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REMARKS IN KINDNESS

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Publishing Committee · Saratoga Springs, N. Y. · Mar 2, 1852

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 2, No. 13.

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REMARKS IN KINDNESS.

By Editor

We have received a letter from Bro. T— of Broadabbin, N. Y., which we wish to notice, not only for the benefit of the writer, but others in a similar position.
T—I have no disposition to say anything disrespectful of the paper, or any of the writers. But can say with Paul: With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment; . . . he that judgeth me is the Lord. If I rightly understand the Review, it teaches or judges thus: They that keep the seventh-day Sabbath have the Seal of the Living God. They that keep the first day as the Sabbath, and they that believe that the Sabbath is abolished, have the mark of the beast. I do not find that the Lord in his word judges thus. But the Lord does say by Paul, Let no man judge you in meats or in drinks, or in the keeping of a Sabbath. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Reply—We are far from believing that all Sabbath-keepers have the seal of the living God. The Jew that in his blindness rejects Jesus cannot have that seal, though he outwardly observes the fourth commandment. That then is to be a sign, distinguishing mark, or seal of God, that is to distinguish God's people in the time of trouble when the mark of the beast shall be enforced, is evident. And we are of the humble opinion that the despised Sabbath of the living God will be that very distinguishing sign. But let no one suppose that the "Review and Herald" teaches that those who embrace the Sabbath are now sealed and sure of heaven, for it teaches no such thing.
In that hour of conflict, the time of trouble such as never was, when the mark of the beast shall be enforced, none will be able to stand, and bear the distinguishing sign or seal of God, only those who are sanctified through the whole truth, and washed from all sin, by the blood of Christ. May the Lord prepare Sabbath-keepers to stand in that time, and bear the seal of the living God. After they keep all the commandments, and repent before God of past transgression of his holy law, their only hope of salvation is through faith in the atoning blood of Jesus.
A man may outwardly observe all ten of the commandments of God, yet if he is not benefited by the atonement of Jesus it will profit him nothing. But the doctrine that one may live in constant violation of the law of the Father, and still be saved through faith in his Son, is a heresy that we fear, will sink souls in perdition. The Jew may be tenacious for the law of the Father, and reject the Son; the professed Christian may boast of his faith in the Son and reject the commandments of the Father, but will not both sink in perdition together if they remain in unbelief. O Lord, help thy people to see that "here are they that keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus." God forbid that we should make void thy law through faith.
We do not teach that those "that keep the first day as a Sabbath, and they that believe the Sabbath is abolished, have the mark of the beast." We have shown that there is no divine authority for observing the first day of the week, as the Sabbath. We have also shown that it is an institution of Papacy. And we have given some of our reasons for believing that the observance of the first day of the week is to constitute the mark of the beast, when the line shall be drawn between the worshipers of the beast and image, and the worshipers, or servants of God.
Says the third angel, "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark," &c. This is a warning to those to whom the message is to be given not to receive the mark; consequently, they have not the mark now, in the sense it is yet to be received by the worshipers of the beast. Christians who have conscientiously observed the first day of the week, in time past, whose minds were never called to investigate the Sabbath question, certainly did not receive the mark of the beast. But after the true light on this subject shall be given, and that period of anguish when the mark of the beast shall be enforced shall have come, and the division made between the worshipers of God and the worshipers of the beast, then will be the danger of receiving the mark of the beast. In view of that decisive hour, the third angel gives his warning message, that we may be prepared to stand, and not receive the mark of the beast, instead of the seal of the living God. The burden, the loud cry of this message, is evidently future.
Our object is to give our views in the spirit of the gospel, and we know not why we should be charged with judging others, more than those who differ from us, and give their views of Bible truth. Some seem to forget that they differ from us as far as we do from them.
It is not our work to judge and pass sentence upon any one. Some rash spirits have greatly erred here. We wish to speak the truth in the spirit of Jesus, with all boldness, and let that do its work, on the heart. But when we do this, we are at once "judged" as having a lack of charity and of judging others. But we cannot stop here. Let others plead charity, and we will preach the truth. Charity ever "rejoiceth in the truth." See 1 Cor. xiii. 6.
