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Review and Herald, Vol. 4, No. 11.

THE TRUE INHERITANCE OF THE SAINTS
Earlier text: THE TRUE INHERITANCE OF THE SAINTS

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

When God gave the law at Sinai, he spoke ten precepts to all the people, "with a great voice; and he added no more; and he wrote them in two tables of stone," and delivered them to Moses.—Deut. v, 22. This is pre-eminently and emphatically THE LAW OF GOD. This is the supreme law of right—a law founded in the nature of things, and naturally binding, with the exception, if you please, of the fourth commandment, on the whole human race. This law embodies every principle of right between man and man, and between man and his Maker, and yet it may be resolved again into two principles—love to God, and love to man—and on these two hang all the law and the prophets. This law, being the basis of every law of right, might be called the constitution by which God governs the world. And yet Christians of the nineteenth century impiously talk of God's revised constitution—comparing the ways of God to those of men! Christians, I say, for if God had no people in Babylon, he could not say, come out of her my people.
This is the law of which Christ spoke when he said, [Matt. v, 17,] "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall by no means pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." All what? All the prophets had said. It was the prophecies which were to be fulfilled. I know of no way to fulfill a law, but to keep it inviolate; and to keep a law does not put an end to it.
It was this law of which Paul spoke, Anno Domini 60, when he said, "By the law is (not was) the knowledge of sin;" and "I had not known sin, but by the law; for I had not known unlawful desire, unless the law had said, Thou shalt not covet."—Rom. iii, 20; vii, 7.
It was this law of which James spoke, about the sixteenth year of the Christian era, when he said, "Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty (not was guilty) in respect to all. For he who said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill." And it may be truly added, He who said do not kill, said also, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." John referred to the same law when he said, A. D. 90, "Sin is (not was) the transgression of the law." If transgression of the law was sin, Anno Domini 90, what is it now?
The truth is, my dear brethren, Jehovah has always had one standard of morality and only one; and a violation of this standard of right, always was, and always will be, sin. What change then took place at the introduction of the new dispensation?—Not a change of that law by the transgression of which all men are sinners; but a change in the outward acts by which we come to God for remission of sins. For example: from the days of Abel to the coming of the Lord, men were required to acknowledge their faith in the promised Messiah by the shedding of blood, which pointed forward to the sacrifice of Christ. Now we are required to show our faith in a crucified and risen Saviour, by being baptized into his death. Changes similar to this are all that Jehovah made; man has made the rest.

THE FIRST TABLE.

The first four of the ten commandments contain our duty to God alone—duties which naturally grow out of our relation to God, the universal Father.
1. "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
2. "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor serve them." We are not, in deed, to admit the existence of another god.
3. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." We must not speak the name of Jehovah but with the utmost reverence.
4. "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." We must acknowledge, in deed, that God is the Maker of the world and all its inhabitants. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." Here, then, at the creation, God erected a monument sacred to the memory of the Creator.
We talk of moral and positive precepts; but who, brethren, shall decide which of the above four has the most morality about it?

THE SABBATH HAS ALWAYS KEPT GOOD COMPANY.

