p. 5 | A MARKED CONTRAST by G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Aug 23, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 34.

A MARKED CONTRAST.

By G.

IT is claimed for the Sunday institution that it is both civil and religious. A prominent advocate of Sunday legislation once said, in a public convention: "We, the Sabbath Union, W. C. T. U., all the churches, and the Y. M. C. A., are laboring with all our might to carry the religious Sabbath with our right arm and the civil Sabbath with our left. Hundreds of thousands will receive it as a religious institution, and all the rest will receive it as a civil institution, and thus we will sweep in the whole nation."

This explains how it is that this "mark" is to be received by the people "in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast." See Revelation 13. And it is this mark, which men receive, as both a religious and civil, or secular, institution (anything that it may be formally recognized), against which the "third angel" of the last days warns the world. See Rev. 14: 6-11, and note particularly the dire consequences of being deceived into receiving this mark.

Note also, in connection with this fiery ordeal, that some have heeded the warning; for it is said in verse 12 that "here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." The mention of their patience shows that they have passed through very trying experiences in overcoming the pressure to receive the mark in opposition to the commandments of God.

Reverting to the quotation concerning the religious and the civil features of the Sunday-sabbath, the "hundreds of thousands" who "receive it as a religious institution" are they who receive the mark in the forehead primarily. We concede that they do so conscientiously—their consciences have been so far perverted by education. But "all the rest," who "receive it as a civil institution," do so by compulsion of the civil law. They simply concede recognition by stopping work, thus receiving the mark "in their hands."

God also has a mark—a "sign" (Ex. 31: 16, 17; Eze. 20: 12); a "seal" (Rev. 7: 1-4). This mark, or sign, is the Sabbath, of which the "mark of the beast" is a counterfeit. This mark or seal of God is received only "in the forehead." It is a religious institution exclusively, and is received in the mind. It is a matter of conscience only, and is not enforced upon men by civil law. The Lord does not appeal to civil law for the enforcement of His law. He accepts only voluntary obedience. Enforced obedience can result only in hypocrisy. A willing obedience is all that will save men from the devouring sword in the judgment. Isa. 1: 18-20. "My son, give Me thine heart," is the Lord's appeal. This done, and the work of the hand will be in harmony without the special aid of human law. G.