Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · Dec 9, 1852
GOSPEL BENEFITS.
By J. H. Waggoner
BY J. H. WAGGONER.
"BLESS the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases." Ps. ciii, 1—3.
The Psalmist, in common with all the faithful of old, looked to the Lord for the healing of diseases as well as the forgiveness of sins. In this, they rested on the promise of God. When the children of Israel had passed through the Red Sea, the Lord said to them, "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord that healeth thee." Ex. xv, 26.
Again, he told them, that if they would serve the Lord, "I will take away sickness from the midst of thee." Ex. xxiii, 25. Also Deut. vii, 15; xxviii, 27, 60. When Ahaziah, king of Israel, was sick, he sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, and the angel of the Lord directed Elijah to say unto them, "Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron?" And declared that for this offence, he should surely die. 2 Kings, i, 2—4, 16.
When king Asa was diseased, it is recorded that "he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians." 2 Chron. xvi. 12. The prophet Isaiah, speaking of the sufferings of the Saviour, said, "The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed." Accordingly, when he commenced his ministry, "he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease among the people." Matt. iv, 23, 24.
Immediately after the sermon on the mount, there are recorded three cases of healing. Chap. viii, 1—13. And "when the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils; and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick." Verses 16, 28—32. One was brought to him [Chap. ix, 2—6,] sick of the palsy, to whom he said, "Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." Upon the complaint of the scribes, he told him to arise and go to his house. After this, a ruler came and besought him to come and lay his hand upon his daughter. Jesus and his disciples arose to follow him, and a woman came behind him, having been diseased twelve years, and merely touched his garment, and she was told, "thy faith hath made thee whole." Verses 18—22. In the same chapter it is recorded that he gave sight to two blind men, and healed the dumb, and "went about all the cities, and villages, and healing every sickness, and every disease among the people." Verses 27—35.
When he commissioned his twelve apostles, "he gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease." x, 1. He next healed the man on the Sabbath-day, that had the withered hand, and while the Pharisees held a council to destroy him, "he withdrew himself from thence, and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all." xii, 10—15, 22. When he came into the land of Gennesaret, they "brought unto him all that were diseased, and besought him, that they might only touch the hem of his garment; and as many as touched were made perfectly whole." xiv, 35, 36. He healed the daughter of the "woman of Canaan," and applauded her faith. xv, 21—28. A man brought his son to him, having previously brought him to his disciples, but they could not cast out the devil with which he was possessed. This, the Saviour told them, was on account of their unbelief—"this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." xvii, 14—21. Thus we see that their "power over unclean spirits," was only manifested through the exercise of prayer and faith.
Before his ascension, he told them to go into all the world and preach the gospel; "and these signs shall follow [not you only but] them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover."
Still farther down, when James wrote "to the twelve tribes scattered abroad," he directed them as follows: "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." He also exhorts them to confess to, and pray for one another, that they might be healed; and to give assurance, he cites to the case of Elijah, whose prayers for both drought and rain, were answered, although he "was a man subject to like passions as we are." Jas. v, 14—17.
By these and parallel scriptures, we see that. (1.) Christ healed all manner of diseases, of all who came, or were brought to him. (2.) He commissioned his disciples to preach his gospel, and heal diseases, &c. (3.) These signs were to follow them that believed through their preaching. (4.) The rule was laid down for the church to pray for the sick.
This is a blessing peculiar to the gospel, or, rather, we may say it is a part of the gospel. In Jesus we find a full remedy for our ills, moral and physical, and thus it is recorded in the scriptures: "And he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying: Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." Matt. viii, 16, 17.
It would be absurd for the Christian to patiently bear his load of sin, or seek to any earthly help for relief therefore, because Christ "bare our sins, in his own body, on the tree." If he also "bare our sicknesses," have we any need to bear them ourselves, or any right to seek to the physicians? If this was a part of Christ's mission, do we not dishonor him, and virtually deny his power, and the truth of God's promises, by turning away from him, to seek for human help? He has told us, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you." John xv, 7. O, how much we need to pray, Lord, increase our faith!