It is a common saying that a man is known by the company he keeps. If he associates with good, respectable company, he is considered respectable; but if he chooses vicious and dissolute companions, he must bear their character.
God, instead of associating the Sabbath with Jewish ordinances, which pointed to Christ, and were abolished by his death, placed it in company with nine moral precepts, which are, in the nature of things, obligatory on every son and daughter of Adam. This was not done without some good reason. If I were asked the reason, I would humbly suggest, that the Sabbath was of a nature entirely different from Jewish rites, having neither beginning nor ending together with them. And that its obligation is as universal and unlimited as that of its nine companions. Brethren, I repeat it, there was a reason for this; and I insist upon your giving me a reason, coinciding with your views of the Sabbath being done away, or that you admit that I have given the true one. O, thou short-lived Jewish institution! How didst thou contrive to forsake thy fellows, and to ingratiate thyself into the very midst of an immortal company? Thou ordinance which was against us, which was contrary to us! By what foul means didst thou induce our Saviour to say, thou wast made for us? Thou Beggarly Element to which the Galatians, who were idolaters before their conversion, desired AGAIN to be in bondage! What infinite trouble and perplexity hast thou, by thy intrusion, caused the priesthood! But for thee, the dissecting-knife need never have been applied to God's law—that law, which, in the words of an apostle, "is spiritual—is holy, just and good." How many of my beloved brethren have, by thy means, been induced to attempt to dash in pieces God's law—by the use of Paul's comparison between the minister of the law, and the ministers of the gospel, [2 Cor. iii,] and thus to leave God without a law, while they might pick up the pieces, selecting the nine and rejecting thee!
My dear brethren, how has the Sabbath been slandered by the lovers of God and his truth!
[Concluded in our next.]

A 'Sabbath' Lecture

By J. M. Todd

From the Sabbath Recorder.

A 'Sabbath' Lecture.

According to previous appointment, the Rev. Mr. Bristol delivered his lecture on the Sabbath yesterday at half past four o'clock, at Bluffton. His texts were Col. ii, 16, and Rev. i, 10. His first position was, that in consequence of the rotation of the earth, there is great difficulty in regard to exact time, and therefore exact time is not important to the sabbatical rest.
In the second place, he attempted to show, by a critical examination of the term Sabbath days in his text, that the 'Jewish Sabbath' was abrogated. This critical examination consisted mainly in quoting Matt. xii, 1; xxviii, 1; Mark i, 21, 22; ii, 23, 27; iii, 2; Luke vi, 5; John vii, 22; Acts i, 13. In all these places, he said, the terms were the same in the original as that in the text, and as these referred to the 'Jewish Sabbath,' the term 'Sabbath days' in the text also referred to the same day. And, in addition, he referred to Tract No. 6, Reason 9th, to prove that Seventh-day Baptists maintain the same position. Having disposed of Jehovah's Sabbath so much to his satisfaction, he then proceeded to his next text, viz., Rev. i, 10. But as this text did not say what day is the Lord's, he proceeded to show from Ignatius, Barnabas, Pliny, Theophilus, Ireneus, Dyonisius, Tertulian and Eusebius, that it is the resurrection day, the queen of days, the first day of the week.
In the first part of his discourse, he declared that anything could be proved by history and the fathers; and really it seemed to me to be true. This discourse took opposite ground to that of Mr. Cobb and most of the first-day people in this section, as it left the resurrection out of the question as argument. But as Mr. B. is a popular preacher of the Congregational order, we shall undoubtedly see a rallying around the new doctrine. Surely, the Sunday arguments are legion. The rotation of the earth seems to be a great hobby for Sunday sticklers to ride on in this part of the West just now. Perhaps it is Dr. Pott's echo, which has just reached Wisconsin. One thing is certain, they are on the roll, and all that we have to do who have Jehovah's truth to defend, is to let our light shine. They have gone around the world till they are dizzy; and probably, when they are satisfied that Seventh-day Baptists know that the earth is round, and like a ball seems swinging in the air, something else will be concocted.
Yours for the truth, J. M. TODD. Berlin, Wis., Aug, 29th, 1853.

EASTERN TOUR.

By James White

WE design giving the readers of the REVIEW a brief account of the Meetings we may hold, and of the state of the cause in those portions of the field we may visit. And in doing this, we shall endeavor to give a plain statement of facts in regard to the progress of the cause, the errors and discouragements, as well as encouragements and joys, we meet. Thus far the good hand of the Lord has been with us, and we are in the enjoyment of health and freedom of spirit.

POTTSDAM CONFERENCE.

