SHORT-SIGHTED REASONING.
By W.
QUITE recently we read an article entitled "Keeping the Sabbath-day Not a Success," written by one who was himself once a Sabbath-keeper. The writer spoke of the greater number of Sunday-keepers, and mentioned other points of superior prosperity on the part of Sunday-keepers over Sabbath-keepers, and said:— "If, now, keeping Saturday is so highly pleasing to God, why does he not prosper it more? If Sunday observance is such a sin in the sight of God, why does he so remarkably bless those who persist in it?" This is one of the most common arguments against Sabbath-keeping and in favor of Sunday observance, and it is an argument that doubtless carries more weight with it than any other. The reason for this is that it is more easily comprehended than any other; it does not require a logical mind to grasp it. But the style of the argument is by no means new, and we would like to refer our readers, who may be troubled over it, to an instance of the use of exactly the same argument about twenty-five hundred years ago. The circumstances were these: A number of the Jews, disregarding the express command of the Lord, had gone down to Egypt to live, and had fallen in with the customs of the country, and were burning incense to Egyptian gods. Jeremiah, being divinely inspired, expostulated with them for their wickedness, reminding them of the judgments that had been brought upon Israel in the past, for departing from God, and saying that God would bring similar punishments upon them. "Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying, As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine." Jer. 44:15-18. This is a fair specimen of worldly reasoning,—of the reasoning of those who think that all accounts must be settled as they go along. The psalmist came very near making the same mistake once. Said he:— "But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well-nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." Ps. 73:2, 3. And then he goes on to tell how that they have no bands in death, they are not in trouble as other men are, and they have more than heart can wish. But when he went into the sanctuary and understood their end, he learned that God does not settle up his accounts with people as they go along. The people who seem the most prosperous may be in the greatest danger. If prosperity in Sunday-keeping proves that God is pleased with that practice, then the prosperity of the Jews, when they were worshiping idols, proved that God was pleased with such practices. But everyone will say that God was not pleased with them, even though they enjoyed temporary prosperity. How do they know that? Because God said so; the first commandment forbids the worship of other gods, and the second commandment declares that he cannot endure idolatry. In the same way we know that God is not pleased with Sunday-keeping, even though those who practice it may have prosperity. His commandment enjoins the observance of the Sabbath of the Lord,—the seventh day of the week, the only Lord's day,—and he is pleased only when his commandment is obeyed. The fact is, that wealth and numbers are not real success and prosperity. It cannot be known in this life whether or not any man has made life a success. The successful life is that one which is crowned with life eternal. Only when the Lord comes, and brings to light the hidden things of darkness, and makes manifest the counsels of the heart, will it be known who has made a success of life, or what course of action has been crowned with success. But we may know now what course of action, if faithfully persisted in, will be crowned with success, for God's word tells us: "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Therefore, let no one be turned aside from this course by the prosperity of those who are walking in a way of their own choosing. Their prosperity is not real, only seeming. "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"
W.