Review and Herald, Vol. 32, No. 8. (8/14/1868)

Review and Herald

Aug 14, 1868

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 14, 1868

TEN POPULAR OBJECTIONS TO THE SABBATH ANSWERED.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

BY ELD. D. M. CANRIGHT.

(Concluded.)

9. The time has been lost, so that we cannot now tell what the true seventh day is. This is considered the stronghold, the last ditch, when all other arguments fall. Sabbath-breakers can take shelter in this argument and imagine themselves secure. They think they are now beyond reach of all positive proof. But these same men have no difficulty in finding the first day of the week. They can all tell readily enough when that comes, but when you come to search after the seventh day, lo, and behold, all is confusion and uncertainty! Is any body ever troubled to find the first day of the week before the Sabbath question is agitated in community? Not in the least. Ministers, deacons, church members, and all, have unanimously agreed that Sunday was the first day of the week, and that they were keeping it in honor of Christ's resurrection on that day; but when they find that there is no Bible to sustain that position, and that they cannot meet the argument in favor of the seventh-day Sabbath, then, all at once, they learn that we can tell nothing about the days of the week. But is it not a fact that time has been lost so that we cannot now tell when the true seventh day does come? No; there is not a word of truth in it. I will risk my reputation that we can prove, so far as evidence can prove anything, that Saturday is the true seventh day from the creation of the world. I now invite your attention to the proof.

In the first chapter of Genesis we have the fact stated that God created all things in six days. In Gen. ii, 1–3, it says that God rested on the seventh day. “And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” Here we have a definite starting point. The first seventh day from creation was God's Sabbath day. From this time on we find all nations reckoning time by periods of seven days each, or by weeks. Where did they get this from? Manifestly from the division of time into periods of seven days each, marked by each successive Sabbath. Thus we read of Noah while in the ark, Gen. viii, 10, 12: “And he stayed yet other seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. And he stayed yet other seven days, and sent forth the dove,” &c. In the time of Jacob, Laban said thus to him, Gen. xxix, 27, 28: “Fulfill her week, and I will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet other seven years. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week.” From this it appears that they reckoned time by weeks and sevens of days.

But, says one, the Sabbath was lost during the sojourn of the children of Israel in Egypt, if it had not been before. Very well; for argument's sake, though I do not suppose that it was so, we will grant that at the time when God delivered his people out of Egypt all traces of the Sabbath had been entirely lost, so that no one could tell when the true seventh day did come. Soon after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, God gave them bread from heaven in the following manner, as may be seen by Ex. xvi, 4, 5, 16–30, 35: “Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them whether they will walk in my law or no. And it shall come to pass that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. And the children of Israel did so, and gathered some more, and some less. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms and stank; and Moses was wroth with them. And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating; and when the sun waxed hot it melted. And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man; and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord; bake that which ye will bake to-day, and seethe that which ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over, lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade; and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, Eat that to-day; for to-day is a Sabbath unto the Lord; to-day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none. And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? See, for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day. And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna until they came to the borders of the land of Canaan.”

By the above, we see that three miracles were performed by God each week for the space of forty years. First, manna fell from heaven the first six days of the week. Second, on the seventh day there was none. Third, that which was gathered on the sixth day would keep till the seventh, while that which was gathered on the other days of the week would not keep overnight. Now, from these facts, can we suppose that there was a child of ten years in all the hosts of Israel that could not tell without a doubt when the seventh day came? Here, then, the Sabbath day was so plainly pointed out that all could readily tell when it came. Soon after this, the ten commandments were given by God from mount Sinai, and in them the Israelites were strongly enjoined to keep the seventh-day Sabbath, which had thus been pointed out to them, and this is declared to be the day on which God himself had rested at the close of the creation week. Ex. xx, 8–11. From this time on, very strict regulations were given to the Israelites with regard to keeping the Sabbath. That they did not lose the Sabbath from that day till the coming of Christ, probably none will deny. They had prophets, inspired men, all the way along to remind them of their duty to keep the Sabbath; and it is often mentioned in a manner which shows that it was not lost. Thus in 2 Kings iv, 23, we read: “And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to-day? it is neither new moon, nor Sabbath.” This shows that the Sabbath was known and kept by them at that time, and that it was customary for them to go to the prophets upon the Sabbath day for instruction. This was 895 years before Christ.

