DEAR BRO. WHITE:—I have been receiving the Review nearly one year, whether from the Office or some private friend I know not; but for quite a length of time I have been impressed with a duty to communicate to you the reception; not only acknowledging God's holy day to be the seventh, but to fulfill another law, viz., Owe no man anything.
I have been a member of the Baptist Church about eleven years. The first time my attention was called to the subject of the Sabbath, was about three years since, when our minister preached a discourse on the change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week. I thought at the time I could not see as much divinity in the explanation of the change as I could in the institution; but I thought that it was rather a busy time with him, that he had only failed to look up the evidence.
About one year after, Elder Hull, a Seventh-day Baptist from Milton, gave a few lectures at our church. I heard two of them. As his position conflicted with my own view, I felt called upon to give an answer to every man that asketh a reason of the hope that is in us with meekness and fear. 1 Pet. iii, 15. I commenced looking, that I might be thoroughly furnished with a Thus saith the word of God, to justify my practice.
Some over one year since there were two men here who gave a few lectures. [Their names I did not learn.] They were called Sabbath Adventists. Three of their lectures I heard, which started me anew for my reasons for Sunday-keeping; but the more attentively I read to find out the mind of Christ and the apostles, I became convinced that it was against me. I found that Christ and the apostles enjoined the observance of the law of the ten commandments as holy, just, and good; that law which says, Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy: the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.
Christ says, The Sabbath was made for man; therefore the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath. Mark ii, 27, 28. Luke says, They rested the Sabbath-day according to the commandment. Luke xxiii, 56. James says, For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. James ii, 10.
I became convinced nearly one year since that I was practicing an error and had no better reason to give than the child's common reason when they are caught in disobeying, and that is, "Cause!" or if I added anything more to this short, comprehensive answer, it would only be an equivalent. I could no longer apply the words, holy day, to the first day of the week, and when I would hear it from others, the question would come to me, What makes a day holy? men's worshiping on the day? or God's setting it apart and sanctifying it? The answer would come, God is the law-giver: men are the subjects. My change gives me a reason for my practice, which is easy and comprehensive: first, to the law and to the testimony. Isa. viii, 20. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy: the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. Ex. xx, 8, 10. But one will say, Why not continue to celebrate or regard the first day as the Sabbath from the resurrection of Christ from the dead? Let Paul give the reason: If we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection; [Rom. vi, 5;] and again, Else what shall they do, which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all: why are they then baptized for the dead? 1 Cor. xv, 29. Can it be that there are two apostolic ways to celebrate Christ's resurrection? I conclude not; and that this is the way walk ye in it. This has been the hardest cross for me to take up since I first embraced religion: realizing the inconvenience and the reproach which awaits me from my fellows. I never had the privilege of holding any conversation on the subject of the Sabbath with any one that keeps the Lord's holy day. My rule is the Bible the rule of faith and practice. Let others do as they may, as for me I will try to serve God by keeping all his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous. 1 John v, 2.