Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-26

the Sabbath to read the law and the
prophets.
A very important point in connection
with the place of prominence which
the Sabbath had in the Old Tesla
ment as compared with the New, be-
llieve has been entirely overlooked In
this discussion.
In the Old Testament the fourth
commandment is mentioned many
more times than any other; more
blessings promised for it's observance
and more threats for it's dissertation.
While in the New 1t takes the other
extreme. In the three places where the
commandments are enumerated (Matt.
I19:1S-19; 22:37-39 and Rom. 1880
not once is the Sabbath mentioned.
And in all the exhortations to holt
ness of life, instructions to righteous
ness" Oh Tim. $3.50 not once do we
read Remember the Sabbath day to
keep it holy"
| Why this fact? I believe 1t is be-
cause of the unique place which the
Sabbath had in the moral and cere-
| monial law. For while the other fea-
lures of the ceremonial law were
types and shadows of the person and
work of the Lord Jesus, the Sabbath
Of rest was especially shadow OF the
perfect rest which that work secured
F, for all who would center into rest by
believing in Jesus" (Heb. 4:3)
If it were not SO serious matter 1T
would really be laughable the way you
"wrest the scriptures" far beyond the
breaking point to try to prove
your Sunday observance. You
plainly say, the Christians read
the law and the prophets ev-
cry Sabbath day; that the
Gentiles besought that these words
(the law and the prophets) might be
preached to them; that, James tells
us that Moses is preached every SAD
bath day; and that fifteen hundred
times during thirty years they (mean-
! ing the Christians) kept the Sabbath.
Now if the reader will turn to Acts,
1914. you will see where Paul and
his company went into the synagogue
at Antioch and sat down. There is no
record of them taking any part In
reading the law and the prophets, but
after it, they were invited to address
the people (verse $50 From verses 10
to Al is Paul's wonderful speech. II is
in verse ~ where the words me
prophets which are read every Sab
bath day" occur. But you will notice
it was by the Jews at Jerusalem, VINO
had condemned 'IsraeIs Saviour
Jesus" verse % land not by Chris
tians) that the prophets are read
The eliminating point of the ad-
dress is in verses $3.50. Through this
man is preached unto you the forgive
ness of sins; and by Him all that be-
lieve are justified from all things.
from which We could not be justified
by the law of Noses" That is the Cos
pel of grace and is what the "Gentlles
besought might be preached to them
the next Sabbath (verse 42)
Where Games tells us that Moses
is preached every Sabbath day" is IN
Acts 1921, and refers to the Jews.
who cot old time" Cor from genera
tons Of old, margin) met in the syna-
eogues to read Moses. James made the
closing speech in the first great Bible
conference when the early church met
to decide whether they should put the
Gentiles < Christians) under the law.
James said (verse 19) "My sentence IS
that we trouble not them which
from among the Gentiles are
had said just before, "why
tempt We God to put yoke upon the
neck Of the disciples, which neither
our fathers or we were able to bear"
The record of that conference and the
letter (Acts 15:23-29) ought to have
settled the question of law keeping
as having anything to do with our sal
walton, for all time And if the apostles
believed as you do, that Sabbath keep
ing. was so essential a matter, they
certainly would not have omitted to
mention it as one of the necessary
things" in their letter to the Gentle
Christians (Acts 15:28-29.) But, alas,
ga little leaven leaveneth the whole
lump, (Gal. 5:9) and today large ma
iority of Christians believe that, In
some way or other, law keeping has
place in the plan of, free grace. Now
as to your assertion that Christians
'sKept the Sabbath fifteen hundred
times in thirty years." we will have to
ask you to modify it little. Until you
show us single instance when they
did. please take one thousand five
hundred from what you claim and you
will have the exact number of times
that they "kept the Sabbath according
to the commandment" after the res
direction.
But that last paragraph Of your let
ter. l confess such profound reasoning
ca on so important question is too
much for me. But seriously, there is
so much sound argument in favor OF
Saturday keeping and against Sunday
observance in that as in any other
part of your letter. It reminds me OF
II Peter 2:18.
The reader must Judge whether your
shots have in any way harmed my
propositions; as, also, whether you
have shown any scriptural grounds for
putting the Christians under the law
to keep the Sabbath.
J. c. Pearson,
EldOn Iowa.
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SIGOURNEY.
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District court convened here Tues
day for the April term, with Judge B.
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