p. 84 | Review and Herald, Vol. 5, No. 11. (4/4/1854)

Earlier text: INSTITUTION OF THE SABBATH

THE SEVENTY WEEKS.

By Editor

A good brother in New Hampshire says that he cannot find the "commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem," in Ezra vii, B. C. 457, and requests others to point it out to him, if they can find it there.

This is an important question to be settled, and one which we think can be satisfactorily established. And, not only for the benefit of our New Hampshire brother, but, to establish the faith of all our readers, we will point out the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem, from Ezra vii, in the seventh year of king Artaxerxes' reign, B. C. 457.

Said the angel to Daniel, "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, &c. Now turn and read the copy of the decree of Artaxerxes "unto Ezra the priest," found in Ezra vii, 12-26.

Any impartial reader must see that Jerusalem is restored when the people go back there, re-establish their city polity, and re-commence the regular offering of their sacrifices, and the observance of their daily worship. For this restoration of Jerusalem, the decree made provision when it said:—"And thou Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not. And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment." Verses 25, 26. Here is the restoration of Jerusalem by the establishment of judges and law.

But did the decree to Ezra also authorize the rebuilding of Jerusalem? It most certainly did. Mark well the unlimited power given to Ezra by this decree. He was empowered, as he understood in his prayer, to proceed at any time with its construction. Here is a quotation from Ezra's prayer, which he offered B. C. 457:—

"For we were bond-men; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof. AND TO GIVE US A WALL in Judah and Jerusalem." Ezra ix, 9.

The Angel did not say that "the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times," as soon as the decree should be given authorizing their construction. All that is affirmed is, that there should be troublous times when they were built.

Now if Ezra understood that the king's decree authorized him to build the wall, and he most certainly did so understand it, as seen in his prayer, then we should understand it thus also, and the point is clearer and satisfactorily settled forever.

Was any decree given to Nehemiah, thirteen years later, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes?

We can find none. Nehemiah says, [chap. ii, 6,] "It pleased the king to send me," &c. There is no evidence that such permission was anything but verbal. When he had obtained the king's consent, he next requested letters from him to "the governors beyond the river," for means of conveyance to Jerusalem, and one to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, for timber. These "letters" were not addressed to Nehemiah, as a decree would have been, and as the decree was to Ezra; but they were directed to the king's subordinates, and Nehemiah was only the bearer of them.

These letters are nowhere called decrees. But if they were, and if the seventy weeks date from the time that Nehemiah went up to Jerusalem with them in the twentieth year of the reign of Artaxerxes, then the Angel should have said to the prophet Daniel, "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandments," &c., or the decrees; for there was a plurality of them. These letters were considered of so little importance that the inspired penman has given us no copy of them.

Not so with the decree to Ezra. That is expressly called a decree and was addressed to Ezra, instead of the king's subordinates, and a full copy of it was entered upon the page of inspiration, and it has come down to the present time. It begins thus:—

"Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest. . . . I make a decree," &c.

No one will attempt to show that any such decree was addressed to Nehemiah, in the permission given to him. The decree of such unlimited power having been given to Ezra, covering the whole ground of restoring and building Jerusalem, all that Nehemiah needed was simply permission from the king to go up and complete what Ezra had begun, and letters to the king's subordinates for such assistance as he should need. If any one still thinks there was a decree "to restore and to build Jerusalem," given to Nehemiah thirteen years after Ezra went up, let him produce it.

Let this subject be carefully examined, brethren, that you may be able to defend the truth in regard to it. And if any of our readers still remain in doubt relative to the date of the commencement of the seventy weeks, let them state their objections immediately, and we will answer them.

But there are distinct bounds at each end of this important prophetic period. Dating its commencement B. C. 457, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, there is a beautiful harmony with the prophecy of the seventy weeks, and the events which mark their termination.

"Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks." Sixty-nine of the seventy weeks reached to the Messiah. Now at what point do we find the Messiah?