This meeting was held at the house of Bro. John Byington. A convenient shade was prepared in front of the house where about three hundred persons could be seated. This, with Bro. B's house, was sufficient to convene a large congregation. It was an excellent place for the worship of God.
There were about eighty brethren and sisters present. Two sisters came sixty-five miles, and felt abundantly paid for the fatigue of the long journey with their private carriage. The congregation on First-day was large, considering the bitter opposition in the vicinity, who listened to the word with good attention.
We were happy to meet Brn. Andrews and Edson at this meeting. Being much fatigued by labor and want of suitable hours of sleep before we left Rochester, and also by the journey, we were unprepared to speak to the people; but by the blessing of God, Bro. Andrews spoke to them with clearness and liberty. We were delighted with his discourses. The congregation was held in perfect order and silence, and the scattered saints feasted on the bread of heaven.
The evening following First-day, the meeting was moved about two miles to the Wesleyan Meetinghouse in Morley. The Spirit of God seemed to go with us. As the people were coming in, the brethren sung with the Spirit and understanding also. The place was heavenly. God's Spirit rested down upon us.
Bro. Andrews then gave an excellent discourse from Titus ii, 13. He spoke with freedom of the "blessed hope" and of the period when it would be realized. The congregation was large and attentive.
Hitherto there has been the greatest prejudice against our views in the minds of the people in that vicinity; but it is evidently giving way; and we believe that a blow has been struck that will hereafter tell for the cause in that community. Some for the first time confessed the truth, and others, we trust, will soon.
For the first time, we met at this meeting our dear brother and sister Buck. They have quite recently embraced the Lord's Sabbath. Bro. Buck has been for a number of years a preacher in the Wesleyan Methodist Church. May God bless him and help him to preach the present truth.
Second-day in the forenoon the brethren assembled again; and while some remarks were made relative to the importance of church order, the Spirit of God was graciously poured out. The whole congregation was at times in tears. Errors were reproved, and the plain testimony was fully received by all present, with one exception.
The cause in Northern New York is young and there are many good brethren with little experience who need the counsel of those who are experienced. There are, however, some who are pillars in the church, among them is our much beloved Bro. Byington. May God bless him, and prosper his efforts to build up the cause and feed the flock of Christ.
"It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us," to set apart our dear Bro. Lawrence to the work of the gospel ministry, to administer the ordinances of the church of Christ, by the laying on of hands. The church was of one accord in this matter. We hope our dear brother will be able to give himself wholly to the study, and the preaching of the word; and wherever he may labor, give from the word alone the reason of his hope. There has been, in that part of the field, too much dwelling upon feelings. But the brethren are now seeing the importance of having a well-grounded faith on Bible truth. They also see that the Spirit and Word agree, and that those who have most of the Word, have most of the pure Spirit of God, abiding with them. JAMES WHITE.

THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH NOT ABOLISHED!

A REQUEST!

By Editor

THOSE who teach that there is no Sabbath for the gospel dispensation, are requested to give us one plain text from the New Testament that teaches, "without note or comment," that the seventh-day Sabbath has been abolished. When any one will do this, we will notice it in the REVIEW.

THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK NOT THE SABBATH!

ANOTHER REQUEST!

By Editor

THOSE who teach that the Sabbath has been changed from the seventh to the first day of the week, are requested to give us one text from the New Testament that teaches such a change; or the example of Christ and the Apostles, recorded in the New Testament, favoring such a change. When any one will point out such a text and such example, it shall be given in the REVIEW.

Spirit Manifestations.

