WHY MAKE YE THIS ADO? by M. C. W.

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 21, 1889

"WHY MAKE YE THIS ADO?"

By M. C. W.

"HE who has the truth can afford to be fair and patient; and one of the best inferential evidences that an advocate or opponent has not the truth, is to see him fly into a rage, and fret, and fume, and scold, and call hard names, and misrepresent those whom he cannot answer with reason or fact. Such a spectacle seems to be exhibited by the editor of the Interior, in its issue of December 27. A correspondent writes from Minneapolis, Minn., as follows:—

"DEAR INTERIOR: You are aware that the Seventh-day Adventists claim that the whole Christian world has apostatized on the matter of the Sabbath; that we are observing the first instead of the seventh day, contrary to the command of God; that in so doing the whole Christian family, continuing to violate the strict letter of the law, will receive the mark of the beast and be destroyed at the day of Judgment. Now, we think these Seventh-day Adventists to be fanatics upon this question, and yet, when they point us to innumerable passages of Scripture, both in the Old and New Testaments, in support of their faith, what shall we say, but to admit that they are technically right, at least? Is the whole Christian world simply following out a pernicious innovation of the Roman Church, which violates the sanctity of the true Sabbath? I argue, as well as I can, that the day was changed from the seventh to the first by the authority and permission of Christ himself; that, whether our Christian Sunday is in reality the veritable day established by divine enactment or not, the Christian race is keeping a sabbath, that they are carrying out the divine injunction in spirit, if not in letter, and that in doing this they are complying with God's command to keep the Sabbath-day holy. I must confess, however, that our Adventist friends seem to have the weight of evidence on their side. I would like your scholarly views."

To this the editor thus replies:—

"The weight of what evidence? The evidence that the entire visible church of Christ for eighteen centuries have been damned, the only exception being a very small band of Saturday fanatics, mostly of this century? Is that Christianity—or is it the most ferocious type of heathenism? We have a number of times shown the falsity of the alleged facts and logic of such people—but what good does it do? They are determined that the Lord Jesus Christ shall not receive honor, so far as they are concerned. Let them settle their differences with him and with his church, with him. That must be a pleasant sort of a faith—so charitable and Christian(?)—that the church universal is to be branded with the mark of the beast, and every individual in it, since the resurrection of Christ, damned, only excepting a little lot of Adventist Sabbatarians. We used to think it worth while to reason with such people, but we do not think so now. If they like to observe Saturday, and deny Christ the honor given to him of the Father, the question is between God and them. Let them look well to the answer they are to make when they shall meet Christ at the bar of Judgment."

Now, good Mr. Editor, why could you not have shown these ferocious heathen and "Saturday fanatics" "the falsity of the alleged facts and logic" of their views once more, just once more, and patiently, too? It would have been much more convincing, you know. Why could you not have given some evidence that honoring Sunday is honoring Christ? Why not point out from God's word where we are told to keep the first day? Why not show these "fanatics" that it is dishonoring to Christ to keep one of the ten commandments just as God has given it to us. And as the fourth commandment is only a part of that law which Christ did not come to change, perhaps you will tell us how we do dishonor Christ by keeping the fourth commandment, and do not dishonor him by keeping the others.

You know, Mr. Editor, that the Bible says that God created the worlds through Christ (John 1:1-3; Heb. 1:3; 1 Cor. 8:6); that all things were created by him (Col. 1:16), and that being so (for, of course, you believe it), the One who created was the One who rested; and therefore the seventh day, upon which he rested, and which he blessed and sanctified, is the Sabbath, or rest-day, of Christ, or the Lord's day. Mark 2:28; Rev. 1:10. Are not these facts, Mr. Editor? and is not this good logic?

Again: Jesus came to save his people from sin (Matt. 1:21); sin is the transgression of God's perfect law (1 John 3:4; Rom. 7:7); the fourth commandment is a part of that law; and therefore its transgression is sin. Now when the Scriptures say that Christ shall save his people from their sins, or from transgression of the law, does it mean that the fourth commandment is excepted? Or did the angel mean that Jesus should save his people in sin instead of from sin? May we not ask for "your scholarly views" on the above? Is it not among the greatest triumphs of grace that a sinner should be made obedient? that the heart once not subject to God's law, should be made, through Christ, willingly subject? God's law to us never seems so holy as when we view it from Calvary; and his love in giving Christ to die never seems greater than when viewed from Sinai's base.

And, please be patient, Mr. Editor, will you not give us one text of Scripture from prophet, apostle, or our blessed Lord, which says that we should keep holy the Sunday? Tell us also how great numbers will make a difference in the truth? How is it that there has not been the great "falling away" as Paul declared there would be? Acts 20:29, 30; 2 Thess. 2; 2 Tim. 4:3, 4. And may it not be possible that Calvin and Knox, good men though they were, did not see all the truth?

Another question, Mr. Editor: Why do you misrepresent Seventh-day Adventists as teaching that "the church universal is to be branded with the mark of the beast, and every individual in it, since the resurrection of Christ, damned, only excepting a little lot of Adventist Sabbatarians"? They do not so teach. They have never so taught. They believe that light rejected brings condemnation; don't you? They believe that God is giving to the world a warning message in Rev. 14, Isa. 58, Joel 2 and 3, Zeph. 1 and 2, and other scriptures. Isn't he doing this? We are among the "fanatics," but we desire to hear you again. Be patient once more. It will do you no good to scold so, and it will not help us nor your seemingly honest correspondent. You say in your same issue, Mr. Editor, that "all men, when the shadows of age begin to come, ought to pray to be delivered from becoming crabbed, or crotchety, or self-opinionated," etc. We believe it, and desire to profit by it. But perhaps you did not mean all that about the Adventists. We will wait for explanation.

M. C. W.