DEAR BRO. WHITE:—Will you allow me again to submit to your disposal a few broken thoughts. I am deeply sensible of my incompetence to write for the public eye, but “the love of Christ constraineth me.” “I groan to tell my story.” In the letters of the Brethren and Sisters, I often find my own views and feelings expressed more clearly than I can do it, and not unfrequently my lonely room resounds with the inadvertent response.
A retrospect of my past life with regard to the Holy Sabbath, fills me with wonder and astonishment at my own stupidity, and the marvelous loving-kindness of God in giving me the light of truth, even at the eleventh hour.
“Why doth He any notice take
Of me, who did his way forsake,
Except it be to bid me go,
From him, to everlasting woe.
Free grace, free grace, my soul doth sing,
Glory to God, my Heavenly King,
Fain would I spend eternal days
In striving to advance his praise.”
I have ever been a great lover of poetry, and when in health, a singer. Frequently on Sunday morning I used to sing with great delight,
“Welcome sweet day of rest,
That saw the Lord arise,” &c.
O, what darkness enshrouded my mind! Where is the proof that Sunday was a day of rest? Alas, I looked not for proof to the light-giving Word, but carelessly relied on the teachings of Parents, Ministers, Poets, Catechisms, &c. Who rested on that day? Not the blessed Jesus; the day previous he rested in the tomb, but
“With the dawn of that morning my Saviour was rising,
The chains of mortality bursting, despising,”
Not the holy women; with affectionate promptitude they prepared spices and ointments for the body of their departed Lord; but the holy commandment must not be violated. They “rested the Sabbath-day. And upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning they came unto the sepulchre, and certain others with them.” And if the disciples who walked and went into the country, regarded that day as the Sabbath, they were less pious than some few professed disciples of our time, although many think there is no harm in taking a walk after having been to church. Surely there is no account in the “Volume of the Book” of any one resting on that day, or any commandment to that effect.
O, what a round-about, dark, laborious way those are obliged to take who would do away the Sabbath of the Lord, forsaking the path which is as a shining light, and becoming more and more luminous as the perfect day draws near.
How astonishing, how grievous, that Adventists will pursue such a course! From such as reject, and oppose the coming of Jesus, nothing better can be expected. But will those who look for, and love his appearing, endeavor to shun the cross? Why else will they “darken counsel by words without knowledge?”87They have ever taught that except we abide in Christ, we cannot be prepared to meet him at his coming, and we cannot abide in him unless we, also, walk even as he walked. He declares that he kept his Father's commandments, and how can we follow his steps unless we do likewise. O, how appropriate at this time the admonition, “Be not deceived, God is not mocked!”
Dear Brethren and Sisters, let us who have seen this glorious light, and by grace divine been made willing to receive it, be steadfast immovable, not regarding the charge of “extravagance and folly,” or the cold indifference and desertion of former friends and associates, but rather rejoice in such folly as will make us wise unto salvation, and will secure the everlasting friendship of Him whose favor is life, and whose loving-kindness, better than life. “This is my beloved, and this is my friend; O, daughters of Jerusalem.”