s. Jan. 1848.
J. B.

THE SABBATH CONTROVERSY.

Once more I feel constrained to speak in vindication of the Sabbath of the
Lord our God. I have been privileged to read about all the articles which
have appeared in the BIBLE ADVOCATE, both for and against the Seventh-day
Sabbath, for about four months past; and occasionally a thrust and a
challenge from the Advent Harbinger, declaring that the law of God was
abolished more than eighteen hundred years ago, and that we have since
that time been under grace. The most that I have feared in this
controversy was, that it would not be continued long enough to bring out
the whole truth, to the utter confusion and dismay of these professed
Second Advent Sabbath breakers. One trait in their characters is now
pretty clearly developed, that is--they are Sabbath haters! The law of God
is nicknamed by them, the "Jewish Ritual," the "Jewish Sabbath," the
"Sabbath of the old Jews," &c. &c., thus virtually showing up their
characters in these perilous times, according to Paul, as covenant
breakers, boasters, proud, blasphemers, denying the righteous law of God,
and yet professing to believe the whole word of God. "As Jannes and
Jambres withstood Moses" so do some of these leading men resist the truth.
"A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land, the prophets
prophecy falsely and the priests bear rule by their means, and my people
love to have it so; and what will ye do in the end thereof?" Answer--"The
soul that sinneth, it shall die." I think it is becoming very evident that
they are fulfilling Rev. xii: 17, and xvi: 13, first clause. None others
so likely to deceive as these, because of their position in the near
coming of the Saviour. It amounts to almost an impossibility to get
_their_ definition of the _Law and Commandments_. One class will tell you
that the old and new testaments are the Word and Commandments of God. A
second will tell you that the new testament contains all the commandments
and teachings that are now required of us. I was informed of a company of
professed advent believers, not thirty miles from this, having become so
alarmed or tenacious, that they would not carry the old testament with
them to meeting on the first day. There was nothing in it, however, that
they feared but the commandment to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath. A third
class will tell you that baptism, the Lord's Supper, washing one another's
feet, holy greeting, and all the comm