But did they not lose the Sabbath during the Babylonish captivity? They did not, as we may learn from their promises to God immediately after their return. Neh. x, 31: “And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the Sabbath, or on the holy day.” This shows that they had not lost the day at that time. This was 445 B. C. Many other testimonies might be quoted, but we wish to come directly to the New Testament.

When Christ came, he declared himself to be Lord of the Sabbath. He knew all things; hence, if the Jews had lost the true Sabbath day, he would have known it and would have corrected their error. But he did no such thing; he kept the same day that they kept, and acknowledged it to be the Sabbath day. The testimony in Luke xxiii, 54; xxiv, 1, seems to be very decisive on this point. “And that day was the preparation and the Sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with them from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned and prepared spices and ointments, and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment. Now, upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.” Here we have three days mentioned. First, the preparation day, which was the sixth day of the week; see Ex. xvi, 5; second, the Sabbath day, and third, the first day of the week; and these are so called by divine inspiration; hence, the days of the week were known and correctly kept by the Jews until the resurrection of Christ. It says that the women rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment. What day does the commandment enjoin? Answer, the seventh day, on which God had rested in the beginning. If they had ever kept any other day for the Sabbath, it would not have been the Sabbath according to the commandment. And as late as A. D. 96, when John was on the isle of Patmos, they still knew when the Lord's day came. Rev. i, 10. This closes the Bible record.

Now the next question to be determined is, Has the Sabbath been lost this side of Christ's time. I think that it has not, and will offer the following reasons why I think so.

(1.) History conclusively shows that the days of the week have been correctly kept by all nations. The Jews were, at that time, and have been ever since, a literary people. They have kept records and written histories from that day until this. The Greeks were a very literary people, and have produced numerous learned men, historians, philosophers, &c. They also have kept records and written histories from the days of Christ till the present time. The same is true of the Romans, the Persians, and to a great extent also of the Arabians, French, English, and numerous other nations who have existed cotemporaneously. Soon after Christ, arose the Popes of Rome, who have had a continued succession until the present time. They have kept records of time and events very carefully. Now all these records and histories agree, with regard to the time, when notable events have occurred during the last 1800 years. For instance, we have the Council of Nice in the fourth century; the preaching of Peter the Hermit, and the Crusades in the tenth century, the Reformation in the sixteenth century, and the French Revolution in the eighteenth century. Now many nations were interested in these events, and have made a record of them, of the year, the month, the day of the month, and the day of the week on which many of these important events have occurred. If time had been lost the records of different nations would disagree. One nation would say that it was on such a day of the week; another that it was on some other day of the week, and the third, on another day of the week. But there is no such disagreement among the nations of the earth. The records and histories of all nations running parallel with each other, agree in the dates which they have given all the way along for these different events.

(2.) The Jews uniformly declare that Saturday is the Sabbath day. The Jews were a numerous nation in the time of Christ. Forty years afterward, Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans. From that time until the present, the Jews have been scattered among all nations of the earth. In Asia, in Africa, in Europe, in America, and in the islands of the seas, we find Jews; especially in the large cities they may be found. They still retain their peculiar faith and doctrines, and have kept themselves a distinct people. Now it is a notorious fact that they all kept Saturday for the Sabbath. They say that it is the true seventh day which has been handed down from father to son throughout all their generations. Now, if the day had been lost, there would have been a disagreement among the Jews with regard to what day of the week was the true seventh day; and part of them would have kept Saturday, and called that the true seventh day, while others would have kept Monday and called that the true seventh day; and yet a third party might have been keeping Thursday, calling that the true seventh day. But there is no such disagreement among them. In any part of the world where you find a Jew, he will tell you that Saturday is the Sabbath day. This universal agreement among them shows that they have all kept a correct reckoning of the days of the week; for we cannot suppose that the millions of Jews, scattered as they are and separate from each other, would thus agree, if the day had been lost by them. It would be a miracle to suppose that they all made the same mistake at the same time, by losing the same number of days. I think that God has sent the Jews among all nations as witnesses that his Sabbath day has not been lost, and that it can be kept anywhere on the globe. We consider this fact alone sufficient to show that God's Sabbath has not been lost.