Messiah is the "Anointed, the Christ, the Saviour of the world, the Prince of peace." "John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." Andrew said, "We have found the Messias." Nathaniel said unto Christ "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel." The woman at Jacob's well said, "I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ; when he is come he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he." And many of the Samaritans said, we "know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world." "Peter said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus said, Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." At Christ's baptism the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him; and a voice came from heaven, and testified, saying, "Thou art my Beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased." All this, and much more might be added to this clear testimony, that the Messiah was manifested at the commencement of his ministry. This settles the termination of the 69 weeks. After Jesus was baptized, he preached, saying, "The time is fulfilled." (Accomplished—Campbell.) Mark i, 15. What time? No time can be found to be fulfilled, but the 69 weeks, which are accomplished at "the Messiah the Prince," when he was baptized. This, according to Usher, was A. D. 26. Here is fixed the termination of the 69 weeks.

"And after three score and two weeks (from the end of 7 weeks, allowed to build Jerusalem) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself." Dan. ix, 26. How long after 69 weeks, or Christ's baptism, before Messiah was cut off, or crucified? This may easily be determined, by ascertaining the length of Christ's ministry, from his baptism to his cross where he was cut off. This may be determined by the number of yearly passovers he attended. We find that but four passovers occurred during his ministry, which he attended; [John ii, 13; v, 1; vi, 4; xiii, 1;] and at the fourth he was crucified. These four passovers could not cover more than three and a half years. These three and a half years added to Usher's chronology of Christ's baptism, A. D. 26-7, could not extend beyond A. D. 31; where must stand the cross. Clear it is, that as at his baptism the 69 weeks ended, so at his cross, the end of the three and a half years more, must be the midst of the week where Christ caused the sacrifice and oblation to cease by becoming our passover, sacrificed for us. Christ said, "Sacrifice and offering and burnt-offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first that he may establish the second." "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Heb. x, 8-10.

The cross plainly stands according to the Scriptures, in the midst [middle] of the one week, the seventieth, during which he was to confirm the covenant with many. Dan. ix, 27. This fact shows that the apostles had but half of one week, three and a half years, left them in which to confirm the covenant. Now as the cross stood in the Spring, A. D. 31, the middle of the seventieth week, three and a half years more, the confirming, by them that heard him, [Heb. ii, 3,] must bring us to the Autumn of A. D. 34, where ended the seventy weeks or 490 years of the 2300, [Dan. viii, 14,] which leaves 1810 years to transpire after the Fall of A. D. 34, which ended A. D. 1844.

THE SANCTUARY.

By Uriah Smith

(Concluded.)

JOHn saw when the first apartment of the heavenly Sanctuary was opened. He "looked and behold a door was opened in heaven." That he was looking into the first apartment we understand from what he saw before the throne. Rev. iv, 1, 5. Again, he is carried down to the "days of the voice of the seventh angel," and sees the Most Holy Place opened. "And the temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament." Rev. xi, 19. Before this ark containing God's holy law, the ten commandments, Christ, our great High Priest, has been ministering since the termination of the 2300 days. "He that hath the key of David, he that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth," [Rev. iii, 7,] has opened the door between the Holy and the Most Holy Place, and is now performing his last ministration for a fallen world. To this open door all may come for pardon of their transgressions, for whom mercy yet lingers. Christ is pleading his blood before the mercy seat; and while people would come and avail themselves of his mediation, let them remember the law of God beneath that mercy seat, and see that they are living in obedience to all its

precepts. Men may affirm that the law of God is abolished; but we see how far from truth this is, when we learn that it occupies the choicest place in heaven. The tables of the covenant, which God gave to man, were only a duplicate: the great original still exists, beneath the guardian watchfulness of his eye, who "slumbers not nor sleeps."

The cleansing of the Sanctuary being finished, the only remaining event was for the priest to bear out the iniquities and transgressions of the children of Israel, and place them upon the head of the scape-goat, and send him away into a land not inhabited. Lev. xvi, 20-22. In the type they sent away a literal goat; but when Christ shall have finished his work of atonement, and bears away the sins of his people from the heavenly Sanctuary, upon whom will he lay them as the antitype of the scape-goat? The Hebrew word for scape-goat, as we learn from Lev. xvi, 8, margin, is Azazel. Azazel, according to the oldest opinions of the Hebrews and the Christians, is the name of the Devil. The Syriac, also, has Azazel the angel (strong one) who revolted. Hence the scape-goat is a type of Satan. As the goat bearing the iniquities of the people was sent away into a land not inhabited, so the antitype of that act will be most strikingly fulfilled when the events mentioned in Rev. xx, shall be accomplished; when the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan shall be bound a thousand years, and cast into the bottomless pit and shut up and sealed that he shall deceive the nations no more till the thousand years be fulfilled. Some men's sins, says Paul, are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. 1 Tim. v, 24. The sins of all those who are pardoned through the blood of Christ will at the close of his ministry, be borne away from the Sanctuary, and thrown back upon the head of their author, the Devil; while the sins of all those who are not forgiven will rest upon themselves and sink them down into everlasting ruin.

