It is evident that laws may cease to be of force; that is, they may cease to be laws. When this occurs, it must be in one of the following ways:
The condition of a people may be so changed as to render their obedience to the law impracticable. In human governments such cases often arise, and the law, unless administered by tyrants, becomes a dead letter. No good government will inflict the penalty on the transgressor to whom obedience is impossible, even though the law remains on the statute-book. But the law of the Sabbath can as well be kept now as at any former period of the world. Indeed, when given from mount Sinai, it was given to a people on a long journey, to whom were wanting many conveniences which we enjoy140for its careful observance. If this law was in its nature ever practicable, it is so now.
Some laws expire by limitation. Such are many of the laws of every country. Such were many of the laws given by Moses. They were in force until Christ, who was their end, came; and then they bound no longer. Thus the whole ceremonial law ceased to bind after the death of Christ, to which it was limited. But no limit was fixed to the observance of the fourth commandment, either when first given or afterwards.
A competent authority may repeal a law, and thus its obliging power may cease. Every free government affords numerous instances of the repeal of laws once useful, but no longer so. In a regular government, the repeal must be passed by the power which enacts the law. The great Lawgiver of the world is God. He ordained the law of the Sabbath, and he has never repealed it. Is any evidence of such repeal found in Scripture? If so, where is the book, the chapter, the verse containing it? All admit that the law was in force until Christ. Christ did not repeal it, for he says so, Matt. v. 17; nor did the apostles anywhere declare that it was repealed.
If this law, therefore, has ceased to bind, it must be in some way utterly unknown to us. It is still practicable; it has not expired by limitation; it has not been repealed.
THIS LAW IS A PART OF A CODE WHICH IS IN FORCE.
It may also be said that this law is in the middle of a code, all the rest of which is acknowledged to be binding; and why not this? Were the other precepts of this code spoken by God from Sinai, amid blackness and darkness, and tempest and terrors? So was this. Were the others written by the finger of God, on tables of stone? So was this. Were the others deposited in the ark of the testimony, in the holy of holies, under the wings of the cherubim? So was this. No ceremonial or repealable law, given to the Jews, had these marks of honor put upon it. Did Christ say, "I came not to destroy, but to fulfill the law?" He said it as much of this as of any other precept. Did Christ's most devoted followers keep the other commandments? So did they keep this. Luke xxiii, 56.
THIS LAW ENACTED WITH GREAT CARE.
On the face of this law are found some things which prove that God, who gave it, regarded it as of great importance.
In the wording of it, a more full explanation of its true intent is given than in any other commandment. It is enacted both positively and negatively: positively, "Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy;" negatively, "In it thou shalt do no manner of work." No other precept of the decalogue is given in both of these forms, although every fair rule of interpreting them requires, that when they enjoin a duty, we should regard them as forbidding the contrary sin; and when they forbid a sin, we should regard them as enjoining the contrary duty. Yet in this command, but in no other, both forms are used.
This command is also introduced as no other is. The very first word of it is a solemn memento—"Remember." This word is not found elsewhere in the decalogue.
Moreover, this command not only addresses men in the singular, "Thou shalt," etc., but it goes farther, and tells who is thereby intended; namely, not only the head of the family, but also the son, the daughter, the man-servant, and the maid-servant, the cattle and the stranger. No such particularity is found in any other precept of either table of the law.
In this command God also reasons with us on the equity of his demands. He says, he gives us six days out of seven, as if he said, "I am no hard master; I do not act unreasonably. I give you ample time to do your necessary work. I give you six days; therefore, if you have any conscience, give me the seventh." For, says he, "It is mine—it is the Sabbath of the Lord your God." Surely, you will not deny to your God a right so equitable, a demand so fair.
It is also stated by God in the command itself, that he set us the example on the completion of creation. And shall we not follow such an example? If we ought to be holy because God is holy, if we ought to forgive our enemies because God forgives his enemies, we ought also to keep the Sabbath-day because God kept it. Teaching by example is the highest kind of instruction.
THE SABBATH GIVEN IN EDEN.
