Can you answer this?

On the 24th day of October, 1895, a great mass meeting of ministers of all denominations was called to meet in the Methodist Episcopal church in Baltimore County, Maryland, U.S.A.  The purpose of this meeting was to endeavour to call a halt in the matter of Sunday law violations.

Among the invitations to attend this mass meeting, one was extended to a Roman Catholic priest, Father M. O'Keefe, pastor of a Roman Catholic church at Towson, Maryland.  But the Roman Catholic priest declined the invitation and refused to attend the mass meeting on the basis that the so-called Protestant clergyman were en- deavouring to bring about a more strict observance of Sunday in the name of religion.  The priest took vigorous exception to the claims made for Sunday, as set forth by Protestant ministers, from which we make the following very interesting quotation:-

"Reverend Sirs, let me admonish you that no Protestant true to the principles of his religion and conscientiously obedient to his teacher, the Bible, need ever have misgivings as regards the freedom of Sunday; nay, more, his teacher is consistent in impressing on him in every page of the New Testament as well as of the Old, that God has appointed the Sabbath, or Saturday, as the day set apart by Him for His worship.

"Our Saviour, while on earth, kept no other day; and we learn that for over thirty years after His death, the Acts of the Apostles record the fact that the apostles consistently kept their divine Master's Sabbath (the Sabbath which the Jews have kept ever since for over eighteen centuries, they having the same teacher, the Bible, as you have) according to the practice and teachings of Christ and His apostles, without modification, as testified by the New Testament from Matthew's gospel to the Revelation.  This statement is absolutely true and unsusceptible of successful contradiction.

"Imagine then, my surprise on reading the city papers yesterday of the anomalous and self-stultifying position occupied by you, as accredited ministers of the Christian religion, laying snares and traps to inveigle the unwary that you might drag them before the civil courts for violation of a purely civil law, forbidding the sale of liquor on the first day of the week.  On what grounds, may I ask, can you justify such proceedings?  How were these people interfering with you in the practice of your religious acts?  Place your finger on any page of your acknowledged divine teacher, the Bible, and show the world the proof that, on your own principles, they had violated any ordinance of the Christian religion.  I hereby denounce your conduct in this matter as not only highly reprehensible, but as being in direct violation of the revealed will of God as taught by your Bible.

"You had succeeded in getting a verdict against them before the civil courts for transgression against the civil law.  I now, in the presence of the public, pronounce you, on your principles, guilty of the grossest misdemeanor, thousands of times over, against the divine law.  "When,  let me ask you, have you even once, in your lifetime, kept the commandment of God: 'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy'?  Which day is the Sabbath?  I answer: 'The last day of the week, the day kept by God Himself, and for that reason assigned by Him for observance by man, the Sabbath, or the day kept by the Redeemer and His apostles whilst they lived on earth.'

"You pose before the world as models of Christian morality, and behold, every week of your lives you are guilty of gross violation of one of God's most positive precepts,  "Remember the Sabbath", etc.  Let me illustrate in order to prove God's earnestness in this respect:  'And it came to pass when the children of Israel were in the wilderness, and had found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day; and they brought him to Moses and Aaron, and the whole multitude.  And they put him into prison, not knowing what they should do with him, and the Lord said to Moses:  'Let that man die, let all the multitude stone him without the camp.  And when they had brought him out, they stoned him and he died as the Lord commanded.'  Num. 15:32-36

"Such, Reverend Sirs, was the punishment meted out by the command of God to a man who was guilty by  once of an infraction of the law of the Sabbath, whilst each one of you is guilty of a similar desecration of the Sabbath (Saturday) each Saturday of his life -- and this on the unerring testimony of your own teacher, the Bible.  'Out of thy mouth I judge thee, thou wicked servant.'

"Nor have God's counsels changed by the exercise  of infinite patience.  He can afford to bide His time for the vindication of His authority and contempt of His commands.  The precept, 'Remember the Lord's day to keep it holy', is as obligatory now as it was in the old law, as in the instance above quoted.  Can you offer the slightest pretext or palliation for your abandonment of your teacher, the Bible, which enjoins absolutely the keeping of that day, kept by God Himself first, after the creation?  You pursued the violation of the civil law unrelentingly and did not cease, until you secured a conviction.  How, may I ask, will you fare when cited before the divine tribunal, and compelled to answer from the pages of the Divine Record, which you boast of as your guide, and the truth is, you have never once obeyed the Sabbath precept, and that you stand today before heaven and earth as the most unmitigated Sabbath-breakers on earth?  Do I exaggerate in the slightest degree the unscrupulous antagonism to the law of the Sabbath evinced by you, every week of your lives?  Not in the least.......  I have already designated you, among the champion Sabbath-breakers on earth, as God's Word, your guide, proves you to be."

