As Communications of esteemed Brethren sometimes contain expressions which we choose not to use, and sentiments which we would not advance, we would say, that we are not responsible for what appears under this head.
From Bro. Davis.
DEAR BRO. WHITE:—My mind has been led back to contemplate that work which God would keep in remembrance by his holy institution, the Sabbath. The earth appears in all its loveliness a fitting production of the work, or creative power of God. Not a tree that is desirable to the eyes or good for food, but what it bears. Man created in the image of his Maker, given the dominion over, and receiving it for his inheritance;—this it appears to me is what the Sabbath truly commemorates. This was a rest or state of blessedness having with it a kingdom and a dominion; as did also that entered by the literal seed of Abraham, through Joshua, in the type.
Some few weeks since while speaking of the Sabbath as a memorial of the first creation, or of the creation antecedent to the curse, I quoted Isa. lviii, 12, 13, 14, and while reading the 12th verse—thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath &c. The idea came very forcibly across my mind that if by turning away our feet from the Sabbath would raise up the foundations of many generations they must in some way rest upon it. And it seemed to me that the Sabbath did commemorate that which was the hope, the original inheritance, the paradisiacal state, of the many generations who like Abraham looked for a city whose maker and builder is God; which foundation or consummation of hope has been overlooked, as its memorial has been trampled upon in these latter days.
If this view be correct, the Sabbath is a seal of faith from its own character. For instance: Baptism being a memorial of the resurrection of Christ, or sign of it, becomes a seal of faith in the resurrection, when rightly received. The Sabbath, then, being a memorial of the first creation, that which was lost in Adam, (and it commemorates nothing else except the rest, and that being a consequent upon labor they are inseparably connected) or a sign of it; for God said it was a sign to the Israelites; (it must have been a sign of the first kingdom covenanted again to man in the seed, although they did not clearly see it while the veil was over their face,) becomes a seal of faith, even the seal of the living God, to those whose faith receives that kingdom of which it is a memorial as the promised inheritance through the seed. Now is not a part of the design of the Sabbath to preserve the remembrance of this holy kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world.
While reading the excellent article from Bro. Andrews headed "Objections to the Saturday Sabbath Considered" I was led into the following reflections on the first objection. The objection admits that the obligation of a commemorative rest-day is moral and eternal. Then if commemoration is a moral and eternal obligation the thing commemorated must be signified. But the first day of the week does not commemorate the thing signified, which was finished in the first six days: therefore the moral and perpetual obligation remains unfulfilled. Is not this one reason why the true inheritance has been lost sight of? Its commemorative institution having been supplanted by another it brought with it another hope than the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world.
We had a very agreeable visit from Bro. Wheeler and was truly comforted and refreshed. May the Lord bless him in his labors of love.
Those that are advocating the new time for the coming of our Lord, are very active in New Bedford and Fairhaven. Most of those who left the churches in 1844 who are not in the third angel's message, have embraced it. They appear very positive that the Lord will come this year. I attended a Bible class with them a few evenings since, and received a very powerful (so far as head was concerned) exhortation to give up the view of there being two places in the antitypical Sanctuary. The speaker appealed to the Father to show me by the Holy Spirit the truth; and at the same time he denies that its influence is an evidence of truth, as he did when I referred to the work of 1843 which he had called mainly an excitement. I think his heart was better than his head in that case. I gave them a short discourse on the Sabbath question; and they admitted almost without a dissenting voice, that there was some truth there; but they are so absorbed in the new time that it is almost impossible to get their attention to anything else.
May the Lord help us to be ready when he comes and meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.
Those that dwell in God dwell in love. Do I dwell in love? Ah that hideous self! how it appears beside the blessed Saviour! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? But God has purposed it, and I fast to try to win the prize.