APOSTOLIC EXAMPLE

Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · Sep 27, 1853

APOSTOLIC EXAMPLE.

Is in favor of the Sabbath. The apostles never broke the Sabbath, nor were they accused of it, after the resurrection, by their most bitter enemies. And think you those fault-finding Jews would have kept silence on this point, if they had broken it, or sought to introduce another day in its stead? On the contrary, they continued to speak of the Sabbath as an institution which really existed, without calling it old or Jewish. It was Paul's custom to preach in the synagogues on the Sabbath.—Acts xvii, 2. You reply, it was because they could find the Jews assembled on that day. Very well. They might have appointed meetings on the first day occasionally, if they observed that day at all. On one occasion as they were going out of the synagogue, the Gentiles asked Paul to preach to them on the next Sabbath.—Acts xiii, 42. If that request had been made to a modern preacher he would have replied, You need not wait for another Jewish Sabbath; to-morrow is Lord's day, we will preach to you to-morrow. It is marvelous how silent the apostles were with regard to this new institution.

When Paul was at Corinth he labored at his trade of tent-making, but when the Sabbath came, he was found at the synagogue persuading both Jews and Greeks. Here, when the chief ruler of the synagogue and many of the Corinthians believed, an excellent opportunity presented itself for the Apostle to introduce the new institution. But here, as every where else, he was silent in regard to it. But he preached every Sabbath, and continued there a year and six months

Now, brethren, if you can examine this subject without prejudice, I have not a doubt that you will come to the conclusion that the Sabbath was made for us. If you can forget your early teaching, you will not find a hint at the new institution in the Old or New Testament, if we except Dan. vii, 25. The phrase, Lord's day, is found but once in the Bible.—[Rev. i, 10.] and that rule of interpretation which would apply it to the first day, would prove from the Bible that we all ought to hang ourselves. One solitary instance is recorded of the disciples meeting on the first evening of the week, [Acts xx, 7.] but not a hint is given of this being a custom. The direction, 'Let each of you lay by him in store,' would never have suggested the idea of meeting together, to any

rational mind, had it not been connected with the words, “first of the week.” But these last words occurring but twice in the New Testament except in the evangelists, some good use must be made of them where they do occur; as, where timber is scarce, every crooked tree must be used for something. It is truly said of biased minds,

“They first get their tenets, then make it their care, To search out such scripture as best will compare; And when they have found that which suits them the best, They falsely construe it, and skip all the rest.”

Brethren, read the Book, as for the first time, on this subject, saying in your hearts, God’s will, not mine, be done, and the result will be a reformation which will honor God, and promote his cause on earth.