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SPECIMENS OF ARGUMENTS

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 14, 1877

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 49, No. 24.

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SPECIMENS OF ARGUMENTS.

By Roswell F. Cottrell

I HAVE before me a tract entitled, “The True Sabbath. Which Day Shall we Keep?” I do not propose to review it, but to give some specimens of its logic, showing the character and strength (?) of its arguments. It is not a no-Sabbath tract, as appears from the question in the title, “Which day shall we keep?” though it argues for the abolition of the ten commandments, as being the old covenant, which all admit has vanished away. Of course the object of the inquiry is to show which of the two days now observed by Christians can claim the stronger evidence in its support.
1. The first specimen of argument we have is in the title. After what is quoted above, it continues: “An examination of Mrs Ellen G. White’s visions.” Now what has an examination of said visions to do in deciding the question of the day of the Sabbath? The writer very well knows that we appeal to the Bible alone to sustain our faith and practice in keeping the seventh day. Why examine that which we never refer to as evidence? Simply to prejudice the reader, and thus close his eyes to the plain testimony of the Bible. This is one of his very best arguments.
2. His second argument is of the same character, namely, “the doctrine of the Sabbath is dividing Christian families and churches,” therefore—what? Who is to blame? Those who are in the wrong, of course. “Which day shall we keep?”
3. Another class of his strongest arguments consists in bold and unproved assertions. We give a specimen, as follows: “No point can be more plainly expressed than the fact that the ‘ten commandments,’ ‘written and engraven on stones’ (2 Cor. 3:7), was the ‘old’ or ‘first covenant.’” Now if the Bible once said that the ten commandments were the old or first covenant, it would be much “more plainly expressed” than it is.
4. The writer says, “In all his [Christ’s] teachings, and in the writings of the apostles, there is not one single command to observe the Sabbath, or rest-day, kept by the Jews.” Now if the writer could show “one single command,” from Christ or the apostles, to keep the first day of the week, he might claim some show of advantage. But does he claim it? He will not pretend to. Then “which day shall we keep?” The seventh day was once commanded, the first day never. The Sabbath is rejected, because the commandment is not formally repeated in the New Testament; therefore a day never commanded in either the Old or the New, must be the day! How logical! The great want of the first day is a command, somewhere between the lids of the Bible, for its observance. If it only had a place in that law of which the Saviour spoke in Matt. 5:17–19, it would be binding now, and we would keep it. Was there no Sabbath in that law which the Son of God “came not to destroy,” but which he so fully and lastingly confirmed? Then there is none now; and the answer to the question, Which day shall we keep? should be, None at all.
5. We admit that God calls the ten commandments his covenant which he commanded; but they are not the old covenant, nor the new. We admit that God made the covenant, called the old, “concerning all these words.” Ex. 24:8. This covenant was the mutual promises recorded in Ex. 19, and ratified and dedicated in chap. 24. But our writer insists that the ten commandments themselves were the old covenant. Then he says, “The children of Israel adopted this covenant, before it was ‘written and engraven in stones.’ Had it not been mutual, it would not have been a covenant; for a covenant always implies the consent of two or more parties.” The logical deduction from this is that, had not the people consented to keep the Sabbath of the old covenant, they would not have been under obligation to keep it. According to this, the law of the Most High derives its authority from the consent of the governed. But that which is claimed as the Sabbath of the new covenant is not of this mutual character; the people consent to keep it, but on the other hand there is no command for it.
6. He says, “As the penalty has not been in force since the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, it follows that the commandment against working on Saturday is also abolished.” What is the penalty for working on Sunday? In what book, chapter, and verse is it written?
