So says A. If by nature we are to understand the Creator of heaven and earth, that would be correct. But as this term is generally understood to be the creation, then A must be wrong. Who made this earth with its attendant spheres, hung upon nothing, each fulfilling its order? If I should answer, They made themselves or each other, you would at once say, Impossible. If I should tell you that nature made the house you occupy, you would not believe me; you would know better. How, then, can you make me understand that all these vast creations were conceived and brought forth by nature, or by mutual consent? But says A, I cannot comprehend God, and to believe what we cannot comprehend is not required. What can you comprehend? When we find ourselves unable to comprehend the most simple of the Creator's work, which are visible and tangible, is it a wonder that we cannot comprehend the invisible Creator?
We hear no one say that, because they do not know how a blade of grass grows, there is no grass, and that we ourselves do not exist because we cannot explain our existence. When we see an edifice, we know an architect has been there. No one will say that it made itself or sprung up by chance, because they had never known the builder. If we allow ourselves to use good common sense upon this important subject, as we do on other things, all is easy. We reason from effect to cause in the most common things. If we see a footprint, we know some one has made it. When we see a production, some one must have produced it. When we view the vast universe, we know, or should know, that it never produced itself. Take the Bible view, and all is plain.
But how can we know that the Bible is true? It proves itself. What the prophets foresaw and predicted thousands of years in the past have met their perfect fulfillment, and have become history. This of itself is a sufficient proof for any one who does not choose to disbelieve. Only a small part of the prophetic word remains unfulfilled—the plagues, the latter rain, the shaking of the powers of heaven, and the burning of the earth, and the destruction of the wicked, which are just as sure of fulfillment as those which have been fulfilled. Each will come in its order. A. P. LAWTON.
West Winfield, N. Y.
A Few Considerations.
By Jos. Clarke
“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Daniel 12:4.
That we live in the time of the end, no one versed in Scripture prophecies can doubt. Every evidence we could ask is given us. But to prove this position, is not the object of this article, but rather to look very briefly, at some features of the times.
First, we notice the close of the great prophetic period of 2300 days in 1844, and the general movement of the professed Christian world on that occasion, with all the accumulated evidence brought from the prophecies, to establish the believing student of prophecy in the genuineness of the above-mentioned movement.
Second, the fact that probation continues some considerable time after the close of this prophetic period, as is proved from Rev. 10 and 14:7–14.
Third, the remarkable facilities of our times for the dissemination of knowledge, and the rapid progress of improvement in the practical application of art and science to useful enterprises, in the saving of time and muscle in labor-saving machines, and contrivances for economizing time and labor in travel and transportation, and in the common walks of life; so that time is given for investigation and study of the word of God.
Fourth, that at this time, in the Providence of God, the masses are educated to a great extent; and Bibles are cheap and plenty, and free to the poor; and to this coincidence we would call your especial attention as something before unparalleled in the history of our race.
Fifth, the fact that there is now arising a people who are uniting in their belief and practice the fundamental principles of all the moral law, and at the same time are the only people who explain satisfactorily the prophecies of both Testaments, and justify the government of God by a harmony of both Testaments, upon doctrine and practice, in the Christian life.
Sixth, the fact that God, by his Spirit, is especially aiding this people in drawing near to him, and in purifying themselves from the corrupting doctrines and practices of the times, and in uniting in a consistent effort to enlighten the world upon the great truths of the Bible. (See catalogue of publication.)
Now let us seriously reflect upon these six facts, all of them present with the attendant circumstances, indispensable in the nature of things to their existence; and, say, are they the result of chance? May we not say, God is certainly in this movement.
Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. How truly is this prophecy verified before our eyes. How very interesting and important the consideration that this time is already upon us, and soon the final close must burst upon an astonished and unbelieving world.
Oh! how dark and stupid are we not to see the signs of the times, so plainly are they portrayed before us! How foolish at such a time, or at any time, to set our hearts upon the world, and follow its fashions and its follies, and to lay up in store its treasures! Let us double our diligence and care. Jos. CLARKE.
Who Will Stand the Test?
By P. A. C.