By Thomas Brown

DEAR BRO. WHITE:—I have for some time thought of communicating a few lines to you about the spirit manifestations. The following I learned from a brother residing in Eaton Co.
The astonishing communications which profess to be from the spirit land, were but little known in the above place, until a few months ago. A lady then came there from the State of New York, professing to be led by the spirits of the dead, and commenced preaching, by their direction, the doctrine of seven different spheres: that we are now living in the first sphere, the earthly: after we pass through death, we are in the second, and so on increasing in knowledge until we arrive at the seventh; and then we take what they term the perpetual rounds, and grow in knowledge in the same proportion that we did on earth. Truly this is the doctrine of the Devil.
Again; she will pass through the death scene of a friend, and make every struggle that the person made while dying; and after lying for some time, apparently dead, will come to life again. They will, by the spirits, give the description of friends whom they have never seen, as well as we could ourselves. They will tell when any one has a letter coming by mail, though it may be hundreds of miles from the place of its destination. There is also a lady that has not got common school education, who will preach in three original languages. It has been tested by judges who pronounced it to be the proper language. These mediums are led wholly by the spirits.
The doctrine of communication with the dead is the doctrine of the Devil; for the Word says, the dead know not anything. Eccl. ix, 5. Also, his breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Ps. cxlvi, 4. When they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and that mutter, should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them. Isa. viii, 19, 20.
Truly we are living in the time when the law is to be sealed among the disciples of Jesus; when Satan will come with all his deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thess. ii, 10-12.
Some may say that if this spiritual manifestation is not of God, it will come to nought. We say the Word is plain on this point: But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 2 Tim. iii, 13. We are living in the time when Satan will come with his last deception to deceive, if it were possible, those who are honest at heart. The dragon is wroth with the remnant of the seed of the woman, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
The little remnant in this place are all trying to keep the commandments of God and the faith or testimony of Jesus. How necessary it is, in these perilous times, that we try the spirits by the Word, and reject all those who do not agree with it. I truly believe that the Lord has set his hand the second time to restore the remnant of his people. O my brethren, let us be strong in the Lord and keep his commandments, that we may be sealed with the seal of the living God; and when the seven last plagues shall be poured out, that no plague may come nigh our dwelling. Let us be strong in the doctrine that the dead know not anything; and if we are sound in this faith, we shall not be drawn away by these spirits of devils, working miracles, that come up in the last days to deceive the nations and gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
We must be pure; for Christ will appear to a people that are without sin. Let us have on the wedding garment that when Christ is seen on the white cloud, we can say, this is our God, we have waited for him; and be caught up to meet him in the air; and be permitted to enter the city, New Jerusalem, and pluck the fruit from life's fair tree. How beautiful must be that place. Its streets paved with gold; its inhabitants arrayed in white; nothing there to annoy our peace; no more sickness, pain or death; for the former things are passed away. God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes. O blessed, transporting thought; can we be there? O yes, we may if we live a humble, cross-bearing life, and keep the commandments of God, and have the faith and testimony of Jesus.
The saints shall reach that happy place, And be forever with the Lord, And see the smiles of Jesus' face, And there receive their rich reward.
THOMAS BROWN.
Locke, Mich., Sept. 5th, 1853.

The Image of the Beast.