Nor did the Sabbath originate with Moses, or with any sinner. It was an ordinance in Eden. When, for his sins, man was driven out of paradise, God permitted him to carry with him two institutions, established for his good before his fall. Which of these institutions is the greatest mercy to our world, or which is the dearest to the heart of a good man, I will not undertake to say. One of them is marriage, the other the Sabbath-day. If he is the enemy of virtue who would abolish the former, he cannot be the friend of God or man who would set aside the latter. By restoring marriage, as far as possible, to its original purity in Eden; that is, by confining it to the pairs and rendering it indissoluble, the Christian religion has incalculably advanced civilization, peace, and all the domestic virtues. By restoring the Sabbath, as near as possible, to its purity in Eden, that is, by the holy observance of all of it, man makes his nearest approach to primitive innocence and to future glory. There is no example of any community, large or small, ancient or modern, continuing virtuous or happy for a considerable time, if they slighted either marriage or the Sabbath-day. Amer. Tract, No. 187.
EASTERN TOUR.
By James White
WASHINGTON CONFERENCE.—This was the largest and best meeting ever held by Sabbath-keeping Advent believers in New Hampshire. We have met with the brethren in Washington three Autumns in succession. The first meeting was indeed one of trial.—There were errors to be corrected, and much for some, at least, of the brethren to learn, before the church could move in gospel order. A blow was there struck in favor of order, which has told for the cause; yet all have not made that advancement that they should. Our meeting at Washington one year since, proved a blessing to the cause, though there was a lack of freedom almost through the entire meeting. It was a great blessing to Bro. Stephen Smith, who had formerly been somewhat entangled in the snare of the doctrine of a spiritual Second Advent, and was not at that time entirely free from it. We were indeed glad to meet him at our last meeting full in the truth, and happy in hope. His wife and several of his children are with him in the faith and hope of the gospel. The straight forward, thorough course that our dear Bro. Smith has taken in leaving his former errors, and confessing his faults, has united him to the church in the strongest bonds of Christian fellowship.
There were, probably, one hundred brethren and sisters present at the meeting. Sabbath afternoon Bro. Andrews presented the subject of the Sanctuary in the clearest manner. Believers in the present truth were instructed and comforted, and others were strongly convicted that the position taken was correct. Our prayer and conference meetings were free and spirited. A large number of cheering testimonies were given at each social meeting; and sometimes it was difficult to find a place to close the exercise, there being others wishing to speak. We heard the testimony of some who have not recently met with the Sabbath-keepers at Washington. We hope they will see their way clear to fully embrace all of the third message, and give their whole influence in favor of the truth.
The use of the Christian meeting-house was kindly offered to us, and on First-day we occupied it. The house was filled. The people listened to the word spoken with the best attention. God assisted his servants by his Holy Spirit as they spake in vindication of the true Sabbath. The place was solemn and glorious.
At the close of the afternoon lecture, the congregation assembled at the water where five were buried with Christ in baptism by Bro. Frederick Wheeler. The sacred ordinance was evidently owned of Heaven. The brethren and sisters were blest, and the people looked on with candor and solemnity. It was one of those sweet seasons, where peace reigns within, and Heaven shines all around. Second-day morning the mother of Bro. J. Stowell, at whose house the meeting was held, requested baptism. Her age is seventy-four years. We went to the small lake near the house, where Bro. Wheeler baptized her. She went calmly and firmly forward, and was blest in discharging this duty. She has formerly been almost silent upon the subject of religion, and was not favorably impressed with the former messages; but the force of the truth in the third message has deeply affected her at this advanced age, and she is led to follow the Lord in the ordinances of the gospel.
The good cause in New Hampshire is slowly but firmly advancing. It is a hard field of labor, yet there are a goodly number of warm friends of the Sabbath. The brethren are generally poor in this world's good, still they have done nobly in sustaining the cause.—Bro. Wheeler is a faithful, judicious laborer. About three years since he commenced preaching the present truth under very discouraging circumstances. He went out trusting in the Lord, and has had to labor with his hands but a small portion of the time since. His humble, careful, yet persevering course has secured the entire confidence of the church. Some others who have run much faster than Bro. Wheeler, and have (in the opinion of some) done much more, have run in vain, and in their haste have had a deathly influence on the cause. We heartily recommend Bro. Wheeler to the brethren in Maine, Massachusetts, or wherever he may travel.
JAMES WHITE.
New Haven, Vt., Oct. 1853.
WHO WOULD NOT STRIVE TO HOLD FAST THEIR CROWN?