Dear brethren and sisters, awake to righteousness, and sin not. Some say, we are to use the means placed by Providence within our reach, looking to God for his blessing on them. But look again at the testimony. The means enjoined in Mark vi, 13; James v, 13—18, are anointing with oil in the name of the Lord, and praying the prayer of faith. I cannot ask God to bless my disobedience to his word, or expect to enjoy his favor, unless I keep his commandments, and receive the gospel.
The Entrance of Thy Words Giveth Light
"THY testimonies are wonderful; therefore doth my soul keep them. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. I opened my mouth, and panted; for I longed for thy commandments." Ps. cxix, 129—131.
TIME FOR COMMENCING THE SABBATH.
[This is taken from the "Synopsis of a Lecture delivered before the Bible Class of the Shiloh Church," published in the Sabbath Recorder.]
The Bible Sabbath is from evening to evening. The only opportunity left for cavil, in the minds of our brethren opposing these views, is that the Sabbath is twelve, instead of twenty-four hours long. Let us see how this agrees with facts.
1. "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." Ex. xx, 10. What is the seventh day? Does it not always imply the seventh of a succession of natural days, in all common parlance, and in all profane or sacred history? If, as we have tried to prove, the six days of creation were each a natural day, was not also the seventh, and therefore the Sabbath being twenty-four hours long, from evening to evening?—This fact is conclusive of itself, yet let us notice how the subsequent allusions to the Sabbath agree with this.
2. For forty years the Jews were weekly taught when the Sabbath commenced and ended, by the falling of the manna. Ex. xvi, 4, 5, and 14, 15, 21. This manna, which fell in the evening with the dew, made not its appearance on the morning of the Sabbath, hence, had not fallen in the evening previous; but it must have fallen in the evening after the Sabbath, as we infer from the command, "Six days ye shall gather it," that they found it on first day morning.
3. The Festival Sabbaths were instituted in the Jewish worship, as commemorative of some important event, as the weekly Sabbath is commemorative of the creation. Like the original Sabbath, they became seasons of holy convocation, and were observed with the same regulations as the weekly Sabbath in regard to their commencement and close. For, had they not, there would have been confusion in the times of observing their Sabbaths, and they would not have imitated the original Sabbath in the manner of observance. Of the Sabbath of atonement, which must be kept as strictly as the weekly Sabbath, the Jews were commanded, in Lev. xxiii, 32, "at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath."
4. The Sabbath from evening to evening was observed by the Jewish Rulers. Neh. xiii, 16—19.—The gates of Jerusalem were closed "as it began to be dark," to keep out the fish-sellers and persons bearing burdens into the city during the Sabbath.
5. The "thus saith the Lord," is demanded. Ez. xlvi, 1, 2—"Thus saith the Lord God, The gate of the inner court, that looketh toward the East, shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened," "but the gate shall not be shut until the evening." We are here plainly taught, that the Sabbath closes at evening, and that the working days begin at that time.
THE SIGNS OF THE END OF THE WORLD.
By Otis Nichols
"And as Jesus sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us . . . what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" Matt. xxiv, 3. The answer to this question is recorded in verses 29, 30.
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." See also Mark xiii, 24—26; Luke xxi, 25—27.
These are the signs of the end of the world, and the second coming of Christ. They are distinctly given in their order, "after the tribulation," so that none need be mistaken in their application, nor the time of their fulfillment. The disciples asked our Lord a literal question, and we believe he gave them a literal answer.
The first thing necessary to notice, is the period, and the application, of "the tribulation of those days" that precede the signs. Our Lord in verse 15, has given warning of its approach, and cautioned against a misunderstanding.
"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth let him understand,) then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains. . . . For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." Verses 15, 16, 21, 22.
