MISSOURI by J. G. Wood

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 6, 1879

MISSOURI

By J. G. Wood

Windsor.—We closed our tent-meeting at this place Oct. 26, having continued it a little more than seven weeks. This includes the time of our annual camp-meeting, which was held here, and left a very favorable impression.

The attendance was good to the close. We had much opposition, which helped to keep up the interest of the meetings, and bring the people to a decision in favor of the truth.

Eld. Hallam (Disciple), who claims to have held a discussion with Eld. J. N. Loughborough in Napa, Cal., ten years ago, preached three opposition discourses. We replied each time with telling effect.

Eld. Bailey (Congregationalist) evidently saw that he must do something, as some of the prominent members of his church were commencing to keep the Sabbath; so he read a lengthy article written by Dr. Stone, of Philadelphia, in which he admitted that the Sabbath was given to man in Eden, and that the Sabbath institution is binding on all men in all ages of the world, but said that the day had been changed from the seventh to the first day of the week. We replied that it is not the institution we are to remember, but the Sabbath day. He acknowledged that neither Christ nor the apostles ever gave any command for keeping the first day of the week, but said that Sunday observance was brought in gradually and silently; and that as many of the Jews were exceedingly bitter against Christ, an express command from him giving them another day of rest in place of their long-cherished Sabbath, would have so imbittered the whole nation that the progress of the gospel would have been impeded.

We admitted that the change came in silently, so silently that we had for it nowhere in the Bible either precept or example; that its introduction was as gradual as was the apostasy of the church and the advancement of the papacy; but we claimed that it was an insult to the Majesty of Heaven to say that Christ dare not tell the people that the seventh day was to be abrogated and the first day of the week was to take its place. Christ could drive them out of the temple with a whip. John 2:15. He could say, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not.” Luke 11:44. He could tell them, “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Matt. 15:7-9. But he dare not tell them that they ought from henceforth to observe the first day of the week. O consistency!

He thought he could see the hand of God in this mild form of silently and gradually bringing about this change. We thought we could see in this the hand of him who should speak great words against the Most High, and should wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws. Dan. 7:25.

At the close of our review, several came forward and called for the covenant to sign, pledging themselves to keep the Sabbath of the Lord. Twenty-five have taken their stand with us. Many others are fully convinced that we have the truth.

We obtained fourteen subscribers for our periodicals. Bro. N. W. Allen was with me till the close of the camp-meeting, and rendered valuable assistance. I return Nov. 8.

Oct. 30. J. G. WOOD.