We have endeavored thus far, though briefly, to present a plain and harmonious view of the Sanctuary, as clearly taught in the Word of God. The reader will bear in mind the evidence adduced in favor of the position we have taken, while we attempt to answer a few questions which may arise in the minds of some.

1. Why may not the Earth be the Sanctuary? The earth cannot be the Sanctuary, because, 1st, the definition of the word, itself, is enough to contradict such an idea. It is defined by Walker, "A holy place;" by Webster, "A sacred place;" by Cruden, "A holy or sanctified place, a dwelling-place of the Most High;" and we learn from Ex. xxv, 8, that it is a dwelling-place for God. Now any one knows better than to claim that this polluted earth is a holy place, or a sacred place, or a dwelling-place for God. This therefore, alone, should be sufficient to exclude forever the idea of its being the Sanctuary. 2d. Of all the times that the word, sanctuary, occurs in the Bible, it is never once applied to the earth. In nearly every instance in which it is used, it refers directly to another definite object, which God calls his sanctuary. Hence those who teach that the earth is the Sanctuary, are not only dependent for their authority on the word of man, but they must take it against the plain testimony of the Word of God an hundred times repeated. If any should think that the earth will be the Sanctuary, after it is purified by fire, [2 Pet. iii, 10,] we answer that even then God does not call it his Sanctuary, but merely the place of its location. Isa. lx, 13; Eze. xxxvii, 26-28; Rev. xxi, 1-3.

2. Why may not the Land of Canaan be the Sanctuary? A few texts are sometimes urged in favor of this view, which we will here notice: 1st. "Thou shalt bring them in and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established." Ex. xv, 17. "And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain which his right hand had purchased." "And he built his sanctuary like high places, like the earth which he hath established forever." Ps. lxxviii, 53, 54, 69. The first of these texts, it will be seen, is a prediction of Moses, the second is a record of facts by the Psalmist. What Moses foretells concerning Israel, David relates as a matter of history. The two texts taken together render the subject perfectly plain. The land of Canaan was the mountain of the inheritance. Ex. xv, 17. That mountain was the border of the sanctuary. Ps. lxxviii, 54. In that border God built his sanctuary. Verse 69. In that sanctuary God dwelt; [Ps. lxxiv, 1;] and in that border the people dwelt. Ps. lxxviii, 55. Moses understood the matter when he said, [Ex. xv, 2,] "He is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation." The border of the sanctuary must not be confounded with the sanctuary itself. The lot on which a house is built is not the house.

Isa. lxiii, 18, is sometimes quoted to prove the land of Canaan the Sanctuary: "The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary." It affords no evidence in favor of that view. The facts are simply these: when God's people were driven out from the land of Canaan, they were not only dispossessed of their inheritance, but the sanctuary, built in that land was laid in ruins, as is plainly recorded in 2 Chron. xxxvi, 17-20; which explains the whole matter.

Isa. lx, 13, may by some be urged as evidence that the land of Canaan is the Sanctuary: "The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine-tree, and the box, together, to beautify the place of my Sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious." Isaiah here refers to the glorified state, on the new earth; and we are ready to admit that that will be the place of the Sanctuary. If any still persist in calling the place of the sanctuary, the sanctuary itself, we would remind them that the same text calls the same place, the place of the Lord's feet; hence the same principle of application which would make the land of Canaan the Sanctuary, would make it the Lord's feet also.