From the expression "them which be in Judea," verse 16, this tribulation was formerly believed (and many still believe it) to refer to the severe afflictions of the Jews in the time of the siege by the Romans, when Jerusalem was destroyed. According to Josephus, "eleven thousand Jews then perished in Jerusalem, and more than two hundred and fifty thousand in other parts of Judea, besides ninety seven thousand captives, and innumerable others who perished by starvation and other means."
It is sufficient to note, (1.) The tribulation spoken of by our Lord referred expressly to the severe afflictions of the elect, Christians, and not to the Jews that perished in Judea. (2.) It did not take place until "the abomination of desolation" stood up in the holy place, the Church, near five hundred years afterwards. What is the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel? Certainly, it was not the sacrificial abominations of the Pagans, called "the daily sacrifice," [Dan. viii, 13.] neither was it the idolatrous standards of the Roman armies that were planted on the walls of the city and temple of Jerusalem, as many think. Nor can it refer to Dan. ix, 27; for that speaks of abominations, plural; whereas our Lord speaks of a particular abomination, singular, and cautions against a misunderstanding. This desolating power is expressly referred to in Dan. viii, 13. It is there called "the transgression of desolation." "They shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate." xi, 31. "From the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up," &c. See margin xii, 11.
Notice this fact. "The daily sacrifice," that is, the Pagan Roman governments and its sacrifices, were first restrained, and taken away; and afterwards "the abomination of desolation" was "placed" or "set up" "in the holy place." The holy place at that time could not refer to the temple of Jerusalem, as some think, for that was destroyed more than four hundred years before this desolating power was set up.
Thus the abomination of desolation could not apply to the Roman armies, or their idolatrous standards at the time Jerusalem was destroyed, neither could it refer to the Pagan Roman governments, nor its sacrifices. The only reasonable application of this desolation, is to the setting up, or establishing the jurisdiction of the Papal governments in the Church, and the Pope of Rome, the supreme executive.
The sanctuary and the host, were first trodden down by the Pagans. After Paganism was restrained, Papacy came into power and made the Church of Christ desolate. Paganism hindered the establishment of the Church of Rome, as long as its governments continued: but it no longer stood in their way, after England, the last of the ten Pagan kingdoms was christianized. Arthur put an end to Paganism among the Britons. He was crowned a Christian monarch of the Britons, by a Catholic Bishop in A. D. 508. [Kippis' and Henry's Biog. Brit. See Hale's reply to Dr. Pond.—Signs of the Times, 1843.]
The Pagans then lost their head in the Western empire of Rome, and the way was open to set up the Papal power in the Church, or "holy place"—"where it ought not," [Mark xiii, 14.] "in the temple of God." See 2 Thess. ii, 4.
Take notice, the Church was called "the temple of God" under the gospel ministry, and was the holy place, [1 Cor. iii, 16, 17.] where God's law and Spirit should dwell, as the tabernacle of Moses was, under the first covenant. Compare the quotations of 2 Cor. vi, 16, with Lev. xxvi, 11, 12, and Ex. xxix, 43—45, xxv, 8.
Papacy was established in A. D. 538. The Pope of Rome was then constituted the head of all the Christian churches in the world, and invested with the supreme authority over all in all matters pertaining to religion. The Papal supremacy continued 1260 years from the time it was established, and during this period the saints were given into the hands of this power. Dan. vii, 25, 26; Rev. xiii, 5—7. This was the period that the abomination of desolation stood in the holy place. This was the period of the tribulation of those days, in which the saints suffered under the Papal persecution, which for the magnitude and duration of their afflictions, (in which more than fifty millions of the saints were cruelly put to death,) there was not the like "since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be; but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."
The severity of that tribulation began to be broken before the 1260 days, or years, expired that the Church was to remain in the "mountains," [verse 16.] or "wilderness." See Rev. xii, 6, 14—16. The kings began to make war on that desolating power [see Rev. xvii, 16.] many years before the whole period allotted to it had expired; and thus, the days in the violence of the persecution were shortened, and for the elect's sake, the Church.
