Discussion on the Sabbath Question

ELDER CORNELL’S TENTH SPEECH

This evening will close up the investigation of the question before us, I am glad to see the interest that is manifested. Some of the friends seem to think we use too much sharpness in our manner. Sometimes persons mistake hard arguments for abuse. If we have erred it has been of the head and not of the heart. Our aim has been to avoid everything unkind; however, I had much rather take back indiscretion in manner, if it has occurred, than to be under the necessity of taking back, or denying, my principal arguments. DSQ63 49.3

My friend says, The Old Testament was bondage, but the New is liberty. This may be true, but it cannot apply to the law of God. Those who kept the moral law under the old covenant talk much like those who keep the law under the new covenant. DSQ63 49.4

Psalm 119:165. “Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them.” Romans 7:12, 22. “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” DSQ63 49.5

Psalm 119:15. “I will walk at liberty, for I seek thy precepts.” Romans 8:6, 7. “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” DSQ63 49.6

My friend says, Those who have kept the Sabbath say they were in bondage. I have heard thousands say the Sabbath wan their delight and joy. There is no bondage in the weekly Sabbath. It was made for man, to be one of his greatest blessings. That the Sabbath is not to be regarded as a bondage, is evident from Isaiah 58:13. “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,” etc. DSQ63 50.1

The Lord directed men to call the Sabbath a delight, but Bro. Grant calls it a yoke of bondage. Who knows best? He says he is acquainted with some who kept it awhile, then gave it up, and they testify that it was bondage to them. I do not wonder that such ones gave it up. If I felt that it was bondage I would give it up too. But I know of more than [original illegible] thousand who have not given it up, and who regard the Sabbath as a precious gift from God. I have [original illegible] the Sabbath about eleven years and man speak [original illegible] personal experience. For several years I tried my best friend’s position of [original illegible] but I never knew what freedom was will I, like the Psalmist, [original illegible] law. DSQ63 50.2

The fathers are [original illegible] prove that the [original illegible] did not keep the Sabbath [original illegible] the Bible say the patriarchs [original illegible] keep the Sabbath [original illegible] the fathers [original illegible] it in the Bible we can get it there If they did not get it in the Bible, it is good for nothing. DSQ63 50.3

We have shown that the reckoning of time by weeks in that age came from the well-known institution of the Sabbath. He has failed to account for this in any other other way. Neither has he met the argument that the Sabbath was instituted at creation. That sanctifying it was the setting it apart by proclamation to a holy or religious use for man. DSQ63 51.1

My friend has several, times repeated the declaration that what is not commanded in the new covenant is not binding and still asserts that we must keep the first day or deny the resurrection of Christ. Why don’t he show where the first day is commanded? DSQ63 51.2

My friend has finally condescended to tell us what was the bondage of the ten commandments. It was in the Sabbath on account of the stoning penalty. But he has overlooked one important fact. The other nine commands also had the stoning penalty. Proof. For the first and second commandments see Deuteronomy 13:6-10; third commandments. Leviticus 24:11-14; fifth commandment, Deuteronomy 21:18-21; sixth commandment, Exodus 21:12; seventh commandment, Deuteronomy 22:24; eighth ninth and tenth commandments, Joshua 6:19, 25. DSQ63 51.3

If the fourth commandment contained bondage because had the stoning penalty, the other nine were bondage for the same reason. But he has the nine brought over without change, hence he has nine-tenths of the old yoke of bondage in his new constitution. DSQ63 51.4

I will [original illegible] advance, Psalm 19:7. “The law of the Lord perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” David must have referred to the decalogue, for that was the only perfect moral code ever given to man. There were ten precepts in that perfect law; now if one of them is left out it becomes so far imperfect. A perfect law will not admit of the slightest change. DSQ63 51.5

Isaiah 56:1, 2. “Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice; for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his band from doing any evil.” DSQ63 52.1

This prophecy locates itself when “salvation is near to come.” In Hebrews 9:28, we learn that salvation comes at the second advent of Christ, and in 1 Peter 1:5, that salvation is ready to be revealed in the last time. If a blessing is pronounced on the man who keeps the Sabbath in the Christian age, of course it exists and is binding. DSQ63 52.2

Paul’s manner was to preach on the Sabbath. Acts 13:42, 44. “And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. And the next Sabbath-day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.” Acts 16:13. “And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made: and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.” Acts 17:2. “And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath-days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures.” Acts 18:4, 11. “And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. And the continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.” DSQ63 52.3

We learn from these scriptures that Paul, “if his manner was,” preached every Sabbath-day, to the Jews in the synagogue, out by the river side, to the Gentiles, and when he was a located minister a year and six months at Corinth; in all eighty-four Sabbaths. We have no record of his ever preaching only on one first day of the week, and that was the all-night farewell meeting; with the disciples at Troas. The whole strength of apostolic example is in favor of the Sabbath. DSQ63 53.1