How They Became Convinced
[Believing it would be of interest to our readers, the editor of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES has asked Sabbath-keeping ministers and evangelical workers to tell in a few words the scripture or scriptures, the truths and principles, which constrained them to accept the unpopular truth of the seventh-day Sabbath. These testimonies must not exceed 500 words. Let us hear from all.] When I was about sixteen years of age, I asked my mother why people kept the first day instead of the seventh as the Sabbath. Just what brought this to my mind I do not remember. I had read the Bible very little. But somehow it was brought to my mind very forcibly. In answer to my question my mother told me that the day had been changed by Christ. I took it for granted that she knew, and therefore rested easy over the matter. I don't remember this ever coming up again till the year I was twenty-four During the summer I was converted. I was attending the Disciple Church. One Sunday the minister invited those who wished to make their stand for Christ to come forward. I went, and it was decided that I should be baptized in two weeks. In not more than a week or two the keeping of the right day came up again. I had resolved to wholly follow the Lord, and I now determined to take the Bible, and study the matter myself. I gave the First-day people plenty of opportunity to help me. They gave me books to read. The ministers tried to show me that the First Day was the one to be kept. It wasn't long until I heard a discussion on the Sabbath. Above everything that I could hear, there came that ringing testimony in Matt. 5:18: “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Not one jot or tittle as long as heaven and earth shall last. This was evidence to me that Christ had not changed the law of God. Then in Mark 16:1, I read that “when the Sabbath was passed” the holy women came to anoint Jesus. Now if any one knew which was the right day, these Christian women did. And they witnessed to this fact that when we come to the First Day (verse 2), the Sabbath is always past. When I decided to keep the Sabbath, I was told that we could not tell which was the seventh day. But when I thought of the calendar, and all the leading works that have ever been written, testifying that Saturday is the seventh, and Sunday the first day of the week, I knew that so far as we had light we could tell which was the right day. Then another scripture, Luke 23:56, shows that no time had ever been lost. They kept “the Sabbath day according to the commandment.” This was the seventh day as shown by Luke 24:1. I was convinced that I should keep the seventh day as the Sabbath. I have found much more evidence since then that has confirmed me more and more. I have enjoyed a rich experience, and much of the blessing of God in keeping the day. C. J. BUHALTS. In April, 1860, I went to hear a man on the Sabbath question. His first discourse was based upon Mark 2:27, 28; Gen. 2:1-3; Exodus 16 and 31; Isaiah 56. The whole struck me with considerable force, but especially Isaiah 56. Here was a prophecy that could not be fulfilled during the Levitical priesthood. This discourse was on First-day eve, and his second discourse was based upon Matt. 5:17-20. Applying Campbell's Translation, he showed that we should not even think that He came to destroy the law or the prophets. In connection with that, he showed the Sabbath of the Fourth Commandment all the way through the New Testament. I went home on Monday and read the Bible, also Sabbath Tracts Nos. 1-4. That book went over the same grounds, and also some history besides. The next Friday my wife said, “Shall I prepare to-day for the Sabbath?” I said, “Yes.” So we have kept it ever since. I have found a blessing in it from that day to this. This makes our forty-third year. My wife's convincing points were Matt. 5:17-20 in connection with James 2:8-11, especially the tenth verse. A. J. STOVER.