The Perpetuity of the Seventh-day Sabbath

DEBATE

FIRST SPEECH

Note.—This is fragmentary in consequence of my arriving on the ground too late to hear more than a small part of it. PSDS 5.1

E. L. COLBY, Reporter. PSDS 5.2

Mr. Waggoner in the Affirmative.—It is an important part of this investigation that we settle first principles, and therefore, most of this first hour of the discussion has been taken up in so doing. PSDS 5.3

It is important that we find the reason why the Lord sanctified the Sabbath, for, it will be readily admitted by my opponent, that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment was so sanctified. This fact of its sanctification has never been reversed. I have never found one expression showing that this fact has been reversed. PSDS 5.4

But we have made reference to the 16th chapter of Exodus, commencing at the 4th verse: “Then said the Lord unto Moses, behold I will rain bread from Heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or no.” Here we find a reference to the law of the Lord, and this was to “prove them,” whether they would walk in that law; that is, whether they would be obedient to the law of the Lord. Then in verse 21 it says, “they gathered it every morning,” etc., and verse 22nd, “on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread,” and so on. Then verse 23rd , “This is that which the Lord hath said, To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord.” Now, we must believe that this was before the children of Israel came to Sinai, and therefore, previous to the promulgation of the ten commandments. “To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord,” and what would to-morrow be? If we know anything about scripture facts that “to-morrow” would be the “seventh day.” Now let us go back and look at the record again. God “blessed the seventh day,” and God “rested on the seventh day.” The “to-morrow” would be the seventh day, and the seventh day would be the rest day, from the fact that God rested on that day. He hallowed it or sanctified it, therefore, from the creation. PSDS 5.5

In the 24th and 25th verses it says, “And they laid it up till the morning as Moses bade,” etc. “And Moses said eat that to-day, for to-day is a Sabbath unto the Lord,” and here, in the fourth commandment, “but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God,” etc. “And the Lord said unto Moses, how long refuse ye to keep my commandments and the law.” Now, if I can draw any conclusion, it is that Moses has declared that the seventh day was the Sabbath of the Lord, and that it was a transgression of the law of God not to observe that day, and that obligation reached back to creation. PSDS 6.1

We have established the position that God rested on the seventh day, and that day was the Sabbath. We have got the important declaration that the Sabbath was made at creation, and that it was a holy institution, and not only did the ground of the obligation itself exist at that time, but the obligation was recognized, and, inasmuch as God blessed the seventh day, it was a violation of His law to break the Sabbath, and the Sabbath of the fourth commandment was made at creation. The Sabbath of the fourth commandment was a sacred day. They must keep that day “holy unto the Lord,” for upon it the Lord rested, and from the express consideration that the Lord rested upon that day, He sanctified it. For that reason the Lord blessed the seventh day. PSDS 6.2

The first part of the issue is before you. The Sabbath of the fourth commandment was made at creation. PSDS 6.3