THE WEEK OF PRAYER by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 8, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 10.

"THE WEEK OF PRAYER."

By Editor

A SUGGESTION FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10.

JANUARY 7-14 is the time set apart for the week of prayer generally held by most of the great Protestant churches. The Evangelical Alliance suggests topics for the several days as follows: Sunday, January 7, Sermons on "Pentecostal Power;" Monday, Humiliation and Thanksgiving; Tuesday, The Church Universal; Wednesday, Nations and Their Rulers; Thursday, Foreign Missions; Friday, Nations and their Rulers; Saturday, The Family; Sunday, January 14, sermons on "The Coming of Our Lord."

Under these general topics are subheads with suggested Scripture references. Among other things for Wednesday's prayer meetings is suggested "Sabbath, Neh. 13: 15-22." That is, we suppose, it is desired that this scripture shall be read, commented upon by the leader of the meeting, and prayer be offered for the Sabbath. We would like to suggest the following points as worthy of consideration in connection with the Sabbath question:—

1. When was the Sabbath instituted? Gen. 2:2, 3.

2. What day is the Sabbath, in the light of the Scriptures? Gen. 2:2, 3; Mark 16:1, 2.

3. What should the Sabbath mean to us? —(a) The memorial of creation (Ex. 20: 8-11); (b) of redemption or recreation (Deut. 7:7, 8; 5:15; Eph. 2:10); (c) a sign of the only true God, Creator, and Redeemer (Ex. 31:17; Eze. 20: 12, 20).

4. The nature of the Sabbath, like all the law, spiritual. Rom. 7:14.

5. God demands voluntary spiritual service, for only such service is in spirit and in truth. John 4:24.

6. The gospel knows no compelling power save that of love (2 Cor. 5:14; 1 John 3:18; 4:7, 8), no means of creating love but by the Spirit of God (Rom. 5:5), no means of obtaining that Spirit but by faith (Luke 11:9-13; Gal. 3:14), no other weapons but the sword of the Spirit (2 Cor. 10:4; Eph. 6:17), no other armor than that of God, the armor of righteousness (Eph. 6:13; 2 Cor. 6:7).

7. In view of these facts is it not well to inquire whether Sunday is the Sabbath or not, or whether "Christian" rulers or any others have any right to adopt the theocratic methods of Nehemiah? Is not so doing the work of antichrist, who has assumed to put himself in the place of God? And when the church turns from Christ, in whom is all her power, to the world and to an institution of the world, has she not committed spiritual fornication? See James 4:4; Rev. 14:8.

8. Is not the only true Sabbath reform that which God has foreshadowed, rather, clearly predicted, in Isa. 56:1-6; 58:12, 13?

The above suggestions are made, not in a spirit of strife, but in the interests of truth, to all who take part in this coming week of prayer. Will you not consider them, brethren, in the light of the Scriptures?