Report from Bro. Sterling.
By J. G. Sterling
BRO. SMITH: Let me say to the brethren and sisters who feel interested in the cause of present truth, that I am at home once more after an absence of six months, lacking seven days. I have labored in the counties of Kent, Newaygo, and Muskegon, Mich. A Baptist minister who was present on one occasion gave an exhortation after the discourse, urging the people to go forward, i. e., by Sunday-keeping, and not backward to Judaism. I told him that was what we wanted, to go forward and not backward, and requested chapter and verse for his authority for the term “Christian Sabbath,” he used so frequently. His answer was that the Christian Sabbath was the term commonly applied to the Sabbath after it was changed. Here again testimony was called for. He assumed it as a well-known fact, patent to all, and finally gave the following: “It is very evident from Paul’s language, Let every one lay by on the first day of the week, and bring together your collections,” &c. I thought that the passage would bear reading. This he said was unnecessary, as he had it about right. However I read it, and showed that all that he got out of it to favor his view was like getting milk out of a sponge; it must first be put in. This passage he said was not material to the argument, as there were others, and quoted from Acts 20. I made him admit that the meeting was an evening meeting, and therefore Paul’s journey of nineteen miles Sunday morning did not compare very well with the supposed idea of its sanctity. He then claimed the commandments not binding as they read, “for love is the fulfilling of the law.” Very well, I replied; suppose you had told your son to do a piece of work, and like the man in Scripture he says, “I go, sir, and went out.” You demand the cause. “Oh! I am doing it,” he replies. “You say love fulfills God’s commands; then I will love you and that will fulfill your commands.” He claimed to be misunderstood. He only meant that the law did not now come to us with a compelling force, but we should keep the law because we love to. You have it now, said I; keep all the commandments because you love to. Come, brother, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. The seventh day is the Sabbath.” Obey this because you love to obey. He then objected, arguing that really we had no Sabbath now. I now drew a Baptist tract from my pocket on the subject of “Sabbath-breaking,” and read. He did not seem pleased to hear this Baptist tract at this time, and suggested the propriety of closing. I did not get an interview with him after meeting. His brethren said that the trouble with the elder was he could not express himself—could not get out what he wanted to. Several confessed that we have the truth in the main. Bro. and sister Sischo, living two miles from here, attended the meetings when they could, and were, I trust, much benefited. They were led to embrace the truth through the influence of Bro. and sister Waters. I labored last in Hesperia. As I have previously spoken of my labors here, I need only add that, notwithstanding the strong tide of opposition here, there are some who are not satisfied with the no-law theory by which we were opposed.