MEETINGS AT TIPTON, IOWA.
By M. E. Cornell
We continued meetings here over four Sabbaths, the interest of the “common people” increasing until the last. Fifteen have fully decided to keep the Sabbath, and several others are deeply interested, but we have not yet heard what their conclusion is. Bro. Jesse Dorcas and family will now have the privilege of regular Sabbath meetings. Heretofore they have had to go twenty miles in order to be with Sabbath-keepers on the Lord’s day. Bro. Dorcas talks of renting a house for Sabbath meetings here. Seven take the Review, and two the Youth’s Instructor. We are encouraged to hope that more fruit will soon be manifest, from the fact that during the last week, the weather was so extremely cold (the thermometer ranging from 24 to 27 below zero) that many of those interested were not able to be out. They had supplied themselves with books and we trust will come out on the right side. The Methodists began a protracted effort which took away some for a time; but it only lasted about one week. The minister remarked to one of his members that “there was not religion enough in that church to warm a flea.” The Episcopalian minister returned from a tour in the Eastern States and found his son much interested in our meetings, and forbid his coming any more. This was a great affliction to the young man, for he had fully decided to become a Christian and live out the truth. Near the close of our meetings a Disciple preacher, by the name of Lucas, gave a public challenge for a discussion upon the law and Sabbath, which we accepted for the cause’s sake; it being the unanimous vote of the congregation. Two propositions were made:- Resolved, That each of the ten commandments given on mount Sinai is now binding.
- The first day of the week is appointed by divine authority as the day of religious worship.
On the affirmative of the first proposition we proved,- That the ten commandments existed before, and independent of, the Sinaitic covenant, and therefore they could not be affected by the passing away of that covenant.
- That each of the ten commandments grow out of natural relations which still exist.
- Their being written on stone indicates their superiority and perpetuity.
- That Paul in this dispensation proved all the world guilty by that law. Rom. iii, 19.
- The fact that the Law-giver associated the Sabbath precept with the other nine moral precepts clearly shows that it is like them, moral and unchangeable.
- God rested upon the seventh day for an example to man, and blessed it “for man,” and sanctified it, or set it apart for a religious use; all of which is more than equivalent to a mere commandment to keep it.
Eld. Lucas, in his first reply, made two admissions that were fatal to his no-law and no-Sabbath positions, as follows:- He admitted that the ten principles existed, but denied that there were commandments for them until Sinai.
- “God’s resting on the seventh was for a higher and more glorious design than a mere human institution.”
In Eld. L.’s first speech on the second question I noted the following points:- “The apostles were authorized to give laws.”
- “A commandment is not needed to ‘divinely appoint’ the first day as a day of worship.”
In reply we said that divine wisdom saw that a precept was necessary in the former dispensation to appoint the seventh day as a day of religious worship, and therefore (as God is unchangeable) another day cannot take its place except by positive enactment. The victory for truth in this investigation was easy and complete. Ministers and lawyers were free to admit that the Eld.’s effort against the law was an entire failure. The result was good. The truth seemed to shine brighter than before. O, that men would cease to oppose God’s holy law, and learn that it is not made void by faith. M. E. CORNELL.
Tipton, Iowa.