Armstrong's Anti-Sabbath Book.
By Editor
IN noticing the questions of the Christian Advocate on the subject of the Sabbath, we again called attention to a Methodist publication, a pamphlet written by a Mr. Armstrong, and to our exposure of its deceptions, and invited the Advocate (as we had done before) to point out the errors in our strictures, if there were any, and to defend the positions of the book. If this were not done, we stated that we should hold the Methodist denomination responsible for the deceptions which the book contained. They might indeed free themselves by repudiating the book or withdrawing it from the market. But they are not willing to do either. The only reply to our invitation is the following from the Advocate of April 25:— "The Signs of the Times wants us to explain and defend the argument of Rev. Wm. Armstrong on the question, 'Is Saturday or Sunday the Christian Sabbath?' The work can be bought for twenty-five cents, and any one interested can get it and read it. Personally, we have no special concern about the matter. Whether Mr. Armstrong is right in interpreting the case and the history of the Sabbath or not does not bother us. Our neighbor's devotion to the seventh day is very emphatic, and hence he puts all his strength upon it to very little effect, except among his own people. We think it a question of no more consequence whatever, and we always pity any one who gets excited about it. As we do not believe that our readers are generally interested in the Sabbatarian controversy, we respectfully decline to fill our paper with it." In other item in the same number of the Advocate, on the same subject, we find the following words:— "The Signs of the Times wants us to answer its book notice of a work on the 'Sabbath,' by Mr. Armstrong. We do not remember the notice nor the book." The Advocate has a conveniently variable memory. We shall forward a copy of our notice to the editor so that excuse will be removed. As to the other, we cannot exactly see how his memory needs much refreshing, seeing that he says "the work can be bought for twenty-five cents, and any one interested can get it and read it." This information is strangely positive, considering the fact that he has no remembrance of the book of which he speaks! In other articles the Advocate has made this Sabbath and Sunday controversy a serious matter. We think it has not lost any of its importance; but that the peculiar position in which the Advocate is placed makes it convenient to pass it over as lightly as possible. We do not believe its readers will be satisfied with the notice of this subject, as copied above, if they understand the facts in the case. And we shall do our duty in placing the facts before them as far as we possibly can. The Advocate says, "any one interested can get it and read it." The editor is a man of age, of experience, and of scholarship. He cannot be ignorant of the fact that his statement does not at all meet the case. He does not and cannot say that any one can get it and read it and judge for himself. Why not? Because Mr. Armstrong, backed up by the indorsement of a Doctor of Divinity, gives a pretended exposition of the Hebrew of Ex. 16. We claim that this exposition of Mr. Armstrong is a willful deception, false in both its statements and in its grammatical construction of the original text. And in this mainly consists the wickedness of the deception: The English reader, who is unacquainted with the original text, cannot possibly determine for himself the truth or falsity of the exposition. He is obliged to take its statements on credit. Our indictment of the book is a strong one, but no stronger than the circumstances and the cause of truth demand. We are free to say that if such a course had been taken by any accredited writer or any publishing house of the Seventh-day Adventists, it would greatly "bother us." And we have not a shadow of a doubt that if such a deception could be fastened upon our people, the Advocate would help it to bother us as far as it was in its power. Candid readers, Methodists, look at this case in the light of Christian duty and responsibility. Mr. Armstrong's argument strikes at the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. By God's commandments every work will be brought into Judgment. Eccl. 12:13, 14. This is a question that affects our standing before God both now and in the Judgment. A Methodist minister writes a work containing an inexcusable deception, a willful perversion, as we claim, of the word of God on the question. A Methodist D. D. introduces and indorses the work. The Methodist "Book Concern" gives it to the world. Methodist Advocates recommend it. And when its truthfulness is called in question—when it is indicted as a deception and a work of error—whether it is correct or not—does not bother the California Christian Advocate! We must suppose it does not. But what religious inconsistency is shown therein. Nothing but a personal recommendation by the Bishops could give it stronger denominational indorsement than it has received. It has gone forth to its thousands of readers as a faithful exposition of the word of God, and now, after it has influenced their minds in favor of an error and against the truth of God's commandments, whether it is right or wrong; whether it contains truth or error; whether it is a faithful exposition or a manifest perversion of the Scriptures, is a matter of indifference to those who have given it to the world, and who still advertise it for sale! They are not bothered on the point. It is a matter too trifling to receive their attention, or to be suffered to interfere with the more important matters they have on hand! We have often been accused of a want of charity for stating that the standard of religion is lamentably low in the Protestant churches; that there is abundance of the form of godliness and a great destitution of its power: 2 Tim. 3:1-5. But the fact is more and more evident; the proof itself more and more prominent. In church standards they are wise; of traditions they are tenacious; but "the weightier matters of the law" do not often bother them. The evasions are legion which are found all over the land, in almost every denomination, as a means of getting rid of the commandments of God. We are pained with the prospect as we write. God has foreseen and pointed out the dangers of the last days, and the deceptions which would prevail, and instituted means to secure a conscientious observance of his commandments; Rev. 14:9-12; but the church joins hands with the world against divine authority. Under the flimsy pretext of a "police regulation," or a "secular arrangement," to which the churches give the full power of their influence, the Sabbath of Jehovah our God is willfully and scornfully trampled under foot. "Lord, how long?" We would that the message of warning were heeded; that the people would flock to the standard which the Spirit of the Lord is lifting up against the enemy. Isa. 59. But "the Scribes and the Pharisees" of to-day are reproducing the history of those of eighteen hundred years ago. They have had the "key of knowledge" committed to them. Unmindful of the great responsibility resting upon them, they shut up the way of the kingdom of Heaven, refusing to enter therein, and to let those enter who would if not turned away from the truth of the sacred word by perversions and vain reasonings. But as it was in the days of Noah, so also in the coming of the Son of man. God's Spirit will not always strive. Judgment will not long delay. God of mercy, prepare us to stand in that solemn day.