"Behold I come quickly," says our Saviour; "hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." There is a crown of righteousness, which the apostle says the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give him in that day, and not him only, "but all those who love his appearing." "He that overcometh" will receive that crown, and will be made "a pillar in the temple of God, and he shall go no more out." "The Lord will be his strength and song," and will become his "salvation," and will plant him in "a land flowing with milk and honey." On such, God will have "everlasting kindness," will have "mercy on them," and will "gather them as wheat into his garner."—Those that love the Lord will be "as the sun when he goeth forth in his might." They shall "shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." The "eternal God" will be their refuge, "and underneath are the everlasting arms." They "shall dwell in safety." They "shall inherit the earth and delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Because of them "the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose."—"The lame man shall leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." They will "arise and shine," their light being come, and the glory of the Lord being risen upon them; they "shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." "The Lord will be the refuge of his people." "The Lord will turn to the people a pure language, that they may call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent: for they shall feed and lie down, and none to make them afraid. Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O141Israel; be glad and rejoice with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments; he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not see evil any more." Unto those that fear the Lord, the sun of righteousness will "arise with healing in his wings;" and they "shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall." "They will take the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever." "They will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." They "shall rejoice" and "shall sing for joy of heart."—They will be "blessed and holy," and on them "the second death will have no power." "They shall be priests of God, and of Christ, and shall reign with him"—"heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ."—"They shall have right to the tree of life, and shall enter in through the gates into the city;" and "the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters." "They will go forth with joy, and be led forth with peace." God will make them an "eternal excellence." Their "sun will no more go down, neither will their moon withdraw itself;" and the "days" of their "mourning shall be ended." "They" also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land forever."—The tabernacle of God will be with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." God will give "reward unto his servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear his name, small and great: and they will do his will "on earth as it is done in heaven."
Then mortality will be laid aside; they will no longer inhabit "natural bodies," "but spiritual bodies"—not ethereal bodies, for our vile bodies will be changed into the likeness of Christ's glorified body; and we shall be like him, who was the "first fruits" of them that slept, and who told his disciples to handle him, for he was not a spirit; for a spirit had not flesh and bones as his spiritual body had. Then everything pertaining to decay being removed, the righteous will mount up on wings as eagles, they will run and not be weary, will walk and not faint." "O thou afflicted, tossed with the tempest, and not comforted! behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established; thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." Isa. liv. 14.
"The blessing of God will be upon his people."—"He will put gladness in their hearts," and they "will lie down in peace." They will "shout for joy," because God defends them. They will be a little lower than the angels, and "crowned with glory and honor." Their "lines" will be fallen in "pleasant places," yea, they "will have a goodly heritage;" God will "choose their inheritance," the excellency of Jacob whom he loveth. Such will be the state and such the condition of those who hold fast, so that no man take their crown. With such promised joys to gain or lose, who can hesitate whether they will attempt to secure such a possession? Soon, ah soon, the day will come, when all efforts will be in vain; for when once the Master of the house has risen up and shut to the door, then those who stand without, will knock in vain for admittance. O be wise before it is forever too late.—Word of Warning, 1843.
The Sabbath and the Lord's day.
The Independent notices at length a restored work of Hyppolitus, which throws much light upon the doctrines and practices of the early Christian Churches. The following extract shows what a distinction was formerly made between the Sabbath and Lord's Day—a distinction which modern writers have labored hard to obliterate:—
The Sunday was, in those early days, no sombre or even Jewish day of ceremony. In the incessant toil of life among men who despised their faith, and scorned its Author, it came in sweetly and joyously as the day when the happiest of all events to them was consummated—the Resurrection of Christ. It was in no way, either in its origin or in its mode of observance, confounded with the Jewish Sabbath. "Keep the Sabbath," (i. e., Saturday,) says our old Book, (p. 76,) "and the Lord's Day Festival; because the former is the memorial of the Creation, and the latter of the Resurrection." "If any one of the Clergy be found to fast on the Lord's Day, or on the Sabbath Day, excepting one only, let him be deprived; but if he be one of the Laity, let him be suspended." P. 117. "Let the Servants work five days, (p. 94,) but the Sabbath and the Lord's Day let them have leisure for the Church, that they may be taught Piety in the service of God. On the Sabbath the Lord rested from all the work of Creation, which he had finished; the Lord's Day is a day of rest on account of the Resurrection of the Lord." "On the day of the Resurrection of the Lord, that is, the Lord's Day, assemble yourselves together, without fail, giving thanks to God, and praising him for those mercies he has bestowed upon you through Christ," &c. P. 76.—Sabbath Recorder.
