Is it Consistent by Roswell F. Cottrell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 14, 1878

Is it Consistent.

By Roswell F. Cottrell

Each religious party, believing of course that they are right in faith and practice, desire to convince all others of the truth, that they too may enjoy the blessing of a true faith. This is commendable; for none should be willing selfishly to enjoy so great a blessing alone, but should desire others to share the same benefit. For this reason S. D. Adventists are laboring to convince others that the seventh day is the Lord’s Sabbath, that they too may enjoy the blessing to be enjoyed by those who keep the commandments of God.

But there is a very large class who tell us that to keep one day in seven is all that the law of God requires. We who keep the seventh day are doing this; for the seventh day is truly one day in seven. But the object which our friends have in view is not to convince us that we are right, though we do all that their theory requires, but to persuade all to keep the particular day which they observe, the first day of the week. Is this consistent? We are living out their theory to the letter; and we, like them, persuade others to do as we do, that is, to keep the day which God has named in the commandment; for we believe that God has appointed a particular day. They too have a definite day which they desire all to keep; but to bring us to observe their favorite, particular day, they put forth a theory which justifies us in keeping the day we are keeping. Is this consistent? Will they be likely to convince us by such an argument? Is it not rather an excuse for disobedience, than an argument for what they believe to be the truth?

R. F. COTTRELL.