The Way It Came About by Joel H. Austin

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Sep 22, 1904

The Way It Came About

By Joel H. Austin

I entered the ministry at the age of thirty-three, and spent twenty years in the pastorate. I am now seventy-seven years old, and have been a Bible reader since a child. I was taught that the first day of the week was sacred; that on Sunday we must do no ordinary work, the day being one for special religious services. Once in a great while we would meet some one who kept Saturday as a holy day. We really pitied such persons.

One naturally keeps the beaten path of life, and when I became a pastor, I taught others as I was taught, although I knew just as well as I do now that God set apart the seventh day. I was in the same condition that most Sunday-keepers are in — just drifting along, unconcerned — until I attended a meeting held in a hall by Brother B. Hagle. It was not eloquence nor logic that awakened me to the situation, but I saw the importance of obeying God rather than man as I had never seen it before. I realized that I must answer to God for what I do and how I do it. I said, “I will act for myself.” Then, as I sought to obey God with all my heart, the light came with new force. Surely, “Thy light shall break forth as the morning, . . . and thy darkness be as the noon-day.”

This took place in the latter part of last March. I also began to set apart one tenth of all I received, for the Lord’s work. The tempter said, “They will laugh at you.” I answered, “That is one of my business. It is my business to obey God.” Since the last Sabbath in March, I have found a satisfaction never before experienced in keeping the Sabbath. I never felt the satisfaction in keeping Sunday that I now feel in obeying God. I believe that many are to-day in the same condition that I was in; they need to have their attention called to the fact that God has never repealed the law of the Sabbath. It is still in full force.

JOEL H. AUSTIN.