B. MCCORMICK by B. McCormick

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 23, 1860

B. MCCORMICK

By B. McCormick

From Bro. McCormick.

BRO. SMITH: Some thoughts have occurred to me of late in regard to the revival of the holy Sabbath, which have seemed to strengthen me much. Queries have suggested themselves to my mind like the following: Can those who have formally observed the first day of the week as the Sabbath be saved? If so, why was it necessary that the true Sabbath should be revived? We believe it is universally admitted that the Sabbath has been changed from the seventh to the first day; and those who observed the first day believed the change had been made by divine appointment, and verily thought they were doing God service.

Now I believe it is a ceded point that the intention determines the nature of the action, and in this case God could take the will for the deed, and Christ could make an atonement for their sin. But we believe that the plan of salvation will be finished, and the atonement accomplished before the coming of Christ, and there will be a time when the saints will be living in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. As the Sabbath is one of the precepts of God's law, and sin is the transgression of the law, the first Sabbath the saints would desecrate after Christ leaves the sanctuary they would become sinners before God, and no atonement could in that case be made. The saints might be ever so ignorant and God ever so merciful; it could avail nothing, from the fact that sin must meet its penalty or have an atonement made. Hence it was absolutely necessary that the Sabbath should be revived. This being the fact, there must be time for God's people to decide on this great and important question, that they may be found keeping God's holy law when Jesus comes.

Your brother striving for eternal life through Christ.

B. MCCORMICK

Sumner, Wis.