Sabbath Reform

Long before the Seventh-Day Adventists learned about the seventh-day Sabbath, many of the early reformers kept it, and by voice and pen proclaimed it to others.

In the beginning of the 16th century Andreas Karlstad, the dean of the University where Martin Luther studied was slowly moving towards Luther’s position and finally in 1517 agreed with him on the justification by faith.

Martin Luther rejected the 10 Commandments as unnecessary. He believed that love will replace the law. On the other hand, Karlstad believed that the 10 Commandments aie still valid and must be kept. To this Luther answered, “if you want to keep the 10 Commandments, then you must also keep Sabbath on Saturday.” This silenced Karlstad but not his followers. In Moravia the evangelicals took seriously Luther’s remarks and many started to keep the seventh-day Sabbath.

Oswald Glait, a Catholic priest, became Lutheran in the 1520’s in Austria. He studied the debate between Luther and Karlstad and a few years later wrote a book about Sabbath-keeping. He believed that the moral law, the 10 Commandments are to be kept, and therefore the seventh-day Sabbath is also to be kept. His arguments for Sabbath-keeping were very clear and similar to our beliefs today.

He encountered much opposition expelled from different countries. Finally he ended up in Bohemia where he raised up Sabbatarian groups in 1532.

Fisher who was the companion of Glait and believed the Sabbath truth also went to Slovakia, which was the land of his birth. Here he suffered a martyr’s death because of his beliefs. Both Catholics and Protestants rose up against the Sabbatarians and persecuted them. Martin Luther called these Sabbath-keepers a foolish group as early as 1523.

In 1538 Luther wrote a book against the Sabbatarians, calling the Sabbath part of Mosaic Ceremonial law. Another reformer Erasmus also wrote a book against them.

Many Sabbath-keepers were sentenced to death. A Lady Barbara of Thiers, in France, was executed in 1529 because she said that “God has commanded us to keep the seventh-day.”

In 1592 a Swiss writer R. Haspin-ian wrote a book about the Sabbath which is part of the Moral Law and must still be kept.
In 1544 the Sabbath truth reached Scandinavia. The Sabbath-keepers had to pay a fine to the government.
In 1554, King Gustavus 1 Vasa of Sweden sent a letter to Finland, warning the people about the Sabbath doctrine.

Between 1594-1632 the King of Sweden, Gustavus II invoked the death penalty against Sabbath-keepers. History tells that many readily gave their life rather than change their opinion.

The records reveal that in the sixteenth century the knowledge of the true Sabbath spread far and wide in Europe. To spread the true Sabbath, Oswald Glait left his wife and child behind and went again to Austria where he was imprisoned in 1546 and put to death by drowning in the Danube.

Also in France, Norway and Finland many Sabbath-keepers were put to death.
In England, John Frith, the friend of William Tyndale spoke about the seventh-day Sabbath in the time of Henry VIII (1491-1547). By the time when Queen Elizabeth was reigning the advocates of the true Sabbath had greatly multiplied. Many conscientious and independent thinkers came to the conclusion that the first day of the week is not the Biblical Sabbath but the seventh day should be observed.

Therefore also to the doctrines of the evangelicals and the Anabaptists in England, the doctrine of the seventh day Sabbath was added.

The Anabaptists brought the Adult baptism by immersion to England and the evangelicals who accepted it organized the Baptist church. The majority of English Baptists kept the first day of the week but many were led to return to the true Sabbath of the fourth commandment.

Brabourne wrote several books advocating the true Sabbath starting in 1628 and continued his whole lifetime. But sadly the most of English puritans rejected the seventh day Sabbath. But some of them and some of the Baptists continued to observe the true Sabbath. When the religious liberty was extended to all in England, the Sabbath-keepers finally had freedom from persecution.

Some famous people as Dr. Peter Chamberlen became Sabbath-keepers at that time. In London there were in 1650 one hundred and fifty Sabbath-keepers. In 1662 there were 3 Sabbatarian churches in London and a fourth one was established soon after. Later Queen Elizabeth and her successor James 1 started to put pressure upon all separatists to conform to the State religion. Therefore large numbers left England and moved to Holland. But being fearful that the comfortable life in Holland may corrupt their children, they decided to move to America.

The New England states in America soon started to force the State religion upon the people. Therefore many moved to Rhode Island where there was a religious tolerance. The Sabbath-keeping Baptists also found a refuge there. In 1671 the first Sabbatarian Baptist Church was organized in America. In 1816 one of the Sabbath-keeping Baptist churches in Rhode Island had 947 members. Soon the Sabbath truth spread to New Jersey, New York and Connecticut and a little later to Pennsylvania and further west.

About three miles outside Washing ton, New Hampshire a dedicated company of believers worshipped in a little church. To this company came Sabbatarian Baptist Rachel Oakes from New York with her daughter, Delight who would be their teacher in the school in this little community.
They were received to the home of William and Cyrus Farnwerth.

In 1843 visiting minister, Frederick Wheeler, came to this community and spoke about the law of God. After the service Rachel Oakes told him that to keep the law included the Sabbath.

Frederick Wheeler accepted the Sabbath and Rachel Oakes accepted the Advent faith.

In 1844 among the believers who expected the return of the Lord were 18 Sabbath-keepers. One of them was Thomas Preble who on February 28, 1845 wrote the first article about seventh-day Sabbath. This article aroused the interest of one of Miller’s closest associates, former sea captain, Joseph Bates. He also wrote a tract, the Seventh-day Sabbath, a Perpetual Zion, which was published in August 1846. In this tract he presented the Sabbath basically as the Baptist Sabbatarians had done, for three hundred years. In 1846 Joseph Bates went to visit Hiram Edson and presented the Sabbath to Him. Edson accepted the Sabbath with great joy and enthusiasm. Joseph Bates also sent his tract to James White and he showed it to Ellen Harmon whom he was about to marry. In the autumn 1846 Ellen White wrote, “we began to observe the Bible Sabbath and to teach and defend it.”

But now in the year 2002 the Sabbath Reform is not yet finished. It was shown to Sister White that in the last days God’s people will go out to proclaim the Sabbath more fully. The Sunday laws will be enacted and punishments meted out to the Sabbath-keepers. The fires of persecution will be kindled against the faithful Sabbath-keepers. But as the faithful messengers of God gave their lives in martyrdom for the Sabbath truth in the past 500 years; so are we to follow in their footsteps and stand for the truth even if it may cost us our life. To the faithful Sabbath-keepers the Lord has promised an eternal Sabbath rest.
Let us all join in the Sabbath Reform and carry it to the completion.
AMEN.