                          ---A tract by Evangelist George Burnside

  AN UNPRECEDENTED INTEREST FOR THE SABBATH

It is hard to believe that the Pastor Taylor finds the Sabbath a stumbling block for
people to come to Christ, when many today are expressing an unprecedented interest for
the Sabbath. Church leaders, religious organization, and people of all walks of life, are
rediscovering the validity and values of the Sabbath for their lives. The newly released
Directory of Sabbath-Observing Group, announced in this newsletter, lists 400
Sabbatarian churches and groups in America, most of which have come into existence
within the past thirty years.
Surprisingly, even within mainline denominations (Baptist, Methodists, Mennonite,
and Pentecostal), there are churches that are moving their services from Sunday to
Saturday. A brief report of this development is found in chapter 7 of THE SABBATH
UNDER CROSSFIRE. The chapter is entitled “Rediscovering the Sabbath.”
For the sake of brevity I will mention only one Southern Baptist Church which I
have known personally. On February 11-12, 1999 I was invited to present my Sabbath
Enrichment Seminar at La Sierra University, in Riverside, California, . On Friday evening,
at the end of my testimony, the University Pastor, Dan Smith, alerted me that Pastor
Allan Stanfield of the First Baptist Church of Lucerne Valley, was sitting in the last pew
with some of his church members. We visited with Pastor Stanfield for half an hour and I
gave him a gift copy of my latest book THE SABBATH UNDER CROSSFIRE.
Pastor Stanfield came back next Sabbath morning and Sabbath afternoon. Upon
leaving on Saturday evening he told me that he was eager to rediscover the Sabbath for
himself and his congregation. A week later he ordered a case of THE SABBATH UNDER
CROSSFIRE, which he passed out to the leading families of his congregation. For the
next six weeks his members met on Wednesday night to study the Sabbath, using the
book as a study guide. Then on Wednesday evening, April 21, 1999, the church held a
business meeting in which they voted almost unanimously to move their church services
from Sunday to Saturday. The following Saturday, April 24, the church worshipped for the
first time on the seventh-day Sabbath. Since then other Southern Baptist churches have
followed the same example. Surprisingly, they have been able to remain within the
Southern Baptist convention.
Endtime Issues No. 76 Page 16 of 23
A clear indication of the unprecedented interest for rediscovering the Sabbath can
be seen also in the sudden appearance of books and articles promoting the seventh day
Sabbath. A fitting example is the book Catch Your Breath: God’s Invitation to Sabbath
Rest (1997), authored by Don Postema who serves as pastor of the Campus Chapel at
the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. In his spiritual search for inner peace and rest,
Postema tried various resources including Eastern mediation. One day he was struck b y
the fact that “Jews and Christians have a practice as near as our Bible, as close as our
tradition, as available as the next ten minutes or weekend: the Sabbath.”
The book provides a practical and creative guide for meaningful Sabbathkeeping.
Its aim is not to argue for the validity of the Sabbath, but to invite people to practice it.
Postema writes: “The benefit of the Sabbath is not simply in the study of it but most
assuredly in the practice of it—in living Sabbath. Reading and thinking about Sabbath is
like reading travel brochures and dreaming about great vacation spots but never going
there for a vacation. It is interesting. You can learn a lot. But you can’t have the
experience unless you make the journey.” The book offers practical suggestions on how
to make Sabbathkeeping an experience of mental, physical, and spiritual renewal.
A most unlikely place to find an article promoting the Sabbath is in the weekend
edition of USA TODAY (April 2-4, 1999). The two pages article is entitled “Remember the
Sabbath?” and is adapted from Prof. Wayne Muller’s book THE SABBATH:
REMEMBERING THE SACRED RHYTHM OF REST AND DELIGHT. Muller offers 10
suggestions for making the Sabbath an enjoyable experience. He closes making a plea
for renewed Sabbathkeeping in America today. “Let us take a collective breath, rest, pray,
meditate, walk, sing, eat and take time to share the unhurried company of those we love. .
. . God does not want us to be exhausted; God wants us to be happy. And so let us
remember the Sabbath.”
Another unlikely place to find an article promoting the rediscovery of the Sabbath
is HEMISPHERE, the magazine of United Airlines. On a United Airline flight to the West
Coast I was surprised to read in the July 1997 issue of their magazine a delightful article
entitled “Ancient Wisdom,” written by Nan Chase, a frequent contributor to The
Washington Post. Chase tells the story of how she discovered the Sabbath by reading
about it in a book she found in the waiting room of doctor’s office. She was surprised to
read that Sabbathkeeping can strengthen marital relationships by bringing the husband
and wife closer to one another.
She decided to join the Sabbatarians in observing the Sabbath from “sundown
Friday until sundown Saturday” by “no cooking, no shopping or paying of bills, no pulling
of weeds or pruning shrubs, no cleaning or repairing the house, nor even talking about or
thinking about work and the office.” Chase describes the benefits of Sabbathkeeping
saying: “My personal life, my professional life, and my family life have all improved, and I
plan to go on celebrating the Sabbath.”
The foregoing examples of people from different walks of life who are
rediscovering the Sabbath as a divine remedy for our tension-filled and stressful lives,
discredit Pastor Taylor’s contention that Sabbath “ constitutes a stumbling block” for many
to come to Christ. The fact is that today more than ever before people need the rest and
renewal which the Sabbath is desgined to provide. A correct understanding and
experience of the Sabbath makes people receptive and responsive to Christ’s invitation
to come to Him and find rest in Him. Thus, the Sabbath can be, not a stumbling block, but
a stepping stone to come to Christ.---from endtime newsletter by Dr. Samuele Bacchiocchi.          

