p. 37 | Why we Do So by J. O. Corliss

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 29, 1875

Why we Do So.

By J. O. Corliss

Said a minister of the gospel a few days ago, after hearing a discourse on the fourth commandment, “I think those men do wrong in teaching the observance of the seventh day enjoined in the law, as they only put a weapon in the hands of the world with which to afflict the church.” The above, intended as a weighty objection to the Sabbath because in opposition to the universal practice of the church, is but a tacit acknowledgment that the church is in error on the point. The great wrong inveighed against was not the teaching of a doctrine opposed to the Bible, but portraying the truths of God’s word so clearly as to expose sin in which the church was shown to be involved, and it was feared the world would lose confidence in their teachings if these transgressions were faithfully pointed out.

In view of such expressions, may we not justly conclude that we are living in the time of the fulfillment of Isa. 56:10–12? The chapter opens with an emphatic declaration of God through the prophet that his salvation is near to come, and his righteousness to be revealed; and the apostle Peter tells us salvation will be revealed in the last time (1 Pet. 1:5), which determines the time of the application of the words of God by the prophet. He proceeds in the second verse: “Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil,” showing that at that time some can lay hold of the Sabbath who have previously been polluting it, and by so doing will secure to themselves a great blessing as brought to view in succeeding verses.

But a class spoken of in verse 10 are represented as being blind, ignorant, and dumb, and the reason why they are so deplorably deficient, is given in the language that follows: “Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber,” and therefore they do not see, and are ignorant of, the will of God.

But the Lord speaks again in the 58th chapter, saying, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins,” and in the enumeration of these departures from God which follow, Sabbath-breaking is mentioned as a prominent one, and he says, “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, . . . then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord,” which implies that some professing to be his people will be guilty of trampling under foot his holy day, and therefore will not be delighting themselves in the Lord. In consequence of this he says, “Cry aloud, spare not, and show my people their transgression,” and in accordance with this solemn charge, and in fulfillment of Rev. 14:12, which is a part of the last solemn message of mercy to mankind, the cry is now going forth to the world, that the people may turn from their transgressions and be prepared to meet the stern realities of the impending Judgment, when every man’s work will be tried of what sort it is.

J. O. CORLISS.

Gray, Maine.