p. 5 | The Sabbath of the Lord by C. E. Holmes

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Feb 12, 1914

The Sabbath of the Lord

By C. E. Holmes

C. E. HOLMES

IN a pamphlet recently published by the Lord’s Day Alliance of the United States it is stated that the fourth commandment of the decalogue refers to the institution and not to the particular day; that is, after any six days of work the seventh day should be a day of rest, and this idea carried out will be observing the Sabbath.

This argument is used quite generally by First-day observers, especially when it is desired to switch the Sabbath from the seventh day of the week to the first. If this idea were literally followed, there would be no day in the week on which somebody would not be resting. Each person would be at liberty to select his sabbath, or rest day.

Such an argument, however, entirely overlooks a very fundamental statement of the Author of the decalogue. It says plainly in the fourth commandment that the seventh day is the “Sabbath of the Lord thy God.” The Creator, as a personal being, has seen fit to work six days and rest on the seventh. He selected the six days of labor and the seventh of rest that he wished. He used the same liberty that the writer already referred to claims belongs to all. But—and here is the point—the Creator after specifying exactly the day on which he rested and which he blessed, asks his creatures to respect his Sabbath.

It should be apparent at once from this that the creature, man, has not been authorized to select a day to observe and call the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Man’s duty is to accept the period set apart for him, and keep it in the way required by the One who set it apart.

Takoma Park, D. C.