TESTIMONY FOR THE SABBATH.
By CHARLES P. WHITFORD
In a work entitled “Infant Baptism,” published by the Boston Congregational Board, in 1866, the writer labors to prove that “infant baptism was sanctioned by Christ, practiced by the apostles, and universally adopted as a divine ordinance by the apostolic churches.” For the truth of this proposition he says, “We appeal to the history of the church.” Interspersed with his arguments favoring infant baptism, he has given us some good testimony in favor of the ancient Sabbath of the Lord; by admitting that the Scriptures are silent concerning first-day observance. We are Protestants, and believe that the Bible is a sufficient rule of faith and practice, and this is why, when our attention was called to the fact that “the Scriptures are silent concerning first-day observance,” we were led to rest upon the seventh day, that of which the Scriptures everywhere say, “The seventh day is the Sabbath.” After having advanced some fifty pages with his argument the writer says, “But for all this there are many who will say that they have but little confidence in the historical argument, for surely if it were necessary for us to baptize our children the Saviour or his apostles would have told us so; and one sentence from the New Testament would be of more worth than a volume of extracts from the fathers. But we tell the objector that he must have confidence in the historical argument, or give up things of more importance than infant baptism. Our observance of the first day of the week as a Sabbath rests upon this argument. We find this day set apart as a day of rest and public worship by almost every denomination of Christians throughout the world, and the observance of it is considered by all as obligatory. By whose authority has this day been thus set apart? Is this institution from Heaven, or is it of man? If the answer is, From Heaven, we ask, How do you know that? It is in vain to quote the fourth commandment; for that relates to the seventh day. It is in vain to send us to the New Testament; for the Saviour has left us no precept requiring us to keep this day holy, nor is there any account of the manner in which the apostles observed it to be found in their writings. How, then, do we know—how can we know—the will of Christ in regard to this matter? We search the history of the church, and we believe its testimony. We ask the successive ages, as they pass in review before us, from whence they received this institution, and by what authority the seventh day has been exchanged for the first.” Here the writer makes an appeal to historical evidence, and then says, “This is the ground upon which we receive and hold fast one of the most important institutions that God ever gave to man.” Reader, are you a Protestant? and is this your authority for so important an institution as that of the Sabbath? The writer continues: “Silence the voice of history, and where should we be? We deem it sufficient to prove that the Christian Sabbath is a divine institution.” “If we give up infant baptism on the ground that the uniform testimony of the fathers of the church for many hundred years after the apostles is not sufficient to produce conviction, how shall we answer the Seventh-day Baptist, who rejects the Christian, and keeps the Jewish, Sabbath?” “There is no express command in the New Testament which requires Christians to worship God on the Sabbath at all; and yet do we ever hear, from Christians at least, an objection against the observance of the Sabbath or public worship, grounded on this silence? No new command in relation to the Sabbath is necessary; for the fourth commandment of the decalogue is binding upon the church in all ages.” Such is the testimony in favor of the ancient Sabbath of the Lord from a prominent and learned man of the Congregational denomination. Professor Mahan says, “Admissions in favor of truth from the ranks of its enemies, constitute the highest kind of evidence.” Here are admissions in favor of the Sabbath as strong as Sabbatarians could ask or wish; and that, too, from the ranks of those who would not make them if the Sabbath was the subject under consideration. Notice the remarks, “It is vain to quote the fourth commandment; for that relates to the seventh day;” and again, “The fourth commandment of the decalogue is binding upon the church in all ages.” What better argument could be adduced in favor of the down-trodden Sabbath of the Lord? Reader, remember that God’s word is truth. It reveals the “words of knowledge” which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith in Christ. The words of man are vanity; his wisdom is folly. “Take heed that no man deceive you.”