Why Did you not Speak?
By Charles P. Whitford
THESE were the words that greeted the ears of our Sabbath-keeping friends last evening at the close of a modern revival meeting. Our friends replied that the people did not wish to hear on the subject of present truth, and therefore they remained silent. It seems very strange to them that we cannot join heart and hand with them in urging sinners to “come to Christ;” and yet this people have recently listened to a course of lectures, showing where we are living in the history of this world, and the preparation necessary to be made in order to be prepared for the coming of our absent Lord. While there are some things in our course that seem very strange to them, there are also others in theirs, which seem as strange to us. Baptists and Methodists are free to acknowledge the truthfulness of our position on the law and Sabbath, only one out of a large congregation voting in favor of Sunday; and yet while refusing to obey the plain commands of God, they have united their interests to labor for sinners; and they wonder why we cannot join them in their work. Well, one reason is because we want to be consistent with our profession. To unite our interests with theirs, and labor to bring those out of the church up to their standard, and leave the work there, would virtually be saying that there is no special importance attached to the truths which we teach. It would be saying to all, You may obey God if it is convenient; but if it is not quite so convenient, you may disobey him and be saved, providing you are only sincere. To us this seems like a very doubtful kind of proceeding. We believe and teach with Paul that “sin is the transgression of the law.” Then it follows that those who transgress the law whether in the church, or out, are sinners. Our efforts in this place for the last few weeks have been to help all who are transgressing the moral law of God. We find nearly all violating the fourth commandment. And when our Baptist and Methodist friends frankly acknowledge that we have the truth on the Sabbath question, they thus virtually acknowledge that they are sinners. And if those out of the church need to repent of their sins for violating the sixth, seventh, or eighth commandments, then surely they ought to repent of their sins for violating the fourth commandment. He that said, “Thou shalt not steal,” also said, “The seventh day is the Sabbath.” When our friends will live out what they acknowledge to be light and truth on this question, then we can consistently join them in laboring for the conversion of those who are without Christ, and without hope in the world. Berkshire Center, Vt., Dec. 13, 1874.