Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-05-23
PEOPLES PULPIT
The Courier will publish in this
column articles contributed By
It's readers. The communications
should be typewriter or in
plain hand, on one side Of the
paper, and sisneu.

Editor Courier:
In reply to Mr.. Hunter. the first
thing he says is, that l venture my all
on Sabbath keeping. He is drawing on
his own Imagination as he does IN
some other things I never said any
such a thing. ! said If 1t was not as
binding as any Of them, tell us why It
is not. 1t was written by the same God
at the same time and his blessings
still rests on 1t. Then he says he will
show us by the scripture that the Sab
bath does not belong to the moral
law and in the same breath he says this
distinction is not found in the scrip
ture. Conscience is jewel. Neither Is
the distinction between your first
day Lords day and the Sabbath found
In the scriptures; then he tells us of
the relation Of the law to man and re-
fers us to Exodus 31-13. 1t says the
Sabbath Is a sign between God and
the children Of Israel. Now why not
read the 10th and 18th verses Of the
same chaper. It says Israel shall keep
the Sabbath to observe it throughout
their generation for a perpetual cove
nant. Notice the words perpetual and
generations: this must mean forever
for verse II says so. 1t also mentions
the It'll day. Now who is Israel? Any
one who prevails with God. Then he
says If the Sabbath is moral COM
mand so is circumcision. He knows this
has nothing to do with the law OF the
ten commandments. Then he says as
proof that the Sabbath is not a moral
command, is the fact that Christ broke
it himself, but Jesus says, l have kept
nv fathers commandments and l abide
in his love. John 1910. He accused God
of giving command that is not moral
and accused Christ of breaking 1t. He
refers us to Matthew II chaper, 18th
wi no rtc
charges Christ again and again OF
breaking the Sabbath: then he asks,
would he have done SO if 1t had been
moral command. ! want the readers to
notice It is Mr.. Hunter and the Phar-
isees that accuse Jesus of breaking 1t.
The trouble with Mr.. Hunter is, he
pleads the side Of the Pharisees and
condemns Jesus. Jesus says In verse
7. the same chapter. They have con-
demned the guiltless, and in verse
he SAYS, he is Lord even Of the Sab
bath day, and in verse 10 this same old
bunch asks him if it Is lawful to heal
on the Sabbath day? and in verse -
he tells them it Is we'll to do well on
the Sabbath. Then in verse IA. these
same old "tuffies' hold q council against
him to see how they might destroy him.
Just as Pharisees today that want to
destroy his words. Jesus says heaven
and earth shall pass but my words
shall not pass away, Matthew 24-25. Is
It reasonable that God would give Il
law and command it's observance and
vet know that one Of them was not a
moral commandment? How strange that
any poor insignificant man would ac-
cuse the all wise God of such folly as
this. I want you to answer the follow
ing questions, and ask the readers to
notice whether you will do so and
don't try to dodge them. You say the
Sabbath is not a moral command. now
tell us where your moral command IS
for the observance of Sunday, and
what law 1 break when 1 work on
Sunday. In Matthew 18th chapter and
9th verse Jesus says, in vain do they
worship me, teaching for doctrines the
of men. Now tell us
when you teach the observance of the
first day. Is it command Of God or IS
ii a command of man, and If Of God.
tell US where it is recorded, and if Of
man tell us by whom, when and where
it was done. Will you answer this by
giving scripture for it? Your whole
effort is to bind the observance Of the
first day on u.s. There are many who
want to know your authority for it and
it is your duty as a teacher to tell us
where in the book or be honest enough
to admit that you have no divine
authority for it, which will you do?
Carlisle Smith.