view of his unparalleled progress and combination, what are the little toys with which we vex ourselves in Europe? What is this needle gun, we are anxious to get from Prussia, that we may beat her next year with it? Had we not better take from America the principle of liberty she embodies, out of which have come her citizen pride, her gigantic industry, and her formidable loyalty to the destinies of her Republican land?’”

“Since America was discovered, she has been a subject of revolutionary thought in Europe. The mystery of her coming forth from vacancy, the marvel of her wealth in gold and silver, the spectacle of her captives led through European capitals, filled the minds of men with unrest; and unrest is the first stage of revolution. Out of her discovery grew the European reformation in religion; out of our Revolutionary War grew the revolutionary period of Europe. And out of our rapid development among great States and happy peoples, has come an immigration more wonderful than that which invaded Europe from Asia in the latter centuries of the Roman Empire. When we raised our flag on the Atlantic, Europe sent her contributions; it appeared on the Pacific, and all orientalism felt the signal. They are coming in two endless fleets, eastward and westward, and the highway is swung between the oceans for them to tread upon. We have lightened Ireland of half her weight, and Germany is coming by the village load every day. England, herself, is sending the best of her working men now (1869), and in such numbers as to dismay her Jack Bunsbys. What is to be the limit of this mighty immigration?”

On page 635, the same writer, speaking of the difference between the English and Spanish settlements on the American continent, says:—

“In this web of islands, the West Indies, began the life of both [North and South] Americas. There Columbus saw land, there Spain began her baneful and brilliant Western Empire; thence Cortez departed for Mexico, De Soto for the Mississippi; Balboa for the Pacific, and Pizarro for Peru. The history of the United States was separated by a beneficent Providence far from this wild and cruel history of the rest of the continent, and, like a silent weed, we grew into empire, while empire itself, beginning in the South, was swept by so interminable a hurricane that what of its history we can ascertain is read by the very lightnings that devastated it. The growth of English America may be likened to a series of lyrics sung by separate singers, which, coalescing, at last make a vigorous chorus, and this, attracting many from afar, swells and is prolonged, until presently it assumes the dignity and proportions of epic song.”

Can any one doubt that a nation of such progress, capacity, prowess, and influence, as is so vividly set forth above, would fail to find its place and receive its mention, among the prophetic delineations of the governments of earth? Place these expressions side by side: “Coming forth from vacancy,” “like a silent weed, we grew into empire,” “coming up out of the earth.” The first and second are from a political writer describing what has been; the third is from the apostle John, describing what would be. Can any one fail to see the parallel between them? And can any one fail to see how accurately our own government, in this respect, answers to the requirements of the prophecy?

U. S.

The New England Camp-meeting.

By Uriah Smith

THE New England Conference of S. D. Adventists, as at present organized, comprises the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The contour of this territory would remind us somewhat of a stately church edifice, of which Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut would constitute the body of the building, and New Hampshire the tower. Near the base of this tower, in Amherst, the camp-meeting for the present season was held, at the time appointed, Aug. 24–29. The grove was a pleasant one, in close proximity to the line of the Nashua and Wilton R. R.; but it was not calculated for a large gathering, being shut in on two sides by sharp rises of ground, and, owing to depressions in the land in some places, was unfavorable for rainy weather. The full benefit of this was experienced in a heavy shower on Sunday night, when some of the tents were flooded with water to a depth of from four to ten inches.

The history of this meeting would not probably differ in any marked degree from that of others which have been held, except that there was a more manifest disposition on the part of the sons of Belial to make disturbance. Night after the Sabbath, they made known their determination to give the encampment no rest, by “howling” around the grounds all night, thus plainly identifying the class of animals to which they belonged. But howling on an empty stomach, and without umbrellas on a rainy night, did not prove to them so entertaining an enterprise as they had anticipated; and a little before midnight they left us to our usual quiet. The heavier rain on Sunday night prevented any further demonstrations of this kind.

