p. 84 | SUNDAY SUSTAINED! by Uriah Smith

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 11, 1862

SUNDAY SUSTAINED!

By Uriah Smith

“THE fact will not escape attention that the battles of Somerset and Bull Run both commenced on Sunday, and the assailants in both cases were defeated. This will prove a good argument in favor of Sunday observance.”

We find the above paragraph going the rounds of the religious press. In connection with it we trust that another “fact will not escape attention,” and that is, that the above is the very best argument that can be urged in favor of Sunday-keeping. So far as the revealed will of God to man is concerned, Sunday stands the same as any other of the six working days; hence we would fain not deprive its observers of the pitiful consolation they are able to derive from such facts as the above. Only we trust that, should an assault be made by either party on any other of the secular days, and the “assailants be defeated,” they will be consistent, and consider that a “good argument” in favor of the observance such day.

Another idea will suggest itself here. The battle of Somerset, Ky., was an attack by the rebels under Zollicoffer, upon the Union forces. But the rebels were defeated and Zollicoffer slain, because they made the attack on Sunday. Had they made their attack on any other day, they would not have been defeated. This must be the light in which to regard this thing, or else the “argument for Sunday” is good for nothing. It follows then that the sin of Sunday-breaking caused a defeat which the sin of slavery, and all the enormities, corruptions, and iniquities which cluster around that system could not cause. In other words, you may be guilty of upholding any system of iniquity you choose, engage in any unjust cause, and go to any depth of corruption and crime—but observe Sunday, and you are all right! carefully regard that day and you will be successful. The desecration of that day will bring calamities which no other crime will. Surely this is clothing the institution with an enormous sanctity, for the sake of getting an argument in its favor.