That's All by D. H. Lamson

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, Cal. · May 6, 1875

That's All.

By D. H. Lamson

THESE words escaped the lips of a minister a few days ago, while reading the Review at the house of a friend. The lady of the house loves the Advent faith and the Sabbath, but the husband, to whom these words were addressed, does not profess to love either.

The above expression was called forth by seeing in the paper, a report of meetings, in which it was said that several had commenced to keep the Sabbath.

"That's all," he repeated, to ears that do not need to be prejudiced. "Only keep the Sabbath and you are all right. No faith, no repentance, is required; only keep the Sabbath."

The wickedness of the insinuation is no less apparent when we consider that it came from the lips of a professed minister of the gospel of Christ. Had he, and others who ever since the rise of the Sabbath reform have echoed these words, had a due regard for the second great commandment, we should not be thus foolishly charged; and had they had even a slight regard for the first, the fourth command, which goes far toward making its fair proportions, would not be so lightly esteemed. To the really ingenuous soul, it would be far more gratifying to believe in a degree of honesty in our religious opponents.

But let us try this gentleman, and all others who, like him, are continually rearing this chaffy obstacle in the way of truth. Suppose he or you, reader, were sent, as a missionary to a land where every moral duty was professedly practiced but one, and that one was the requirement to have no gods but the Lord. You see the false gods revered, and temples for their worship reared in every hamlet, town, and city. These people may say they worship the true God through the idol; but would you not cry to God for help in arguments and for influence that should induce them to forsake their unhallowed worship and regard only Him who made the heavens and the earth?

Suppose, too, that you were sometimes successful; that before your eyes the idols were cast away, the temples razed to the ground, or turned into a place of worship for the true God, would there be any joy in your heart? If you had an organ through which you could proclaim such good news to the world, would you not say that so many had turned away from idols to the worship of the true and living God? Would it not be the burden of your work to bring this about? And would it not be your chiefest joy, to see it, in some cases, accomplished, especially if you knew that it was done for the sake of Christ and the truth?

Suppose you were met by some of the more zealous, yet misguided, with the question, "Why don't you preach faith and repentance? Why don't you preach Christ? Why so much about our idol-worship? We worship the true God through the idol, and do you not think the Lord will accept it? We are certainly sincere." Oh! how blind they are, you would say, if they cannot see that Christ was manifested to take away just such work and sin as this.

It is just for this reason, and no other, that we say so much about the Sabbath. The command to observe it could be couched in no plainer terms than it is. The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. Almost all men are disregarding it. We believe that the Lord requires its observance at their hand; and believing thus, should we not preach it? And when men are constrained to leave the Sunday substitute for the genuine Sabbath, should we not rejoice just as much as though there had been a turning away from the transgression of any other commandment?

A man's loyalty to an earthly government is shown by the way he regards its laws, and that man is the best citizen, who obeys them most faithfully. He is not seeking for evasions or substitutes, and will not be satisfied with them, but becomes in his own character their best exponent.

Certainly no man was ever yet justly condemned by human law without a precept to show his duty or forbid the act. The true Christian will seek to know, and is anxious to do, the will of God. He needs only the precept that points out his wrong, and he turns from it. He is filled with sorrow, if, through ignorance, he has been led to lightly esteem a single command of God.

Now will this gentleman, and others who are like him, be benefited by a few passages of Scripture? "Christ was manifested to take away our sins." 1 John 3:5. "Sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4. The law says, "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work." Ex. 20:10.

S. D. Adventists endeavor to do and to teach all the other commandments also; Matt. 5:19; and they know very well, as others ought to know, that the blood of Christ will never avail for those who are unwilling to do this. It does not matter how loud the profession, or how zealous a man may be, obedience will be found to be the final test.

A careful reading, and critical examination, of 1 John 2:4, is recommended as an excellent remedy for self-deception, and then, "let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God; for he will abundantly pardon."

D. H. LAMSON.