The Sabbath in Africa by Editor

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 29, 1864

The Sabbath in Africa.

By Editor

WE TAKE the liberty to publish the following extract from a letter from a Missionary in Africa, to a sister in Mass., knowing that it will interest the readers of the Review, to learn that although no missionary has gone to Africa bearing the Sabbath, yet the Sabbath has gone to missionaries already there. Under date of Cape Palmas, West Africa, Jan. 2, 1864, she writes:

Thank God I now see clearly that the seventh-day is the Sabbath of the Lord my God, and am keeping it according to the commandment. Mr. Dickson also is keeping it. It is quite singular to keep it here.

I do not know of any others on the Coast who keep the seventh-day. But that is no proof against its authenticity. I only wonder that many good people reject the commandments of God by their traditions.

Your people may now consider that you have whole hearted Seventh-day Adventists here, waiting with you for that blessed appearing of him whom we love and adore, and purpose to worship evermore. Oh it will be delightful to see him as he is, to worship him aright, and cast our crowns at his feet. Oh how sublime to see the time near even at the door. So I will labor on and pray on and may God's special blessing attend and prosper my feeble efforts in his vineyard. I trust you will sympathise with me in these efforts to glorify God and make ready a people prepared for his coming kingdom.

How I would love to recount to you all the way the Lord has led me, and how wedded I was to the tradition I was educated in, of keeping the first-day for the Sabbath. Oh, how hard I found it to decide against what good people had taught me, whose memories I still venerate. But all is over, and for some weeks I have been keeping with you the seventh-day.

How flimsy the excuse that days begin and end at different hours, in different parts of the earth. Our Heavenly Father knew this full well, when he appointed the Sabbath for a day of rest. Though the time here is four hours ahead of you, it furnishes no difficulty. The Jews never found any difficulty about the seventh-day Sabbath, and why should we? Difficulties have fled as they always do before true light.

We have here now warm summer weather. The birds are singing, frogs peeping, insects humming and flowers blooming, and all nature smiling. Man alone is vile. Oh what a pity that vile man should forbear while all nature sings.

“Let him rather grateful incense raise, And far exceed all other praise.”

May we prove faithful and receive a crown of life and glory, is the heartfelt desire of the writer.

Yours in gospel bonds and Christian unity.

Hannah More.