John Nussbaum and the Sabbath Examination by William A. Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 27, 1910

John Nussbaum and the Sabbath Examination

By William A. Spicer

way seemed closed. But in looking for a meeting hall one day, in the university town of Montpellier, the young man's father met a Catholic lady professor, who volunteered freely to put the student through the private tutoring for the necessary bachelor's degree. As the reason for such a surprising offer, she said:— “I will tell you a secret of my life. I am a professor now, but all I am I owe to a Protestant pastor, who instructed me, and secured pupils for me. He told me that the only return he would ask was that I should do as much some day for the son of a Protestant minister. That was twenty years ago, and this is the first opportunity I have had to fulfil the conditions.”

In connection with university studies and examinations, Brother John Nussbaum has again and again come to places where it seemed he would have to give it up; for he could not compromise with sin. An examination came so that the oral part was on the Sabbath. The dean said it could not be otherwise; said they would make it unusually short, and that, if need be, our brother could have a private room, so no one should know he was taking an examination on that day. But it was explained to him that no arrangement could make it right to break the Sabbath.

That Sabbath the father and son prayed earnestly that God's will might be done; for it seemed the end of the course had come. On the next Thursday, however, our brother was called to the faculty room, and found several university professors there, as the dean explained, to give him his examination. Such a thing had never before been known, some said; but our brother thanked God for his gracious intervention.

Later on, in Toulouse, where the course is being continued, his class was required to report every morning at a hospital clinic. No exemption for the Sabbath could be secured. Our brother was faithfully at his post every day—on the Sabbath with the believers worshiping God, on the other days at the clinic. Again it seemed the way was closed, for three absent marks during the period meant failure to pass. At the end of the time, however, Brother Nussbaum found that by some unaccountable error his name had been omitted from the list, so that he had no record marked against him; and as the error was on the part of the authorities, his attendance was credited at full value. Then came a competitive five days' examination—none of which fell upon the Sabbath—in which our brother was successful, gaining a position in which thereafter no attendance on the Sabbath was required.

It was a simple story that the brother told me; but it had meant at each crisis the laying down at the Lord's feet of the whole life's purpose; for he had determined, to begin with, that he could never allow any pressure to lead him to yield the slightest in giving obedience to God. And it is this uncompromising determination to stand by God and by his truth, come what may, that gives the Lord his opportunity to open ways where there are no ways.

It is the lesson of faith. Christ is not only the Truth, but he says, “I am the Way.” When we find Christ, we find the way of loyalty to God. The Sabbath is God's testing truth. The controversy rages round that holy institution. But in these last days a people keeping “the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus,” will gain the victory over all the power of the evil one. No force of human will, no physical bravery, no boastful, defiant spirit, will carry us through. The way through is the way of self-surrender at every step, and of faith in the God who is able to make ways where there are none. W. A. S.