Your ShelfYour Projects

To Correspondents

20%

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 2, 1872

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 39, No. 3.

Read the full edition

To Correspondents.

By Uriah Smith

M. G. CREASY: The revolutions of the earth can be marked as accurately in the frigid zone, as in the temperate or torrid. As far north as human beings have ever succeeded in going, they have no difficulty in numbering the days of the week; and that is all that is necessary to determine when the Sabbath comes. The objection arises from lack of information, or of consideration. During that portion of the year when the sun is for several weeks continuously above the horizon, its altitude is continually varying. At the close of the day the sun is nearest the horizon. So, when it is for a time continually below the horizon, at one point in each revolution it comes so near to it that its position can be easily determined, and so the transition from one day to another be definitely marked. Read the accounts of those who have traveled in northern latitudes.
I. SANBORN: The words in Matt. 5:18, “till all be fulfilled,” are from the Greek, ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται (heose an panta geneetai), and may be literally translated, “till all things are accomplished.” The adjective, all (πάντα), is neuter plural. It does not agree with either law or prophets mentioned before, for they are both masculine, but with the word “things” understood, and must refer to all things which are of such a nature that the words “come to pass,” “take place,” “accomplish” (which are among the definitions of the verb γίνομαι), may be applied to them. These terms are applicable to the declarations of the prophets, but not to the law. There can be no question as to the import of Christ’s declaration on this point. It is that not one jot or tittle of the law should be annulled, or pass away, till all things written in the prophets, all things that enter into the purpose of God touching the redemption of our earth and race, should be accomplished.
We do not think that Heb. 4:10, refers to the keeping of the Sabbath in this state, but that it is a declaration showing that no one has yet entered into the rest of God which is mentioned in the previous verses, since we are not yet released from the work of faith by which that rest is to be gained. See article on this subject in Vol. 38, No. 7, of REVIEW.
U. S.