By John Norton Loughborough

"Saying to them that dwell on the Earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live." Rev. xiii, 14.
My limits will not allow me to give a lengthy exposition of the two-horned beast, and his work, but merely to make some inquiries, and state a few existing facts relative to the text. The first inquiry that arises is relative to "the beast which had the wound by a sword, and did live." I believe all are agreed that this is the Papacy which received its wound in 1798, when Napoleon took away the Pope's civil power. What was that beast that "received the wound?" A Church which caused the people either to believe and obey its institutions, or suffer the penalty of their laws. An image then, would be a Church doing the same work, forcing people to obey or suffer the vengeance of the law. The two-horned beast is to "say to them that dwell on the earth, make an image," or in other words, grant the Church the privilege of defending its rights and institutions by law.
The two-horned beast is said to arise out of the earth, and it "says to them that dwell on the earth," (where it rose,) in its dominion of course, "Make an image." I call the attention of all to this point as settling what form of government the two-horned beast is. It is a government whose work is done by the people; this one feature would forever exclude the idea of the two-horned beast being France or any other power than Republican. That the United States, Civil and Ecclesiastical, is the two-horned beast is a point established by an abundance of testimony, but this one feature we wish to notice. United States laws are made by the people, or what is the same, their representatives, and it remains for the people to say what laws they will have, while those under the rule of Despots, must meekly bow to their ruler, no matter how tyrannical his reign. France never appeals to the people to make laws; on the contrary, Napoleon considers himself fully competent to take the lead of affairs without the aid of the people, except by their purse and the military.
The two-horned beast says "make an image;" sustain the church by your laws. It is a fact that every organized church in the United States is tolerated in their faith by law; the government grants them their charter, and they lean on the government for protection and support. On one great institution they are nearly all agreed, (viz., Sunday-keeping).—Government tries to protect them in this institution. Already do we find them uneasy because a few observers of God's Sabbath do not take heed to their darling institutions. God's children who take heed to that institution which requires six days labor and one of rest, the seventh day, pay no regard to the institution of the church for Sunday-keeping. The church appeals to the law for support and protection; but the answer comes, we require men to observe only one seventh part of time; these men keep the seventh day; we cannot touch them. But what is to be done? The church has leaned on the government for support; they have pledged themselves to support her and she must be supported. Why, all that is necessary is just to speak to them that dwell on the earth, or their representatives, and they will soon be legislating.
Well, says one, I think you will fail in your expectations. Why? Because the United States only requires men to observe one seventh part of the time, and you never need expect them to infringe upon you because you work Sunday; for you keep the seventh day. This government allows all men to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience. But they bind men's consciences on other subjects, why not on this? The government of the United States requires us to deliver up to his master the slave that is escaped from him, whether we believe God on the point or not, and a heavy fine if we do not do it. God says, "Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant that is escaped from his master unto thee." Deut. xxiii, 15. I suppose, however, the objector is not aware of what is going on around us in the United States. Pennsylvania, for several years, has had strict laws relative to Sunday-keeping, but no one has dreamed that the United States, as a mass, would pass such a law.
Not long since, an individual in Pennsylvania, who kept the Sabbath, was arrested for breaking Sunday. He was tried, fined and imprisoned! His friends thinking it unjust, carried the case up to a higher court. The case finally came before the United States' court, and the constitutionality of the Pennsylvania law was questioned, and there it was decided that the decision of Pennsylvania was constitutional. And immediately a discussion ensued on the propriety of a more strict law for Sunday-keeping. We leave the reader to imagine where this will end. Suffice it to say, we doubt not the image-makers will complete their image.
In the revised statutes of the State of Wisconsin, the claims of Sunday-keeping are very strict. I subjoin the following notice, published in the Northern Republic, Portage city, Fort Winnebago township, Columbia Co., Wisconsin.
"NOTICE.—Whereas by the 21st section of chapter 139, of the revised statutes of the State of Wisconsin, it is enacted among other things, that, 'No person shall open his shop, ware-house or work-house on the Lord's day, commonly called Sunday.' And whereas Justices of the peace have jurisdiction of offences mentioned in said section, Now therefore, we the undersigned Justices of the peace, in and for the town of Fort Winnebago, Columbia Co., give notice that we shall take judicial notice of all offences against the provisions of said section 21, as specified above, without respect to persons, from and after the date of the publication of this notice. L. VANSLYK, ANDREW DUNN, H. R. PETTIBONE, WM. E. WAITE. Dated, Fort Winnebago, July 21st, 1852."
An individual in the above mentioned State who strictly observed the Sabbath, was laid under a heavy fine for opening his shop on the first day of the week. The city law of Chicago is twenty-five dollars fine for working on First-day, and in nearly all the principal cities of the United States, action is being taken to suppress Sunday desecration.
Rochester, N. Y., Sept. 14th, 1853.

Clarkson Conference.