Under the necessity of choosing.
By John Nevins Andrews
It is a fact not to be disguised, that the Advent people are now under the absolute necessity of yielding one of two long cherished positions. They must yield the view that the earth is the Sanctuary, or they must deny the connection between the 70 weeks and the 2300 days. For it is evident that if the 70 weeks are the first 490 days of the 2300, then the 2300 days have expired. And if the 2300 days have expired, it is certain that the earth is not the Sanctuary; for no part of the earth has as yet been cleansed.
The question, Which shall we yield? is fairly before the mind, and every Advent believer is now placed where a choice cannot be avoided. Before either view is yielded it will be well to carefully consider each. If we deny the connection between the 70 weeks and 2300 days, we must adopt the following conclusions: 1. That the great period of 2300 days, which God gave for the benefit of his people cannot be understood, as there is no starting point from which to commence it. 2. That Gabriel is a fallen angel; for in Dan. viii, he was charged to make the prophet understand the vision, and at the close of the chapter it is testified that none understood it. Hence it follows that if Gabriel in Dan. ix, where he explains what he omitted to explain in chapter viii, was not acting in obedience to the divine mandate, "Make this man to understand the vision," he never obeyed that precept, but fell from the favor of God. The absurdity of these two conclusions may be seen at a glance, and yet it is equally evident that they are necessary conclusions if the connection between the eighth and ninth chapters of Daniel be denied.
In addition to the above we may remark that the argument of Bro. Miller in proof of the connection of these two periods, which is familiar to all Advent believers, remains unanswered, and is confessed to be unanswerable. We therefore conclude that the connection between these two periods cannot be set aside, or explained away.
As we cannot yield the connection between the 70 weeks and the 2300 days, we now inquire whether it is possible for us to give up the idea that the earth is the Sanctuary. Does the Bible call the earth the Sanctuary? The word Sanctuary occurs 146 times in the Bible, and it is not applied to the earth in a single instance. Hence so far from there being any impropriety in yielding the view that the earth is the Sanctuary, it is evident that there never was any propriety in calling it such.
We now ask which position shall be yielded?—The connection between the 70 weeks and the 2300 days, which is fortified by unanswerable argument? or the view that the earth is the Sanctuary, for which there is no argument at all? J. N. ANDREWS.
Christ's Coming "into" his Kingdom.
"Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." From time immemorial as believed, this short and comprehensive prayer of the penitent thief has been received and repeated with much approbation and delight, by Christ's humble followers in all circumstances. And yet, may it not naturally be understood in a sense much more delightful to those who truly love, and are now looking for Christ's second appearing at hand? Probably, most of the saints, in the present age of forgetting this glorious event, have understood this coming of Christ, INTO his kingdom, to be only his going by death, on that same day, into Paradise, where the converted thief was also to be with him. But if this were only the meaning of the prayer, it would have been more naturally expressed, and readily understood, as follows, Lord, remember me when thou goest into thy kingdom. But the word is comest, and apparently signifies something different from goest. And why shall we not understand the petition just as it reads; and to ask for the whole infinite and eternal blessedness for soul and body, which Christ has promised all his saints, to be given them at his real coming, and coming into his appointed kingdom, at the resurrection of the dead, and judgment of the great day? Nothing short of this can ever satisfy the vast desires of the saints; and surely, in all their prayers for a heavenly inheritance, they should ask for a blessing no less than that of their promise through faith. Then, of course, this petition should be understood as asking for all that Christ has promised his saints, to be fulfilled at his coming quickly, to bring his "reward with him, at the resurrection of the just," when they are to be recompensed. Some of the facts showing this, may now be given.
1. It will be found to be a fact, on examining, that the divine promises generally, for a heavenly possession, include that which will forever satisfy both soul and body, and that the saints are never instructed to pray for heavenly blessedness, which does not include all this.