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days," &c. Mark says, "In those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened," &c. The history agrees with the prophecy. "In those days," [1260.] allotted to "the abomination of desolation," and yet after the tribulation of the Church, from that power, had passed, the sun was literally darkened. "In 1780, May 19th, the sun rose clear—at ten o'clock the horizon began to be darkened, and at twelve, people had to light candles—laborers left the field—the fowls retired to roost, and a feeling that the judgment day had come, rested upon many minds."
"The moon shall not give her light." "The darkness, not only continued through the day, but the night following, till past midnight, though the moon was at the full. Such was the darkness, that a sheet of white paper held within a few inches of the eyes, was equally invisible as the blackest velvet. An eye-witness says, that when the moon first became visible, it had precisely the appearance of blood. The prophet Joel says, [Chap. ii, 31.] "the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come."—We have seen that this prophecy has been fulfilled.
"The stars shall fall from heaven." This is another sign of the end of the world. In 1833, Nov. 13th, was seen precisely such an appearance as is described in Rev. vi 13. The atmosphere was literally filled with falling stars, shooting in every direction, answering exactly to the description there given.
A sign, that is, an omen of a future event, is frequently a phenomenon of some of the scenes that usher in the event signified; as the appearance of a drawn sword over the city of Jerusalem, and armies fighting in the air, or clouds, were omens of her destruction by the Roman armies. Thus the darkening of the sun and the moon in 1780, and the falling of the stars in 1833, were omens of warning that the great and terrible day of the Lord was near. They were a precursory exhibition of the like scenes that will usher in that day.
There are two distinct classes of prophecies of the darkening of the sun and the moon, which refer to two distinct events. One refers to such as are signs that are fulfilled previous to the event signified. See Joel ii, 31; Matt. xxiv, 29, 30; Mark xiii, 25, 26; Luke xxi, 26, 27. These are omens of warning for the saving benefit of the world.
The other refers directly to the great and terrible day of the Lord, particularly, to the scenes that usher in that day. See Isa. xiii, 9, 10; Joel ii, 10, 11; iii, 15; Rev. vi, 12—17. These latter prophecies of the darkening of the sun and the moon have evidently their fulfillment at the commencement "of the great day of His wrath." They cannot be omens of warning that will result for the salvation of the enemies of God; then they that are filthy will be filthy still.
The next sign in the order after the falling of the stars is "and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken, and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn," &c.
I understand the shaking of the powers of the heavens to be a literal appearance of the shaking of the heavens. See Isa. xiii, 13; Hag. ii, 6; Joel ii, 10; Heb. xii, 26. The powers of the heavens can be no other than the sun, the moon, and the stars, "that rule the day, and the night, seasons and years." Gen. i, 14, 18. If the heavens have a literal appearance of being shaken, will not the sun, moon and the stars also tremble? This event is future, and immediately precedes the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and the literal appearance of our Lord in the clouds of heaven.
"Now learn a parable of the fig-tree. When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh; so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it [margin, 'he'] is near, even at the doors. Verily, I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." Verses 32—34. In Whiting's translation, verse 34, reads thus, "Truly I say unto you, this very generation will not pass away, till all these things are fulfilled."
"This generation," is clearly defined by our Lord. None other can reasonably apply, but the "very generation" that are eye-witnesses to the fulfillment of "all these things," that is, the signs of the end of the world, and second coming of Christ, commencing with the darkening of the sun and the moon in 1780.—Luke says, [xxi, 28.] "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh." Matthew says, "When ye shall see all these things, know that he is at the doors."
"Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away." Thus we are assured by the testimony of our Lord that a remnant of the very generation that was born nearly eighty years ago will not pass away before they see all these signs, and even the literal coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. "Watch, therefore, and be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh; lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you, I say unto you all, Watch."
Spirit Rappers.
