p. 206 | LETTERS by S. C. Welcome

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 13, 1858

LETTERS.

By S. C. Welcome

"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another

From Bro. Welcome.

BRO. SMITH : As it rejoices my heart to hear of the cause of God prospering in other places, I have thought that perhaps the little flock would like to hear how we are getting along in this northern region also. I can truly say that we have been made glad in the Lord since Bro. Waggoner visited this part of the country, some four weeks ago; and although he did not visit the town in which I live, in Portage Co., I had the privilege of hearing him preach two discourses near Adaria, in Waushara Co., some fifteen miles from my place, and I was glad to hear the words of truth from the lips of one from whose writings I had received so much instruction. He preached one discourse from Christ's words, "Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth;" and although at that time his health was quite poor from the effects of a bad cold he had taken, he presented the truth in a clear and powerful manner, showing the harmony existing between the law and the gospel, the perpetuity of the law which is holy, just and good, and without which we should not see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and become reconciled to God by faith in Christ, &c. The people listened with the utmost attention. Sabbath-keepers were strengthened, and I think some Sunday-keepers were led to see the slippery foundation on which they were resting.

As there were many Sabbath-keepers in that region, and some were capable of giving instruction, my brother, Eld. M. Welcome, and Bro. Thurston, requested Bro. Waggoner to come to Fish Lake (it being in their neighborhood) and lecture a few evenings; and they being the only Sabbath-keepers in the place were desirous of having the truth presented in a way that could not be gainsayed. He accordingly gave them three or four lectures. But I was not able to attend. He will probably give an account of the meetings himself, but I will try and give an account of the effects as I have seen them since.

I was at a monthly meeting of the Christian church the next Sabbath after he left, and found that the truth had begun to take effect. Some said that the truth had been presented in so clear a manner that they could not get around it, and they must keep the Sabbath. As the Christian church took the Bible for its platform, we supposed that we could all enjoy our opinions without dividing the church; for we had covenanted together that Christian character should be the test of Christian fellowship. But what was our astonishment to hear some in the meeting declare that they would not take the Bible to be guided by, for it upheld slavery; therefore they only take the New Testament. One poor sister said that she felt as though the wolves had been among them to scatter the flock, but I could not see as any were hurt, though they were badly frightened, and seemed to feel that "our little church" was falling all to pieces. Why do you think so? I asked one brother. Why, says he, Eld. Waggoner has turned every thing upside down. I told him that people thought just so anciently when Paul presented the truth. Acts xvii, 6. But notwithstanding the feeling existing in the hearts of a few, we had a very good meeting.

The next day being Sunday we had a discourse from Bro. Smith, the pastor of the church. He took for his text the last verse of the 28th chapter of Matt. "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you"

&c. For the sake of showing the weakness of even a good man's arguments against the truth, I will give some of the main points of his discourse. He commenced by giving a short account of Christ and his instructions, as he was about to leave his disciples; and he said that the disciples were to teach all nations to observe what Christ had commanded them. Now says he, "What did Christ command them? I will tell you. He was in the habit of meeting with his disciples on the first day of the week, and it was probably on one of these occasions that he met with his disciples on the mount, and there gave them his commandments as recorded in Matt. v, commencing at the third verse, 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,' &c. He said this was the law of Christ, which if any man obey he shall have eternal life; and he said Christ gave other commands, one of which was to love one another. O, says he, let us obey the law of Christ, and do whatsoever he has commanded us.

But some tell us in these days that we must obey the law that God gave to Moses for the Jews, and some say that there were ten commandments written on tables of stone, but he had examined them, and by taking the words, Thou shalt, for a command, there were thirteen or fourteen, and in some way he made out seventeen. Now, says he, to these commands were attached certain articles of civil jurisprudence, and if we are under that law we must suffer the penalties attached to it, which would be to be stoned to death for picking up sticks on the Sabbath, and we must perform the rites and ceremonies that the Jews did.

But said he, "Christ came into the world to provide a better way of life and salvation, and he fulfilled his Father's law and did it away. He was the only one that ever kept the law, he was the end of the law for righteousness," &c., and now we could be saved without the works of the law, by faith in Christ. He then alluded to Bro. Waggoner's lectures, and said he asked him some questions that he could not answer; but he should think any one could lecture that borrowed their discourses from others, and had their stakes all driven, and their way all marked out. He said he was not prepared to give a great discourse, for he had no time to study; he had to work with his hands to support his family; that he had not read any on the subject of the Sabbath; when he commenced reading the Bible he had to spell out his words, and he came to a place where it says, "If any man lack wisdom let him ask;" and he went to Christ and prayed, and Christ taught him, and if he was wrong in these things, it was because he was taught wrong.

He said that the first day of the week was the Sabbath; that Christ and his disciples kept it; and he used to meet with his disciples at various times after he had arisen, and they were often together on that day; also the day he arose two of his disciples went to Emmaus, he supposed to hold an evening meeting; at any rate, they broke bread there, and asked Christ who had fallen in with them, to partake; and he break bread and gave thanks, which he would not have done if it had been a common meal, for he was a stranger. He said also that John was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, which was the first day of the week, and no one could deny it; that the Sabbath was changed to the first day of the week to commemorate the resurrection of Christ, and therefore called the Lord's day. Having established this point to his satisfaction he spoke of the beast of Rev. xiii, and said he admitted that to be the church of Rome; but the two-horned beast was the church of England, and the mark of the beast was sprinkling, and signing our names to the creeds, which was the number of the beast; in which he said he agreed with Bro. Waggoner. He said the number was 666, and that there were 642 creeds, and this Seventh-day creed made 643; that the churches were Babylon, and he warned all Christians to leave and come out of her that they be not partakers of her sins. He said he did not wish to offend any of his brethren, but if they wanted to keep the seventh day they might. He said he had a large soul, and wanted everybody to act conscientiously. He knew he had as big a soul as anybody that did not weigh any more than he did, if, as some folks said, the body was the soul.

In this way he talked about two hours from the commencement. He then gave liberty, and Bro. P. Thurston arose and spoke about twenty or twenty-five minutes. Taking the sermon one point at a time, he showed its inconsistency. In the first place he said that what Bro. S. called Christ's commands were blessings pronounced on the faithful; and secondly, that Christ came to do his Father's will; that he kept his Father's commands, and taught his disciples to observe them; that his fulfilling the law did not destroy it, but that he made the law honorable; that he did not take us from under the law, but from under the curse; and as Bro. S. had connected the ten commands with the law of ordinances, he showed the distraction thus produced; that the ceremonial law was done away in Christ; but the law on tables of stone was binding on all mankind to the end of time; that the church had no right to make any change in the law; that we had no proof that the disciples kept the first day, but we had proof that they kept the Sabbath; and the Lord's day spoken of by John was the Sabbath of the Lord, for Christ said he was Lord of the Sabbath, &c.

The congregation, although weary, were very attentive, and seemed pleased with Bro. Thurston's remarks. He gave much light on the subject in a few minutes' time, and I think much good will result from that meeting; for some Sunday-keepers were heard to say that if Eld. S. should preach a few more such sermons he would make them all Sabbath-keepers. The result of Bro. Waggoner's labors is, that about twenty of the most devoted Christians in the vicinity of Fish Lake are now keeping the commandments of God, and meet every Sabbath for worship. They are much opposed, but are strong in the Lord. May the light spread until we shall all be prepared to meet our coming King.

S. C. WELCOME.

Almond, Wis., Apr. 25th, 1858.

P. S. We all feel anxious for Bro. Waggoner to come back and labor with us. May the Lord direct and send him this way, is the prayer of many.

S. C. W.