2. It is a scripture fact, that on Christ's coming again, he will actually come into possession of the whole kingdom, or kingdoms of the world; or into the kingdom, and dominion and greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven; when his own kingdom, over all, shall be everlasting, and when, with his saints, he will forever reign in his kingdom, being then in this earth created anew and glorious, "from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth," or "from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same." Thus it would be more scriptural to pray, or speak of Christ's coming, than going into his promised inheritance or kingdom.
3. It is a fact, that the Lord's promises, made to comfort the saints, both in the Old and New Testaments, are frequently predicted on his coming again, but in no case on his going. His going from earth at his ascension, was rather considered as an event in itself so sorrowful, as to call for his repeated assurances of coming again quickly, or in a little while. Then why should not the converted thief, and all others of the saints, pray for the blessedness of Christ's soon coming into full and everlasting possession of his promised kingdom, under the whole heaven; rather than for a bare remembrance at his ascension, or going into heaven to complete the work of his mediation?
4. It is a fact, that in the last discourses of Christ, to comfort his afflicted saints at his soon expected departure, he did it by repeated assurances of his coming back again to them, to dwell with them and they with him; never again to leave, nor forsake them.—These promises, of course, were naturally uppermost in the minds of all who had just heard of such promises; so that in prayer, the thief and others wishing to inherit such promises, would naturally ask for the promised blessedness of his coming rather than for142any thing not promised, and specially at his then going to his intercessory work in heaven.—Signs of the Times, 1841.
COMMUNICATIONS.
By John B. Frisbie
From Bro. Frisbie.
DEAR BRO. WHITE:—We wish to offer a few thoughts on the two-horned beast. We once thought it had reference to protestant England, in its church and state; but on a more mature investigation of the subject, we see that that cannot be; because England is, no doubt, one of the horns of the ten-horned beast, that rose "up out of the sea," or "waters," which were "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues:" the old Roman empire including England.
Therefore this image beast which came "up out of the earth," where there were no multitudes of people, does most aptly fit the United States of America, as the earth, in contrast with the Roman kingdom, properly called the sea. We do not now think it is consistent to take a part of the beast to make an image to itself out of itself.
If the first beast was an independent government, consisting of the Roman church and state, so must the second, or two-horned beast, be an independent government of church and state; or, the state protecting the churches by law. But there are other distinct features about this beast, which make it quite certain that it was designed to symbolize America; such as,
1. Its two lamb-like horns not being crowned. As horns are symbols of governments or powers, so these two lamb-like horns, not crowned, would show them to be republican and not kingly.
2. "He spake as a dragon." The dragon-spirit is a persecuting, warlike spirit. Rev. xii, 10, 13, 17.—Therefore "free and bond," [Rev. xiii, 16,] or "slaves and souls of men," [Rev. xviii, 13,] are under the power of this two-horned beast; and where can there be found a more striking resemblance than in American bond slavery, fostered by Babylon and the States.
3. "He maketh fire, (electricity or lightning,) come down from heaven, (the clouds,) on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles," &c. Dr. Franklin, with his kite and key, first brought fire from heaven; and that, in America. Many wonders have been wrought by means of electricity, for the few past years, sanctioned by law as a science; from which has sprung the magnetic telegraph, which conveys thought hundreds of miles in a second. This, fifty years ago would have been thought impossible.
4. The two-horned beast, the leaders of protestantism and republicanism, will say to them that dwell on the earth, (the voters,) that they should make an image to the Papal beast, which had the wound by the sword and did live. Verse 14. And he, (the two-horned beast,) had power, (after those that dwelt on the earth had voted him that power,) to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast, (or keep his institutions,) should be killed.
Can we believe that a free government, like this, will ever pass a decree to kill them that will not worship, or keep, an institution of Protestantism, or rather of Papacy, the beast? We unhesitatingly answer, that we believe that a government which will keep in abject slavery three millions of human beings, will not hesitate in the time of trouble, with its dragon voice, to make a decree to put to death all that will not worship, or obey, Sunday laws, instead of the Sabbath, and those shall neither buy nor sell who will not receive his mark.
