MR. TAYLOR' S SECOND REPLY. 87 



The Sabbath Question, a Bible one. Instructive " Scriptural contra^ts." 



The qiiestioQ between J. N. B. and myself is, as he has 

 correctlj stated, strictly one of ^' Christian liherti/ f^ — a ques- 

 tion long since agitated with '^ much disputing" — a question 

 obviously admitting, at the present day, hut one appeal. For 

 the Christian, all considerations of "ill eflPects" or of " dan- 

 gcrons" consequences must be postponed to the main inquiry 

 — '^ What saith the Scripture?" — Disregarding, therefore, all 

 extraneous suggestions in favor either of a " day of religions 

 restj'^ or of a life of religions activitij, I mercly remark that, 

 with the individual blessings, or the national prosperity, 

 attcnding a " conscientious observance of the Sabbath," I 

 have at present no concern. The point before us is its Scrip- 

 tural authority. If the view I dcfend be unsustained by the 

 Bible, it will doubtless be made manifest, and I shall cheer- 

 fully acknowledge a nem — and consequently firmer belief. If 

 the reverse be the case, I sincerely hope, in denying that one 

 man's liberty should be "judged of another raan's conscience," 

 that I shall not " put a stumbling-block" in any believer's 

 way, however ''weak in the faith" he may be considered. 

 Certainly, I shall neither presume to "judge" him, nor to 

 ^' set him at naught." 



I am reminded by J. N. B. (p. 44) that ^^ the good of old 

 were taught of God to 'call the Sabbath a delight;' " he will 

 permit me to remind him that the good of the neio dispensa- 

 tion were also taught of God to call the Sabbath '^ a shadow'^ 

 — a cancelled bond — a blotted handwriting — "nailed to the 

 cross." If it was a subject of just condemnation to them of 

 old time who said : " When will the new moon begone, that we 

 may seil corn ? and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat?" 

 — under the "hetter covenant" of Him who likewise "taught 

 as one having authority," those " buried with him," and 

 " quickened together with him," are no longer judged in re- 

 spect of "the new moon, or of the Sabbath days." To those 

 adopted as "heirs" redeemed from pupillary bondage, it is 

 rather subject for condemnation to ^'observe days and months/' 



