p. 170 | LIKE FOXES by R. M. Kilgore

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 31, 1877

“LIKE FOXES.”

By R. M. Kilgore

The prophet Ezekiel says, “O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.” The context shows this to be a reference to the character of the prophets or teachers of the last days. They will possess some of the characteristics of the fox. He is a sly, cunning, shrewd little fellow. In the chase he pursues a circuitous route, crossing his track, to foil the dogs, and hides at last in his den. The hunter sets his trap, but the fox escapes from another hole. Another chase, he crosses his track, and hides again. It is repeated the third time, and the fourth, and until the hunter is wearied, and gives up the chase.

The agitation of the Sabbath question at the present time furnishes the prophets, or teachers, of these last days, an excellent opportunity to display their cunning shrewdness. In their zeal to darken sound doctrine, to cover up and hide the truth of God, they are seen crossing their track, and stultifying their own positions. An incident occurred a few days since, while on the train as I was leaving the place where I had been holding meetings, which will serve as an example of the fox-like character.

A minister of the place was on the train, and during a conversation of about an hour, which turned upon the Sabbath question, he was led out, and actually took the following positions in the presence of several listeners:—

The first day of the week has been handed down to us from the resurrection of Christ.
The seventh day cannot be kept on the round world.
God requires us to keep a seventh part of time.
Dr. Akers shows positively, by chronology, that the Christian church is now keeping the original seventh day from creation.
Time was lost when the sun stood still in the days of Joshua.
If we are only sincere, it makes no difference what day we keep. God will accept us if we keep either of the seven.
To prevent confusion, we should all keep the same day.
God’s seal is set to the first day of the week, and we have the seal in our hearts that we have the true Sabbath.
If I should go to China, I would keep the same day they do; and their day is different from ours, for the earth is round.
The first day is as much of a memorial that Christ rose from the dead on that day as the Bunker Hill monument is to show that a battle was fought there.
You are all right in keeping the seventh day, because you are honestly doing so, and conscientious in it.

R. M. Kilgore.