We will suggest the idea here, inasmuch as the decree goes forth under the two-horned beast, which is most clearly shown to be this government; and as this government has no jurisdiction over other countries, and as this beast is to speak as a dragon, or make war with the remnant, or last end of the church, [Rev. xii, 17,] who are now being gathered under the third angel's message, [Rev. xiv, 9, 12,] that this 144000, the true Israel, which are to be redeemed from the earth, from among men, [Rev. xiv, 3, 4,] are to be redeemed from America, mostly, the government that has come up out of the earth.
The Papal beast has made war upon the saints 1260 years; and then was the patience and faith of the saints, without the commandments. Rev. xiii, 7, 10. The old world have had their day of persecuting the saints; and now, here in America, is to be the patience of the saints, to endure the persecution of those who make war upon them that keep the commandments of God.
J. B. FRISBIE.
Battle Creek, Mich., Oct 22nd, 1853.
Holding Fast to the Present Truth
By J. B.; Charlotte S. Bezzo
From Bro. & Sr. Bezzo.
DEAR BRO. WHITE:—We are still holding fast to the truth, and endeavoring to learn the doctrines of the Bible as fast as we can. We take great pleasure in searching the Word of God, in which there are such hidden stores of knowledge, and we rejoice in the prospect of the soon coming of Christ; when the saints' blessed hope will be realized. Our confidence in the truth of our position grows stronger every day, as the fulfillment of prophecy unfolds itself to our view, and as we see the message of the third angel rising, and beginning to go with power. We trust we feel the importance of living in all holy conversation and godliness, while we are looking for and hasting unto the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. 2 Peter iii, 11, 12.143When we look back upon our past lives, and see the ignorance we were in, in regard to the doctrines of the Bible, and the persecuting spirit we possessed, we feel that great praise and adoration are due to our God for bringing us to the marvelous light of the gospel. We never before have felt that longing after holiness of heart, and that desire for entire consecration that we have since we embraced the present truth. May the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make us all perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in us that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Heb. xiii, 20, 21.
It is painful to witness the perfidiousness of the course taken by those who oppose the "Sabbath of the Lord." We will here give you the outlines of a sermon delivered here in the evening following last First-day, on the subject of the Sabbath, by the Rev. John Patchin, graduate from Oberlin College, Ohio. His starting point was, "The will of God should be the great Rule of our lives." We think you may judge of the confidence he placed in the Bible, in proving the change of the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day of the week, from the fact that he brought much history, but forgot to bring his Bible. He went on to say that if the Sabbath has been changed, it is the will of God, and if we have satisfactory evidence that the First day is the Sabbath, no matter, said he, how we get the evidence, whether by revelation, or history, it is sufficient to prove that the Sabbath has been changed. He next proceeded to show the error that Bro. Andrews had fallen into, on page 4 of "the Refutation of the claims of Sunday-keeping", (for, that work had been handed to him some two months previous, by the writer;) in concluding that the three principles there laid down, were all that was necessary to disprove the authority for the change of the Sabbath. He volunteers to correct the error by adding a fourth principle, viz., (I will give his own words,) "that it was necessary that God should give us evidence of it being his will to change the Sabbath." He now inquires for scripture evidence in favor of the first day being the Sabbath, and quotes Col. ii, 16, and objects to the ground taken, "that it could not mean the seventh day on account of its being in the plural number," and quotes Matt. xii, 1, 2, 5, 8, 10-12, and Luke vi, 2, to prove that both numbers are applied to the seventh day.—This point established, he proceeds to show that "sabbath days" in the text must mean the seventh day, from the fact that the holy day there mentioned included all the Jewish feast days, and that the word, Sabbaths, when mentioned in the New Testament, always meant the seventh day; but we think it probable that he had not read Lev. xxiii, and Hosea ii, 11, or he certainly could have seen differently. We were obliged to smile when we saw the two positions taken by him right in succession. The first was that the Sabbath was a shadow of things to come, and that it was to be observed no longer than until Christ, who is the body, should nail it to the cross, (for no other ground can be taken by those who say that the "sabbath-days" in Col. ii, 16, refer to the Lord's Sabbath.) The second position was that "the Sabbath is a type of the Christian's Rest" and he quoted Heb. iv, 4, to sustain it. His next point is, that in the days of the apostles, the seventh day was called the Sabbath, and the first day, the Lord's day, and quotes largely from history, showing that the early Christians kept the first day; also, Rev. i, 10, to prove this position.