The word, sanctuary, occurs in the Bible 145 times; yet the few texts above quoted are all that are ever urged in favor of the land of Canaan. But even if it was a sanctuary, it could not then be the Sanctuary of Dan. viii, 13, 14; for the Prophet had in view the habitation of God. Canaan is neither a holy place, nor a sacred place, nor yet a dwelling-place for God.

3. Why may not the Church be the Sanctuary? The church cannot be the Sanctuary for the following reasons: 1st. It is never called such in the Word of God. 2d. Another object is called the sanctuary, and the church is associated with it as the worshipers: the sanctuary being the place of that worship, or toward which their prayers were directed. 1 Kings viii, 22-54; 2 Chron. xx, 8, 9; Ps. xx, 2; lxxiii, 17. 3d. Because God has many times called the tabernacle or temple, which were patterns of the true, his sanctuary, and because the church is spiritually called the temple of God, [2 Cor. vi, 16,] some infer that the church is the Sanctuary. To how much weight such an inference is entitled in comparison with the plain testimony of the Scriptures on this subject, the reader may judge. 4th. Even if a single text could be found to prove that the church is ever called a sanctuary, it could not be the Sanctuary of Dan. viii, 13, 14; because the church is there represented by the word, host. "To give both the Sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot." That the word, host, here means the church, none will deny; the Sanctuary then is another object. The church is the host or worshipers: the Sanctuary is the place of that worship or toward which it is directed.

We find then that the idea that the earth, or the land of Canaan, or the church, is the Sanctuary, is without foundation in the Word of God; and these are the only objects which to our knowledge have ever been claimed as such by our opponents. And we find no dissenting text from the plain view already presented, that the Sanctuary embraced first the tabernacle erected by man, and now consists of the True Tabernacle in heaven which the Lord pitched and not man: that its cleansing is performed through the ministration of a great High Priest, and by means of blood; that the work accomplished is the bearing away from the Sanctuary the sins of God's people that they may be remembered no more against them forever; and not the burning of the earth by those final purifying fires which shall melt the elements with fervent heat.

Thus we see that we were not warranted by the declarations of the prophecy, to expect the Lord at the end of the days. If in the type the high priest after finishing his ministration in the first apartment, "had traveled off a thousand miles and cleared off the rubbish from some patch of land," we might have had some reason to expect that Christ, at the end of the days, would leave the Sanctuary and descend to cleanse this polluted earth; but by following out the type we may be saved from all such inconsistency.

The subject of the Sanctuary is a subject of vital importance to the people of God. An understanding of it is essential to a well-grounded position in the Advent faith. By this alone can the past be harmonized and the present established. By this alone can it be shown that the events of time and the words of the prophecy do perfectly agree. With an understanding on this point we have all the bright evidences of the past, and all the harmony of the Scriptures to sustain us; and with these and the mighty array of signs now fulfilling before us, no honest child of God can find room to doubt. A misunderstanding of this subject is the great cause of the ruinous work which has torn and scattered the flock since 1844.

INEXPLICABLE POSITIONS

Let us notice a few of the inconsistent positions to which people are driven by not taking a Bible view in regard to the Sanctuary. Assuming that the earth or the land of Palestine is the Sanctuary to be cleansed at the end of the 2300 days, to admit that they had ended would involve a positive failure of the word of God; for no portion of the earth has yet been cleansed. But to admit that God's Word has failed would not do: what was to be done? To extricate themselves from this dilemma has been the great object of all those who have found themselves thus situated; hence the incessant effort to prolong the days and place their termination yet future.

As one of the many results of this we may mention more especially the recent movement on time. This new-time theory assigns for the termination of the 2300 days the year 1854 Jewish time, and assumes as the date of their commencement, the grant to Nehemiah in the 20th of Artaxerxes. In the former part of this article we saw that there was nothing granted to Nehemiah which could be called a decree; and the only reasonable place from which to date was from the decree given to Ezra B. C. 457. Would they take a scriptural view of the Sanctuary, there would be no necessity of embracing such inconsistencies as we meet with in this theory. But aside from their chronological reckoning, there are other points which we call in question. Admitting, even, that the days do end as they declare, will the Lord then come? NO! there is no such promise. Then shall the SANCTUARY be cleansed! They assume that the Lord will then appear; but there is no scripture for such an expectation. There is no particle of evidence in the Word of God that the earth or the land of Palestine is the Sanctuary. Yet they assume these points also. Let them show their proof for such a position. We challenge them to do it.

