REPLY. 1. The observers of the ancient Sabbath of Jehovah, are charged with disingenuousness [want of fairness,] in stating that the word Sabbath is never applied to the first day of the week. The word Sabbath, indeed, signifies rest, and it is applied to the seventh day, because God rested on that day. No other day can be called "the Sabbath of the Lord," until he shall have rested on such day. The New Testament, as it now stands, contains no hint that anything of a sabbatic character, pertains to the first day of the week. But (to speak in plain language) it is wrongly translated, "and Sabbatarians do or ought to know it." Well we are glad that you cannot sustain your charge by an appeal to the common version. Candor will oblige you to admit that fact.
2. You sustain the charge thus, if we are able to understand you. The Greek words translated "first day of the week," are not rightly translated, but should be rendered "one of Sabbath," or "the one of Sabbaths." Yet you affirm that "the one of Sabbaths" is the identical first day of the week. How do you know it? If it ought not to be translated the first day of the week, how dare you say that that is the real meaning of the text.
3. After repeating the text, as you consider rightly translated, you ask, "Does not this indicate that one series of Sabbaths there ended, so far as obligation to observe it was concerned, and a new series was introduced?" We can only answer, you have given an ingenious guess. Will you also tell us who instituted this new series of Sabbaths? On what day of the week are they to be celebrated? What law enforces their observance? As the Scripture is silent with regard to such matters, as now translated, can you not give an amended version?
4. Perhaps you may reply, that as "the one of the Sabbaths" succeeded to "the end of Sabbaths," it must have been the first day of the week. To say the least this is a question of doubt. For the phrase "the end of Sabbaths," is certainly not very definite. But there is nothing whatever to show that Acts xx, 7, and 1 Cor. xvi, 2, have any reference to the first day of the week, if your new translation changes them to "one of the Sabbaths."
5. But you have pointed out one exception in Rev. i, 10. The first day is there called "Lord's day." Who told you so, Bro. Litch? Are you not in this also "wise above what is written?" "The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." But in what text of Scripture do you read that he has "put away" his holy day, [Isa. lviii, 13,] and chosen another? Have you not made an unwarrantable addition to the Book of Revelation. See chap. xxii, 18.
6. The Editor of the "Herald," however, exposes the fallacy of the whole matter. His "remarks" show that the word Sabbath is used in a secondary sense meaning the whole week, other words determine the day of the week. The first of the week, therefore, has no claims to the character of Sabbath, and in this respect is like the thousand and one "cunningly devised fables," that men prefer in the place of the commandments of God. J. N. A.