Conversion to the Sabbath
By E. G. Hardesty
Bro. Smith: The Review is quite a welcome messenger to me and my family, and we take great delight in reading the various communications from brethren and sisters with very many of whom we have no personal acquaintance. Myself and wife embraced the Sabbath of the Lord last October, and the light of the Third Angel's Message shines brighter and brighter. The Bible seems much plainer than it used to before we embraced the present truth. Then I would frequently get stopped on some point of theology, and resort to Dr. Watson, Dr. Clarke and others for information, but alas, they too were in the dark. For instance I would look in the Bible for infant baptism, but it was not there. I then looked for the natural immortality of the soul and not one text to support it could I find. I was finally induced to look for the First-day "christian Sabbath" (so-called) but to my utter astonishment, could not find a word about it. I believe I will give a short history of my conversion to the belief and practice of the Sabbath of the Lord. During the tent meeting here last Summer, one morning I met an old citizen of this place, who was, or had been a member of the M. E. Church. Said he to me, Can you tell me when and where Christ or his apostles changed the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day of the week? I told him to call at my residence and I would show him; for said I, the change was made by them according to the understanding I have of the matter. When I returned to my house, I commenced examining the matter but could not find the change in the Bible. I soon resorted to W. R. Watson, but alas! alas! he had the same understanding of the matter that I had, but could not point me to chapter and verse for the change; so I had to give it up. I must confess that I felt mortified to think that I had been as I supposed quite a reader of the Bible, especially the New Testament, and had not found the mistake before; but I tried to console myself with the reflection that I had been in pretty good company. And now what could I do? I had been preaching the law as well as the gospel, each in their proper place; the law to show the sinner guilty, and the gospel the cure for that guilt. Now had I been wrong in this matter? I saw the fourth precept in the same law which said thou shalt not covet, and it had not been changed by divine authority; and the result was that I must take the position that the law was abolished or keep the fourth precept; yet the seventh day that our Creator gave to man to celebrate the work of creation, and not the first day. Oh how could I willfully break God's law, which the Saviour came not to destroy, and which Paul calls holy just and good, which James calls the royal law. I finally came to the conclusion after the debate between elders Moss and Cornell, that as neither Christ nor the apostles had changed the day, nor any other person or persons had the right to do so; therefore I preferred to obey God rather than man, let it cost what it would. It has and will cost me considerable, so far as this world is concerned; but what of all this? A clear conscience in this world, and the enjoyment of that rest that remains for all the true Israel of God in another, will more than repay all; so the Lord helping me, I will fight on until he says it is enough. I am more than ever satisfied that we are living in the last days, and that the Two-horned beast is doing up his sinful work, and preparing for the great battle spoken of by the apostle John, Rev. xvi. O let us be getting ready for that day. Your unworthy brother.
E. G. Hardesty.
Gilboa, O., June 18th, 1858. P. S. I would say that I am holding meetings nearly every First-day, and occasionally on the Sabbath in the neighborhood around home, as my health and circumstances will permit. The brethren and sisters still meet in this place every Sabbath for prayer and conference meeting. Four have embraced the truth since we last wrote.
E. G. H.