The teachings of the Holy Scriptures on this subject are most unequivocal. On those we take our stand. This is the only consistent position. It precludes the necessity of wrestling the Word of God, removing the old land-marks, and giving the lie to the declarations of prophecy. Whenever a view is presented conflicting with these plain teachings, we demand, and justly too, the authority on which it rests. Will those therefore who teach that the earth or Palestine is the Sanctuary, and that the Lord is to come at the end of the 2300 days, show their authority for these views, or will they admit that they are based upon mere human assertions. If the foundation be false, however fair a structure may be reared thereon, 'tis doomed to fail.' The Bible view of the Sanctuary not only explains every objection which can arise from the apparent failure of 1844, but furnishes a safeguard against the present as well as against any attempt which may in future be made to prolong the days and create a false excitement on the preaching of time.

But there are others, and among these we may

mention the Advent Herald, who have found themselves driven into an extremely embarrassing position on this question. The Herald has from time to time, in years past, furnished unanswerable proof for the true dates of the prophetic periods, and also for the connection between the 70 weeks and the 2300 days. It has regarded it as the "position of our opponents" to deny this connection. It has claimed that "this involves one of the great questions which constitutes the main pillars of our system of interpretation, so far as prophetic times are concerned;" and it has admitted that "if this connection does not exist, the whole system is shaken to its foundation." But rejecting the scriptural exposition of the Sanctuary, the Herald has been unable to account for the passing of the time in 1844; and as a last resort to solve the mystery, it has taken the "position of our [their] opponents," and denied the connection between the 70 weeks and the 2300 days. The arguments produced in 1844 for their connection were unanswerable: they are unanswerable still: the Herald itself cannot disprove the testimony; yet it has denied the point, acknowledging that its only reason for so doing was the passing of the time. Whether that reason is sufficient to justify the course it has taken, or not, the reader can now readily decide.

Thus the Herald has thrown away one of the main pillars of prophetic chronology: for of what use are the 2300 days viewed in this light? Just none at all; as no one can tell where they commence, or where they end; hence they become totally useless, a mere dead letter. So it seems Paul was a little too fast when he said, All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable! &c. We know of no way for the Herald to do but to wait till the Lord comes to find their termination and then reckon back 2300 years to find their commencement!!

Having thus yielded one of the strong points of the original Advent faith, the way is opened for another step in this work of apostasy. The special signs of the Advent in the sun, moon and stars are next called in question as being fulfillments of prophecy, or precursors of the great day of God. On what the Herald now bases its faith for the soon coming of the Lord, if indeed it has any such faith, we are unable to determine. It will not admit the premises of the new time. It presents unobjectionable vindications of the true date of the 70 weeks, but will not admit the termination of the 2300 days in the past, because the event which it expected, did not then transpire. It therefore rashly tears asunder the two periods, and so finds itself standing on nothing. It cannot now present its readers with a harmonious system of truth on this great question. It cannot furnish them with a well-grounded consistent position. We cannot therefore be so much surprised to see so many of its prominent men embracing the new-time teachings; for if the consistency of two such positions will admit of degrees of comparison, we must confess, we think the new time has the advantage.

But there is another class whose organ is the Advent Watchman, which has professedly no position. Suffice it to say, it has given up the past, rejects the light on the Sanctuary, and consequently cannot tell the inquiring traveler where he now stands.

Again, there is what professes to be the Advent Harbinger; but so far has it drawn back and apostatized, that it openly renounces all connection with the Advent faith. Point after point it has given up till the whole harmonious theory is finally rejected; and what has it taken in its stead. It has embraced "A strange belief that leans its idiot back On folly's topmost twig." A belief in a future age and temporal reign of Christ on earth. A belief that the Lord will come, but in such a way that the man of sin shall not be consumed by the spirit of his mouth nor destroyed by the brightness of his coming. 2 Thess. ii, 8. It has embraced, in short, a slight modification of that siren doctrine of the Devil—the temporal millenium. It nevertheless styles itself the Advent Harbinger; but why should it profess to be what it so long since ceased to be both in theory and in practice.

