GOD'S MEMORIAL OF HIS POWER.
By Anna Agee
He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered. He hath showed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen. Ps. 111:4, 6. WE find from the word of God that the Sabbath is a memorial instituted by the Lord to keep in memory his almighty power as manifested in the work of creation, and that by observing this memorial in the way that he has commanded, we grow stronger in faith, having confidence that He who is able to create, uphold, and control all things can also "redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." The power shown in redemption is the power of creation, for, in order to save a corrupt article, it must undergo a transformation, making it sound and good; and no one but he who has the power to create has the power to recreate or restore. Therefore, those who are "created in Christ Jesus unto good works" have undergone the process of having their hearts, or minds, recreated—renewed—changed from corrupt to clean, from impure to pure, by the same power that made the universe. And when so changed, they must be kept so by the same power—the power which has only to speak and the thing whereunto it is sent is performed. Isa. 55:11. Since the Sabbath is the memorial of these great facts, it becomes important to inquire, What day has God exalted to such a high office? The Lord says, "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." In Bible times the days of the week were known among God's people as first day, second day, etc. They had numerical names. So when the Lord said "the seventh day is the Sabbath," it was the day known by that name—the name given it by him at creation. See Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31; 2:2, 3. The Sabbath, then, is just as definite a day as though the Lord had given it in its heathen name, for the names of the days of the week, as used by the world to-day, are of heathen origin. What name did the heathen give to this day the Lord named the seventh? All our calendars and every nation on the earth tell us that Saturday is the seventh day. The Jews who have not forsaken the religion of their ancestors, unitedly observe Saturday, the world over. Ask the world why Sunday is kept; they will answer, "To commemorate the resurrection of Christ." On what day did he rise from the dead? The Bible tells us plainly it was on the first day of the week. Mark 16:9. So Sunday keepers are keeping the first day, which God has not blessed, instead of the seventh, upon which God has placed his blessing, made holy, and commanded us to keep. Perhaps it may be said, "Yes, that is the old Jewish Sabbath, I know." No, it "is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God;" it "was made for man" (Mark 2:27) at the close of creation (Gen. 2:2, 3), before there was a Jew in existence. It is the day our Lord observed when he "was made flesh and dwelt among us." "And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit unto Galilee. . . . And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read." "And came to Capernaum . . . and taught them on the Sabbath days." Luke 4:14-16, 31. "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Matt. 5:17. Jesus could not possibly have told the truth when he said, "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do" (John 17:4) unless he did fulfill the law, for that was what he came to do; and in order to fulfill the law, he kept the Sabbath, for God, speaking through James, says, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." James 2:10. If he was a Sabbath breaker, he was a sinner, for "sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4), and we know the Sabbath is a part of the law; and we know, too, that "Jesus did no sin" (1 Peter 2:22). Therefore he was a Sabbath keeper not a Sabbath breaker. Jesus is our example (1 Peter 2:21), and we should therefore "walk, even as he walked" (1 John 2:6). "He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me" (Matt. 10:38), says our Saviour. Will he say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant; . . . enter thou into the joy of thy Lord," to one who does not do so? "Just so we keep one day it does not make any difference which one" will not excuse us now from obeying the Lord any more than Nadab and Abihu were excused when they thought they would burn the incense with fire other than the Lord commanded. They thought it didn't make any difference if only they burned the incense. But did it? "And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord." Lev. 10:1, 2. "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." 1 Cor. 10:11. Shall we heed the admonition? "Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord." Ps. 107:43. "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament." Dan. 12:3. Jesus says, "Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." Matt. 10:33. It is not alone in words that men deny their Lord, for in Titus 1:16 we read, "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." Dear reader, "let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." Eph. 5:6. "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"