the great controversy- 第101部分

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　Work　of　Reform


The　work　of　Sabbath　reform　to　be　accomplished　in　the　last　days　is　foretold
in　the　prophecy　of　Isaiah：　〃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　hand
from　doing　any　evil。〃　〃The　sons　of　the　stranger；　that　join　themselves　to　the
Lord；　to　serve　Him；　and　to　love　the　name　of　the　Lord；　to　be　His　servants；
everyone　that　keepeth　the　Sabbath　from　polluting　it；　and　taketh　hold　of　My
covenant；　even　them　will　I　bring　to　My　holy　mountain；　and　make　them　joyful
in　My　house　of　prayer。〃　Isaiah　56：1；　2；　6；　7。

These　words　apply　in　the　Christian　age；　as　shown　by　the　context：　〃The　Lord
God　which　gathereth　the　outcasts　of　Israel　saith；　Yet　will　I　gather　others
to　him；　beside　those　that　are　gathered　unto　him。〃　Verse　8。　Here　is
foreshadowed　the　gathering　in　of　the　Gentiles　by　the　gospel。　And　upon　those
who　then　honor　the　Sabbath；　a　blessing　is　pronounced。　Thus　the　obligation　of
the　fourth　commandment　extends　past　the　crucifixion；　resurrection；　and
ascension　of　Christ；　to　the　time　when　His　servants　should　preach　to　all
nations　the　message　of　glad　tidings。

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The　Lord　commands　by　the　same　prophet：　〃Bind　up　the　testimony；　seal　the　law
among　My　disciples。〃　Isaiah　8：16。　The　seal　of　God's　law　is　found　in　the
fourth　commandment。　This　only；　of　all　the　ten；　brings　to　view　both　the　name
and　the　title　of　the　Lawgiver。　It　declares　Him　to　be　the　Creator　of　the
heavens　and　the　earth；　and　thus　shows　His　claim　to　reverence　and　worship
above　all　others。　Aside　from　this　precept；　there　is　nothing　in　the　Decalogue
to　show　by　whose　authority　the　law　is　given。　When　the　Sabbath　was　changed　by
the　papal　power；　the　seal　was　taken　from　the　law。　The　disciples　of　Jesus　are
called　upon　to　restore　it　by　exalting　the　Sabbath　of　the　fourth　commandment
to　its　rightful　position　as　the　Creator's　memorial　and　the　sign　of　His
authority。

〃To　the　law　and　to　the　testimony。〃　While　conflicting　doctrines　and　theories
abound；　the　law　of　God　is　the　one　unerring　rule　by　which　all　opinions；
doctrines；　and　theories　are　to　be　tested。　Says　the　prophet：　〃If　they　speak
not　according　to　this　word；　it　is　because　there　is　no　light　in　them。〃　Verse
20。

Again；　the　command　is　given：　〃Cry　aloud；　spare　not；　lift　up　thy　voice　like　a
trumpet；　and　show　My　people　their　transgression；　and　the　house　of　Jacob
their　sins。〃　It　is　not　the　wicked　world；　but　those　whom　the　Lord　designates
as　〃my　people；〃　that　are　to　be　reproved　for　their　transgressions。　He
declares　further：　〃Yet　they　seek　Me　daily；　and　delight　to　know　My　ways；　as　a
nation　that　did　righteousness；　and　forsook　not　the　ordinance　of　their　God。〃
Isaiah　58：1；　2。　Here　is　brought　to　view　a　class　who　think　themselves
righteous　and　appear　to　manifest　great　interest　in　the　service　of　God；　but
the　stern　and　solemn　rebuke　of　the　Searcher　of　hearts　proves　them　to　be
trampling　upon　the　divine　precepts。

The　prophet　thus　points　out　the　ordinance　which　has　been　forsaken：　〃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。　If
thou　turn　away

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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：　then　shalt　thou　delight　thyself　in　the　Lord。〃　Verses
12…14。　This　prophecy　also　applies　in　our　time。　The　breach
was　made　in　the　law　of　God　when　the　Sabbath　was　changed　by　the　Roman　power。
But　the　time　has　come　for　that　divine　institution　to　be　restored。　The　breach
is　to　be　repaired　and　the　foundation　of　many　generations　to　be　raised　up。

Hallowed　by　the　Creator's　rest　and　blessing；　the　Sabbath　was　kept　by　Adam　in
his　innocence　in　holy　Eden；　by　Adam；　fallen　yet　repentant；　when　he　was
driven　from　his　happy　estate。　It　was　kept　by　all　the　patriarchs；　from　Abel
to　righteous　Noah；　to　Abraham；　to　Jacob。　When　the　chosen　people　were　in
bondage　in　Egypt；　many；　in　the　midst　of　prevailing　idolatry；　lost　their
knowledge　of　God's　law；　but　when　the　Lord　delivered　Israel；　He　proclaimed
His　law　in　awful　grandeur　to　the　assembled　multitude；　that　they　might　know
His　will　and　fear　and　obey　Him　forever。

