WHAT DOES THE SABBATH COMMEMORATE?
By C. W. Speary
BRO. SMITH: On hearing a Baptist minister, a few weeks since, try to prove the first day of the week to be the Sabbath, and have it commemorate redemption, I was led to ask myself, What does the Sabbath commemorate? The minister first disposed of the seventh day by saying that it was placed among the ordinances and was against us, therefore it was nailed to the cross, and taken out of the way. He said it was against and contrary to us, because it was not in the power of man to keep it, for it was a holy command, and it took a holy man to keep it. Query. If a holy command is against man, how can a carnal command written on the heart save or convert man? And if it was necessary to nail the fourth command to the cross because it was holy, it must be equally necessary to nail all the rest, for all were holy. Ps. xix, 7; Rom. vii, 12. He then tried to show that the first day must be kept as a Sabbath to commemorate redemption, and made many incorrect assertions, from which he drew inferences that the first day must be the Sabbath, one of which was, "It was an oft repeated expression that Christ met with his disciples on the first day of the week to break bread," but no scripture presented for proof. And while he labored to get something to commemorate redemption, I asked myself, What authority has he for taking the Sabbath for this purpose? Must we make an event fit the memorial, or a memorial fit the event? The latter is the only thing which can be done. But what does the weekly Sabbath commemorate? It is a rest-day, and must refer to one event only. With this idea before me, a few corresponding illustrations made the subject of force to my mind. Reader, will you ponder them? Will the celebration of the fourth day of July commemorate but one event? or will it commemorate the death of George Washington also? It has a fitness to one event only. But, said an Advent minister to me a short time since, It might commemorate the death of Jefferson because he died on that day. If this be true, why not for all who died on that day? But to the Scriptures. When Samuel fought with the Philistines and gained the victory, he took a stone and set it up and called it Ebenezer, because the Lord had helped him. This was a memorial of that event. Again, when Jacob was sleeping on a stone for a pillow, and the Lord met him in a dream, and showed him the ladder, and the angels ascending and descending, he took the stone and set it for a pillar and called it Bethel, because the Lord met him there. This was a memorial of that event. How would Bethel signify or commemorate Samuel's victory or Ebenezer for Jacob's experience? Each must have its proper application. The stones which Israel set up after passing over Jordan will commemorate the cutting off the waters before the ark of God only. The eating of unleaven bread will only commemorate one event. The Lord's supper will commemorate nothing but the death of our Saviour. Baptism is a fit memorial only for Christ's burial and resurrection. So the Sabbath, or Rest-day, can refer only to the Rest-day which God had after creating the world. But when men take another day for the Sabbath, and have it commemorate another event, they rob God of his honor wherein he has said, hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you that ye may know that I am the Lord your God. Eze. xx, 20. Reader, you that call the first day of the week the Sabbath, look your Bible through and see what authority you have for keeping or calling it the Sabbath. But when you are so bold as to apply the term Sabbath to the first day of the week after the light shines, remember you are following in the wake of the Man of Sin who exalts himself above God. But if the Lord be God, serve him. Keep God's commandments and not offend in one point, is the only passport into the Celestial-City. Let us not presume to instruct the Almighty, but humble ourselves and strive to enter the straight gate. Yours striving for durable riches.
C. W. SPEARY.