MICHIGAN by O. Soule

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 21, 1879

MICHIGAN

By O. Soule

Six Lakes, Aug. 8.—I met the brethren at Sheridan, Aug. 2. The next day I was called to Sidney to answer one Eld. Mills, of Stanton, who took the field in defense of Sunday. Some of his arguments being new to me, I will give them.

It was urged that upon the last hours of the sixth day God made man, just in time to commence the sacred rest of the Sabbath with his Maker, and that time was reckoned from man's first day; so that the first day of the week was the Creator's rest day. This he said was observed by the Sabians, Persians, northern Europeans, etc., and was the only Sabbath known until the exodus, when God, in separating his people from the heathen, among other things changed the Sabbath to the seventh day. Said change was claimed to be shown by comparing Ex. 20 with Deut. 5:15, and was to last while the Jews continued to be a nation. Ex. 31:16.

In reply to his statements, I showed from Gen. 2:19–24, that after man's creation he named all the beasts, was caused to sleep, and a rib was taken from his side, out of which God formed a woman, and then a marriage took place. This must have taken a good portion of the day; and if time was reckoned from man's first day, God's rest day was the second day of the week, or Monday, and according to his reasoning should be kept. I then showed that the cycle of a week is not a natural division of time, but depends entirely upon the action of God in creating the world and resting from his labor (see Gen. 1), making God's rest day the seventh day of the week. The fact that the Sabians and other heathens kept Sunday in honor of the sun, as he took pains to prove, only shows the heathen origin of the day. God's Sabbath began in Eden (Gen. 2:2, 3), and runs parallel with eternity. Isa. 66:22, 23. The idea that, in separating his people from the heathen, God should cause them to forsake his sacred rest day for a day upon which he did not rest, is too absurd to need reply; and worse still, that such a change is shown by comparing Ex. 20 and Deut. 5:15. Read them.

As for the Sabbath being only for Israel (Ex. 31:16), reference to Gal. 3:7, 29, will show that all Christians are Israelites; so this perpetual rest is still in force. But the climax was reached at last by asserting that God's law does not define a definite day of rest. Now read: “But the seventh day is the Sabbath.” What could be plainer? He defines it as the day, his rest day, the sanctified day, and the blessed day; yet it is no special day, and depends upon a positive command to fix the day! But where is the positive command for Sunday? Strange to say, the Elder entirely forgot to read it.

I have just commenced meetings in Belvidere township, and my address is Six Lakes, Montcalm Co., Mich.

Edmore, Aug. 14.—There being little interest near Six Lakes, I closed meetings there Aug. 10. I gave four discourses; and one who had read some upon the truth promised to keep the Sabbath. Last evening, Aug. 13, I began meetings at Edmore, with an attendance of fifty. This is a town of about 600 inhabitants, that has grown up in about two years. Brethren, pray for the cause at this place.

O. SOULE.