He next asserts that the Sabbath was a Jewish institution, and quotes Rom. xiv, 1-5, to prove it. He next quotes Barnabas' epistle in favor of the first day, but does not mention what Eusebius, Dr. Milnor, and Mosheim, say with respect to it. He next quotes from Eusebius to show that Christ changed the Sabbath, and that the Jews rejected it. He next declares that there is no evidence whatever in any writer, that the first Christians did not keep the first day. Lastly, he asserts that the Apostle told the Corinthians to take up a collection on the first day, [1 Cor. xvi, 2,] and then quotes 1 Cor. xi, 2, to show that Paul had ordained it. Now in summing up, we see that this learned Divine in undertaking to prove the change of the Sabbath, has taken four different positions, each antagonistic to the other three: first, the Sabbath has been changed; and quotes history to prove that it was the will of the Lord; second, that the Sabbath was abolished at the cross; and quotes Col. ii, 16, to prove that; third, the Sabbath is a type of the Christian's rest; and quotes Heb. iv, 4, to prove that; fourth, it is a Jewish institution, and we may keep it or let it alone, just as we see fit; and quotes Rom. xiv, 1-5, to prove that. Well did Isaiah say, "The leaders of this people cause them to err, and they that are led of them are destroyed." Isa. ix, 16.—This is the first time we ever knew or heard of an educated man undertaking to prove the will of the Lord by history instead of the Word of the Lord. "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Mark vii, 7.
Yours in hope,
J. B. & CHARLOTTE S. BEZZO.
Present Truth in St. Lawrence
By Horace W. Lawrence
From Bro. Lawrence.
DEAR BRO. WHITE:—The cause of present truth is still rising in this section. Some in St. Lawrence and Franklin counties have confessed the truth since the late conference in St. Lawrence Co. The brethren in that region seem to realize the importance of Gospel order in all the churches professing present truth and, I think, will, as a whole, more fully submit to all the testimony of Jesus Christ as necessary for our prosperity as the peculiar people of the Lord.
I have recently spent some time with Bro. Edson who has visited the scattered flock in several towns, and spread the truth before the people in some new places. In Brandon, near where I live, Bro. Edson explained our present position, and six embraced the Sabbath and became interested in all the truth. In that place a Baptist Minister, by request of Sunday friends, presented the claims for Sunday as held by many, and attempted to enforce them by reference to the fourth commandment, stating that "The commandment does not read that God blessed and sanctified the seventh day;" and also added in his remarks that "God has not imparted a sanctity to a special period of the time." He also claimed a change from the seventh to the first day of the week by the apostles, and added, "He that tells us that the Pope changed the Sabbath will tell a lie. No man, except he is an ignoramus, will say that history shows a change later than the days of the apostles."
Thus an attempt was made to make void the commandment by mere assertions. However, the whole subject was considered and the truth presented by Bro. Edson the same day; as his appointment stood for the same place that afternoon. As little reference was had to the forenoon meeting as possible; yet the perpetuity of the law and Sabbath was shown, and objections answered to the satisfaction of friends, and the advancement of the cause; as many of the congregation admitted the arguments presented in the last meeting.
I remain a friend to the whole truth,
HORACE W. LAWRENCE.
Watson, N. Y., Oct. 25th, 1853.
The Work of the Lord
By William Harris
From Bro. Harris.
DEAR BRO. WHITE:—I write a few lines to let yon and the saints scattered abroad know how I get along. I have just been reading the Review, and found so much food that my soul is full. I don't know how to express my feelings of gratitude. The spirit of 1843, begins to arise in my breast. The commandments are shining so brilliantly; and God's claims are so just, that I feel like exclaiming with David of old, "O how love I thy law." I will praise the Lord for what he has done for me.
When I hear the Macedonian cry come from the South, North, East and West for help, and then see there is a willingness to hear the word of God, and after hearing to obey, I am led to say this is the work of the Lord.
O, my prayer is, Lord increase the work until the message shall go with a loud voice, and the saints all be engaged, proclaiming "the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God."
I hear the cheering news of my brother and sister and their son-in-law embracing the whole truth. O, I feel to praise the Lord. By the grace of God I am determined to press my way on until I reach the city.
Yours in love,
WM. HARRIS.
Port Byron, N. Y., 1853.