Miscellaneous Thoughts by D. T. Bourdeau

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 9, 1873

Miscellaneous Thoughts.

By D. T. Bourdeau

SUPERFLUOUS.

As the fourth commandment enjoins the observance of “the seventh day,” and is immutable, a change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day is an impossibility. Hence, the only way for the first day to be enforced by divine authority would be to have it enforced as a separate institution, and by another law than the fourth commandment. In this case, we would have two weekly Sabbaths; for the Sabbath law still enjoins the observance of the seventh day. This would be superfluous. Therefore we look in vain to the Bible for divine authority for the first-day Sabbath.

OBJECTION. Paul exhorts us to walk in Christ Jesus the Lord, as we have received him. Col. 2:6. Therefore if we have received Christ keeping the first day, we should continue to keep that day.

ANSWER. If we received Christ aright, we received him with a teachable spirit and with an earnest desire to follow his example. Those whom Paul was addressing, however, had received the pure doctrines of Christianity from his own lips. But those who have not received the truth in its purity, should inquire after the old paths and walk therein. Jer. 6:16. This objection would justify all the doctrines that are held by Romanists.

SECTARIANISM.

Those who contend for Bible truth are often accused of sectarianism. But what is sectarianism? It is building up a sect or party through selfish motives and at the sacrifice of truth. This term cannot therefore be justly applied to those whose great object is to build up God’s down-trodden truth to God’s glory, and, if need be, at the loss of all things.

A SINGULAR DODGE.

I refer to those who claim that if we only have Jesus in the heart it will make no difference whether we are aroused or not by the coming of Christ when he is near. What would we think of a woman whose husband has been absent for a long time, who, upon hearing of his soon return, would exclaim: Oh! it makes no difference whether he comes now or in five or ten years, if I only have him in the heart? You would justly conclude that she did not have her husband in the heart, or in her affections. If she did, she would long to see him.

A PLEA FOR TOBACCO.

Some, closing their eyes to plain and unanswerable arguments against the common use of tobacco, will contend that they know from experience that tobacco is good, because it settles the stomach after eating, and keeps the food down, while others will claim that it relieves the head of catarrh, etc. We admit that some may receive temporary relief from tobacco in the above cases; first, because of its benumbing influence on the nerves; and, secondly, because that in the battle gotten up against tobacco to repel it, fluids are expelled, which, for the time being, relieves the stomach, or the head. But this continual battle of abused nature is very exhausting, and terribly racks and deranges the nervous system; and a rank poison is permeating the system, and causing worse difficulties than those that were realized, and which are by no means removed. The best and only remedy would be to keep the impurities out of the system by proper habits of living, especially by partaking of food that will be easier to digest, and that the stomach will not revolt at.

HAS THE HUSBAND, AS LORD OF HIS WIFE, A RIGHT TO CORRECT HER AS HE WOULD AN ERRING CHILD?

I think he had better leave that business to the Lord and Judge of all, and learn to love and cherish her as he does his own flesh, and as Christ does the church. If he takes the love, pity, meekness, and patience of Christ for a pattern, he will keep his position as head of his family, and yet will not need to use brute force to have his wife yield to his reasonable demands and entreaties.

D. T. Bourdeau.