By John Norton Loughborough

According to appointment our conference at Clarkson was held Sept. 10th and 11th. A goodly number of brethren were present from Orangeport, Barre and Rochester. At the commencement of the Sabbath we enjoyed an excellent season of prayer and conference. The Lord was with us and we felt confidence to move forward in the meeting, believing that souls would be benefited.
Sabbath morning we repaired to the Grove, where seats had been fitted up for the occasion. Quite an attentive audience assembled to hear the word which was spoken by Bro. I. Wyman and the writer. On First-day we were favored with a congregation of some six hundred people and upwards, who listened with deep interest while we endeavored to set before them the thrilling testimonies on every hand, as well as from the Word, which speak forth the truthfulness of our present position. The falling tear and earnest gaze evinced the true condition of their hearts. Many were anxious to hear more; accordingly we appointed a meeting at Bro. Lamson's house in the evening. The house was filled with attentive hearers. Many expressed satisfaction relative to the correctness of the positions taken on the subjects of the Two Horned Beast, Third Angel's Message and Commandments of God. A Nephew of Bro. Lamson was greatly blessed while stating that he was constrained to testify that the Lord was with us, and that he was satisfied of the truth as far as he had heard.
This conference, truly, was a refreshing season for the saints assembled. The prayer-meetings especially, were of deep interest. We believe the Lord has set his hand to recover the remnant of his people in Clarkson. The certain sound of the trumpet has gone forth. May the Lord help to take warning, and prepare for battle.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH. Rochester, N. Y., Sept. 14th, 1853.

The Protestants' manner of Enforcing the Fourth Commandment.

By John Norton Loughborough

THE following sketch from a Catechism published by the Presbyterian board, fell under my observation not long since; and as it is illustrative of the manner in which children are taught to observe the fourth commandment, I copy it for the readers of the Review. Let no one wonder, after reading this, why it is that men, as a mass, are keeping the first day of the week as the Sabbath.
"Q. Gen. ii. God did not make anything on the seventh day, what did he do? A. He rested.
Q. Was he tired? A. He was not. Q. What is meant by saying that he rested? A. That he created nothing more. Q. Had this day any other name than the seventh? A. It had. Q. What was it? A. The Sabbath. Q. Who gave it this name? A. God. Q. What has God told us about this day in the first part of the fourth commandment? A. 'Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.' Q. If you play, do you keep it holy? A. You do not. Q. Should we do any more work than is very necessary? A. We should not. Q. May we talk about play or work? A. We may not. Q. Should we so much as think about them? A. We should not. Q. To whom does this day belong? A. This day belongs to God alone, He chooses Sunday for his own; And we must neither work nor play, Because it is the Sabbath day.
Q. What shall we do on the Sabbath day, go to sleep? A. No, we should learn about God, talk about him, read about him, sing to him and pray to him. Q. What should we love? A. What God loves. Q. What should we hate? A. What God hates. Q. Shall we ever see God? A. We shall. Q. When? A. After death. Q. How long will those who love God be with him? A. Forever. Q. Can you repeat any verse like this lesson? A. Yes. This is the day when Christ arose, So early from the dead, Why should I keep my eyelids closed, And waste my time in bed, I'll leave my sport, and read and pray, And so prepare for heaven; O, may I keep this blessed day, The best of all the seven."
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

The Great Day of the Lord.

THAT will be a day for which all other days were made—a day in the scenes of which we must all take a part. It will be a day of rejoicing to some, and a day of despair to others; and oh how different will be the sensations of these two classes! The one will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and the other must endure the fierceness of his anger.
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When Christ shall send forth his angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost parts of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven, and they have all been caught up to meet the Lord in the air, then will be witnessed among those who are left upon the earth such a heart-rending scene as language cannot describe, or the imagination conceive. For one to feel that he is left behind while his Christian friends are with their Saviour, must be awful in the extreme; and if the dread reality could be fully impressed upon the mind, it would seem that no one would hazard a moment's delay in an unconverted state. All the pleasures of this life will be felt to have been less than nothing when the bitter dregs of the cup of the wrath of Almighty God are once tasted. And all the ills which can afflict our mortal state, will be more than overbalanced by one moment of such joy as will be the portion of those who are blessed of the Lord; yet millions will run the risk of being forever cast off from the presence of their God.
Why will not man be wise, and make his calling and election sure while yet he may, before the door is forever closed against him. Why will he not supplicate the favor of Him whose smiles are so essential to his future well being, that when the day of trouble and distress shall come, he may have a refuge, an ark of safety to which he may flee. It will be a blessed privilege to enter into the chamber of God, until his indignation be overpast, but it will be a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an angry God.—Signs of the Times, 1842.

