p. 11 | Holy Days by A. P. Lawton

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 23, 1874

Holy Days.

By A. P. Lawton

“ONE man esteemeth one day above another; another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” Rom. 14:5.

We often have to meet this, as sufficient to silence all claim to a definite day as a Sabbath. As some from different nations embraced the apostle’s teachings, they, as a matter of course, brought each their traditions, feasts, holy days, and new moon, all of which had no more reference to the Sabbath of the ten commandments, written with God’s own finger on tables of stone, than Easter, Lent, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Washington’s birthday. They not only had their festivals, but a particular day for their observance. These were classed together. The apostle cautioned them, lest they should be diverted from his lessons of truth, which he so much wished to impress upon their minds, and dispute about those things which were not essentially in the way. He knew their prejudices, and when they did not interfere with the commands of God, and the gospel of Christ, they should not be introduced to hinder and prejudice the truth.

They would naturally assume less proportions and lose all appreciable weight, as the people became interested in the glad news of salvation through Christ. The apostle wished to elevate their minds to these important truths which should not be clogged by non-essentials. Jesus said he came not to destroy the law or prophets, but to fulfill. If Christ had no commission to alter or abolish any part of the law of God, neither dare I.

A. P. LAWTON. West Winfield, N. Y.