THE FRENCH BAPTISTS by A. C. Bourdeaux

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 5, 1857

THE FRENCH BAPTISTS.

By A. C. Bourdeaux

Communication from Bro. Bourdeaux, &c.

BRO. SMITH:—I have felt an ardent desire to say a few words of encouragement to the brethren and sisters of late; and especially since my visit in Canada, where I felt strong and convincing evidences that the truth, even the present truth, is mighty in the hands of the disciples of Jesus.

O how wise, how harmless, and how humble ought we to be while presenting plain Bible truths to those who live in an age of darkness and papal error; that should we succeed in gaining the attention of some of our fellow-men; should the word of truth spoken by us be the means of fixing divine impressions, renewed from time to time, result in bringing them to the knowledge of the truth, and of uniting them to Christ by a living divine faith, we might not glory in ourselves, but rather give God the glory. O my brethren, let us never be unmindful of this truth. We may proclaim, and illustrate, and enforce, the sublime truths of the gospel; but the effective energy is of God. "God giveth the increase." O thou great Master, in whose name we come to our fallen fellow men, let thy word, "Without me ye can do nothing," be deeply impressed upon our hearts in all our labors.

Dear brethren and sisters, about two months ago Eld. Letourneaux, a French Baptist minister, formerly from France, came out here to make a short stay among the French people of this vicinity. And among his visits he called on us with the idea of convincing us that we are in error; for said he, "I have often met with individuals in France who believe in the immediate coming of the Lord, and in keeping holy the seventh day of the week, in preference to the first. They believe also in three angels' messages, and pretend to be proclaiming the third, which, they say, is the last and solemn message to this fallen and degenerated world."

We had an interesting interview with him. He read to us a sermon which he had prepared himself in which he clearly proved the difference between the law of "ten commandments," and the "hand-writing of ordinances," which was "nailed to the cross." The first as being binding upon all; the second as being "blotted out." He had selected for his text the words of our Saviour, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Matt. v, 17.

After he had plainly shown that Jesus Christ fulfilled the moral law, in that he kept his "Father's commandments," and that if we will enter into life, we must also fulfill or do the law of God, even as he did, we asked him for an instance in the inspired scriptures where it is said that Christ or his apostles kept the first day of the week as sacred time instead of the seventh; or for one where a transfer of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week was predicted. To which he replied, The fourth command implies the observance of a seventh day—a seventh part of time. As he had become acquainted with Sabbath-keepers in his own native country, beyond the vast ocean, we thought proper to not withhold the truth from him; we let it have its course on all points. And O my earnest prayer is, that the Lord may open his understanding to plain, Bible truths, even to the last note of warning to this sin-polluted world.

Dear brethren, thank God whom we serve: he is the living and true God. I feel to praise his ever blessed name for his goodness towards us, in bringing our dear brother Daniel Bourdeaux to the light of the present truth. He came from Canada last Summer to make us a visit; and during his short stay with us he fought resolutely against the Sabbath, and other unpopular truths of the Bible. When he left us he took with him a few Bible tracts, and was very anxious that I should go to the Grand Ligne Mission soon, hoping that perhaps Prof. Mormandeau, or other teachers of the Institute, would convince me that I am in error in keeping the seventh-day Sabbath.

Satan tried for a while to put snares in my way to prevent me from going to Canada: I was unlearned, and too young (22 years of age) to appear before such learned and mighty men. "But," said Paul, "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." 1 Cor. i, 27. These words of the Apostle banished all my fears, and I felt that if God was for me I had nothing to fear.

The 17th of October I went to Canada, and I was happy to meet with my Bro. Daniel at the Grand Ligne Mission. He had long been desirous to see my face; for the cause of present truth commenced to work in his heart, and he was greatly troubled.

The next day Prof. M. and I opened a discussion as follows:

As they were preparing for Sunday, I remarked, To-day is the preparation for the Sabbath with you.

Prof. M. replied, And with you?

I answered, With some yesterday was the preparation, and to-day is the Sabbath.

Prof. M. And with you again?

With me, I answered, the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord my God.

Prof. M. So it is with me.

Pray tell me, I replied, which day is the seventh day?

Prof. M. To-day (Saturday) is the seventh day.

To-day then, said I, is the Sabbath of the Lord, and not to-morrow.

Prof. M. replied that every day was a Sabbath; for, said he, we read in Acts ii, 46, "And they, [the disciples,] continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness."

I answered, Luke said, and they continued daily, etc., did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. He did not say, did keep every day as a Sabbath of the Lord. Furthermore you cannot keep every day as a Sabbath, and fulfill the requirements of the fourth commandment. And you see plainly that such arguments as this cannot go one peg towards establishing Sunday-keeping.

Prof. M., after quoting Col. ii, 14-17, to demolish the seventh-day Sabbath, undertook to build upon the ruins, a first-day Sabbath.

Our interview was about three hours long. And after the discussion was closed, Prof. M. told me that if I observed the seventh-day Sabbath, I must also observe the first-day Sabbath; and that it would be better for the cause to not say much to others about it; for, said he, "It is better to cover a truth, rather than to offend." Bro. Daniel took a part in the discussion on the side of truth.

This discussion was the means of strengthening me greatly in present truth, and of establishing Bro. D. in the keeping of the fourth commandment.

On the evening after the first day, after the evening meeting, Bro. D. hurried me to our room, and addressed me in the following terms:

"Dear Augustin, I am greatly troubled about the Sabbath; and when I think with what a spirit Mr. M. opposed plain Bible truths, I am led to exclaim, Do they believe what they preach? O pray for me that I may not yield to the besetments of Satan." We prayed till he felt that his sins were forgiven. Then he prayed the Lord to guide him in the truth concerning the Sabbath. We continued in prayer till break of day. Of a truth the Lord was with us in our little prayer-meeting, and that to bless. Praise his ever blessed name! A. C. BOURDEAUX.

West Enosburgh, Vt.

P. S. Bro. Daniel wrote the following letter a few weeks subsequent to our visit at the Grand Ligne Mission. He is laboring among a people plunged in idolatry and papal error; and I trust that you will not forget him in your prayers. A. C. B.