A World-Wide Reform by George I. Butler

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jun 16, 1914

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 41, No. 23.

A World-Wide Reform

By George I. Butler

It Encircled the Earth in Mighty Power—The Bible Sabbath, a Central Theme—A Striking Providence in It

GEORGE I. BUTLER

THERE was a time when, for at least fifteen centuries, there was no weekly Sabbath observed in this world but the seventh day of the week. That period commenced at the giving of the law on Mount Sinai, and reached to the crucifixion of Christ. All intelligent Christians admit this.

The writer has no doubt that the same condition existed from the creation to the Exodus, and for more than one century after Christ. Some might dispute this last statement, but none will dispute the first. There is no possible escape from the fact that for fifteen centuries, as stated, the seventh day was the only Sabbath in existence.

A CHANGE HAD COME

Another fact all must admit, is that somewhere between Christ's ascension and A. D. 1000 a change had occurred, and the great mass of professed Christians observed the first day of the week as the sabbath of the Christian dispensation.

Of course there were some exceptions to the general practise. The Jews everywhere observed the day their forefathers had always observed. And very plain evidences exist showing that a comparatively few Christians still kept the seventh-day Sabbath. But we are speaking of the general observance of the first day of the week by the great mass of professed Christians.

This brief article is not designed to enter into any argument for the observance of the seventh or the first day of the week, but merely to call attention to some facts of general interest in regard to the modern movement concerning the restoration of the original Sabbath. Since the first thousand years of the Christian dispensation, but little public stir has taken place relative to the observance of the original Sabbath, until the latter portion of the nineteenth century.

To be sure, the Seventh-day Baptists existed for centuries in the past. Many of them were earnest Christians, and should be highly respected for their faithfulness in holding to the original Sabbath of the Lord. Some noble men among them gave their lives as martyrs because of their faithful observance of the fourth precept of Jehovah's law. For one, this writer holds the deepest respect for those faithful souls who, amid the ignorance upon the claims of the fourth commandment, yet with the knowledge they had, thought their lives not too precious to give to show their faith in God's eternal truth.

But the Seventh-day Baptists did not accomplish very much in moving people to observe the Sabbath of the Lord. They had a hard time to hold their own. Yet they were intelligent and educated, a people who had much light upon the Scriptures. But evidently God's time had not come when the world should be moved to see the claims of the law of Jehovah upon men's consciences. That people failed to exalt the great Sabbath truth as it should be exalted.

God evidently permitted this important truth to remain largely unnoticed until the second advent of Christ should be proclaimed with power. This message was to be a great reform movement—a completion of the great reformation commenced by Luther and the other reformers, but which was only a reformation in part. Other great truths, of which the Sabbath is a prominent one, must be brought out with power just previous to the second coming of our Saviour-King. When He ascended, He left a church with all the great truths He had proclaimed in their purity. When He returns to take His people home and close up human probation, He will find a people keeping all "the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus."

A WORLD-EMBRACING MESSAGE

The third angel's message of Rev. 14: 6-12, embodying one great message with three prominent features, is the last great movement in the gospel plan. It embraces all the truths of the Old Testament and the New applicable to this time. This message is going to every nation, tongue, and people on this globe. It is going with a loud cry. It will be a testing movement preparatory to the close of human probation. Its development is under full headway. It is being proclaimed in over ninety different languages to all the great nations of our globe. All must hear it.

The Sabbath of the Lord is a prominent part of the message that is now being so powerfully promulgated to the ends of the earth. It is the grand creation Sabbath, the Sabbath of Adam, of Noah, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, of Moses and all Israel, of Daniel and every prophet of the Bible, of Christ and all His apostles, and of all Christians until the church began to pass under the cloud of apostasy.

RISES FROM BENEATH ENEMIES' FEET

What a wonderful fact this is! The Sabbath seemed to lie dormant, practically unnoticed, trampled upon. Priests and kings, pagan, Catholic, and Protestant alike, apparently obliterated its glories. But in the fulness of time, when the Saviour's speedy return is proclaimed to all the earth, this downtrodden truth is exalted to its original position. And before every community, in cities great and small, in hamlets and country neighborhoods—yea, to earth's remotest

bounds—it is held forth with its original luster, stirring to their depths the hearts of the obedient, and arousing the sleepy church-members. Waking up to the fact that they are breaking God's commandments, they hear in thunder tones, "Take your feet off the holy Sabbath of the Lord."

Dear reader, can you not see the hand of God in all this? Is not this a wonderful sign of the times? Let us be prepared for the coming of the King by helping to make up the breach in the law of God.