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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 20, 1879

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 53, No. 8.

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MASSACHUSETTS

By D. A. Robinson

Athol Center, Feb. 14.—Our meetings still continue here with a fair interest. A few more have taken hold of the truth the past week. Last Sunday the Orthodox minister came to the rescue with a sermon on the Sabbath question. But it was so radically reckless that those of his people who had heard the truth preached found no consolation in it.
A brief synopsis of his faith is as follows: 1. The Sabbath was instituted at the falling of the manna—no evidence that it was kept before that time. 2. God designed that man should keep the Sabbath from the beginning, since we see indications of a weekly cycle through the book of Genesis; and also it meets a universal want. 3. It never was commanded till the law was given, and the reason assigned for keeping it was because God rested. 4. The Sabbath was Jewish, and commemorated the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. 5. Christ kept the Jewish Sabbath. 6. He was no observer of days. 7. He was no legalist. 8. He is the Christian law-giver. 9. We should not judge in respect to a Sabbath, etc. 10. If we are Christians, we shall keep the first day. (Thus judging those who do not keep it.) 11. The fact that the apostles met many times on the Sabbath (seventh-day) proves nothing. 12. Paul’s one meeting on the first day proves beyond question that the first day was the Sabbath. 13. The keeping of a day was left a matter of perfect indifference. 14. The idea that the fourth command is now binding isunsound. 15. The ten commandments are all binding. 16. The Sabbath is a shadow; don’t linger in it. 17. The change came gradually, being made by Christian emperors (Constantine was cited). 18. It was left for them to select any day they chose, and they finally chose Sunday. 19. A Sunday law would be a good thing, and we ought to have one. 20. The testimony of the fathers settles it forever.
We haven’t time to show a harmony between the above points, but the reader can try his hand at it if he desires. Bro. Haines had freedom in reviewing the discourse on Wednesday evening before a full house. We shall be here at least another week. D. A. ROBINSON.