ABSURDITY OF SUNDAY ARGUMENTS
By M. E. Cornell
Interesting Extracts. No. 14.
ABSURDITY OF SUNDAY ARGUMENTS.
"No proof at all for Sunday here. A mere assertion that it was set apart by the Lord, as a special memorial of his resurrection; and assuming that it is a holy day because he rose on it, is a fair inlet to all the Popish holy days; and brings us under the same obligation to keep one for his conception; one for his birth; one for the annunciation of the angel; one for the crucifixion, and one for his ascension; and then shall we have holy days in good store. We know no moral obligation from the fourth commandment, to keep the first day of the week holy, more than any other. If the argument drawn from the resurrection of Christ, on the first day, the coming together of the disciples to break bread on the first day, the command of Paul to lay by them in store on the first day, the fourth commandment, the declaration of Christ 'I come not to destroy the Law,' the testimony of John that he was in the spirit on the Lord's day, &c., prove the first day of the week to be the Sabbath, I know of no absurdities so great, no heresies so damnable, no superstitions so ridiculous, but may be clothed with the authority of Scripture."—Apology p. 39. NO RIGHT TO ENFORCE A VIOLATION OF THE MORAL LAW.
"I do not admit that ever so large a majority have a right to make the minority their surfs and chattels. I deny the right of a majority to repeal any one of the ten commandments, or reverse the Golden Rule." "The constitution in its word is plain and intelligible, and is meant for the home-bred, unsophisticated understandings of our fellow citizens. "The people alone are the absolute owners and uncontrollable movers of such sovereignty as human beings can claim to exercise; subject to the eternal and unchangeable rules of justice, of truth, and of good faith. The moral law is out of its reach. Sovereignty cannot violate that, and be more justified than the humblest individual."—Dallas on the Constitution. CONFUSION OF TONGUES AT BABEL, AS DESCRIBED BY DU BARTAS, A FRENCH POET.
"Bring me,' quoth one, 'a trowel; quickly, quick!'
One brings him up a hammer. 'Hew this brick;'
Another bids, and then they cleave a tree.
'Make fast this rope,' and then they let it flee.
One calls for planks, another mortar lacks—
They bear the first a stone, the last an axe.
One would have spikes and him a spade they give;
Another lacks a saw, and gets a sieve.
Thus crossly crossed, they prate and point in vain;
What one has made another mars again.
These masons then, seeing the storm arrived
Of God's just wrath, all weak and heart deprived,
Forsake their purpose, and like frantic fools,
Scatter their stuff, and tumble down their tools." BIBLE RELIGION VS. FANATICAL ODDITIES.
Probably no class of religionists since the apostles' times, have had more truth than Adventists of America: but alas, what class of people, having as much truth, were ever guilty of disgracing their cause by teaching so many fanatical oddities in the name of religion. Those who love a consistant religious deportment, will be interested in the following:— "CHRISTIAN DEPORTMENT.—A haughty, severe, and stoical deportment, and an unrelenting strictness of opinion, on the social and cheerful enjoyments of life, are far from giving a just and true conception of religion to such as are averse from it, and devoted to the pomps and vanities of life. This severity (instead of convincing them of their errors, and recalling them to the God of mercy and goodness) may harden their minds still more, by representing the worship of God as a system of unceasing hardships and mortification. Many good but mistaken people, too often seek to convert and reform others, by exhibiting, in their own practice, certain acts of self-denial.—But it is not in these that true religion consists. When used in moderation, they may, indeed be innocent, and sometimes useful; but God is not to be served only with the words of the mouth, or the bending of the knee; it is the pure and upright heart which he requires, and with which alone he will be satisfied. With this pure and upright frame of mind, we may live in the world without either affectation or singularity, and cheerfully conform to its reasonable amusements, (or customs) and yet preserve the most strict subjection to our duty to God. * This is true religion, and the service of God—of that God, who made the world and all things in it, and who, although a jealous God, is the God of love, who delights in the happiness of his creatures. All other ways of serving him, are but the outward forms of ceremonies instituted by bigotry and superstition."—Fenelon.