A Word for the Sabbath by William Clarence White

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Sep 23, 1875

"A Word for the Sabbath."

By William Clarence White

In its new form revised and enlarged this little poem is a gem sparkling with truth, which should ornament every library. The beauty of the poem and the ingenious style in which the absurdities of false theories are laid bare, and the just claims of truth vindicated, make it interesting to all, and peculiarly adapted to arrest the attention of those who would not read it in any other form than that of rhyme.

We will give a few passages from the first part of the poem. After a sad view of the widespread error which followed the first great sin, truth is pictured as standing firm, and

"‘Mong all the mighty truths that God has given, To fit mankind to share a home in Heaven, One fair, illustrious stands, and e'er hath stood, Since God first made the world and called it good; One mighty truth and to our purpose quite, To show how error dims men's mental sight. 'Tis thus expressed in plainest, simplest terms, As He in wisdom sacred truth affirms: “ Six days for man's own work did Heaven accord, The seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord. The seventh day God sanctified and blest, And set apart for man, a day of rest. “ That day is binding on his creatures still; And all must keep it who would do his will. And since the mass of all enlightened men Observe a day God did not give us then, A day of rest—however they may view it— We question now the right by which they do it; The right by which they boldly set aside The only day that God e'er sanctified; Then strive to place upon the vacant throne, Another day he ne'er has called his own. “ The fact which first we claim, and justly too, Which we contend no one can prove untrue, Is this: Since God at first the Sabbath made, He has not placed another in its stead. Though men may search, no record they will find, Where he has changed the day to suit mankind; No record that he ever took away The blessing which he gave the seventh day; And surely none in any age or clime, Where he has blest aught else as holy time; Therefore, we say, according to God's will, What was the Sabbath then is Sabbath still; Firm is the pillar set, we cannot move it, The world say it is changed and they must prove it. “ And this to do, and set the thing at rest, Many have sought the field and done their best; To prove this point, many have sternly fought; And most absurd the arguments they've brought. But, bad for the assertions which they make, Scarce any two the same position take; And so they find, at last, unlucky elves, The heft of battle is among themselves. Here only they agree : to prove somehow, The seventh is not the Sabbath now; And to this end they arguments employ Which do each other totally destroy.”"

Again, after showing that the Sabbath was instituted in Eden, the position that it was given to the Jews alone at Sinai is thus considered:—

"Say, you who claim, and speak as though you knew, That it was given only for the Jew, Were our first parents Jews? If so, then how Are not all earth's great nations Jewish now? Or, if long years successive rolled away, E're national divisions held their sway, And e're the Jews arose, who were to know What blessings from the Sabbath flow, For whom alone it was designed, you say— Why made so long before 't was needed, pray? “ Narrow and groveling must that theory prove, Which thus would limit God's eternal love; And such would dictate man's omniscient Friend, And say how far his blessings shall extend. But narrower-minded still are those who say That God should e're his Sabbath take away; That he, what first unbounded wisdom planned, A blessing for mankind in every land, What he to herald, did such pomp employ— Should finally repent of and destroy. Those who, with such plain facts before their eyes, Still view this noon-day question on this wise, To make their crooked views harmonious, And talk consistently, must reason thus:— “ Though God at first supposed it would be best That all mankind should have a day of rest, Soon by experience he wiser grew! And saw for all mankind it would not do! So he confined it to a single place, And charged it only on a single race; And with such limits hedged it round about That soon its term of life should all run out!”"

We would like to give a few lines from other chapters, viz., The Sabbath Not Abolished, Apostolic Example, and Vain Philosophy, in which the author, Eld. U. Smith, has contrasted the claims of Sunday and the Sabbath, but space will not admit. But we would say to every one, send to the Office for the poem, and place it before your friends.

W. C. W.