OBSESSION WITH NUMBERS

There seems to be an obsession with numbers today. Churches that have
grown from zero to several thousand members are held up as a model for Adventist
churches to follow. Frankly I am suspicious about churches that attract thousands of
people, because Christ never promised that His Church would become a popular
movement. It is estimated that Paul, the great Apostle to the Gentiles, during his 15 years
of intense evangelistic outreach to the Roman world, may have converted between 300 to
400 people. The churches that he established in different parts of the Empire, were home
churches, not mega churches. Most of them consisted of few families that met for worship
in a home. In fact, in his epistles Paul mentions by name some of this leading families.
Some justify mega churches by pointing to the thousands who were converted in
Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost and soon afterwards. This argument ignores that the
many Jews who believed at that time, did not have to make radical changes in their
lifestyle. They simply accepted Jesus of Nazareth as their expected Messiah and
became “believing Jews.” They did not have to change religion. These believing Jews
were still Jews in their lifestyle. Luke characterizes them as “zealous in the observance of
the law” (Acts 21:20).

 If you are a Methodist, your religion was founded in 1774 by John Wesley, a famous Protestant Reformer.
Orthodox Christianity comprising four  Patriarchates including Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, the Greek and Russian, claim to be the original apostolic New Testament Christianity.

So does the Church of Rome, which broke away from the eastern Orthodox Christianity in 1054 A.D. when the pope started to insist on being infallible, which is the prerogative of GOD alone and means you can never err or do wrong, sin. Despite the claim, the Roman Catholic Church is not the oldest, but keeps on changing.

The Lutheran religion started with Dr. Martin Luther in the year 1507 A.D. who had no intention to start a new religion, but being expelled by a papal bull forced him to do so after refusing to recant his writings.

If you are a Presbyterian, your religion started in 1560 A.D. by John Knox in Scotland. If you are from the Dutch Reformed Church, Michelis Jones founded it in 1628 A.D.

The State church of England was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534 A.D. and is still controlled by royalty today.  The Episcopalians broke away and is now the American equivalent of the Church of England.

And if you are a Baptist, you owe your tenets of belief to John Smyth, who launched his church in Amsterdam in 1606 A.D. majoring on baptism by immersion.  Ana-Baptists, or re-baptizers were so called because of the State-churches ordered the sprinkling of babies, falsely called baptism. [Note; the word 'baptism' comes from the Greek 'baptizo', meaning to immerse or plunge under, see also Romans chapter six, sprinkling is therefore not baptism].

If you are a Seventh-Day Baptist, your religion broke away from the main body in the 17th Century when the Sabbath of the fourth commandment was discovered to belong to JESUS CHRIST, the Lord of the Sabbath.

ADVENTIST. If you are a Seventh-day Adventist, your church grew out of the great Advent Movement of the early 1800's. The name expresses two of the main features such as worshipping on the seventh day Sabbath and awaiting the advent or return of JESUS CHRIST in great power and glory. Organized in 1863 as a conference with the founding pioneers such as Joseph Bates [sea-captain], Hiram Edson, Ellen G. Harmon who later married James White [Editor], Uriah Smith [Christian Author]. Their main contribution to Christianity is Eschatology, the study of last day events gleaned from Daniel and the Revelation. Adam and Eve were the first Sabbath-keepers [Genesis 2:1-3] and looking for the Advent of JESUS, were the first Seventh-day Adventists.

