Lessons for Bible Students.
(History of the Sabbath, pp. 198-216.) During the period embraced in the record of the book of Acts, who were upon the stage of action? What was the character of the church during this time? When we leave the period embraced in the inspired history, does this state of things continue? What did Paul forewarn the church should take place after his departure? As grievous wolves were then to enter the church, are we authorized to receive the testimony of any man, merely because he lived in, or near, the days of the apostles? In what texts is there an explicit prediction of a great apostasy in the church? Upon what does the Romish church pride itself? Can it find its origin in apostolic times? But is its apostolic character admitted? Can anything become good which was in itself evil at its origin? What great falsehood illustrates this? Can God accept fables in place of his truth? Do the pages of ecclesiastical history show the fulfillment of the predictions of the New Testament respecting this great apostasy in the church? When did the first simplicity of the church disappear? p. 197, top. At what time was image-worship introduced into the church? p. 198, top. What did Paul say of the mystery of iniquity in his day? What shall be said of those who go to this period to correct their Bibles? How does Bower say that we should treat tradition? What is the only rule of faith and practice for Protestants? How does Dr. Cumming speak of the fathers of the church? What is said of those who were really fitted to be luminaries of the age in which they lived? What was the character of those who occupied their time in preparing treatises? What does Dr. Clarke say of the fathers? Treating of them in his life, what language does he use? What does E. Pagitt testify that the church of Rome has done to the fathers? What instance can be given from the Bible to show the unreliable nature of tradition? How many rules of faith embrace the whole Christian world? What is the rule of the man of God? What is the rule of the Romanist? Can the first day Sabbath be sustained by the first of these rules? What rule then do those adopt who advocate the sacredness of the first day of the week? To adopt the first rule is to acknowledge what? By adopting the second what do we acknowledge? Can any argument or suggestion be offered in favor of Sunday which will not apply with equal force, and to its fullest extent to the other holy days appointed by the church of Rome? THE FIRST WITNESSES FOR SUNDAY.
What does Mosheim state respecting the first century? In contradiction of this what does Neander say? In what century did Mosheim write? In what century, Neander? These writers are dependent upon the testimony of others to prove their statements; and what are the only documents to which they can refer? What are the questions to be decided by this testimony? As for the New Testament does that contain any appointment for Sunday worship? Does the example of the church of Jerusalem contain anything of the kind? Does the New Testament then support the statement of Mosheim? What does the epistle of Barnabas say in behalf of first-day observance? What eminent authors present unanswerable testimony that this epistle is a forgery? pp. 207-209. What is the next document to be considered? p. 210. What does Pliny say of the Christians in his province? Is it certain, or can it be decided from the epistle, which day of the week this "stated day" was? Does it, then, prove anything in behalf of Sunday-observance? What is the next document that claims our attention? p. 211, bottom. What is Ignatius represented as saying about the Sabbath and Lord's day? What do first-day writers of high authority acknowledge in regard to these epistles of Ignatius? Do those which some admit as possibly genuine, include this epistle to the Magnesians, from which the quotation for Sunday is made? How happens it that this epistle speaks of a day at all? What authors speak expressly of the doubtful character of these Ignatian epistles? pp. 212, 213. What eminent author shows that the word day is inserted by fraud? p. 214, bottom. Instead of "Lord's day," what should it read? What eminent writers confirm this statement of Kitto's? Give the sum of this argument? Whose testimony then is correct, Mosheim's or Neander's?