(3.) All Christians, in all parts of the world, agree that Sunday is the first day of the week and Saturday the seventh. Christians of all denominations, whether Protestant or Catholic, have all been unanimous in teaching that Sunday is the first day of the week; and there has never been any disagreement among them with regard to it. They claim to be keeping the first day of the week in honor of the resurrection of Christ. They have never expressed any doubts upon this subject. Ministers and people, learned and unlearned, have all taught that Sunday was the first day of the week. How can this be accounted for if it has been lost, and no one can tell when the first day occurs?

(4.) A few hundred years after Christ's time, arose the Mahometans. They chose the sixth day of the week for their Sabbath. They are exceedingly numerous in the East. They all agree in keeping Friday, and say that that is the sixth day. There is no disagreement among them.

(5.) All our laws assume and claim that Sunday is the first day of the week. The different Christian nations have made laws enjoining the observance of Sunday as the Sabbath, and they call it the first day of the week. Thus read the compiled laws of the State of Michigan: “No person who conscientiously believes that the seventh day of the week ought to be observed as the Sabbath, and actually refrains from secular business and labor on that day, shall be liable to the penalties provided in this chapter, for performing secular business or labor on the said first day of the week, provided he disturb no other person.” Chap. 44, Section 7. This assumes that Sunday is the first day of the week.

(6.) The time table in the old family Bible states the fact very plainly. Thus:

DAYS OF THE WEEK. 1st day of the week, ........................Sunday. 2nd “ “ “ “ ........................Monday. 3d “ “ “ “ ........................Tuesday. 4th “ “ “ “ ........................Wednesday. 5th “ “ “ “ ........................Thursday. 6th “ “ “ “ ........................Friday. 7th “ “ “ “ ........................Sabbath or Saturday.

I know not how any testimony could be any more explicit than this.

(7.) The astronomical calculation of eclipses shows that no time has been lost. The time between different eclipses can be so accurately reckoned either forward or backward, as to show even the minute for hundreds or thousands of years in the past when an eclipse should have occurred. These eclipses have been noted and their dates given all along through the past, by those astronomers who have reckoned and found that they have occurred at the right time, showing that no time has been lost. Tell an astronomer that time has been lost during the last 2000 years and he will laugh at the idea.

(8.) All dictionaries define Saturday to be the seventh day, and Sunday the first. Thus Webster says: “Sunday, noon, the first day of the week; Monday, noon, second day of the week; Saturday, noon, last day of the week.” So we might quote Worcester, Sawyer, and others.

(9.) Nevins, in his Biblical Antiquities, p. 174, states some facts: “The Jews had not particular names for the first six days of the week, but distinguished them merely by their order; thus what we now call Sunday was termed the first day of the week; Monday was the second, Tuesday the third, and so on of the rest. The seventh day, which we term Saturday, was styled among them the Sabbath, that is, the day of rest.”

(10.) Even the old family almanac tells us that Sunday is the first day of the week and that Saturday is the seventh.

It seems to me from these facts, it is utterly impossible to lose the days of the week, even though we had no history nor records written. I will illustrate this: Here is a whole community and even the whole State keeping Sunday. Now suppose that on a certain Sunday one family should become so worldly minded as to forget that Sunday had come. Hence they begin their work Sunday morning the same as on other days. How long would they work before they would discover their mistake? Pretty soon they hear the bell tolling for meeting, or they see people going to church, or a neighbor calls in on his way to worship. Any one of these circumstances would arouse the inquiries of this worldly-minded family, and they would soon find that they had made a mistake—that they were one day behind the time. With shame and confusion they would lay aside their work and keep Sunday with the rest of their neighbors. In short, if one family in the community should make such a mistake the rest of the community would soon correct them. Nor would they have to apply to history or records to do it. But we will now suppose, and it is a supposition which never can be true, that a whole village in a certain section, all make this same mistake on the same week. They all commence their work on first-day morning, forgetting that it is Sunday. It would be a miracle indeed if such a thing should occur, but if it did what would be the consequences? Before noon, many of the people from the country around would be coming in to meeting. What would be their astonishment to find the villagers all at work. This would call for an explanation, which would soon convince them that they were at work on Sunday; or if they were not so readily convinced, the other villages and cities around them would very soon correct them. A little reflection will show any candid person that it is an utter impossibility to lose the correct reckoning of the days of the week.