By Western Watchman
KEEP away from them. Keep your children away from them. Do you ask why? Because,—
1. They certainly do no good. They teach nothing that is worth knowing, they relieve no pain, they cure no sickness, they forgive no sin, they sanctify no heart, they save no soul. If they rap on tables, they do not supply them with food; if they shake and lift them, they do not servants' hire in moving them nor washing dishes. A man might have forty thousand115such spirits in his house, yet be no better off, either in soul, body, or estate.
2. They have done much mischief. Many have become insane by running after these spirit rappers. The young have been led to trifle with serious and sacred things. The Bible has been brought into contempt.—Some who professed to be disciples of Christ have avowed infidel sentiments, by the influence of these rappings. Their tendency is to turn the mind from God, the concerns of the soul, and eternity.
3. Let them alone, because it is wicked and dangerous to meddle with them. God has forbidden us to 'seek unto familiar spirits that peep and mutter,' or to have any thing to do with witches, necromancers and devils. He has, in all ages, allowed devils to do some strange and wonderful things, to try and prove men. He has forewarned us of this. If he has given 'lying spirits' leave to tempt this generation, will you run into the temptation? No. Let all who value their own peace and safety keep away. Do not invite the devil to ruin you.
A Fitness for the Kingdom.
By Dr. G.
WITHOUT holiness, no man can see the Lord. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. The road that leads to death is broad, and many walk therein; while the road to life is straight and narrow, and few find it.
When one said unto our Saviour, "Are there few that be saved?" he said unto them, "Strive to enter in at the straight gate, for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are; then shall ye begin to say, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But ye shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity."
If there is any belief that will search the heart of man, and penetrate the inmost recesses of his soul, it must be a conviction that we are soon to enter the presence of the Lord—that the Judge standeth at the door. "He that hath this hope in him," says the Apostle, "purifieth himself even as he is pure." God is too holy a being to regard sin but with displeasure; and none can hope to enter his pure presence, who are in any wise defiled with it. How important it is, then, that we who hope soon to see our Saviour, should see to it, that we do not deceive ourselves. We cannot serve two masters; neither can we gain a better world, while we set our affections on the things of this. We must feel to renounce all things for Christ, who left his Father's glory, and died for us. If there is any tie which leads us to earth, it may retain us here, when our Lord shall come. We therefore need to make a free and full surrender of our all into the hands of God, who alone can sustain us, who is our Creator, Preserver, and most bountiful Benefactor. God will accept no half-way devotion, no divided affections; but if we will be accepted of him, we must be entirely and unreservedly devoted to him and his service.
Doubtless, many who are looking for the Lord, will find in that day, that they had idols in their hearts, that they had trusted more to their own righteousness than to the righteousness of Christ, and that they have come short at last of entering his everlasting kingdom: If we would be saved, we must love the Lord our God with all our heart, and soul and mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves; we must walk soberly, and godly, righteously in this present evil world; looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; and trusting entirely to the righteousness of Christ, as our only hope of safety. We are to be washed in the blood of Christ, and cleansed from all sin. We are to forsake our sins by righteousness, and our iniquities by turning to the Lord. We are to cease to do evil, and learn to do well. We must be purified, and made white and tried; and we have the promise of the Lord, that if we will repent, though our sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
We should set our standard of Christian character high, and should avoid even the appearance of evil.—If we are truly sanctified, we shall be found sitting at the feet of Jesus, willing that his will should be done in all things. If our righteousness does not exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, we can in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.—How important it is, then, that we should examine ourselves in the light of God's word, and see to it that we possess that holiness without which no man can see the Lord, but which will be to us a wedding garment.
Ministers of the Gospel at the Last Day.
