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.] The first twenty-eight years of my life I made no profession of Christianity, yet all the while I had a desire to be a child of God. When I was quite small I attended, mostly, the services of the New Light Church, and was puzzled when told that by “Sabbath” the minister meant Sunday, when the commandment said that “the seventh day is the Sabbath.” As I grew older, owing to the popular teachings of the Sabbath, I drifted into the idea that Sabbath now means Sunday, owing to its being changed to commemorate the resurrection of Christ. As time passed I heard of the Seventh-day Adventists, who, it was said, “kept Saturday for Sunday.” I thought how misled they are. But I soon learned there was no scripture for any change of the Sabbath. Then it was brought vividly home to me what the commandment said. When I saw that the Lord changed not (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8), and from much Scripture evidence that He would not alter the thing that is gone out of His lips (Ps. 89:34), I became thoroughly convinced that the seventh day is the Sabbath. But I did not hasten to obey. Another scripture brought me to obedience: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matt. 6:33. This scripture told me where I stood. I wanted to seek first “these things,” and then “His righteousness.” “My ways are not your ways.” Every excuse offered was answered by the above scripture. I could not get away from it. I saw, if I ever was saved, I must conform my ways to His ways, by seeking first “the kingdom of God, and His righteousness.” This I resolved to do, and, being already convicted on the Sabbath, I began the observance of the Sabbath of Jehovah, and am rejoicing in the truth of God. A. L. MILLER. [From one eighty-three years of age.] FOR two years I was so prejudiced I would not read on the Sabbath question, supposing it to be Jewish, and not for me, being a Gentile shoemaker. Madison Ballou, a seventh-day Christian man, called at my house for a little repairing. I said to him, “Are you going to the tent to hear Bywater and Burnham preach?” He replied, “I guess not, they are not preaching the Third Angel’s Message,” repeating Rev. 14:9: “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice,” warning us not to worship the beast. We know that the highest type of service or worship is obedience, and as the message of the third angel developed a commandment-keeping people (verse 12), and as we were keeping all the commandments but the fourth, we thought possibly we might be mistaken in observing the first day of the week instead of the seventh. At last we were convicted, through and through. After Brother Ballou left, I said to my wife, “We will now settle this question by the Bible.” We soon learned “the Sabbath was made for man.” Mark 2:27. I had always claimed to be a man. That being true, the Sabbath was for me as well as the Jew. The result was, at the end of two weeks we both were keeping the seventh day. My wife kept it until her death, over forty years. I have observed it over fifty years, and the way grows brighter and brighter as the days go by. The end is near. Christ is soon coming. And when He appears, it will be no strange sight to those who love His appearing, for this is just what we have looked and waited for. HAVING been brought up a strict Methodist, and believing it was wrong to even whistle on Sunday, there necessarily came a great change into my life to lead me to regard with respect and reverence, and enter into the blessings placed upon, the day enjoined in the fourth commandment. I was taught by both my mother and our Methodist mother church to believe and obey the Word of God; and when I found that the day I had been observing as unto the Lord was not the day He had blessed, sanctified, and commanded, I could no longer treat it as such. At the same time this truth was being unfolded, there came another which is so solemn, so sacred, that altho I thought I had love to my Saviour, yet I trembled for a time, and feared to welcome that truth into my life. Strange as it may seem to some who may read these words, that truth was that of the near-coming of our blessed Lord and Saviour. I was converted in a Methodist meeting, and had truly given my heart to the Lord; but the word that He was soon coming rather alarmed me, instead of giving me joy as it does now. For a time I resisted conviction. The fourth commandment kept coming to my conscience; and I read, “Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10. At last I saw that the heart that had once been given to Him must be renewed day by day, and yielded to Him in all things. I learned, also, that Sabbath-keeping meant to work with the Creator during the week, if I would rest with Him on His holy day; and since I have learned this great secret, the day of His rest has come to be to me a delight. The commandment came home to my heart, self died, and it is now my earnest prayer that the life I now live in the flesh I may live by the faith of the Son of God, who loves me, and gives Himself to me. I see that the day which is hallowed in the fourth commandment is the one which comes just before the day I used honestly to keep, as many do now. I have come to know my Bible better; and not merely to think I love my Saviour, but to actually love Him and His appearing. CLIFFORD G. HOWELL.