The fact that there is no disagreement among all the nations of the earth, whether pagan, Christian, or infidel, with regard to what day is the first day and what the seventh, shows that it never has been lost. Now in the face of all these facts, who will have the presumption to say that the day of the week has been lost, so that we cannot tell when the true seventh day does come? How do they prove that time has been lost? Merely by their assertion, and that is no proof at all. But, asks one, Were there not several days lost when the change was made from old to new style? A few words of explanation found under the time table in the common arithmetic ought to make this plain to any school-boy. It reads thus: “In process of time, as mathematical and astronomical science advanced, it was found that the length of the solar year was only 365 da. 5 hrs. 48 min. 48 sec., or 11 min. 12 sec. less than 365¼ days, which in 400 years amounted to about 3 days; consequently the Julian calendar was behind the solar time. This error at the time of Pope Gregory XIII, amounted to 10 days, which he corrected in 1582, by suppressing 10 days in the month of October, the day after the fourth being called the 15th. This correction was not adopted in England till 1752, when the error amounted to 11 days.”—Arithmetic. Here it will be seen that in order to correct the old mode of reckoning time in 1582 the 5th day of October was called the 15th. Now suppose that the 5th day of October had come on Sunday; when they called it the 15th, was it not Sunday still? Certainly it was. Hence this did not affect the days of the week in the least.

But if any still insist that time has been lost, we ask them to bring the proof. What will they bring? Nothing but their own bare assertions. Against this, we have the united and unanimous testimony of: 1. All history. 2. The Jewish nation. 3. All the Christian world. 4. The millions of Mahometans. 5. The laws of our own nation, and all others. 6. The old family Bible. 7. Webster and all other dictionaries. 8. The testimony of astronomers. 9. Our family almanacs. And so we might continue the list. In short, the whole world offers one united testimony to the fact that Saturday is the seventh day of the week and Sunday the first. We think that this testimony ought to satisfy every candid mind that wishes to know the truth more than they wish to sustain theory.

10. But Sunday is the true seventh day, still continues the objector. After taking all of the above positions and failing to satisfactorily sustain any of them, they unblushingly take the position that Sunday is the true seventh day. If this be true, then all their other arguments must be false. But we have a very short answer for this. Where is the proof of it? Nowhere, only in their own assertions. They cannot bring a single fact to prove it. All the above arguments show that it is not so. So we leave this objection as unworthy of further notice.

Now, dear reader, having seen the weakness and contradiction of so many arguments which are usually relied upon to sustain the first-day Sabbath, and to do away with God's holy Sabbath, is it not best to abandon them all and take a more consistent and safe position by obeying God's commandments just as he has told you to do? May God bless all who have a heart to do it. Amen.

THE SUNBEAM.

By Vesta N. Cudworth

Air.—“Enoch Arden.”

A SUNBEAM drop'd down from the pearl gates of Heaven, In a cold, thankless bosom, one day; The frosts of inertia, and chilling moulds o'ercreeping, It brushed in its pity away.

Its gates had been barred to each heart-cheering promise, Securing distrust and despair; But a chink was forgotten, the sunbeam crept through it, The beautiful sunbeam so fair.

Sad hearts growing grey in the bondage of sorrow, Are still sinking down ’neath life's pain; And vainly hope on, for a brighter to-morrow, To break the strong links of their chain; Go tell them the King in his glory is coming! There's rest in the beautiful goal! Then sunbeams from Heaven will light up thy darkness, And gem the rough waves of thy soul.