By Dr. Griffin
"Soon we shall appear with our respective charges before the judgment seat of Christ. What a scene will then open between a pastor and his flock, when all his official conduct towards them shall be scrutinized, and all their treatment of him and his gospel shall be laid open; when it shall appear that an Omnipresent eye followed him into his study every time he sat down to write a sermon, and traced every line on his paper, and every motion of the heart; and followed him into the pulpit, and watched every kindling desire, every drowsy feeling, every wandering thought, every reach after fame. Ah, my dear brethren, when you hear on the right hand the songs of bursting praise that you ever had existence, and on the left hand, behold a company of wretched spirits, sending forth their loud lament that you had not warned them with a stronger voice, will you not regret that all your sermons were not more impassioned, and all your prayers more agonizing? But what is that I see? A horrid shape, more deeply scarred with thunder than the rest, around which a thousand dreadful beings with furious eyes and threatening gestures, are venting their raging curses! It is an unfaithful pastor, who went down to hell, with most of his congregation; and those around him are the wretched beings whom he has decoyed to death. My soul turns away, and cries, give me poverty, give me the curse of a wicked world, give me the martyr's stake, but, O, my God, save me from unfaithfulness to Thee, and to the souls of men."
J. B. Cook on the Sabbath.
By Editor
THE following brief remarks of J. B. Cook on the Sabbath, published in his Advent Testimony of 1846, are to the point. We publish this short article for the truth it contains, also, that his present erroneous position may be compared with his past true one.—We do not, however, agree with him that the Sabbath is a type.
Who now sails wittingly 'under the Pope's sabbatic flag?' Read the article, and then answer. ED.
'I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day,' said the beloved disciple. 'The Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.' Matt. xii, 8. Now setting human opinion aside, and taking 'Divine testimony,' I ask what day is 'the Lord's day?' In Isa. lviii, 13: the Sabbath is by the Lord, called 'My holy day.'—The word employed to designate the Lordship of Messiah is frequently used for the Divinity, without distinction of Father and Son. The Lord's day is clearly, from this testimony, the Sabbath day. It did not end with the Jewish dispensation; for we learn from Isa. lvi, 1—7, that it was to be observed by the sons of the stranger—others beside 'the outcasts of Israel.' Gen. ii, 1—3; Ex. xx, 8—11; Matt. v, 17—19.
Every enactment relative to the religious observance of the first day, originated with the Pope, or Potentates of Rome, and those who, in this matter sympathize with them; but every enactment that ever originated in Heaven, relative to the keeping of the Sabbath, confines us to the seventh day. The seventh day is 'the Sabbath of the Lord our God.'
My space will not allow me to adduce the historic testimony; but the above I solemnly believe, is the exact truth. From the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries we trace the effects of the Man of Sin, to set aside 'the Lord's day,' and introduce the first day—the day on which the European nations had been accustomed to idolize the Sun. Let scripture testify, and let us throw off the last rag of 'the mother of harlots.'
Jesus did not after his resurrection, meet his assembled disciples till about or in the evening of the first day, as we reckon time. It was the early part of the Jewish second day, or the very close of the first.—They began their day about six o'clock, or sun setting. Mark! The two disciples and Jesus had been to Emmaus—were at Emmaus seven and a half miles distant when that first day 'was far spent.'—He went in to tarry with them and made himself known to them in breaking of bread; then they returned seven miles and a half to Jerusalem, found the disciples, and while announcing the resurrection, Jesus himself came in. John xx, 19; Luke xxiv, 29, 33—36.
Then eight days after he met with them again, (John xx, 26,) which must have been on the second day of the subsequent week. Paul met the disciples on the first part of the first day, answering to our Saturday night—preaching all night 'till the break of day,' and then 'departed,' or set off on his journey.—If he had met them on our Sunday night, it would have been the Jewish second day. Then he did not keep that first day as a Sabbath. Those who dream that he did, only give evidence that they are so far 'drunk with the wine' of Papal Rome. My feelings were inexpressible, when I saw this. The truth I must confess.