Thus by taking a brief glance at the positions of professed Adventists, we are at once impressed with the importance of our subject. Why are they thus divided among themselves? Why are they thus driven to apostatize from the true faith, and renounce and trample upon those glorious doctrines which they once held as sacred truth? There is a cause for all this! They have rejected the true light on the Sanctuary! they have not followed down the track of prophecy as marked out in the Word of God! Truth is ever onward. It was its onward progress which in 1844 called out from the dormant church—great Babylon—a zealous band to herald the coming of the Lord. It is onward still: it did not stop with the first or second angel's work; for yet a third was to go forth with a final message of mercy to the world. Light on the Sanctuary of God in heaven, and light on the law of God, contained in the ark which is in that Sanctuary, was yet in store for God's true people. That light has now come. "The temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament." "Here," says the third angel, "are they who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Light on these points, we say, has now come: happy are they who receive it, but fearful is the act of those who shut it out.

Great and momentous is that work which the world's High Priest is now consummating before the ark of God in heaven. Whether men know it or not they have an interest there. The last great act in the plan of salvation is being accomplished; and the last messenger announcing that mercy yet lingers, is fulfilling his mission. All that could be done for sinful, rebellious man, has been done. Life has been freely offered. The Son of God has died to make an atonement for their transgression. Yet a few more days will he plead his blood in the Sanctuary in their behalf, ere the work is forever finished. But there is soon to come "a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done." There is soon to go forth a decree, "He which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still." Sin, which for nearly six thousand years has triumphed over a fallen world, shall be blotted out, together with its author, and the workers of iniquity. And when he who sitteth upon the throne, shall "make all things new;" when he shall make the earth restored, to blossom as the rose; then with "the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, will he beautify the place of his Sanctuary;" then "the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads;" then will "the tabernacle of God be with men, and he will dwell with them:" his "Sanctuary will be in their midst forevermore." Rochester, N. Y., March, 1854.

Repairing the Breach.

By J. B. Frisbie

BY J. B. FRISBIE.

A little while before Jesus comes the second time; the commandments of God are to be proclaimed with a loud voice. In doing this the breach which the horn that had eyes, [Dan. vii, 25,] had made in the law has to be made up.

We have shown that the Pope was prophesied of; that he should think to change laws. From their own testimony we find they claim to have done it. Now to the prophecy that it must be made up.

Rev. xiv, 9-14. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice. . . . Here are they that keep the commandments of God. And I looked, and behold a white cloud and upon the cloud one sat like the Son of man. Rev. xxii, 12. And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Verse 14. Blessed are they that do his commandments. James ii, 10. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all. James v, 7, 8. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 1 John iii, 11. But we know that, when he shall appear we shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. This testimony is sufficient to show that the commandments have much to do with the coming of Christ.

Eze. xiii, 45. O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, [breaches, margin,] neither made up the hedges for the house of Israel to stand in the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord in this text shows that the breaches here have something to do with the present time. Isa. lviii, 1. Cry aloud, and spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgressions. . . . Verse 12. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places, thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. Verse 13. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day: and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Verse 14. Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord: and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

The breach here is called the Sabbath which is to be repaired after many generations. We find no other breach in God's law but this. So we can but understand it to refer to the present time, when the commandments are one of the lost things to be preached with a loud voice or cry just before Jesus is to make his second appearing in the clouds of heaven. Everything bespeaks his near approach. It is time to wake out of sleep for soon the last angel's message of mercy will close for ever. Then he that is unjust let him be unjust still, he that is holy let him be holy still. We will here present a few popular reasons for Sunday-keeping.

CATHOLIC REASONS FOR KEEPING SUNDAY.

Because "it is also called Sunday from the old Roman denomination of Dies Solis, the day of the sun, to which it was sacred." "Sunday was a name given by the heathens to the first day of the week, because it was the day on which they worshiped the sun."
Because it is "in honor of the blessed Virgin Mary."
Because "it is a day dedicated by the apostles to the honor of the most Holy Trinity."
"Because Christ was born upon a Sunday."
Because he "rose from the dead upon a Sunday."
Because he "sent down the Holy Ghost upon a Sunday."
Because "the work of our redemption was a greater work than that of our creation."
Because "we have for it the authority of the Catholic Church and apostolic tradition."
Because "Sunday is sanctified by hearing Mass."
Because of a letter reported to have "come from Heaven to Jerusalem, and found at St. Simeon's tomb."

