Installment thirty-two.

The question posed at the end of our previous chapter was:
"Has not my sincere observance of Sunday been acknowledged
by God?"
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Installment thirty-two:

"Yes, brother, you have undoubtedly enjoyed God's love because
you gladly did all you knew to be right. But suppose you see the
truth of the fourth commandment and then fail to follow it. Jesus
said regarding those in His day, "if I had not come and spoken
unto them, they had not had sin, but now they have no cloak for
their sin." John 15:22. Paul pointed out the same principle when
he said, 'the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now
commandeth all men everywhere to repent.' Acts 17:30.
Sincerity in wrongdoing ceases to be possible when the light
reveals the better way. Sincerity then obliges a man to change
his course."
Harold Wilson, intensely enthusiastic in his new-found experience
and eager to learn, asked another question:
"Mr. Anderson, one of the ministers has told me that it is all right
to keep the seventh day, but the only question is, where shall we
begin to count? He said he kept the seventh day, but he began his
count on Monday. What do you think about it?"
"That is what I have been taught," said Mr. Severance.
Now Mr. Anderson spoke: "Turn to Exodus 16 and the story of the
manna. God said he wanted to 'prove' or 'try' the people, as to
whether they would walk in His law. The plan was that the people
should gather their food every day from the first to the sixth. Each
day for five days they were to gather only as much as they needed
for that day, planning to have nothing remain over until the morning.
On the sixth day, however, they were to gather a suply for two days,
the second portion to be used on the seventh day, when no manna
fell. This was the Lord's arrangement.
"Now the count of the days was not left to man's choice. God himself
did the numbering. And if anyone tried to make a change, there was
only confusion and loss, besides definite reproof from the Lord.
Evidently some attempted a change by trying to keep the food over
until the morning; but 'it bred worms and stank.' Verse 20. Others
went out on the seventh day to gather manna, but found none. It
was absolutely impossible to change the count.
Now note the message that came as a result of their careless dis-
obedience: 'How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and
my law?' The test of loyalty was upon the matter of right counting
- counting as God counted, with the Sabbath as the great objective.
"Well, Mr. Anderson, that certainly settles the question of the count.
Still it isn't altogether clear to me just why the absolute day is so
necessary," said Mr. Severance.
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To be continued...