We are nearing the Judgment, and the query arises, Who will stand the test? Just a little before us is the time of trouble, and who, oh! who will be shielded from the wrath of God when the seven last plagues are falling? Will it be those who have become convinced in regard to truth and in relation to duty, but have passed on undecided, waiting perhaps for a more convenient season, all their energies wasted, and the good they might have done neglected? Will it be those who have started out to walk in the light, but have become blinded by the god of this world, and are content to give all their time, and talents to the accumulation of the unrighteous mammon? Will it be those who profess to love the Lord and his truth, but have lulled themselves into a carnal security, and make no exertion to scatter light? Will it be those who claim to be striving to overcome, yet are closely wedded to habits that are injurious to health and soul-destroying in their influence? Ah! no. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked.”
Those who stand acquitted at last will be those who have been thoroughly in earnest—they will be fearless souls, who have not been afraid to battle for the right, who have stood up in defense of truth, regardless of persecution, possessing that spirit of confidence and determination of purpose that characterized the ancient servants of God, when they could stand up, in view of a heated fiery furnace, and exclaim, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” Dan. 3:17, 18.
God will have a people who are zealous of good works. It is not enough to have a correct theory of religion. We must have the saving power of religion itself. It is not enough to say that we are striving to overcome, but it is important that we earnestly seek to break off from every sinful indulgence, for it is certain that nothing impure will enter the kingdom of God. Then let us be in earnest in the matter. There is no time to lose. Let us work while the day lasts.
“Then be active and be earnest,
Up, and let us try;
There is work around us all the day.
For the world is full of sin,
And the tempter lies within,
But the Lord will help us if we try.”
P. A. C.
Early Teaching of Methodism.
By C. H. Bliss
THE following are a few extracts from the “Preachers’ Manual,” published in 1842, for the use of Methodist preachers. The part from which the extracts are taken was written by Dr. Adam Clarke. Concerning the deportment of the minister, he lays down the following rules:—
“1. Be diligent. Never be unemployed.
“2. Be serious. Let your motto be, Holiness to the Lord. Avoid all lightness, jesting, and foolish talking.
“3. Be ashamed of nothing but sin; not of fetching wood or water, &c.
“4. Never disappoint a congregation unless in case of life or death.
“5. Choose the plainest text you can.
“6. Be sparing in allegorizing or spiritualizing.
“7. Beware of clownishness.
“8. Be merciful to your beast; not only ride moderately, but see that your horse be rubbed, fed, and bedded.
“9. Everywhere recommend cleanliness. Cleanliness is next to godliness.”
Concerning the preaching of the law, he says, “Now, as no man can see the worth of salvation till he be convinced of his want of it, therefore preach the law and its terrors, to make way for the gospel of Christ crucified.”
Of the use of texts he says:— “Seldom choose a very short one. ‘When imagination and invention are put to rack to supply the the place of the word of God, the hearers may admire the address of the preacher, but are not likely to be fed with the bread of life.’ Again, “but without all controversy, the literal meaning is that which God would have first understood.”
How few there are among the Methodist ministers or those of any other popular denomination, who observe strictly the above rules. C. H. BLISS.
Our Lord’s Doctrine Concerning the Soul.
By John Nevins Andrews
THEREFORE I say unto you, Take no thought for your life [psuche, soul], what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life [psuche, soul], more than meat, and the body than raiment?” Matt. 6:25; Luke 12:22, 23.
“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul [psuche]; but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul [psuche] and body in hell.” Matt. 10:28.
“He that findeth his life [psuche, soul] shall lose it; and he that loseth his life [psuche, soul] for my sake shall find it.” Matt. 10:39.
“For whosoever will save his life [psuche, soul] shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life [psuche, soul] for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul [psuche]?” Matt. 16:25, 26; Mark 8:35–37.
“For whosoever will save his life [psuche, soul] shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life [psuche, soul] for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” Luke 9:24, 25.
“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life [psuche, soul] also, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26.
“Whosoever shall seek to save his life [psuche, soul] shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” Luke 17:33.
“He that loveth his life [psuche, soul] shall lose it; and he that hateth his life [psuche, soul] in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” John 12:25.
These texts embody Christ’s doctrine concerning the soul. Though the word psuche, or soul, is so often used in them, the fact is not generally understood because it is in most of the instances here quoted rendered life. But these texts are worthy of study. They should be carefully compared with each other.