Up! linger no longer to grieve o'er thy treasures! Break, now, from earth's witching embrace! Bless the hand that would wrench off these earth-clogging fetters, That light feet may spring for the race. Up to-day! be in earnest! go work for thy neighbor! Enfranchise each blood-boughten power! Go! tell them that Heaven is full of sweet sunshine! And life, the reward of an hour!

VESTA N. CUDWORTH.

THE LAW AND THE SABBATH.

By Gilfillan

That the Decalogue was not even as a code prescribed to the Jews only, or abrogated along with the other laws of Moses, but epitomizes the duty of human beings in all places and times, appears from the distinction conferred in Scripture on its precepts above the other commandments delivered to the Jewish people—from the catholic nature of the precepts themselves, and from their declared obligation on mankind.

The Scriptures have in various and unequivocal forms done special honor to the law of the ten commandments.

Its promulgation was heralded by solemn preparations. “Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain.” He is instructed to inform Israel of the divine condescension and kindness about to be shown to them in the covenant to be established between God and them, and the necessity of holy obedience on their part, that they might be a peculiar treasure unto him above all people. He intimates these things to the people, and “returns their words unto the Lord.” For two days they must sanctify themselves, that they might be ready on the third day, on which Jehovah was to come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai. Death was to be the penalty of going up into the mount, or touching the border of it. “And it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud, so that all the people trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.” Ex. xix, 16–18.

In these circumstances of glory, grandeur, and terrible majesty, which made Moses himself say, “I exceedingly fear and quake,” did Jehovah proclaim with his own lips the ten commandments. And thus, not only by priority of promulgation, but by the august solemnities attending it, did he distinguish these commandments above the civil and ceremonial statutes which were afterward privately communicated to Moses. “These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount, out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice, and he added no more.” But in reference to “the law of commandments contained in ordinances,” it is said: “But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.” Deut. v, 22, 31.

Nor was this all. It is possible for ingenuity, under a partial bias, to make too much of the following circumstances; but to deny that they impressively teach us the distinction of the Decalogue above the other laws of the Jews would seem to be “a refusing of him that spake on earth.” The law of the ten commandments, uttered by “the great voice” of God, was also written by his own finger. It was too holy and glorious to be spoken “with the tongues of men and of angels,” or to be taken down from the divine lips by any human amanuensis. The Lawgiver must proclaim his eternal law with his own mouth, and indite it with his own hand. Twice was it so written. It was inscribed on tablets of stone, and in this form deposited in the ark, with all the security which incorruptible shittim-wood, and gold overlaid within, without, and above, could provide, and under the overshadowing cherubim, and inviolable Shechinah. But no divine voice is heard announcing the laws of a temporary polity, or of a shadowy ritual; they are uttered in the ears of Moses alone. No divine finger traces their written characters; for this the hand of Moses is deemed adequate. They are committed to no secure and precious casket; but placed beside the ark, as things warranting less reverence and care, and ready to be removed. In all these honors of the “ten words,” the fourth commandment fully shared. Prefaced by the same solemnities, attended by thunders and lightnings, articulated by the divine voice, all its words engraved by the divine finger, and intrusted to the sacred keeping of the ark, who could have any reason to imagine that the Sabbath was a Jewish rite, belonging entirely to a covenant which was to decay, wax old, and be ready to vanish away?