From　that　day　to　the　present　the　knowledge　of　God's　law　has　been　preserved
in　the　earth；　and　the　Sabbath　of　the　fourth　commandment　has　been　kept。
Though　the　〃man　of　sin〃　succeeded　in　trampling　underfoot　God's　holy　day；　yet
even　in　the　period　of　his　supremacy　there　were；　hidden　in　secret　places；
faithful　souls　who　paid　it　honor。　Since　the　Reformation；　there　have　been
some　in　every　generation　to　maintain　its　observance。　Though　often　in　the
midst　of　reproach　and　persecution；　a　constant　testimony　has　been　borne　to
the　perpetuity　of　the　law　of　God　and　the　sacred　obligation　of　the　creation
Sabbath。

These　truths；　as　presented　in　Revelation　14　in　connection　with　〃the
everlasting　gospel；〃　will　distinguish　the　church　of　Christ　at　the　time　of
His　appearing。　For　as　the　result　of　the

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threefold　message　it　is　announced：　〃Here　are　they　that　keep　the　commandments
of　God；　and　the　faith　of　Jesus。〃　And　this　message　is　the　last　to　be　given
before　the　coming　of　the　Lord。　Immediately　following　its　proclamation　the
Son　of　man　is　seen　by　the　prophet；　coming　in　glory　to　reap　the　harvest　of
the　earth。

Those　who　received　the　light　concerning　the　sanctuary　and　the　immutability
of　the　law　of　God　were　filled　with　joy　and　wonder　as　they　saw　the　beauty　and
harmony　of　the　system　of　truth　that　opened　to　their　understanding。　They
desired　that　the　light　which　appeared　to　them　so　precious　might　be　imparted
to　all　Christians；　and　they　could　not　but　believe　that　it　would　be　joyfully
accepted。　But　truths　that　would　place　them　at　variance　with　the　world　were
not　welcome　to　many　who　claimed　to　be　followers　of　Christ。　Obedience　to　the
fourth　commandment　required　a　sacrifice　from　which　the　majority　drew　back。

As　the　claims　of　the　Sabbath　were　presented；　many　reasoned　from　the
worldling's　standpoint。　Said　they：　〃We　have　always　kept　Sunday；　our　fathers
kept　it；　and　many　good　and　pious　men　have　died　happy　while　keeping　it。　If
they　were　right；　so　are　we。　The　keeping　of　this　new　Sabbath　would　throw　us
out　of　harmony　with　the　world；　and　we　would　have　no　influence　over　them。
What　can　a　little　company　keeping　the　seventh　day　hope　to　accomplish　against
all　the　world　who　are　keeping　Sunday？〃　It　was　by　similar　arguments　that　the
Jews　endeavored　to　justify　their　rejection　of　Christ。　Their　fathers　had　been
accepted　of　God　in　presenting　the　sacrificial　offerings；　and　why　could　not
the　children　find　salvation　in　pursuing　the　same　course？　So；　in　the　time　of
Luther；　papists　reasoned　that　true　Christians　had　died　in　the　Catholic
faith；　and　therefore　that　religion　was　sufficient　for　salvation。　Such
reasoning　would　prove　an　effectual　barrier　to　all　advancement　in　religious
faith　or　practice。

Many　urged　that　Sundaykeeping　had　been　an　established　doctrine　and　a
widespread　custom　of　the　church　for　many

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centuries。　Against　this　argument　it　was　shown　that　the　Sabbath　and　its
observance　were　more　ancient　and　widespread；　even　as　old　as　the　world
itself；　and　bearing　the　sanction　both　of　angels　and　of　God。　When　the
foundations　of　the　earth　were　laid；　when　the　morning　stars　sang　together；
and　all　the　sons　of　God　shouted　for　joy；　then　was　laid　the　foundation　of　the
Sabbath。　Job　38：6；　7；　Genesis　2：1…3。　Well　may　this　institution　demand　our
reverence；　it　was　ordained　by　no　human　authority　and　rests　upon　no　human
traditions；　it　was　established　by　the　Ancient　of　Days　and　commanded　by　His
eternal　word。

As　the　attention　of　the　people　was　called　to　the　subject　of　Sabbath　reform；
popular　ministers　perverted　the　word　of　God；　placing　such　interpretations
upon　its　testimony　as　would　best　quiet　inquiring　minds。　And　those　who　did
not　search　the　Scriptures　for　themselves　were　content　to　accept　conclusions
that　were　in　accordance　with　their　desires。　By　argument；　sophistry；　the
traditions　of　the　Fathers；　and　the　authority　of　the　church；　many　endeavored
to　overthrow　the　truth。　Its　advocates　were　driven　to　their　Bibles　to　defend
the　validity　of　the　fourth　commandment。　Humble　men；　armed　with　the　word　of
truth　alone；　withstood　the　attacks　of　men　of　learning；　who；　with　surprise
and　anger；　found　their　eloquent　sophistry　powerless　against　the　simple；
straightforward　reasoning　of　men　who　were　versed　in　the　Scriptures　rather
than　in　the　subtleties　of　the　schools。

In　the　absence　of　Bible　testimony　in　their　favor；　many　with　unwearying
persistence　urgedforgetting　how　the　same　reasoning　had　been　employed
against　Christ　and　His　apostles：　〃Why　do　not　our　great　men　understand　this
Sabbath　question？　But　few　believe　as　you　do。　It　cannot　be　that　you　are　right
a