DEBATE ON THE SABBATH QUESTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 266, 16 November 1885, Page 4

DEBATE ON THE SABBATH QUESTION.

The debate betweon Elderß Haskell and Aldridge on the Sabbath question commenced in tho Temperance Hall on Saturday evening, November 7, was closed on Thursday evening last, In his opening remarks, Elder Haskell stated that tho Commandments existed 2,000 years before tho call of Abraham, 2,500 years before the administration of the law on the Mount, and 3,000 jears before the word Jew came into oxistenco ; henco it is nowise Abrahamic, Sinaitic, or Jewish in its origin ; and that the law existed before tho fall of man ; and honce the fall of man could not affect the Sabbatic institution. 1' urther down in Biblo history he quoted our Lord's statements—" I am not come to destroy the law but to fulfil, for until heaven and earth pass away one jot or one tittle cannot pass away till all bo fulfilled." And more, to love God wittf all the heart, and our neighbour as ouraelf, was in very deed the fulfilment of the whole law divinoly engraven by the fingor of God Himself, the only portion of the inspired volume that comes to us in that way. And further, that all the blessings of Cod concerning his peoplo now and for ever depond on their observance of the whole law. Elder Aidridge did not take this view of the subject, endeavouring to show that in Christ Jesus they are no longer under this law, but under grace. He further went on to prove that while our Lord did allude to several of tho commands in tho Now Testament, yet no reference is made to the Sabbath, question as having a binding nature upon any Christian member of the community. As well did he try to prove that tho whole law as given on Sinai was abolished, thanking God that we are no longer under the law, but under grace. The points brought forward by the two speakers rest on their own morits, to be judged only by those who heard. Elder' Haskell was requested and agreed to lecture on Sunday evening.