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

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

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

EDUCATION IN THE HOME. NO. 15.

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

BY MRS. L. D. AVERY-STUTTLE.

"We had thought to resume our readings on the Sabbath question to-night," continued Brother Hartman, "for, altho there is much more which might be brought forward in proof of the immutability of God's law and the sacredness of His holy Sabbath, still we must give room for individual study and research. So, if there are any other questions in the minds of those present, please speak of them; and we will try to answer; and if we find ourselves unable to do this, we will study them with Bible in hand, until, with the Lord's help, we are able to make them plain."

Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur looked hard at each other, and Mr. and Mrs. Jones only smiled and nodded, but no one spoke a word for some time. Finally Walter Grey said earnestly:

"I'm nothing but a boy, Mr. Hartman, but there is one more thing I'd like to have studied, and that is the objection that I've often heard my father make; that the entire Ten Commandments were abolished at the cross of Christ."

"I am glad, my lad, that you have sufficient interest in these readings to bring up questions like this, which you would like better to understand. There was, of a truth, a law which was abolished at the cross; but that law was done away because it only commanded the observance of those ceremonies which pointed forward to Christ. So that when type met antitype at the cross, of course there was no longer any need of the continuance of the type, or shadow. Walter, will you please read Eph. 2:15?"

"Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances."

"You see," continued Brother Hartman, "that this verse makes it plain that it was not the moral law which perished at the death of Christ."

"Can you give us an example of any ordinance, or ceremony, which was done away?" questioned Mr. Jones.

"Certainly; circumcision is one example. The great trouble between Jew and Gentile was regarding this rite. Then, the eating of the Passover was another ceremony which was done away when the true Passover, Christ, was crucified. Gal. 6:15 is quite plain with reference to circumcision; will you kindly read the text, Mr. Jones?"

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature."

"There is another text," said grandma, "that is to the point, in 1 Cor. 7:19. I would like to hear Mrs. Wilbur read the verse."

"Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God."

"But just think, Walter," said John, "what a fearful condition we would all be in, if the moral law were not now in force. Why! what a world it would be!"

"That's true," replied Walter. "I suppose it is very necessary to have a law, or even theft and murder would call for no punishment, and must be tolerated; somehow I never thought of it in just that way before."

"How long did God declare that His holy law should endure? Beth, you may read Matt. 5:18. Grandma will find the place for you."

"For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."

"Walter, will you please read Rom. 5:13?" and the lad smiled as he read the text:

"For until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law."

"As much as to say," interrupted Sister Hartman, "that even before the giving of the law upon Mount Sinai, there must have been a knowledge of God's holy law in the earth; indeed, there can be no such thing as sin, without a law which forbids that sin."

"Elsie, do you believe that the ancient Sabbath of Jehovah will be observed in the redeemed state?"

"I believe it will, father."

"You do!" exclaimed Mrs. Wilbur. "Well, surely, this is a new idea to me. Where do you find the Bible for that, Elsie, may I ask?"

"I learned it by reading the last chapter of Isaiah, verses 22 and 23. Please turn and read them, Mrs. Wilbur," replied Elsie; and as Mrs. Wilbur turned to the text in question, she could not help wondering how she had closed her eyes so long to one of God's commandments.

"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before Me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, saith the Lord."

Tears were in Mrs. Wilbur's eyes before she had done reading. "How can we expect to have the privilege of keeping God's Sabbath above, if we have refused to keep it upon earth?" she said.

"I am afraid we can not," replied Sister Hartman, "after we have once seen and acknowledged the claims of the Sabbath, and been fully enlightened."

"Now," said Brother Hartman, "if there are no more questions on this subject, we shall proceed to the consideration of others. But I have been thinking that it would be a fitting close for this portion of our study to ask grandma to tell us about the first Sabbath she ever kept, and how she came to keep it. I have often heard her repeat the story, and it never loses its interest to me."

At mention of a story, Billy Black leaned eagerly forward and fixed his questioning eyes upon Grandma Hartman, who smiled upon the lad kindly as she said, "Would you like to hear a tale of olden times, my boy?"

And Billy, to whom a story possessed as much interest as a song, answered promptly, "If you please, ma'am."

"Very well; tho even after so long a lapse of years my cheeks burn at the remembrance of my own wilfulness and hardness of heart."

"O Grandma Hartman!" exclaimed Beth, "You were never hardhearted, was she, papa?"

"I have never thought her so, dear; but at the time of which your grandma speaks, I was a very little boy; so that I have no remembrance of the incident she will relate."

(To be continued.)