PROTESTANT REASONS.

Because Christ rose from the dead on Sunday.
Because Christ sanctioned the first day by meeting with his disciples on the evening of that day. John xx, 19, 26.
Because the apostles met on the first day to break bread. Acts xx, 7.
Because the apostles told them to make their collections on that day for the poor saints. 1 Cor. xvi, 1, 2.
Because John was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. Rev. i, 10.
Because Paul says, "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind"—whether he will keep one day above another, i. e., whether he will keep Sunday or not.
Because Constantine established it by law. A. D. 321.
Because it is the law of our own country.
Because Sunday is the Christian Sabbath.
Because the "old fathers" say that some kept Sunday.
Because learned men and ministers, say it was changed.
Because some say that the day we now keep, is the seventh-day Sabbath.
Because the Lord only requires us to keep a seventh part of time.
Because nobody knows whether we are keeping the right day or not, as time might have been lost.
Because it don't make any difference what day we keep if we are only sincere and honest.
Because it is customary, that is, fashionable.
Because the Lord has blessed me so many times on that day, therefore I think I ought to keep it.
Because I don't like to be changing about so much.
Because all my neighbors keep it.
Because I have always kept it, and my friends before me, and some of them died happy, and I will run the risk of it, rather than change now.
Because our church keeps it, therefore I will.
Because there are so many new things, and winds of doctrine, and so many "Lo heres," and "Lo theres," that we don't know what to believe, therefore I am agoing to stick to my old church.

These and many more unfounded and frivolous excuses, are framed up in favor of Sunday-keeping

which are called by some, good and conclusive reasons for not obeying God's holy Sabbath law: "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord:" thus making the law of God void by their traditions.

How will such stand in the judgment, with such excuses in their mouths, before that God whose law they have broken, after having the light. Will it not be said, "thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting."

A. CHAPMAN

By A. Chapman

From Bro. Chapman.

DEAR BRO. WHITE:—Could you but realize the utter loneliness of some of the scattered brethren, situated far away from those of like faith, no one with whom they can converse upon the all-absorbing

subject of their afflictions; no one with whom they can confidently unite their voice in prayer; no enjoyment of social meetings of those whose hearts unite and burn within them as they meet and sing and pray, and tell of their joys, their hopes, their trials, talk of our Great High Priest, of the new heavens and the new earth, and the sweet peace afforded them in obeying all the commandments of God. Some never behold the messengers who bring the gospel of Christ at the door. But they suffer the reverse of much they love. Instead of prayer they hear God's name profaned. Instead of the Holy Sabbath-day being honored they witness its universal desecration. They love and practice those things that all around them hate; they hate those things that all around them practice.

I say if you could realize this condition of some of God's children, you would be enabled also to appreciate the joy with which they receive the Review, the only medium through which they learn the well-being of the faithful.

I wish to say to all the lonely scattered ones, I too am alone, but not discouraged. What reasons we have to rejoice. Though in trouble, yet not distressed; though perplexed, yet not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. What though we are alone in all our sorrows, have we not a friend in heaven who knows how to enter into all our woes, feels for all our grief, and who will temper the winds to the shorn lamb.

I can say for one that I am determined with God's assistance, to set forward in the good cause, and though trials and temptations press sorely upon me, and though all the wicked men on earth were to rise in opposition, yet how securely can we go forward while the strong arm of God bears us up.

O my brethren I want to see heaven. I want to see our mother, the New Jerusalem, and the New Earth. I want, O I want to see Jesus, and the Patriarchs, and the Prophets, and the Apostles and that innumerable company of saints. I want to join with all of them in extolling the Lamb of God. O how I long to hear heaven's broad arches ring with Hallelujahs, when we all get home. Glory to God, the prospect is full of promise! Brethren be faithful the day will soon dawn.

A. CHAPMAN

Eureka, Wis., March 14th, 1854.

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