the great controversy-第83章

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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
and　that　all　the　men　of　learning　in　the　world　are　wrong。〃

To　refute　such　arguments　it　was　needful　only　to　cite　the　teachings　of　the
Scriptures　and　the　history　of　the　Lord's　dealings　with　His　people　in　all
ages。　God　works　through

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those　who　hear　and　obey　His　voice；　those　who　will；　if　need　be；　speak
unpalatable　truths；　those　who　do　not　fear　to　reprove　popular　sins。　The
reason　why　He　does　not　oftener　choose　men　of　learning　and　high　position　to
lead　out　in　reform　movements　is　that　they　trust　to　their　creeds；　theories；
and　theological　systems；　and　feel　no　need　to　be　taught　of　God。　Only　those
who　have　a　personal　connection　with　the　Source　of　wisdom　are　able　to
understand　or　explain　the　Scriptures。　Men　who　have　little　of　the　learning　of
the　schools　are　sometimes　called　to　declare　the　truth；　not　because　they　are
unlearned；　but　because　they　are　not　too　self…sufficient　to　be　taught　of　God。
They　learn　in　the　school　of　Christ；　and　their　humility　and　obedience　make
them　great。　In　committing　to　them　a　knowledge　of　His　truth；　God　confers　upon
them　an　honor；　in　comparison　with　which　earthly　honor　and　human　greatness
sink　into　insignificance。

The　majority　of　Adventists　rejected　the　truths　concerning　the　sanctuary　and
the　law　of　God；　and　many　also　renounced　their　faith　in　the　advent　movement
and　adopted　unsound　and　conflicting　views　of　the　prophecies　which　applied　to
that　work。　Some　were　led　into　the　error　of　repeatedly　fixing　upon　a　definite
time　for　the　coming　of　Christ。　The　light　which　was　now　shining　on　the
subject　of　the　sanctuary　should　have　shown　them　that　no　prophetic　period
extends　to　the　second　advent；　that　the　exact　time　of　this　advent　is　not
foretold。　But；　turning　from　the　light；　they　continued　to　set　time　after　time
for　the　Lord　to　come；　and　as　often　they　were　disappointed。

When　the　Thessalonian　church　received　erroneous　views　concerning　the　coming
of　Christ；　the　apostle　Paul　counseled　them　to　test　their　hopes　and
anticipations　carefully　by　the　word　of　God。　He　cited　them　to　prophecies
revealing　the　events　to　take　place　before　Christ　should　come；　and　showed
that　they　had　no　ground　to　expect　Him　in　their　day。　〃Let　no　man　deceive　you
by　any　means〃　（2　Thessalonians　2：3）；　are　his　words　of　warning。　Should　they
indulge　expectations　that　were　not　sanctioned　by　the　Scriptures；　they　would
be　led　to

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a　mistaken　course　of　action；　disappointment　would　expose　them　to　the
derision　of　unbelievers；　and　they　would　be　in　danger　of　yielding　to
discouragement　and　would　be　tempted　to　doubt　the　truths　essential　for　their
salvation。　The　apostle's　admonition　to　the　Thessalonians　contains　an
important　lesson　for　those　who　live　in　the　last　days。　Many　Adventists　have
felt　that　unless　they　could　fix　their　faith　upon　a　definite　time　for　the
Lord's　coming；　they　could　not　be　zealous　and　diligent　in　the　work　of
preparation。　But　as　their　hopes　are　again　and　again　excited；　only　to　be
destroyed；　their　faith　receives　such　a　shock　that　it　becomes　well…nigh
impossible　for　them　to　be　impressed　by　the　great　truths　of　prophecy。

The　preaching　of　a　definite　time　for　the　judgment；　in　the　giving　of　the
first　message；　was　ordered　by　God。　The　computation　of　the　prophetic　periods
on　which　that　message　was　based；　placing　the　close　of　the　2300　days　in　the
autumn　of
1844；　stands　without　impeachment。　The　repeated　efforts　to
find　new　dates　for　the　beginning　and　close　of　the　prophetic　periods；　and　the
unsound　reasoning　necessary　to　sustain　these　positions；　not　only　lead　minds
away　from　the　present　truth；　but　throw　contempt　upon　all　efforts　to　explain
the　prophecies。　The　more　frequently　a　definite　time　is　set　for　the　second
advent；　and　the　more　widely　it　is　taught；　the　better　it　suits　the　purposes
of　Satan。　After　the　time　has　passed；　he　excites　ridicule　and　contempt　of　its
advocates；　and　thus　casts　reproach　upon　the　great　advent　movement　of　1843
and　1844。　Those　who　persist　in　this　error　will　at　last　fix　upon　a　date　too
far　in