Dwindling church attendances in some parts of the world forced some churches to unite such as the Methodists, Lutherans, Roman Catholics and others.

UNITARIANS. Unitarian Christianity rejects the deity of JESUS and is essentially Arian, albeit divine. They reject the doctrine of the trinity and deny that JESUS is GOD. Their formal beginnings can be traced back to Laelius Socinus [1525-1562]. They were especially strong in Transylvania, now Romania. Unitarians do not believe in a creed.

QUAKERS. Also known as the Society of Friends. George Fox started it around 1650 A.D. England. Coming to America they were sometimes imprisoned and whipped by Congregationalists until Quaker William Penn's Pennsylvania who was always tolerant of other religion. Without creed or doctrine, Quakers are known for much meditation.

THE SALVATION ARMY. Founded in 1877 A.D. by William Booth in the East End of London. They are known best for their charitable works in many countries. Usually recipient of hefty government funding. Their publication is the 'war cry' and according to their name, have army titles of officers.

NEW APOSTOLIC. Founded by Edward Irving in the early 1830's. Also known as the Irvingate movement. It was part of the great Advent Awakening until they sought the gifts of the spirit went into spiritualism. Miss Margaret McDonald received the vision of the twofold return of CHRIST known today as the theory of the secret rapture. They had set the dates for our LORD's return to 1838 and 1855. In 1863, the Germans split from the English to become the third largest Denomination.

BRETHREN. Also known as Exclusive or Plymouth Brethren. Principle Founder John Nelson Darby [1800-1882] borrowed the Roman Catholic doctrine of 'Futurism' from the Jesuit priesthood and invented the so called "Dispensational" doctrine claiming that GOD was a stern judge in the Old Testament, while He is more of a Santa in the New doing away with laws and bringing only gifts. Originating also from the Great Advent Awakening, they believe in the soon return of JESUS. Darby's doctrines were soon incorporated into the Scofield Reference Bible as foot notes and exported from England to America used in most Colleges and Seminaries as text books. This is why Darbyism resembles so closely to the teachings of Roman Catholicism today in its interpretations and understanding of the last days events. It is in direct opposition to the Eschatology taught by Seventh-day Adventism.
In the recent Australian federal elections, it became clear that this movement gave financial assistance to the John Howard Government and the Liberal party, despite the claim that they are keeping themselves exclusive and from the corruptions of the world and politics.

CHRISTADELPHIAN. Founded by John Thomas in 1848, a puritan group similar to Congregational and the Baptists, but with no fixed creed. They,like most groups claim, that they are closest to the New Testament Christianity. 

MORMON. The Church of Latter Day Saints founded by prophet Joseph Smith [1805-1844] in 1830 New York. In vision, the angel Moroni told him where the golden plates are buried in 1823 but was not allowed to dig them up until 1827 and translating them from Egyptian into English. It became the book of Mormons containing the story of the 12 lost tribes of Israel. Check it out HERE. Smith was also a masonry which explain the secret Temple rites. The book of Mormon presents more substantial problems. Scholars of the Middle East have never heard of 'Reformed Egyptian Hieroglyphics'.
In 1829 John the Baptist supposed to have appeared to Smith and Cowdery and conferred the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood on them.
Like the Moslems, some Mormons are allowed Bigamy, i.e. several wives. The latter claiming to pattern after the New Testament. They also teach that GOD has many wives. This is all contrary to what the Bible, GOD's word teaches. Tobacco, alcohol and other drugs are banned for members, as is tea, coffee and cola drinks because of the stimulants and addictive effects they contain.

NEO PENTECOSTAL. The newest arrival are the Neo or new claiming to have the gifts of the spirit, but using the static utterances found in many non Christian religions of the world including Witch Doctors. This unmeaning gibberish and strange mutterings are suppose to be the gift of speaking in tongues. It is not possible that Tongue-Speaking could be a necessary part of the Christian Life, because Paul plainly states that not all speak in tongues [1.Corinthians 14:29-20].
It was reported that in 1901 the first person broke out in tongues, but it was not until the 1960's when Faith-Healer Oral Roberts infiltrated all Christian Denominations via the back door. Draught stricken Christianity mainlines Churches are now claiming that GOD is now marvellously working for them when in reality it is another spirit. That of fallen Babylon. 

What is Jesus Lord of ???

Why is Jesus Lord ???