A CHALLENGE.

By W. Lockhart

THE following we take from the Toronto Mirror, a catholic paper, published in Toronto, Canada. It is an extract from the words of W. Lockhart, late B. A., of Oxford, now missionary priest of the Catholic Church, to the ministers and lay members of the Protestant Church in Ireland. He speaks as follows:
"I say, then, that I am a Catholic by the grace of God, because I was led to see that some other authority besides the Bible and the Bible only was necessary in order to prove many of the very points which all Protestants admit to be essential to Christianity. Protestants deny this, and declare that nothing is necessary to be believed but what can be proved from the Bible and the Bible only—namely, from plain texts of Scripture. The whole question is, therefore, reduced into a nutshell; in proof or disproof of this, lies the proof or disproof of Protestantism.—I do, therefore, solemnly challenge the Protestants of Ireland to prove by plain texts of Scripture the questions concerning the obligation of,
I.—The Christian Sabbath.—1st. That Christians may work on Saturday, the old seventh day. 2d. That they are bound to keep holy the first day—namely, Sunday. 3d. That they are not bound to keep holy the seventh day also. II.—The necessity of infant baptism or any command or permission to confer it. . . .
If these, or any of these, cannot be proved from the Bible and the Bible only, without reference to authority or tradition (which latter, according to the principles of Protestantism, is a mere human and fallible guide,) I would ask any candid Protestant to say why he believes them still: and if he is determined to believe them in common with Catholic Christians, how does he reject the only ground on which Catholics believe them—namely, the ever-living infallible guidance promised by Our Lord to His Church before a single syllable of the New Testament was written, on the authority of the Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth?—1 Tim. iii, 15. Matt. xxviii, 16, 20. These questions I proposed publicly in the Cathedral of Tuam, and have received the following letter, which I subjoin with my own comments thereon, from which it will appear how wholly inadequate are the texts alleged—though indeed no stronger can be brought forward—to prove what it is attempted to substantiate. Yet this is the very foundation of Protestantism, and those who protest against the Church must first prove that they have grounds for their attack, and defend their own rule of Faith, the Bible and the Bible only:—

LETTER OF THE REV. J. FOWLER, PROTESTANT CURATE OF TUAM.