1. The term soul is, in several of these texts, used in distinction from the body.
2. It is something to be sacrificed for Christ’s sake, and even to be hated.
3. It is something to be saved unto life eternal, and is of greater value than the whole world.
4. Though in some of these instances it is used, perhaps, as signifying the whole man (compare Matt. 16:26; Luke 9:25), it is manifest from the sense that it is rightly translated life in the places where it is so rendered. Even in the instance cited as signifying the whole man, losing one’s life may be fairly equivalent to losing himself.
5. But how can we reconcile our Lord’s words respecting the saving and the losing of the soul or life, and also respecting its comparative worthlessness and its exceeding value? Without doubt, there is perfect harmony in his statements. The last text above quoted gives us a key to them all: “He that loveth his life [psuche, soul] shall lose it; and he that hateth his life [psuche, soul] in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” John 12:25.
6. There are two of these lives. (1) Our life in this world. (2) Our life in the world to come. And, indeed, the other texts plainly imply this. For we cannot save the present life by losing it, nor lose the life to come by saving it. But we can save our future life by giving up our present life, and one of these is of little worth, while the other is of infinite value.
7. Christ speaks of the present life when he says, “Take no thought for your life [psuche, soul], what ye shall eat.” Matt. 6:25; Luke 12:22. Also when he says, “He that findeth his life [psuche, soul] shall lose it.” Matt. 10:39. That is, he that sets his heart on this present life shall have no part in the promised life everlasting. This is the life, or soul, we are to hate. Luke 14:26; John 12:25.
8. He speaks of the future life when he asks, “What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matt. 16:26. He also speaks of it in all these places where he speaks of saving or finding the soul or life as the reward for losing the soul or life for Christ’s sake.
9. It is our life, or soul, “in this world” that is to be hated, that we may secure life eternal. This last is the life that God promises to those who give up the present life for him.
10. But does our Lord in any of these passages teach, or assume, the existence of a separate conscious being called the soul? In the first of the above texts, he speaks of the soul as distinct from the body, but it is plain from the sense that he means by it the present mortal life. In the third instance, he speaks of saving the soul by losing it, that is, of securing the life to come by giving up the present life. And all the remaining passages are of the same nature.
11. But does not our Lord in the second instance affirm the existence of the soul as a separate being that survives the death of the body, and that maintains a conscious life when that is dead? Such is the general understanding of the passage, yet it is not at all in harmony with our Lord’s use of the word soul. He uses it to signify either our present or our future life. Read again the passages above quoted and this fact will appear undeniable.
12. We shall better understand Matt. 10:28, by comparing it with Luke 12:4, 5. Thus: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” “And I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear Him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” These two texts are different versions of the same statement of Christ.
13. It is certainly reasonable that we consider whether our Lord’s use of the word soul in the other instances in which he uses it, is not the true sense of that word in this passage. He uses the word soul for the life that now is, and also for the life that is to come. Men can destroy the present life. But after that they have no more that they can do. The life that succeeds the resurrection is in the power of God alone. This is plainly our Lord’s meaning in the next clause: “But rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” The hell of these two texts is not hades, the place of the dead, but gehenna, the lake of fire, where the wicked shall suffer the second death. Now in this fire the body shall indeed be consumed, as many texts assert; and this is not all: when the wicked shall have suffered each what God sees to be just, then their life shall be extinguished, not as is the present, to be followed by the resurrection, but to have no revival forever.
14. This gives us an interpretation of our Lord’s words that is in harmony with his own use of the word soul, and that is sustained by all the facts in the case. It is strongly confirmed by Luke’s version of the text. The killing of the body is mentioned by both Matthew and Luke. But while Matthew says that men are not able to kill the soul, Luke uses this clause as an equivalent: “and after that have no more that they can do.”
15. Then Luke gives us a definite idea when this shall be. “Fear Him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell;” gehenna. Now the wicked, when cast into the lake of fire, are living men, and are not cast thither till after the resurrection of the unjust. They have been made alive from death, and this God alone can do, before being cast into the gehenna of fire. This future life shall be extinguished in the lake of fire, and God himself in the act will inflict adequate retribution upon the wicked. Then they will be as though they had not been.
