REVIEW OF STORR by A. Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 3, 1876

REVIEW OF STORR.

By A. Smith

Answers to Objections Raised by Him.

(Concluded.)

Obj. 1. “A person traveling east or west, and making the circuit of the earth, will gain or lose a day; and beyond the polar circles the sun does not rise for days, and even months together; therefore, it is impossible to keep the Sabbath with precision anywhere.”

Ans. Was not the earth as round on the day that God uttered his law from Sinai and wrote it upon tables of stone as it is now, and was it not therefore as impossible to keep the Sabbath then as now?

Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for man—for all mankind. Mark 2:27. God said to man, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth;” that is, fill it with inhabitants. It is possible, therefore, for all mankind to keep the Sabbath in all parts of the world. If the objection is of any force, will it not apply equally well to the first day of the week?

Obj. 2. “The fourth commandment contemplates the sanctification of one-seventh part of time, and does not refer to any particular day of the week.”

Ans. If this be true, those who keep the seventh day are as near right as any people in the world; and since we must begin to reckon at some day as the first in order to

reach a seventh day, and since the preponderance of Bible evidence, corroborated by the customs of pagans, Mohammedans, Christians, and Jews, points to Sunday as the first, and Saturday as properly the seventh, day, they are much nearer right.

If the commandment contemplated the sanctification of one day in seven, but no day in particular, why was it that God pointed out what is now known as Saturday, or the seventh day of the week, as the Sabbath, by a succession of miracles continuing forty years? Ex. 16:14-31; Josh. 5:12.

Obj. 3. “Somewhere there has been a loss of one or more days in the reckoning of time; and, hence, we cannot be keeping the true seventh day in order from the creation.”

Ans. It cannot be supposed that God made any mistake in the wilderness in pointing out the day that should be kept as the memorial of creation; that Christ made any mistake in recognizing the Sabbath observed by the Jews as that of the commandment; or that our Christian opposers make any mistake in declaring that Sunday is the first day of the week in order from that upon which Jesus rose from the dead. We have only, therefore, to count back one day to find the Bible Sabbath, the true seventh day, in order from the creation.

Obj. 4. “Good men have kept Sunday as the Sabbath, and have died in that faith; and I believe they will be saved.”

Ans. They kept Sunday because they really thought it was the Sabbath of the Lord. It was a sin of ignorance, and for Jesus’ sake it will be blotted out, and not be remembered against them. But when light comes, we are no longer justified in pursuing a wrong course because others less favored than ourselves, who have done so unwittingly, will be finally saved. See Lev. 4; Heb. 13:11, 12.

Obj. 5. “Most Christian people keep the first day of the week as the Sabbath, and but comparatively few keep the seventh day. The laws of our country require the observance of the first day; and it is very desirable that all should observe the same day.”

Ans. In point of numbers, the true people of God have ever been in the minority among the children of men. The majority are not always in the right. The Bible gives a catalogue of fearful sins charged against many, who, at this time, profess to be the people of God. See 2 Tim. 3:1-5. But few of the many who profess to be Christians will ever be saved. Luke 13:24-28.

Let those who regard the laws of our country as more precious than the law of God bow to the Sunday edict. We choose to cast our lot with the faithful few who have ever been loyal to the God of Heaven. Did these same objectors feel in duty bound, a few years ago, to enforce the fugitive slave law? Why not, unless because it conflicted with what they believed to be right in the sight of God?

It would be a desirable state of society indeed, if all were to keep the same day; but since God will not be likely to change his law to suit the State, had not the State better honor the law of God by commanding the observance of the Bible Sabbath?

A. Smith.