This is the true testimony. Thus easily is all the wind taken from the sails of those who sail, perhaps unwittingly, under the Pope's sabbatic flag. The passage 1 Cor. xvi, 2, though adduced as testimony, makes no mention of the Sabbath, or even of assembling116for worship! Col. ii, 16, does not speak of the Sabbath; but sabbaths—called in our version incorrectly sabbath days; (days being supplied by the translator.) These sabbaths are like the new moons and other mere Jewish institutions, mentioned in Lev. xxiii, 39. This feast was of eight days duration, the first and last being a sabbath. As the feast began on the fifteenth of the seventh month, it could not, only in a series of years, commence on the day originally set apart as the Sabbath of the Lord our God. These sabbaths, and all institutions peculiar to the Mosaic ritual, our blessed Lord 'nailed to the cross;' so that no one is now condemned for their non-observance.—But God's law of Eden—his type of Paradise restored—the Sabbath which was made, like marriage for man, as man, and consequently, alike needful through all dispensations, he did not abolish. Man needs still, all that 'was made for' him.
'Your assertion is not worth a groat,' says the objector, in the absence of scriptural testimony. So say I. My expectation to 'overcome' is based on the true 'testimony.' Jesus said, 'Pray that your flight be not in the Winter, neither on the Sabbath day.'—Matt. xxiv, 20. He thus recognizes the perpetuity of the Sabbath, many years after having abolished the Jewish feasts, as really as the seasons of the year. That 'is a nail in the right place, fastened by the Master of assemblies!' Therefore I say again, he did not abolish the Sabbath, which was 'made for man'—for the good of man. From the dreadful wreck, occasioned by 'the fall' in Eden, there have been two institutions preserved; the Sabbath and Marriage. Both were 'made for man.' This, is the type of Christ's union with 'the Church.' Eph. v, 23—33. That, of the rest that remaineth for the people of God.' Heb. iv, 4—9. Both are binding till the realities they represent, are ushered in, at the Advent of Jesus. Amen!'
Remember Lot's Wife.
It may be profitable for believers in the Second Advent to consider this injunction of our Saviour. He says that as it was in the days of Noah and Lot, so shall it be in the day when the Son of man shall be revealed. He warns us not to turn back, but remember Lot's wife. At first she believed the warning and set out to escape the coming wrath. She forsook her home and friends, and part of her children, and withstood the ridicule of those who deemed the alarm groundless, and as "the voice of one who mocked" (or, according to modern phraseology, wild fanaticism) she advanced as far as the plains, beyond the city, without wavering; but when she looked upon the soft blue sky, and saw the sun rising in its usual beauty, she turned and looked with a heart of unbelief, upon the city which still remained unscathed. Her heart and her treasure seemed to be there, and her doom was sealed for ever.
Her case stands as a fearful monument of the wrath of God upon that class of persons, who, though they may receive the truth with gladness, and endure for a while, yet when trials, afflictions, or persecutions arise, they are offended, and make shipwreck of their faith.
Let us examine ourselves, and find where our treasure is; if it is in the world, our heart is with it, and both will perish together. It is a matter of grief, that any who hear the midnight cry, can be indifferent to its appeals, and neglect the necessary preparations. But it is more surprising that so many who hear, and apparently receive its message, should go away and forget what manner of persons they are.—They cannot bear the reproach of friends, obloquy and ridicule heaped in their way. They begin to doubt; all things remain as they were from the creation, the seasons roll in their accustomed track; the heedless, busy throng pass hurrying on. They listen to teachers, who say "this end of the world is an old story; many have expected it in different ages, but they were disappointed, and the same expectations will now as surely fail," (fine logic, the same as to say because that day has never been, it will never come,) they begin to be ashamed of their former admissions, and before they are aware, are as unconcerned as ever. What can we say to such, "if they hear not Moses and the prophets, how shall they hear us?" The Lord have mercy on them, and open their eyes to the fearful realities before them, and incline them to flee to the city of refuge, nor stay in all the plains, least while they are looking backward, they may hear the last trumpet fix their eternal doom.—Midnight Cry, 1843