p. 84 | A 'Sabbath' Lecture by J. M. Todd

Publishing Committee · ROCHESTER, N. Y. · Sep 20, 1853

A 'Sabbath' Lecture

By J. M. Todd

From the Sabbath Recorder.

A 'Sabbath' Lecture.

According to previous appointment, the Rev. Mr. Bristol delivered his lecture on the Sabbath yesterday at half past four o'clock, at Bluffton. His texts were Col. ii, 16, and Rev. i, 10. His first position was, that in consequence of the rotation of the earth, there is great difficulty in regard to exact time, and therefore exact time is not important to the sabbatical rest.

In the second place, he attempted to show, by a critical examination of the term Sabbath days in his text, that the 'Jewish Sabbath' was abrogated. This critical examination consisted mainly in quoting Matt. xii, 1; xxviii, 1; Mark i, 21, 22; ii, 23, 27; iii, 2; Luke vi, 5; John vii, 22; Acts i, 13. In all these places, he said, the terms were the same in the original as that in the text, and as these referred to the 'Jewish Sabbath,' the term 'Sabbath days' in the text also referred to the same day. And, in addition, he referred to Tract No. 6, Reason 9th, to prove that Seventh-day Baptists maintain the same position. Having disposed of Jehovah's Sabbath so much to his satisfaction, he then proceeded to his next text, viz., Rev. i, 10. But as this text did not say what day is the Lord's, he proceeded to show from Ignatius, Barnabas, Pliny, Theophilus, Ireneus, Dyonisius, Tertulian and Eusebius, that it is the resurrection day, the queen of days, the first day of the week.

In the first part of his discourse, he declared that anything could be proved by history and the fathers; and really it seemed to me to be true. This discourse took opposite ground to that of Mr. Cobb and most of the first-day people in this section, as it left the resurrection out of the question as argument. But as Mr. B. is a popular preacher of the Congregational order, we shall undoubtedly see a rallying around the new doctrine. Surely, the Sunday arguments are legion. The rotation of the earth seems to be a great hobby for Sunday sticklers to ride on in this part of the West just now. Perhaps it is Dr. Pott's echo, which has just reached Wisconsin. One thing is certain, they are on the roll, and all that we have to do who have Jehovah's truth to defend, is to let our light shine. They have gone around the world till they are dizzy; and probably, when they are satisfied that Seventh-day Baptists know that the earth is round, and like a ball seems swinging in the air, something else will be concocted.

Yours for the truth, J. M. TODD. Berlin, Wis., Aug, 29th, 1853.