While in our village, yesterday, a short conversation occurred between a gentleman of respectability, and myself, on the Sabbath question.
His first as well as his strongest argument was, You who keep the seventh day, are only a small minority, while the large majority of religionists keep the first day. In answer to this I ask, When has the truth been with the majority? I will give a few examples.
1. That of the antediluvian world. God said to a single individual, Noah, that he would destroy the world by a flood; and he caused that to be preached one hundred and twenty years.
Now look at the result. The time had come when God had said “The end of all flesh is come before me.” Where is the majority? There is an overwhelming majority in unbelief. Only eight souls in all the wide world are found holding the truth of God. Did error save them, or their unbelief thwart the purpose of God ? Read Gen. vi and vii.
2. That of the people of God in the days of Elijah the prophet. Elijah said unto the people, I, even I, only, remain a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 1 Kings xviii, 22. Mark the sincerity of that deceived multitude. Verse 28. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed upon them. Ahab, after leading the people away from God all that he could, had the audacity to ask the prophet this question: “Art thou he that troubleth Israel ?” Verse 17. Thus say the latter-day Ahabs. The answer was, “I have not troubled Israel; but thou and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou halt followed Baalim.” Verse 18.
Now the testing time had come. Where was the truth? With one prophet. Where was error ? With four hundred and fifty prophets, whose hands were staid up by a deceived people. But where was the victory? It was on the side of the one prophet who had the truth.
The people fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, He is the God; the Lord, He is the God.” Verse 39.
The four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal were slain at the brook Kishon. Verse 40. Here is an example for those who claim to be right, because they are the majority.
3. I might mention the case of Lot, and the cities of the plains. The truth of God was only with one family. And when he warned his own friends, he seemed to them like one that mocked. Gen. xix, 14. Did error and unbelief save those wicked cities ? Did the Lord abide the decision of the majority? I will call attention to the time of our Lord’s first advent. There were the priests, doctors, lawyers, scribes, nobles of Israel, and the entire church of God. The church was filled with the learned, and those who wished to be called “Rabbi.” But where was the truth of God to be found in their day ? Was it with the majority, and with the learned, or with the rulers?
Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers believed on Him? John vii, 47, 48.
Again, when Pilate was troubled, believing Jesus to be innocent, and asked if he should release him, the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. Verse 20. But they cried out, Let him be crucified. His blood be upon us, and our children. Verse 25. Here was a multitude of the church of God. Verse 24. The majority did bear rule, and crucified the Lord of life and glory. But where was the truth ? It was with the minority. A few wise men, who were wise because they had studied the book of God, when they saw the star of Bethlehem, knew it; also a few, shepherds who were watching their flocks by night, and a few of the common people who received him gladly. What a mistake did that proud, bigoted church make, because they were the majority, and could bear rule. They are a Christless people, down to their latest posterity.
4. I ask where was the truth of God in Martin Luther’s day? Was it with the Catholics? Catholicism was the ruling element of religion in Luther’s time. But God had some searching, separating truths for the great reformer, and his companions, notwithstanding they were so small a minority. the men of our day, who glory in their success, and acknowledge their indebtedness to the faithful labors of the few, should never offer the argument that a thing is true because the majority believe it. When has the truth of God been found with the majority, since sin entered our world ? All the history of the past answers, Never ! When will it be? Not until the armies of Heaven come forth, and the King of kings and Lord of lords, with a sharp sword shall smite the nations of earth. Then the majority will be those who have obeyed God, even at a sacrifice of all earthly good. Oh ! that God would awake the Christian world on the important subject of the Sabbath, so that such frail arguments can lull them no longer to sleep.
N. FULLER.
Wellsville, N. Y., May 23, 1869.