FOR THE SIGNS (Vaill)

 

FOR THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

BROTHER BEEBE:—There is published at Hartford, Ct. a paper called the “Christian Secretary,” and is “under the patronage of the Connecticut Baptist Convention.”

It has for its motto, “What thou seest write and send unto the churches.” In the third number of this paper there is published an article from the Religious Magazine on the observance of the Sabbath—and in agreement with its motto it is “sent unto the churches.” The sentiments contained in this article must of course accord with the sentiments of the Editor, and his Baptist Convention. I send you the following article taken from the Christian Baptist on the subject referred to above; and wish the Editor of the Secretary to do as he promises; that is for him to copy what thou seest and send it unto the churches. And as Dr. Ely says that the Religious Herald, the Christian Watchman, and the Baptist Repository, all “belong to the same class (New School) with the Philadelphian,”—— it would be well for them to publish the same as many of their patrons must stand in need of being “Taught the way of the Lord more perfectly.”

LEBBEUS L. VAIL.

Goshen, Or. Co. N. Y.

From the Christian Baptist.

The subject of our present address is the Sabbath day, and the Lord’s day. Either christians are bound to observe the Sabbath day, or they are not. If they are, let us see what the nature of that observance is, which was prescribed for the Sabbath day. The law reads thus: “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work: the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. 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.” You will observe that, in this command, God positively prohibits all manner of work or labor on this day. Son, daughter, servant, cattle, stranger, are commanded to be exempted from all manner of work. In examining the particular precepts originating from this law, recorded in the Old testament, we find the following specifications:—

1 “Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations on the Sabbath day,” Ex xx, 3.

2 “Abide ye every man in his place, (house or tent;) yet no man go out of his place, (house or tent,) on the Sabbath day,” Ex. xvi. 29.

3 “He give you on the sixth day the bread of two days. Bake that which ye will bake this day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over, lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” Ex. xvi, 29—23.

4 “Bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem, neither carry fourth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day,” Jer. xvii, 21, 22.

5 “No doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words,” Is. lxii, 13.

6 “From even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath.” Lev. xxiii, 33.

7 “Whosoever doeth any work on the Sabbath day he shall surely be put to death. Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death,” Ex. xxxi. 14, 15.

“And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done with him. And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died, as the Lord commanded Moses.” Numbers xv, 32—36.

The above texts are a few of many that might be selected out of the Old Testament on this subject. We believe them to be a fair specimen of the law given by Moses, as explained and enforced upon the nation of Israel.

Now the question is, are we under this law? If we are, we pay little or no respect unto it. For who is there that does not habitually violate the rest enjoined on this day? Those who make the most ado about Sabbath-breakers are themselves, according to the above law, worthy of death.—They kindle fire in their houses. They go out of their houses, and travel on their cattle miles. Their sons and their daughters do some kind of work; they bring in burdens of water, wood, and prepare food. They celebrate it not from evening to evening, but from morning to evening they violate it. They speak their own words, and do many things worthy of death. Why then is not the penalty enforced? Assuredly the observance of this law is mere mockery. It is an insult on the Law-giver!

We know that some of the Clergy have given, if not sold them indulgences to violate it. They have told them that certain “works of necessity and mercy” are allowable. But who told them so? They tell them they may prepare food, bring in fuel and water. But God forbade those under this law to do so. So far was he from countenancing such “works of necessity,” that he wrought three miracles to prevent the necessity of doing a “work of necessity.” He sent two days portion of manna from heaven the sixth day—he sent none the seventh—he preserved that gathered on the sixth from putrefaction until the close of the seventh; all of which were special miracles, for the space of forty years he wrought three miracles to prevent an Israelite from crossing his threshold to gather up a little manna for his daily food, how dare any give a dispensation, in his name, to do that which is tenfold more laborious!!!

Because the Saviour of the world put to silence those who accused him of breaking the Sabbath, by appealing to their own conduct in relieving animals in distress, this doctrine of “works of necessity and mercy” has been represented as of divine origin. What a perversion! An argumentum ad hominem converted into a general maxim!! But such a perversion shews consummate inattention to the laws of Israel. While Israel kept the law there never would occur an opportunity for a work of necessity or of mercy, such as these law-givers tolerate. For while they kept the law, they should be blessed in their basket, store, fields, houses, children, flocks, herds,—no house would take fire—no ox would fall into a pit, &c. And if they transgressed the law, they should be cursed in all these respects, and no toleration of a violation of the law was granted as a means of mitigating the curse.

Again. Let me ask, was there ever a law published relating that rigid observance of rest enjoined upon the Sabbath? Was there a law published, saying, You must or you may observe the Sabbath with less care, with less respect; you may now speak your own words, kindle fire in your houses, and prepare victuals? &c. &c. I say, was ever such a law published? No, indeed,—either the law remains in all its force, to the utmost extent of its literal requirements, or it is passed away with the Jewish ceremonies. If it yet exist let us observe it according to law. And if it does not exist, let us abandon a mock observance of another day for it.

“But,” says some, “it was changed from the seventh to the first day.” Where? When? And by whom? No man can tell.

No, it never was changed, nor could it be, unless creation was to be gone through again: if the reason assigned must be changed before the observance, or respect to the season, can be changed!! It is an old wives’ fables to talk of the change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day. If it be changed, it was that august personage changed it who changes times and laws ex-officio.
To be Continued.