Much disappointment was felt by the brethren and sisters on learning that Bro. and sister White, being detained by matters in Battle Creek, would not probably be present; and correspondingly great was therefore their joy on seeing sister White unexpectedly come upon the ground on Friday, in company with her son, Willie, they having accomplished the long journey from Michigan to New England, to give their assistance at this meeting, and the following one in Maine. Bro. W. was unable to leave on account of a pressure of business affairs at the Office.

Most of the speaking was done by Brn. Andrews and Littlejohn and sister White, and was of the usual solemn character of the great themes of present truth. There were about two hundred believers present, occupying twenty-six church and family tents, besides some portions of the two large 60 feet tents. Between fifty and sixty came forward for prayers, some making efforts to return to their first love, and some seeking the Lord for the first time. It was cheering to hear the testimony of those, who, on the Sabbath, stated that that was the first Sabbath they had ever tried to keep, but which they should hereafter endeavor to observe unto the Lord. To see young men who give evidence of firmness of principle and solidity of character, taking such a step, is a matter of great rejoicing. Fourteen were baptized. Bro. Rodman administered the ordinance. It was a peaceful, pleasant scene. Some of the candidates came up out of the water praising the Lord.

The annual session of the New England Conference was held in connection with the camp-meeting, which will be reported by the Conference secretary. The brethren responded liberally in pledges to those enterprises for which means are now solicited. About two thousand people were present on Sunday.

There were a few fanatical spirits on the ground, to whom the quiet earnest work of our meetings was altogether tame and distasteful. One remarked that this meeting was nothing to a Methodist one recently held somewhere in this section of country; for there, there was “yelling all over the ground.” But the work of present truth does not consist in noise and yells and excitement and frenzy. It is a deep, sober, solemn, intelligent work of preparation for the test of the Judgment which we are soon to pass. With far too many, a meeting is good for nothing, unless it is a scene of wild excitement. But that meeting which is characterized by deep self-examination, and by efforts to more fully understand, calmly and intelligently, the conditions and requirements of the gospel of the Son of God, and from which a person goes with his principles of good all fortified, with clearer convictions and stronger determinations, will be found to be a season of profit, in comparison with a time of ecstatic excitement, from which a person emerges with no definite principles by which to order his future course, to relapse, when the brief feeling has passed away, into a worse than his former state of doubtful Christianity, hungering and thirsting, not for the true principles and practices of a truly noble and godly life, but for another scene of noise and excitement.

The meeting was one of interest throughout. The brethren nearly all testified to its good character, and the benefit they had received from it. Many good resolutions were expressed, which, if they ripen into deeds, will show a harvest of blessed fruit.

But the parting hour came, as it does and will to all earthly scenes; and the brethren separated with faces, we trust, newly set for that land where

“Free from all worldly woes Our songs of praise shall close Never! no, never!”

U. S.

Did the Pope Change the Sabbath?

By Joseph Harvey Waggoner

It is sometimes said that the pope changed the seventh-day Sabbath to the first day; and therefore those who keep the first day thus take upon them the mark of the beast. We have never been able to find any history showing that the pope changed the time of rest from the seventh day to the first. If such a history is in existence, we would like to see it; or have some one give us the name of the book and page where the event is recorded. But we do find that when the Emperor Constantine professed to embrace Christianity, he confirmed the practice of Christians, who kept the first day; and in A. D. 321 ordained as follows:—

“Let all judges and people of the town rest, and all the various trades be suspended on the venerable day of the sun (venerabili die solis). Those who live in the country, however, may freely and without fault attend to the cultivation of their fields (since it often happens that no other day may be so suitable for sowing grain and planting the vine), lest, with the loss of favorable opportunity, the commodities offered by divine Providence should be destroyed.”

This is the first commandment of any kind that we have been able to find which enjoined the keeping of the first day. But this was not done by the pope, but an emperor, who professed conversion to Christianity. This affords very certain evidence that the Christians at that time were keeping the first day of the week, and consequently, Constantine gave his sanction to this practice.

