WHAT IS ITS TENDENCY? by A. S. HUTCHINS

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 3, 1879

WHAT IS ITS TENDENCY?

By A. S. HUTCHINS

CONCLUSIVE FACTS.

Respecting the advocacy of the no-law or no-Sabbath theory, we are inclined to raise these questions: Is it good, or is it evil? Is the receiver of this doctrine led to reverence God more, and serve him better? Does it strengthen and deepen piety in the heart, or does it tend to impiety and disobedience?

If these questions were submitted to the word of the Lord for a decision, we should return this answer: “They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.” Prov. 28:4.

Were the matter to be settled from experience and observation, the decision must still be in favor of respect to the law of God in every heart controlled by candor and piety. Many cases might be cited as illustrative of the point. We mention the following:—

I knew a man of intelligence and piety, who, when a member of the Baptist church, received with considerable favor the idea that there is no Sabbath binding in the present dispensation. Subsequently he embraced the view held by Seventh-day Adventists, of the immutability and perpetuity of the law, which he cherished and earnestly defended in word and deed through life. Speaking of his no-Sabbath sentiment, he used to tell us that when he held that view he refrained from publishing it, from a consciousness that the tendency of the doctrine must be blighting upon both morals and religion.

Here was a man of sound judgment, well instructed in religion, his father an ex-member of Congress, and one of the first governors of Vermont, also a worthy minister of the Baptist denomination, forbidden of conscience to publish his convictions respecting the Sabbath of the Bible. Thank God for so tender a conscience! We wish we could find it among no-Sabbath advocates at present. Then might we cherish more hope that they would yet see light on the third angel’s message, and rejoice in it.

This brother and his companion fell asleep in sweet hope; but not until they had seen six of their seven children Sabbath-keepers, one of them sounding the last message of mercy, who had but little, if any, faith in the Bible as the revealed will of God, when his parents embraced the Sabbath.

I knew another person who, about the same time, identified herself with Sabbath-keepers; but in her religious nature was an element not sufficiently symmetrical to cherish a love for wholesome discipline, or to find it congenial to render obedience to the Sabbath commandment. Not a long time elapsed before she was heard from as a no-Sabbath advocate, laying great claim to piety. Here she seemed at home; and under her instruction and fostering wing, disciples, Sabbath-breakers, were made to hope in God. If her heart rejoiced to see persons renounce the Sabbath, she had joy in her own family when her daughter and husband ceased its observance.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Now, what about this young couple? Did they grow wiser and better? Did their path shine brighter, as doth the path of the just? One brief chapter in their history is, they soon abandoned each other.

Time rolls on, and character develops; and to-day further information of the son-in-law might be obtained from the register of a State’s prison, where he died not long since under the sentence of a term of years to hard labor, having been proved guilty of a transgression of one of the ten commandments.

Reader, what is the conclusion? Solomon’s was, “Fear God, and keep his commandments.” Does Heaven exclaim to you and me, O that thou wouldst turn a deaf ear to my commandments! then should thy peace be as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea?

A. S. HUTCHINS.