Tuam, Monday, May 16th, 1853. REV. SIR,—In reply to your challenge to produce Scriptural authority for the change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week, I would refer you to the Apocalypse, Chap. i, 10.—'I was in the spirit on the Lord's Day, and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet,' and 1 Cor. xvi, 2. 'On the first day of the week let every one of you put apart with himself, laying up what it shall well please him, that when I come the collections be not then to be made.' Though I do not acknowledge the authority of the council of Trent, yet, as it is binding on you, I would direct you to its Catechism, Part III, Chap. iv, question 7, where the above passages are quoted in proof of the change of the Sabbath. As to infant baptism, it is proved by Matt. xviii, 3. 'Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven,' compared with Mark x, 16.—'And embracing them, and laying his hands upon them, He blessed them.' 1 Cor. i, 16.—'And I baptized all the household of Stephanas; besides I know not whether I baptized any others;' and Acts xvi, 33.—'And he taking them the same hour of the night, washed their stripes; and himself was baptized and all his house immediately.' Col. ii, 11.—'In whom also you are circumcised with circumcision, not made by hands in despoiling of the body of the flesh, but in the circumcision of Christ.' Rom. v, 17.—'For if by one man's offence death reigned through one; much more they who receive abundance of grace, and of the gift, and of justice, shall reign in life through one, Jesus Christ.' That these are conclusive on the subject I would again refer you to the Tridentine Catechism, Part II, Chap. ii, question 31. Should you feel any difficulty in acknowledging them, you must first settle it with your own Church. You are opposed to her in your attempt to assail us. . . .
'I have now replied to, your challenge, and as garbled extracts may be made to prove anything, I do request that you will read the whole letter if you refer to it in your public lecture.—I am, Rev. Sir, your obedient servant, JAMES FOWLER, Clk. 'Rev. W. Lockhart.'
I would now ask the writer, and all candid Protestants, whether the points in question are proved by the above texts? The two about the Lord's Day only prove what no question has been raised about, viz., that the first day of the week was kept holy by the early Christians. But where is the command for this, or where the permission to supersede the old seventh day obligations? How do we know that both were not to be kept, or that we may work on Saturday?
As to infant baptism, the two texts first quoted would prove equally well that infants need no baptism; for when Our Lord took them in His arms, we are not told that he baptized them, but said that, such as they were, they were fit for the kingdom of Heaven. The texts about the household of Stephanas and of the Jailor prove nothing, since there is no mention of infant children in either household. The texts about circumcision, as analogous to baptism, prove nothing, otherwise they would equally prove that none but male children could be baptized, because none but male children could be circumcised.
*** The references to the Council of Trent, and the Prologomena of Menochius are nothing in point, for I do not ask how Catholics, who believe in one Infallible Church, prove those points; but how Protestants, who believe in the Bible, and the Bible only, prove them.
Earnestly recommending the matter to the serious consideration of all conscientious Protestants, I subscribe myself their servant for Christ's sake, W. LOCKHART. Missionary Priest, Order of Charity, (Late B. A., of Oxford.)

COMMUNICATIONS.

By D. P. Hall

From Bro. Hall.

Dear Bro. White:—Nearly one year has now elapsed since I commenced the investigation of the third angel's message, and other doctrines peculiar to your paper; and I must say that I never pursued an investigation with so much caution as I have this. I have been peculiarly cautious from the suspicion that there might be a great deal of fanaticism connected with the movement. But after so long a time I am compelled to confess that my fears are groundless, and that, on the contrary, the discussion through the Review and otherwise, has been conducted with candor and sobriety. In this investigation I have not been obliged to adopt new rules of interpretation, but simply to carry the old ones out to their legitimate results; and more than once in my discussion in opposition to these truths, have my friends reminded me of the propriety of adhering closely to first principles. This admonition never was given without its effect; for I could not bear the thought of throwing away old truths to evade the reception of new ones.
Allow me to say that I commenced the investigation of this matter under very unfavorable circumstances, and that the prejudice which I had, has been worn away by the simple convictions of truth, and that step by step, it has been one of the greatest of crosses for me to commence the observance of God's Holy Sabbath; but thank God, it looks right and straight now.
It was a hard matter for me to get the question of the Law of God settled in a satisfactory manner; but now all seems plain. As to the Sanctuary, I had some time ago seen the fallacy of our opponent's reasonings upon that question. This, from the first, seemed plain and beautiful. In conclusion, let me say, that I believe the time has come for the third angel's message to be sounded; and I am resolved by the help of God, to mingle my voice in the cry. The evidences to me are overwhelming, and I could not deny them without throwing away prophecy and history. I sometimes fear for myself and others, because of our slumbering so long over these vastly important truths. God forgive, and awake us to more zeal and watchfulness in the glorious cause of truth and righteousness.
Wisconsin is a large field, where much can be done by the help of the Lord. Laborers are few. Brn. Waggoner, Stewart, Stephenson and myself are the only ones who, to my knowledge, contemplate giving our entire time to the work.
We received a very profitable visit, not long since, from Bro. Cornell and Loughborough. May God prosper them, and give them many souls in the day of the Lord.
Yours in Hope of the Kingdom, D. P. Hall.
Ripon, Fon-du-Lac Co., Wis., Sept. 13th 1853.
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