16. If our Lord had been speaking of the separate, conscious existence of the soul between death and the resurrection, he would have spoken of what should take place in hades, the place and state of the dead. But he passes over hades and speaks of gehenna where no wicked man will be cast till after the resurrection of the unjust.
17. We cannot, therefore, doubt that our Lord speaks of the life to come by the word soul in Matt. 10:28. The present life is, under God, in the power of wicked men. The future life God alone can give, and he alone can take it. The loss of the present life is comparatively unimportant, for God can and will restore it. The loss of the future life is unspeakably awful, not only because that the suffering attending it shall be such as to inflict adequate retribution upon each sinner, but because it shall end in the absolute and irretrievable destruction of the whole man. His body shall be consumed, and his existence effectually and eternally blotted out. J. N. A.
DIRECT PROOF THAT THE KINGDOM IS FUTURE
By Joseph Harvey Waggoner
The Kingdom of God.—No. 3.
DIRECT PROOF THAT THE KINGDOM IS FUTURE.
Dan. 2:44 reads thus: “And in the days of these kings shall the God of Heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” Some of the characteristics of this kingdom we will first notice.
1. It shall never be destroyed, but stand forever. It is an everlasting kingdom—the same that Peter spoke of when he set before them the hope of an entrance into it. This is also promised to Christ in Luke 1:32, 33: “The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” Now this cannot refer to the present position of Christ on his Father’s throne in Heaven, for that cannot in any sense, be called the throne of his father David; and there will be an end to the exercise of his priestly office on the throne in Heaven, as all must admit. Probation will end, and the Lord who now pleads for sinners will come to take vengeance on the ungodly. See 2 Thess. 1:7, 8; Rev. 6:16, 17.
2. It shall not be left to other people; that is, the people who take it will possess it forever. They who possessed the preceding kingdoms passed away, and “other people” took them. But Dan. 7:18 says: “But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.” As the kingdom is eternal, so must the people who take it be immortal, else they could not possess it forever. Paul’s argument on the resurrection of the righteous makes this point clear. He says that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” “Flesh and blood” is an expression used to indicate a corruptible, mortal state, as the context proves. The corruptible, mortal man cannot inherit an incorruptible or everlasting kingdom. But he says also, “This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality;” and this will take place at the sounding of the last trump, or, as he says again, in 1 Thess. 4, when “the Lord himself shall descend,” when “the trump of God” is heard, and when “the dead in Christ shall rise.” Then the saints of God will rise immortal; but that is the time also when Jesus says they shall “inherit the kingdom.” And that is, indeed, the first time in their existence when it will be possible for them to inherit an incorruptible, everlasting kingdom.
The following are the words of the Saviour on this subject. Matt. 25:31–34. “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory; and before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats; and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” He who is an heir does not yet inherit; when he does inherit, his heirship ceases. The saints are now heirs of the kingdom; they will inherit it when the Lord Jesus comes in his glory.
3. These testimonies prove that this is the restoration of the kingdom and throne of David, of which the prophets speak. It will not be denied that the kingdom which the God of Heaven shall set up, which shall stand forever, and fill the whole earth, will be ruled over by Jesus Christ. Again, it will not be denied that Christ is the one referred to in Eze. 21:27, as “he whose right it is,” to whom the crown is to be given. And this makes Dan. 2 parallel; that is, the setting up of the kingdom in Dan. 2 refers to the restoration of the kingdom and crown overturned, according to Eze. 21. And of course the same is referred to in Luke 1:32, 33: “The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” Now, if it could be proved that a score of kingdoms had been or would be set up, it would be no proof on this subject unless it could be shown that one was set up which bore the characteristics of that kingdom which is the subject of the scriptures here quoted. This remark will be better appreciated when we consider the following important fact:—
Jesus Christ occupies two different thrones at different times. This is clearly proved by his own words in Rev. 3:21: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”
An effort has been made to evade the evidence of this text by declaring that it was only one and the same throne; that it was the Father’s who gave the right of it to Christ, and then became his to give to other overcomers. And to confirm this view, reference is made to Matt. 28:18, where Jesus said, “All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth.” But it is assuredly forcing a construction of Rev. 3: 21, to say it refers to only one throne. The obvious meaning of the text forbids it. And in regard to Matt. 28:18, if it can be shown that he, at any time, receives another dominion, after he spoke those words to his disciples, then it is already shown that the objection is invalid. On this we notice,
a. This “all power” can refer to nothing else than his right to sit on his Father’s throne, which is the throne of the whole universe.
