THE TRUTH FOUND by James White

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 10, 1856

THE TRUTH FOUND.

By James White

A Short Argument for the Sabbath.

It has been often asserted that truth is hard to find; that almost all things are matters of uncertainty, inasmuch as men equally honest, intelligent, and learned, will arrive at different conclusions from an examination of the same facts. But it is not so. That learned men have come to different conclusions on the same subjects will not be denied, but that they were equally honest and unprejudiced in their investigations cannot be believed. Ten men, or ten thousand, must come to the same conclusion if they reason legitimately, and from established or evident truths. To suppose otherwise were to suppose that opposite conclusions could be legitimately drawn from the same truth, which is absurd. It is only when they range the fields of fancy, and seek to gratify inclination, or sustain certain prepossessions, rather than conform to reason, that they arrive at different conclusions. Otherwise the search for truth would be but a chase after an Ignis fatuus, not to be attained, nor worth attaining.

GOD'S WORD IS TRUTH. There is nothing equivalent to it—nothing can be taken as a substitute for it. Firmly relying on it, I propose to examine its teachings on a subject of great importance, and growing interest in the minds of many; and whenever plain statements of the Word are adduced, I call upon all Bible believers, not only to acknowledge their authority, but also to assent to all necessary conclusions drawn therefrom. I shall then show, by an examination of opposing views, whence arises the confusion and diversity of opinion, so often deprecated in words, yet so much upheld in practice, by the majority.

I shall examine the subject under the following heads: I. WHAT GOD'S WORD TEACHES CONCERNING THE SABBATH. II. WHAT THE NEW TESTAMENT TEACHES CONCERNING THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK. III. EXAMINE THE OPINIONS OF LEARNED MEN ON THE SUBJECT.

I shall lay down one rule of evidence, which I shall strictly follow, and from its reasonableness expect all to acquiesce in, and abide by, in examining these remarks: to wit, Admit facts as proof against facts, and let inferences stand against inferences; but no plain truth can be overthrown by an inference. This must be allowed unless the less disprove the greater, which of course cannot be.

Respecting inferences I shall adopt the following from Dr. A. Carson; to wit, An unnecessary inference is without authority.

I. WHAT DOES GOD'S WORD TEACH CONCERNING THE SABBATH? We should remember that the Author of the Bible is the Supreme Ruler of the universe; therefore the teachings of the Bible define our obligation to the highest authority. In it we are taught that,

God made the world in six days.
He rested the seventh day.
He blessed, sanctified, or hallowed, the seventh day.
He commanded that the seventh day be kept holy.

These are declarations of the Word not to be denied, or doubted. Let us examine them separately.

It is a fact that God made the world in six days; also that he rested the seventh day; and these declarations will forever remain facts. They can never, in the untold ages of eternity, be any less truths than on the day when God finished his work and rested. God's rest, or Sabbath, was on the seventh day, and the seventh day can never cease to be the Sabbath or Rest-day of God, even as it can never cease to be a fact that God rested on the seventh day. From these declarations we draw the following:

CONCLUSION.—The Sabbath institution is based on fixed and unalterable facts, which from their bearing must be removed, in order to remove, abolish, or change the Sabbath, which is, of course, impossible.

In the account of the creation week we are told that God made the world in six days, therefore he did not rest on any other day than the seventh; and as it will always remain a fact that he rested on the seventh day, so it can never become a fact that he rested on any other day. Hence, as the seventh day can never cease to be the Rest-day or Sabbath of the Lord, so no other day can ever become his Rest-day, or Sabbath; from which facts we draw another.

CONCLUSION.—The Sabbath institution is unalterably fixed to the seventh day.

God blessed and hallowed the seventh day; and it cannot cease to be a fact that he blessed and hallowed the seventh day; so it must remain a sanctified day, unless it can be shown to be also a fact that God has removed or withdrawn the sanctity from it. But the fact of its having been sanctified is a plainly revealed truth, an express declaration of the infallible Word. Is it also plainly declared in the Word that God has removed the blessing and sanctity from the seventh day? It is not. And there is not a passage from which even an inference to that effect could be drawn; but were there such a passage or passages, the inference would not be admissible, inasmuch as an inference cannot destroy a plain declaration. From these truths I expect all to concur in the following:

CONCLUSION.—The seventh day is still the blessed, hallowed, sanctified Rest-day of Jehovah.

When God rested the seventh day, it became his Sabbath; he sanctified it, and it was thenceforth his holy Sabbath; and the commandment was given to keep it holy.

Here we have presented another fact; and it will always remain a fact that God commanded the observance of the seventh day. Will the obligation to keep it holy also remain as long as the fact remains that God so commanded? It surely will, unless it can be shown to be equally a fact that he has annulled or revoked the commandment. But the fact that its observance was commanded is very plainly revealed in the Word. Does the word of God also plainly state that the commandment has been repealed? It does not; but its repeal has been inferred from certain texts which certainly do not state in plain terms that it has been repealed, nor do they contain anything resembling a repeal. But the commandment is a plainly expressed precept, and the inference is therefore inadmissible. And the inference is not only unnecessary, but in opposition to many scriptures showing the perpetuity of the law.

It will be admitted that commandments or laws, as they impose obligation, should be most definitely and clearly stated. Any ambiguity, or vagueness of expression in a law, is inexcusable, necessarily leading to confusion and injustice; and it is just as necessary to a correct understanding of the obligation we are under to the Law-giver that the repeal or amendment of a law should be plainly stated, as the original enactment. The commandment enforcing the observance of the seventh day, like the other parts of God's law, is as definitely and clearly expressed as language can be made to express ideas. But no repeal can be produced. Hence we can have no hesitation in adopting the following:

CONCLUSION.—The requirement to remember the seventh day or Sabbath to keep it holy, is still binding on man, as are the other precepts of God's holy law.

ISA. LVI, 2.—Blessed is the man that doth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.

(To be Continued)