The language in which the laws of the Jews are respectively mentioned in several parts of Scripture concurs with the circumstances now mentioned in discriminating them from each other. Not that the transitory rules of their politico-ecclesiastical state are ever absolutely depreciated. They are included in “the right judgments and true laws, the good statutes and commandments,” “which were given them by the hand of Moses.” The neglect or transgression of them was held to be an act of contempt to the divine Lawgiver and King, and was visited with severe retribution. The loss of them in the Captivity was deplored as one of Israel’s chief calamities; their recovery is promised as one of their greatest mercies. But there are several statements which indicate the inferiority of these privileges to others. Thus it is written in Hosea, “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings;” Hos. vi, 6; and in Jeremiah, “I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning burnt-offerings and sacrifice; but this thing I commanded them, saying, Obey my voice.” Jer. vii, 22, 23. We have similar statements in the New Testament: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” says our Lord, “for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith; these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” Matt. xxiii, 23. How different the terms in which two of the apostles speak of the law of ceremonies and the law of morality! In referring to the former, the Apostle Peter asks, “Now, therefore, why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” Acts xv, 10; while the Apostle Paul says of another law—plainly that of the Decalogue—“Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, just, and good. We know that the law is spiritual; I delight in the law of God after the inward man.” Rom. vii, 12, 14, 22. And when mentioning the “advantage”—the profit which belonged to “the Jew” to “circumcision,” largely and “every way,” the writer does not fail to give the preference to this one of their privileges, “that unto them were committed the oracles of God.” Comparing these passages with each other, we arrive at the conclusion that the law of the Decalogue was honored above the other laws.

The Sabbath, in short, was a stated day of sacred service in honor of its almighty and gracious Author. Having rested from his work of creation, God blessed and sanctified the Sabbath-day. But the creation of the world by Jehovah is a fact which respects, not one nation only, but mankind, and the belief of which is fundamental to all true religion. If it was the duty of the Jews to remember their Creator, no less was it the duty of the patriarchs, and no less is it the duty of men now. If the one stood in need of the knowledge of God as the maker of all things, and required a Sabbath as the means, equally were these blessings indispensable to the others.

When this last and best dispensation of religion was introduced, the world stood as much as ever in need of a Sabbath. All along from the time of its institution to the departure of Israel from Egypt—even though it were true that in a brief history it is not alluded to—it remained a standing rule for the world. When next expressly introduced, it is in the form, not of a revocation, but of a revival. Immediately thereafter, it is solemnly recognized in a law promulgated for mankind. Had the proceedings in Sin, or at Sinai, issued in an appointment that contravened or superseded the original enactment, there would be a plea for the opinion that the Sabbath of Paradise had ceased. But what plea of this nature can be preferred where that institution is made the basis of legislation, and its ancient reason, character, and sanction, only in expanded form and more solemn manner, renewed?

The law given from Sinai, in like manner as that given in Eden, remained in full force. Christ was careful to clear it from Jewish corruptions, and if there was any precept more particularly vindicated by him and honored than another, it was that requiring the Sabbath-day to be kept holy. It is not the practice of a wise man to repair a house which he is about to pull down.—Gilfillan.

WATCH unto prayer.

How not to train up Children aright.

Multitudes of good Christian people understand that art perfectly, and practice it faithfully. Let me give you an example. Not long since I was a visitor in the house of a Christian mother—a woman who had been brought up with many advantages, social, literary, and religious, and is reputed to be uncommonly well educated. As we sat conversing in the parlor, her little girl, of some five years old, came in crying, when the following colloquy took place, interspersed with vain attempts, on the part of the mother and myself, to continue our conversation:

“Mamma, I want some candy; I want some candy,” repeated half a dozen times, with cries each time louder and louder, till they became a shriek; mother meanwhile taking no notice. At last, unable to endure it longer, she said: “Hush, Mary, hush, and go away!” But Mary didn’t hush—only repeated more emphatically, “I want some candy!” and screamed more fiercely. “I declare I never saw such a child. Mary, hush and go away!” Mary still screams, “I want some candy!” “Why, Mary, don’t you see Mr. Amos? What will he think of you? His little girls don’t do so!” (That they don’t.) Mary screams on, “I want some candy! give me some candy!” Mary, I’ll whip you, if you don’t hush and go away. I haven’t got any candy!” Mary apparently knows her ground well, and bates not a jot or a tittle of her demand and of her earnestness, “I want some candy! give me some candy!” with a very infantile yell. The mother by this time is somewhat excited herself, and thrusts her hand into a pocket, takes out a key, passionately thrusts it into the little hand, and says: “Here! go to Aunt Jane, and tell her to look in the drawer, and give you some!” The little victor stops her cries at once, and trots off with the key to Aunt Jane.