Bro. T. has greatly erred in saying that the Lord says by Paul, "Let no man judge you in the keeping of a Sabbath;" for Paul has not thus spoken. He has said, however, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new-moon, or of the sabbath-days; which are a shadow of things to come." Col. ii, 16, 17. Our views of this text may be seen in No. 6. of the "Review and Herald," Vol. II. We say that Col. ii, 16 and 17, as far as we do, do not refer to the Sabbath of the Lord, but to those sabbath-days which are associated with "meat" "drink" and feast-days of the law of Moses. When God wrote his law on the tables of stone he associated the Sabbath with nine other moral precepts. He has associated the ceremonial sabbaths with the other ceremonies of Moses' law.
T—Jesus says, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment: And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On those two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Also, love is the fulfilling of the law. Surely this is good authority. We are certainly required to be the children of God every day. We cannot expect to be more. If indeed we keep the seventh day as was required of the Jews, it cannot add anything to our favor, because love fulfills it. It appears evident that our Lord foresaw what time and circumstances have proved, that even his children in this life would not be one, or united in belief, or in deeds; therefore, under his gospel dispensation, the broad principle or requirements are based on love; love to God and our fellow men. This fulfills all law and commandments. Having this principle and spirit within his children may be one. On this principle our Saviour says, be ye one even as I and my Father are one. The blessed promise is that all things shall work together for good to those that love God. I am far from being capable of teaching others, neither wish I to judge others, but have investigated the subject for myself, I trust without the fear or favor of any man; and expect soon to give an account at the judgment seat of Christ. And if found wanting on account of not keeping the seventh-day Sabbath, I feel free to think, at least, that a part of my blood will be found at Paul's and Jesus' hands.
Reply—If we understand Bro. T. he thinks the two great commandments have in the gospel dispensation taken the place of the ten, or "all law and commandments." But has Jesus thus taught? We answer he has not. Our friends who bring this objection should first notice that Jesus was stating the condition of the commandments in the law at that time, and not what would be, in the new dispensation, after his crucifixion.
Mark this: The lawyer does not ask, which would be the great commandment in the law, in the new dispensation, at a future period, but what was then the great commandment. Jesus then shows the two great principles on which God's law then hung, ever had hung, and on which it now hangs; love to God, and love to one another. Now Bro. T. will see that instead of Jesus teaching a change in his Father's law, he has shown it to hung on principles as immutable as God himself. When God can be abolished, those principles on which the law of God hangs can be abolished, and then and not till then, will the ten precepts of his moral government fall. We very much regret that Bro. T. should say that he had investigated this subject before discovering this great error in applying the words of Jesus.
Now we may see how love, instead of breaking the law, fulfills it. He who loves God will certainly keep those four precepts which he wrote on the first table of stone, which hung on the principles of love to God. Has one fallen off? Never. He will also observe the other six precepts which hang on the principle of love to our neighbor. "This is the love of God that we keep his commandments." 1 John v, 3.
But how does Bro. T. have the fourth commandment fulfilled in love? Does he show that he loves God with all his heart in the act of treading down his Holy Day? So the profane swearer may show his love and fulfill the law of taking God's Name in vain, and the thief may fulfill the law in stealing? It will be seen at once that the only way to fulfill the law relative to our neighbor, and show our love to him, is to observe those six moral precepts showing our duty to him. And no one has ever thought of fulfilling the first, second and third commandments in any other way than to observe the letter of these three precepts. Then, in the name of reason and religion, why not fulfill the fourth commandment in the same way?
We think the remark of Bro. T. relative to a part of his blood being found at Paul's and Jesus's hands quite presumptuous. After reading his letter and seeing that he had mis-quoted Paul, and strangely mis-applied the words of the Son of God, (as many professed teachers have done,) we were pained and grieved at the expression, which seemed to us no near blasphemous.
Our heart yearns over misguided souls who are taught to violate God's immutable law, and speak in reference to it with irreverence. If they thus continue while the light of truth is shining around them they must certainly find, that instead of their blood being found at the hands of Jesus and Paul, it will be upon their own heads.

Dodging the Real Questions.

I see that Elder Marsh is amusing himself and others by loudly demanding that we should prove that God has given the fourth commandment a second time. This is an artful dodging of the real question. What has become of the fourth commandment? What has become of the oracles of God? Does the New Testament teach their abolition or their perpetuity? These are the real questions at issue, and they place the burden of proof on the shoulders of M. “Take heed that no man deceive you.” J. N. Andrews.