A Letter and Reply

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 2, 1869

A Letter and Reply.

DEAR BROTHER: I write you for information in regard to the Sabbath. Last fall we moved to Stanton, Montcalm Co., Mich., and while there, for the first time, we heard of the Seventh-day Adventists. I heard a few lectures from Eld. Matteson, and was convinced that Saturday is the true Sabbath. Owing to the health of my family we returned this spring to our old home in this State. The Sabbath is something very strange to the people of this region. We are called Jews, and are blamed for keeping the old Mosaic law.

I was taught in Michigan that the Sabbath was changed by the Roman Apostasy, and that this change was wrought during the dark ages. I was told yesterday that the apostles made the change. I would like to have some testimony from history relative to this change of the Sabbath so that I can answer those who question my reasons for differing from others. We are alone in this faith, but we intend to keep the Sabbath. I want to take your paper as soon as I can.

I desire also to learn how soon after the dark ages the seventh-day began to be observed by Christians. I am told that a city set upon a hill cannot be hid; and that if it had been God's will that men should keep the seventh-day, there would have been people keeping it ever since Christ, beside the Jews.

WM. JAMES. Kosciusko Co., Ind.

ANSWER. We are glad to learn that you have decision of heart to obey God in the observance of the fourth commandment. One thing is very certain, with the open Bible in your hand, you can show that God appointed the seventh day to a holy use in memory of his own rest from the work of creation, and that he has never revoked this appointment, and never changed it to the first day of the week. The observance of the rest-day of the Lord is enforced by one of the ten commandments. That precept survived the crucifixion of Christ, and was obeyed under very remarkable circumstances the day after that event. Luke xxiii, 56. The Bible contains not one hint of the change of the Sabbath, except indeed by the little horn. Dan. vii, 25. It never speaks of Sunday as a day of abstinence from labor. It never calls it by the name of Sabbath, or by any sacred title whatsoever. Nothing can be more certain, therefore, than that the original Sabbath has never been changed by divine authority, and that, if we make the Bible our guide, it is clearly our duty to keep the Sabbath of the Lord, ordained at the beginning of our world's existence.

Until the new edition of the History of the Sabbath is published, which will be at the earliest time possible, we refer you for information concerning the change of the Sabbath, to the little work recently published, entitled, “Sermons on the Sabbath and Law,” which we send you with this number of the paper. The change of the Sabbath was effected by many successive acts, all directed with the one object of putting down the Sabbath, and of establishing the first day of the week in its stead.

We think it can be clearly shown that God has not left himself without witnesses to bear testimony to his Sabbath, and in the midst of the general darkness to faithfully observe the day which he hallowed in Eden.