Strange Preaching by Thomas J. Cross

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 18, 1870

Strange Preaching.

By Thomas J. Cross

“Many Christians know not why they keep the first day of the week for the Sabbath.” Thus spoke one of the strong advocates for Sunday-keeping. The time and circumstances that called out these truthful remarks, together with many other things that were not in accordance with sound doctrine, was a time of inquiry and deep interest with many, Eld. Wm. S. Ingraham having in a clear and logical argument presented the claims of the seventh-day Sabbath, together with the honor, dignity and perpetuity of the law of God. Such was the intensity of feeling, when the plain truth of God was brought to bear, that many, apparently, were on the point of yielding. And to counteract this influence, not less than five ministers came to the rescue. No effort or arguments they could bring to bear were left untried. And to bring up the rear, and put a final quietus upon this troublesome question, the Elder from Winnebago City, among other things said, used the language at the heading of these lines—“Many Christians know not why they keep the first day of the week for the Sabbath.”

How true, and yet how strange. If the Bible is what it purports to be, of divine authenticity, the only and sufficient rule of faith and practice, certainly we ought to be able to give to every one that asketh, a reason why and what we believe. But what reason can be given for Sunday-keeping? All must admit that a law is in full force until repealed by a power equal to that which enacted it. But when they look for a change or repeal of any part of the law of God, it is like looking for the living among the dead. They cannot make void the law of God, for it is as immutable as the eternal throne. But seventh-day-Sabbath-keepers know why they observe the seventh day. See Gen. 2: 2, 3. Also Exodus 16, and chapter 20, where the law was given in its present form. There on Mount Sinai, amid scenes of the most awful and sublime grandeur, the ten commandments were written out by the finger of God upon tables of stone. And there, prominent in that divine code, we find the fourth commandment, God’s seal and memorial.

How fitting that there should be a weekly memorial, by which the great Creator and the vastness of his works are brought more especially and forcibly to the mind. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork.” The changing seasons, seed-time and harvest, with all the variegated scenery of nature, all proclaim that the hand that formed them is divine. Therefore the Sabbath of the Lord, kept “according to the commandment,” will ever produce a vivid consciousness of the divine power and the sacred obligations that we are under to yield a ready obedience to the great Creator and Law-giver. Thus we observe the day that God has sanctified and blessed.

There are other doctrines that are held as sacred, which have no foundation in the oracles of truth. They are taken for granted because so taught in the catechism, or confession of faith, all of which they steadfastly believe.

Another of the teachers uses this language: “That from Adam to Moses they were without law.” Then, of course, they were without sin. Again, we are told that “another hundred years of religious prosperity like the past hundred, and our world is revolutionized, all converted to Christ, and the last vestige of infidelity is forever swept away.” How glowing the picture drawn, “with the telegraph, the railroads, &c., all enlisted in pushing forward the victories of the cross.” Says the preacher, “The Crimean war did much toward advancing that long-prayed-for time of the world’s conversion.” According to this course of reasoning, much was accomplished in our late rebellion toward christianizing these United States, the evidence of which does not yet appear. Then again, the present European war, by parity of reasoning, will produce the peaceful fruits of righteousness. What, then, may be expected when the nations, all the great powers of earth, are angry?

Such is a specimen of some of the teaching in these latter days. But, says the inspired writer: “Speak thou the things that become sound doctrine.” “As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man.” “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” Instead of the world’s conversion, we look for evil men and seducers to wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Are the above teachings in accordance with that gospel taught by Paul, or has the time come when they will not endure sound doctrine? To my mind, such teachings sound like the trumpet that gives a strange, uncertain sound.

May the light of divine truth shine full and clear upon our pathway, and so illumine the sacred pages that we may be able to distinguish between truth and fables. “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.” Thus prayed our Saviour. May this prayer be answered. Then shall we be free indeed.

THOMAS J. CROSS.