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AN INTERESTING ITEM

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 4, 1878

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 51, No. 14.

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AN INTERESTING ITEM.

By Eliza H. Morton

A CORRESPONDING AGENT sent the V. M. society at Allen’s Corner, Me., the name of a lady in Massachusetts, with whom we opened a friendly correspondence, and to whom we sent some tracts and a few copies of the SIGNS. Accidentally, seemingly, her attention was called to the subject of the Sabbath. She became interested; and the following extract from a letter recently received shows how her interest is causing the agitation of the question in her neighborhood. She writes:—
“I read the tracts you sent; and for an opinion will say that their arguments certainly seem plausible, and I have found nothing in the Bible, as yet, to refute them. While at Sunday-school yesterday, having a good opportunity (as we were given liberty to ask any questions we pleased), I asked, ‘Can you tell me how it is that we are keeping the first day of the week for the Sabbath, instead of the seventh?’”
“The teacher, who, by the way, is a Baptist deacon, and is supposed to be well informed, said, ‘Because that is the Christian Sabbath.’”
“But does not the Bible say that God sanctified the seventh day as a day of rest?”
“Yes; that is the Jewish Sabbath, but we keep the Christian Sabbath.”
“I asked, ‘But what are we going to do with the commandment which says, “Six days shalt thou labor,” etc., but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord our God?’”
“He looked a little uneasy, I fancied, and said, ‘We keep Sunday because there are so many hallowed associations connected with that day, and that was the day upon which Christ arose from the dead.’”
“Said I, ‘It is supposed he was crucified on Friday, is it not?’”
“Yes.”
“I continued, ‘The Bible says, “Because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath,” etc., doesn’t it?’”
“Said he, ‘I guess not, does it?’”
“I took the Bible and showed him the last chapter of Luke. He looked at it and said, ‘Well I have never had the subject agitated in my mind before, and I will look up the matter for you and let you know.’”
“Said I, ‘The subject is of much interest to me just now. How soon can you let me know?’”
“He replied, ‘Come up to my house next Saturday evening, to the teachers’ meeting, and I will bring up the subject and have it discussed for your benefit.’”
“I thanked him and promised to do so; and so I am going to follow it up, and find out, if possible, the truth of the matter. I am pretty well convinced that there can be but one right way; and, if so, the other must be wrong, unless a countermand (if I may use the word) was given afterwards to the order to keep the seventh day holy. It seems to me that all depends upon the answer to that question.”
Of course we feel anxious to receive another letter from the lady. Perhaps at some future time we shall be able to give the readers of the REVIEW an account of the teachers’ meeting.
The truth is finding its way among the people, and many hearts are being touched by its sacred influence. Let us sow the seed with patience, and “God will give the increase.” ELIZA H. MORTON. Allen’s Corner, Me.