b. On that throne he was “set down” at the time the Revelation was given to John.
c. Paul to the Hebrews, in chapters 7 and 8, shows that he is a priest after the order of Melchisedek on “the throne of the majesty in the Heavens.”
d. In Ps. 110:1, the Father says to him, “Sit thou at my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool.” Also in verse 4, we learn that his sitting on the Father’s right hand is the same that is spoken of by Paul, as a priest after the order of Melchisedek.
e. In Heb. 10:13, the apostle says he is set on the right hand of God, “from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.” Then when he is on the throne of his Father in Heaven, possessing the power spoken of in Matt. 28:18, his enemies are not yet put under his feet, but he is “expecting” it, according to the promise of the Father.
f. In 1 Cor. 15:25, it is said: “For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet.” This “reign” evidently refers to his sitting on the throne of his Father, at his right hand, till his foes are, by his Father, made his footstool, or put under his feet. It must be plain to the understanding of every one that while he is on his Father’s throne in Heaven a priest after the order of Melchisedek, he is expecting a dominion or authority different from that which he possesses on that throne. He is there as a priest; on the throne of his Father David he will not be a priest. Notice with care the harmony of the following evidences:—
The position of Christ on his Father’s throne, as priest, is for a limited time. As this will be admitted by all who believe that there is a future judgment, that Christ will come to raise the dead, that he will come to take vengeance on his enemies, there is no need to argue the point. It is proved clearly by the reading of the text which calls him to that position, “Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool.” To this, Paul also refers when he says, “For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.”
But in contrast with this is the decisive fact that Christ’s reign on his own throne, or that which he inherited from his birth, is eternal and unending. Thus the angel said to Mary, “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom THERE SHALL BE NO END.” Of his reign on his Father’s throne in the Heavens, Paul said, “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God.” Now, if he has but one “reign,” and is to occupy but one throne, then this language is inexplicable; for, in that case, it speaks of “the end” of that of which it is said “there shall be no end;” and says he shall reign “until” a certain event, while yet that event does not indicate its termination. But, admitting that there are two thrones, one, that of his Father, on which he sits as priest until his foes are made his footstool; the other, that of David, which he takes at the close of his priesthood, and which he occupies thenceforth, forever, and all is clear and harmonious.
There is no controversy in regard to the time when he began to occupy the throne of his Father in Heaven. And he will sit thereon during the whole time of his priesthood. He was on that throne when the Revelation was given to John on Patmos, and when Paul wrote his letter to the Hebrews.
But we follow down the stream of time as marked in the Revelation, till the third woe comes upon the earth, and the seventh trumpet is sounded. Rev. 11:14–17. Of the locality or order of this trumpet there is no question. It closes up the present dispensation. It ushers in “the time of the dead that they should be judged,” and the time of giving reward to all the servants of God, which Jesus said is at the resurrection of the just, and at his coming. Luke 14:14; Rev. 22:12. Under this trumpet it is announced that “the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” Now it is by reason of their becoming his that he appears as “King of kings, and Lord of lords;” and that they are his enemies who are at that time put under his feet, we learn by Rev. 6:15: the kings of the earth hide themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains, because the day of the Lamb’s wrath is come; and also by Rev. 19:19, where the kings of the earth and their armies are gathered against the Lord Jesus and his army. This is immediately preceding their destruction.
With this agrees also the prophecy of Dan. 7:9–14, where the kingdom and dominion over the kingdoms and people of the world are141given to Christ as he is brought before the Father when the Judgment is set and the books are opened.
And again, a most decisive testimony in regard to the time and order of these events is found in Ps. 2:7–9, as follows: “The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
Ps. 110:1, shows when they will be given, to wit, when he ceases to sit at his Father’s right hand as priest; it also declares that they are his foes, and the same is shown in this text, in that he dashes and breaks them in pieces. Most decisive testimony on this subject is given by our Saviour in Luke 21:31. Speaking of the signs of his second coming, he says, “When ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.”
