The Sabbath and the Fourth Commandment
By J. Crapsey
Bro. J. Crapsey writes from Port Alleghany, Pa.:
"I have just returned from a place called West Branch of Pine Creek, Potter Co., Pa. I arrived there on the first day of the week, and attended a meeting with the brethren there at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. I gave notice also that I would preach on next day at 5 o'clock and so continue my meetings for a few days. A goodly number were present to hear the word of the Lord. As soon as I entered the house it was whispered in my ears, "It makes no difference what day you keep for the Sabbath; and when you are among the Romans, do as the Romans do. Let every one of you be fully persuaded in his own mind. Let no man judge you in respect to the sabbath-days; and we cannot tell which is the seventh day or Sabbath." I was also told by others that we have lost some time; in short, that it makes no difference, but that the seventh part of time should be kept, &c. But the Lord sent me to deliver no such message to the people, nor to daub with untempered mortar. We are commanded to let the trumpet give a certain sound; for if it gives an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 1 Cor. xiv, 8, 9. I then preached about the ten commandments as contained in the decalogue, and showed to the people, as far as in my power, how the fourth commandment was neglected, subverted, nullified and trampled under foot by those who call themselves Christians, and even those who profess to preach Jesus. The line of distinction was soon very apparent; and with some it was clearly manifest that the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God. See Rom. viii, 7. Some ten persons however decided to keep the Sabbath of the Lord their God, in preference to keeping the commandments of men; and on fifth-day morning as I was about to take my leave of them and return home, the people met me on the bank of a beautiful stream which winds its way gently down through the valley to the Pine Creek waters, to attend to the ordinance of baptism. Three obeyed the command of Jesus in this respect. A few more appeared to be deeply affected, and expressed a desire to hear more about these new doctrines of which they had been hearing. They earnestly desire and request the prayers of the church that they may enter into the kingdom that Jesus has gone to prepare for his people. I would ask for my own information as well as some others, Where is the authority of some modern divines and others, for saying that there has been a loss of time? Is it, or is it not a fable of these last days? Will you or some of your readers please answer the above questions, as I frequently meet with such observations. It seems to me to be too late in the day to be dealing out fables to the people. The only answer we get to the question our brother proposes, "Where is the authority for claiming that time has been lost?" &c., is from echo; and that only answers, "Where?" If it had the power of supplying words, as in the felicitous style of Mr. Fillio it has, it would answer, "Nowhere."—ED.