REMARKS. In the above article the Crisis confesses that it has never been able to find any kind of a commandment for keeping first-day before that of Constantine. Then Constantine is the first authority for first-day observance. So we claim. The editor of the Crisis urges that this proves that the Christians of that time were keeping the first day, and “Constantine gave his sanction to the practice.” It certainly does not prove any such thing, unless it is first taken for granted that an emperor could not or did not command anything to be done but what the people were already doing. But that is too unreasonable and absurd to claim. But if it does prove even that, it proves that the Christians in the country pursued their avocations on that day. And it also proves that they kept it only as the “venerable day of the sun,” which marks it as strictly a heathen festival. There is not a particle of evidence concerning the change of the Sabbath in this article of the Crisis, nor any reference to the Sabbath in Constantine’s decree. The taking of this heathen festival and substituting it for the Sabbath of the Lord, was an after-work, and was accomplished by the papacy. So that, while the limited observance of “the venerable day of the sun” is from the heathens, the first-day-Sabbath institution is of papal origin. Will the Crisis notice this point? We have pressed it on the no-law Adventists, or “Crisis party,” before, but could never get them to notice it. Will they? J. H. W.

Nouns and Adjectives.

By Roswell F. Cottrell

Nouns in composition are always the subjects of discourse, or the objects of actions or relations. Adjectives are never the subjects of which something is affirmed; but they are used simply to describe nouns by some distinct specification. Nouns may be used as adjectives, that is, they may be used simply to describe other nouns; but in that case they lose their office in the sentence as nouns, so that what is affirmed affirms nothing concerning them. For example: If one affirms something concerning a horse-whip, that it is good or bad, long or short, heavy or light, he affirms nothing whatever concerning any horse in the universe. A horse is not the subject of discourse. Nothing is said of horses. The word horse has nothing to do in the sentence, but merely to describe the whip as being of the kind that are used about horses.

What does all this mean? I will tell you. Many contend that the fourth commandment teaches that God blessed and sanctified the Sabbath or rest, and not the particular day on which the Lord’s rest occurred. The reading is, “The Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” In this affirmation Sabbath is merely an adjective describing or specifying the day. It is the day which was blessed and hallowed. To say it is the Sabbath and not the day is absurd. To illustrate, take the assertion, “John made an ox cart and sold it.” To claim from this assertion that John made an ox and sold it, is no more absurd than to say that the expression, The Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it, means that he blessed and hallowed the Sabbath as an institution and not the particular day. Ox, in the illustration, though primarily a noun, is used in the sentence only as an adjective to describe the cart. So the term Sabbath is here used only to specify the day.

It is the Lord’s Sabbath which we are commanded to remember and keep; and the commandment tells us that his Sabbath is the seventh day. But where shall we begin the count? Go back to the creation. There, and nowhere else, can we be set upon the right track. “For,” says the commandment, “in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and RESTED THE SEVENTH DAY: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Go back to the account of the creation, to the point to which the commandment refers you, and there you find it stated that God wrought on six days and rested on the seventh; and that he “blessed the seventh day and sanctified it; because that in it he had rested from all his work.” This is the only point from which to commence the count.

“But how do you know that mankind have not lost the count?”

How do you know that God has not kept it correctly? He intended that the day should be honored, or he would not have commanded it; and while he requires any one to keep the day, he will see that it is possible for it to be kept according to the commandment. The greatest difficulty is, that men desire more to find an excuse for not keeping it, than they do to find the day. When they really desire to find the truth, they will find that it is not far from them. “For this commandment which I command thee this day, IS NOT HIDDEN from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in Heaven, that thou shouldst say, Who shall go up for us to Heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it, neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldst say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou MAYEST do it.” Deut. 30:11–14. This soaring and sailing, is only to find excuses. The truth is not hidden, it is here, and we can do it if we will.

R. F. COTTRELL.

Continue reading: Absurdity of Supposing the Law Abolished