In the fulfillment of the prophecies the world has seen the kingdoms of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome, pass away. Rome was divided, as represented by the toes of the image in Dan. 2, and the horns of the terrible beast of Dan. 7. The “little horn” arose and did its murderous work of wearing out the saints of the Most High. Its power has consumed away, and it is near to its entire destruction. As the failing wick gives out its sudden glare just before it sinks into utter darkness, so will the papal power receive civil aid for a short time during the troubles of the coming day, and then sink into utter and eternal ruin.
The signs spoken of by our Saviour are nearly all fulfilled. We have the strongest assurance “that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand;” or, as he says again, our “redemption draweth nigh.” For this we are waiting. We hope to hear our blessed Saviour say, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom.” Until that glorious day shall appear, we still pray, “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.” J. H. WAGGONER.
Put This and That Together.
By R. F. Cottrell
THE following quotations are found in a book entitled, “An Exposition of the Church Catechism,” by Henry J. Camman, published at Boston in 1867. Under the title of “The Christian Law,” he says:—
“Q. You said that your sponsors did promise for you that you should keep God’s commandments; tell me how many there are?
“A. Ten.
“Q. Which are they?
“A. The same which God spake in the twentieth chapter of Exodus,” &c.
This testimony affirms that the Christian law is the same as given in Ex. 20. On the third page from this we have the following:—
“Q. What is the fourth commandment?
“A. Remember that thou keep holy, etc.
“Q. How can you keep holy the Sabbath day?
“A. By abstaining from worldly occupations and attending to religious duties.
“Q. Can you do any work?
“A. Yes, I may do works of necessity, piety, and charity.
“Q. What do we call Sunday, and why?
“A. The first day of the seven. It is the Lord’s day, because Christ rose from the dead on that day.”
Thus the law to keep holy the seventh day, the day on which God rested from the labor of creation, is to be obeyed by keeping holy “the first day of the seven;” for the reason, not that it is the Sabbath, or rest-day of God, but that “Christ rose from the dead on that day.”
In the same chapter we are treated with the following:—
“The Jews kept holy the seventh day of the week; because on that day God rested from his work of creation, Gen. 2: 2, 3, but we keep the first day of the week, because on that day Christ rose from the dead, having finished his work of redemption. Luke 24: 1–16. This change was made by the apostles. John 20: 1–19; 1 Cor. 16: 2. Although we repeat this commandment, the church, like the Scriptures, never applies the name ‘Sabbath’ to the first day of the week, but calls it Sunday, or the LORD’S DAY.”
Now, ye of sane minds, put these things all together, and discern the sound sense and beautiful harmony of the whole! In the first place, the church promises to keep the Christian law, and that law is “the same which God spake in the twentieth chapter of Exodus.” 2. The fourth commandment of that law requires us to “keep holy the Sabbath day,” which is “the seventh day of the week, because on that day God rested from his work of creation.” This commandment the church proposes to obey by keeping holy “the first day of the seven,” “because Christ rose from the dead on that day.” 3. But “the church, like the Scriptures, never applies the name ‘Sabbath’ to the first day of the week.” The seventh day is the only Sabbath of the Scriptures. So the church does not propose to keep the “Sabbath” at all, while promising to keep the same law which says, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, . . . the seventh day is the Sabbath;” but she proposes to keep another day, not the Sabbath, but a day called by her “Sunday, or the Lord’s day.” The commandment, according to this exposition, is as follows: Remember the Sunday, or the Lord’s day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, but “the first day of the seven” is Sunday, or the Lord’s day; in it thou shalt not do any work; “because on that day Christ rose from the dead.”
And thus, for another reason, keeping another day, a day which neither the Scriptures nor the church ever calls the Sabbath, the church promises to keep the “same” law which God spake as recorded in Ex. 20!
Our author says, “This change was made by the apostles,” and for proof refers to John 20: 1–19, and 1 Cor. 16: 2. Those who will read the testimony will find that at the close of that first day on which Christ arose, he appeared to the assembled disciples, the doors being shut for fear of the Jews, and “showed them his hands and his side” to convince them of his resurrection, a fact that till then they had not believed! See Mark 16: 9–14. So, if the apostles had that day changed the Sabbath, they had done it in unbelief. R. F. COTTRELL.