p. 411 | Clinton Co., Mich by Wm. H. Kynett

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 16, 1868

Clinton Co., Mich

By Wm. H. Kynett

From Bro. Kynett.

Bro. Smith: I can say but little for myself. My knowledge of God's word is very limited; but what little I do know is worth to me all the world besides. It stimulates me to action, encourages me to do good, to renounce the world, take up my cross and follow Christ, “keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus,” press my way through to the kingdom, and finally make this earth made new my eternal abode.

My companion and myself are the only ones in this vicinity who keep the Sabbath of the Lord; and we can truly say it is a delight. We meet some opposition, and much prejudice, all because it is unpopular, and nothing else. It is a great deal easier for them to deny that the seventh-day Sabbath is binding upon us, than it is for them to take the Bible and prove it. So far but one has undertaken to do it; and he fell very far short of it, inasmuch as he failed to get a “thus saith the Lord” to sanction it. He claimed that it was more appropriate to keep Sunday than Saturday, because redemption was completed when Christ arose from the dead. Redemption completed when Christ rose from the dead! Oh! how far from truth this idea is, when, in fact, his work of redemption was then, as it were, but just begun. How can a sane man claim that redemption is completed while a subject of redemption remains to be redeemed? He then claimed that Christ always met with his disciples on Sunday. I showed him that after eight days, John xx, 26, which was his second meeting, would at least be on the second day if not on the third. After referring him to Christ's third meeting, John xxi, 4, which was at the sea of Tiberias, verse 1, on a fishing occasion, verse 3, he came to the conclusion that he made a mistake, “but then,” said he, “Christ ascended on the first day.” This he found to be a mistake by counting for himself. He finally said that he did not think it made any difference what day was kept, just so that we keep one day in seven. This is strong argument for a minister of the gospel. One says to me, “As a friend, I tell you that you are lowering yourself in the estimation of the people, and that you are losing a great deal by working on Sunday.”

May God help me to press on. Conformity to the world is enmity with God. Persecution, only serves to drive us nearer to God. Our Master was perfect, and yet suffered persecution. Can we who are so far from perfection expect to escape it? No, indeed.

It is a little more than three months since we commenced to keep the Sabbath, and our love for it is growing stronger as we become enlightened. I never heard an Advent minister preach. All the preaching we have is in the Review, which some kind friend has been sending to us since No. 13. We feel very thankful for it. I intend to take it hereafter. We cannot well do without it. It makes our hearts glad as we receive it from week to week, and read the many precious truths it contains. I love to read the many spirited letters from the scattered flock. I know how to sympathize with those who are surrounded by scoffers at present truth. I wish a messenger would come this way; I think some good might be done. I believe we are now living under the last message to fallen man, and soon our probation will be closed up. Christ will have finished his work in the sanctuary, and then every case will be decided; and by the assisting grace of God I am determined to present myself before the Lord unspotted from the world. Instinctively I feel that a trying time awaits us. May God help us to prepare for it. Yours hoping for immortality through Christ.

Wm. H. Kynett.