Untitled article by Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Aug 9, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 32.

EDUCATION IN THE HOME. NO. 13.

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

BY MRS. L. D. AVERY-STUTTLE.

"YES, papa, I borrowed it yesterday; Emma said she could lend it a few days, because she has learned her lesson for next Sunday. I will go and fetch it; I left it upstairs;" and away the little girl hurried after the catechism.

"A catechism! of all things!" mused Mrs. Wilber, "I wonder what Mr. Hartman wants of a Catholic catechism."

Presently Beth returned, holding in her hands a copy of "The Catholic Christian Instructed." "Now, friends," began Brother Hartman, "having found in the prophetic Word of God that there will surely arise a certain power which should wear out the saints of the Most High and tamper with His law, and having found that they,—the times and the law,—would be given into the hand of this power for a certain period, we look about us to see if there has arisen any power which has persecuted God's saints and sought to change His law. Walter Grey, you are somewhat of a student of history, I believe; do you remember of ever reading from any reliable historian that there has ever arisen a persecuting power which persecuted and hunted Christ's Church until thousands upon thousands were slain?"

"I presume you refer to the bloody persecution of the Church by the Roman power," replied the lad.

"Certainly, I do; well, we find by a study of Dan. 7:25, that it was the very power that wore out the saints of the Most High that should also tamper with the holy law of the Almighty. Now, we boldly affirm this to have been the Papacy; and if—"

"But," smiled Mrs. Jones, "Suppose they deny this charge—it's a pretty serious one, you know—ought we not to give them the benefit of the doubt, Mr. Hartman?"

For reply, Brother Hartman rapidly turned the leaves of the catechism which Beth had borrowed, until he had found the place he had in mind.

"But, instead of denying these charges," said he, "they not only admit them, but are proud and bold in testifying that the Church of Rome is responsible for the change in God's law; and that she actually boasts of her power to do this very thing. This little book is a work I have been anxious to see for a long time, knowing that it contains the confession and boast of the Catholic Church. But it has never fallen into my hands until just the other day."

All this time, Mrs. Wilber sat earnestly watching the speaker, and curiously regarding the little brown covered book.

"Come, father," smiled Elsie, "please don't keep us in suspense any longer; we are all anxious to hear the testimony of the book."

"Very well, I will read from page 252, chapter 23: "Question: What are the days which the Church commands to be kept holy?—Answer: First, the Sunday, or the Lord's day, which we observe by apostolic tradition, instead of the Sabbath. . . . "Question: What warrant have you for keeping the Sunday, preferable to the ancient Sabbath, which was the Saturday?—Answer: We have for it the authority of the Catholic Church and apostolic tradition. "Question: Does the Scripture anywhere command the Sunday to be kept for the Sabbath? Answer: The Scripture commands us to hear the Church; . . . but the Scripture does not in particular mention this change of the Sabbath."

"Well, wife," interrupted Mr. Wilber, "it rather strikes me, now, that this is pretty clear testimony. These people seem to acknowledge without hesitation or shame, that they are the guilty parties."

"Yes," said John, "I believe that in almost any court of justice such testimony would be admitted. If a sum of money had been stolen, and some one pointed out the thief, and then this thief readily pleaded guilty, and displayed the stolen property, no one would think of doubting who the culprit was,—would they, Josie, do you think?"

"Why, John! you're quite a lawyer. I'd no idea, you could argue so well," smiled Josie.

"I think John would make a better preacher than he would lawyer," declared Walter Grey. John blushed a little, while Mrs. Wilber said earnestly: "Just let me see that little book,—I can hardly believe my ears,—let me see if my own eyes will tell the same story;" and Mrs. Wilber reached for the little volume which had created such interest. "Why! here is more on the subject,—dear me! shall I read it? shall I? I'm afraid I'm very foolish to be so agitated; indeed, I almost find myself wishing I had not attended these readings at all;—then I would have known nothing about it, and so quite escaped any responsibility."

"But, my friend," said dear grandma, quietly, "you will remember that the Lord especially speaks of a class of people who are destroyed for lack of knowledge. It would be a pity to be among them, don't you think so?"

"O my," exclaimed Billy Black, shuffling his feet uneasily, "I ain't got much knowledge,—I don't want to be destroyed,—s'pose I will be, Mr. Hartman?"

"Certainly not," responded Mrs. Wilber quickly, while her kindly motherly eyes filled with tears, "certainly not, you poor boy. But of course one must understand how one feels. But O, just hear this!" she continued, still fixing her eyes intently upon the little book. "I am more surprised than I can express! shall I read, Mr. Hartman?"

"Certainly," replied Brother and Sister Hartman in chorus.

"Well, I'll just continue where you left off, on page 252;" and Mrs. Wilber read in a clear, tho somewhat tremulous voice: "St. John speaks of the Lord's day (Rev. 1:10), but he does not tell us what day of the week this was, much less does he tell us that this day was to take the place of the Sabbath ordained in the commandments. St. Luke also speaks of the disciples meeting together to break bread, on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7), and St. Paul (1 Cor. 16:2) orders that on the first day of the week, the Corinthians should lay by in store what they designed to bestow in charity; . . . but neither the one nor the other tells us that this first day of the week was to be henceforward the day of worship and the Christian Sabbath. So that, truly, the best authority we have for this, is the testimony and ordinance of the Church."

"Hm—m! if that isn't a most astonishing admission, then I don't know!" interrupted Mr. Wilber.

"But wait until I'm through," protested his wife; "just hear this;" and she read rapidly: "And therefore those who pretend to be such religious observers of the Sunday, whilst they take no notice of other festivals ordained by the same church authority, show that they act by humor, and not by reason and religion; since Sundays and holidays all stand upon the same foundation, viz., the ordinance of the Church."

Mrs. Wilber ceased reading; handed the book to Brother Hartman, buried her face in her hands, and seemed lost in thought.