Relations of Sabbath-Keeping with Sunday-Keeping Denominations.
THE following excellent remarks we copy from the Sabbath Recorder of Aug. 3, being part of an essay read before the S. D. B. Eastern Association, by Eld. James Summerbell. That our natural tendency is to extremes either side of the truth, none can deny. We are apt either to lack in courtesy or to compromise the truth, and while courtesy is commanded in the Scriptures, it becomes something else and deserves a harsher appellation when we please men to the extent of dishonoring God’s law. That law is a sacred trust committed to us in the midst of widespread worldliness in religion, and if we prove recreant to this trust, God will chose others in our place, and others will take our crowns. May the Lord strengthen us to the work assigned us in these last days. J. H. W. Seeing they are so many, and so wealthy, and so learned and devoted, what a pity it is they are on no better terms with God’s law, and that they do not seem to understand that “this is the love of God that we do his commandments.” That we should love them, and they us, is an ostensible duty. Denominational boundaries cannot limit the divine command to “love one another.” This paramount requirement neglected, renders the most perfect obedience to all the rest as “sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.” In our Christian experience, we are so nearly alike that only a line divides us and keeps us apart; but it as effectually divides us as though it were the circle of the earth’s broad orbit. That line, so decisive in its character, is God’s holy law, by which is the knowledge of sin. On the hither and thither sides of it stand confronting each other, loyalty and disloyalty. The nearness of these opposing forces but makes their impending conflict the more certain and imminent. There is no discharge in this warfare. The long, arduous contest must continue, till it is forever settled whether man can have the power to alter or abrogate the law of God. This is the question between us; and only God, by his chosen instrumentalities, will settle it. Treaties, compromises, and temporizing, are good for nothing. To many, not comprehending the magnitude of the issue before us, as involving the authority and majesty of God, this appears overdrawn. There is, in the denominations around us, so much that is really commendable in other things, that they would overlook this, or at least extenuate it. They seem to forget the rich youth who eagerly ran to Christ, and having, as he supposed, done all that man could, asked for another good thing to do. Jesus loved him, but sent him sorrowing away, because he lacked one thing. It was a very fine point, but our Saviour made it. “Obedience is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” They who can do so much, can, if they will, do this. Many of the denominations, in their church institutions and privileges, are very attractive. Numbers, wealth, and zeal in their work, make them so. They look with unfeigned wonder at our exclusiveness in restricting the privileges of the communion to those “who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus,” and generously set us an example, by making their table free. But why should they not? If we do as we profess, what law of God do we break? What command do we set aside? If we accept their invitation, is it not all the same as though we invited them to our table, and said to them, “You disregard the law of God, and we think you wrong, and would not venture to do it ourselves; but after all it is no matter; you are all right.” When once we reach this point, the transition is easy; yea, it is a logical consequence. If they are all right, then, just as far as we differ from them we are wrong, and we should at once unite with them. A compromising, trimming, half-and-half policy, is always sure to miss what it is fishing for, and gains the contempt of all honorable men.