There is the way not to do it. The scene is a real one, and I have not exaggerated it. It needs no comment. Any one can see the folly and wickedness of that parental management, the error and neglect which must have gone before in the training of poor little Mary, and the bitter consequences which must follow.

The Commentary.

By J. H. W.

Tell me the meaning of Scriptures. One gem from that ocean is worth all the pebbles of earthly streams.—M. Cheyne.

Battle Creek Bible Class. July 25, 1868.

HEB. IV, 12-16.

Verse 12. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Q. Why does this verse begin with the word “for?”

A. It connects our danger, through unbelief, with the fact of God's perfect knowledge of our hearts.

Q. What is here meant by “the word of God?”

A. There is a difference of opinion. Probably it means the written word, especially the law.

Q. What is meant by “quick?”

A. Living, energetic; not inert or lifeless.

Q. How is it powerful?

A. To awaken the conscience; to discern, correct, convert.

Q. What do you understand by “sharper than a two-edged sword?”

A. It is penetrating, reaching the heart. It was customary to sharpen the sword on both edges, that it might be more effective, or penetrate more easily.

Q. What is meant by dividing soul and spirit?

A. Separating life and that which sustains life. Psuche, soul, person; pneuma, breath, spirit. The figure is easily understood; it is able to slay, divide, or dissect the man, laying every part open to view. Joints and marrow: carrying out the same figure. Discern: exposes to view, even as we know our own thoughts.

Verse 13. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight; but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Q. What is the design of this?

A. To guard against self-deception. Everything is wholly known to God—nothing hid from Him to whom we must render account.

Verse 14. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the Heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

The apostle now passes to another point in his argument respecting the superiority of Christ.

Q. Why is he called “great” High Priest?

A. He is above the priests of the Levitical law. Barnes says this expression conforms to a usage among the Jews; that there were high priests besides the one who actually held the office. In this we think he is mistaken; his references, Luke i, 5; Matt. xxvi, 3; do not seem to justify the assertion. There were courses of priests, and at the head of these courses were chief priests, but only one high priest. Christ is above these high priests—a great high priest.

Q. What is meant by our priest passing into the Heavens?

A. Into the heavenly sanctuary—he has also a temple service, without which they could have had no idea of his priesthood. Son of God—not of Aaron.

Verse 15. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Q. What seems to be the design of this verse?

A. To contrast Christ with their priests. Aaron and his sons were weak, as ourselves, ignorant of the true condition of the heart, and unable to sympathize in every trial. Christ passed through temptations; by experience he is able to sympathize with us.

Q. What is meant by his being tempted?

A. He was tried by the weakness of human nature.

Q. How in all points?

A. It is generally supposed that his temptations were classified, as are our duties in the ten commandments. But we know merely nothing of what passed during those forty days of trial. We may safely leave it with the written word, assured by the experience of all, that he fully understood our trials, and can give the troubled spirit rest when there is no other source of help and comfort.

Q. How without sin?

A. He did not yield to temptations; he always kept his Father's commandments. In this he was entirely above the Aaronic priests, who fell into sin.

Verse 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Q. What is the throne of grace?

A. God's throne, where grace is dispensed, through our High Priest.

Q. Why come boldly?

A. Because we need not doubt the power or willingness of our High Priest to procure our pardon.

Q. What is it to obtain mercy?

A. To get pardon of sin.

Q. What is meant by help in time of need?

A. To overcome, or live above temptation.

Q. Whose grace is referred to?

A. God's grace given us through Christ.

Remark. The Apostle speaks briefly of the superiority of Christ to angels, to Moses, and to Joshua. But his superiority to the priests under the law is the burden of his argument, and occupies most of the letter from chapter iv, 14. The reason of this is obvious: On his priesthood the whole plan of redemption rests. Without this all else would be a failure, or rather a nullity. As a key to the Old Testament the letter to the Hebrews is most important. As an exposition of the subject of the sanctuary it is deeply interesting, especially at this time when our Great High Priest has passed into the “holiest of all,” to blot out our sins.

J. H. W.

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