7. Again, he says, “The question arises, Does the new covenant give instruction sufficient for salvation? Of course, all must answer in the affirmative. But it does not contain a word requiring us to keep the seventh day; therefore it is not in the plan of salvation as taught by Christ and his apostles.” This assertion is false; for Jesus taught the perpetuity of the entire law. Matt. 5:17–19. But try the argument on the first day. Where is the “word requiring us to keep” it? The New Testament “does not contain a word requiring us to keep” the first day; “therefore, it is not in the plan of salvation as taught by Christ and his apostles.” “Which day shall we keep?”
8. We give another specimen. Says he, “All the law ever required was to work six days, and rest the seventh.” All right then; we may rest on Saturday, if we choose. But of those who choose to keep the seventh day he says, “They have turned back from Christ to Moses, from the new to the old covenant; from the gospel to the law; from grace to works.” He then quotes the text, “Whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace.” We ask now, What law have we turned back to, for which we are fallen from grace? Is it that law of which he affirms that all it “ever required was to work six days, and rest the seventh”? Does he not rest one day in seven? Is he fallen from grace? Our opponents should have a better memory; having taken one position, they should stick to that, and not contradict themselves. After judging us, as having rejected Christ by keeping the Sabbath, he proceeds gravely to quote, “Let no man therefore judge you.”
9. Again, he says, “The seventh-day Sabbath is not in the new covenant, therefore it is not binding on any one.” To which I reply, The first-day Sabbath is not in the new covenant, and therefore—“Which day shall we keep?”
10. On the supposition that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is still binding, he asks, “Why did not Jesus or his apostles say so somewhere in the divine record?” We reply, It was not necessary that they should repeat the precepts of the decalogue to make them binding. A law once enacted is law until it is abolished. But if a new day, one never commanded, became “the true Sabbath,” “why did not Jesus or the apostles say so?”
11. Once more, he says, “We are required to hear Jesus ‘in all things whatsoever he shall say.’” Acts 3:22. As he has nowhere intimated that he wishes us to keep the seventh day observed by the Jews, it is certainly not enjoined upon his disciples.” Transfer this argument to the first day. As Christ has never intimated that he wishes us to keep that day, “it is certainly not enjoined.”
The writer manufactures a world of difficulty about keeping a “sacred twenty-four hours,” as he expresses it, claiming that it must begin at the same moment all over the earth, and consequently must begin at all times of the day and night. This, of course, is not an objection against keeping “the true Sabbath,” the first day, which he claims “corresponds with the original rest-day in Eden”!
Then, out of his bewilderment, he comes to the following conclusion: “With the exception of the Jewish people, whoever works six twenty-four hours, starting either at sunset, midnight, morning, or noon, and rests the next twenty-four hours, complies with all the requirements in the Scripture.” According to this, “the true Sabbath” is any day of the seven, or parts of any two days. “Which day shall we keep,” and not reject Christ and fall from grace? Is it any day we choose? There is only one exception, that is the Jews. They were bound, by the fourth commandment of the decalogue, to a definite day. What day was that? “The Sabbath of the Lord.” What day was the Lord’s Sabbath? The day on which he rested, “the seventh day.” But our writer says this commandment is abolished. But this is the only weekly Sabbath ever commanded in the Bible. “Which day shall we keep?” The writer replies, Any day we choose, “starting” where we please; but if we keep the Sabbath of the decalogue, he says we “have turned back from Christ to Moses.”
The day which God blessed and sanctified, and commanded to be kept holy, as a memorial of his rest from the work of creation, he argues is not binding, because not commanded again in the New Testament; but a day never commanded at all is the “Lord’s day,” or “true Sabbath,” the first day, the day of the resurrection of Christ, and yet it comes on any day of the week which any one may choose. The question is still open, “Which day shall we keep?” The honest inquirer after truth will not be satisfied with an answer that he may choose for himself, provided only that he chooses a day that has no command, no sacredness, in short, nothing of God, in it. And is this the liberty of the gospel? “the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free”? Let me rather enjoy the liberty of the man of God who said by the Spirit, “I will walk at liberty; for I seek thy precepts.”
R. F. COTTRELL.