Forged Letters From Christ
When the Abbot Eustace, 1200 A. D., was continually confronted with requests for a divine command for Sunday-keeping, he finally retired to Europe, and returned the next year with a spurious letter from Jesus Christ, claimed to have fallen down from heaven upon St. Simeon’s altar at Golgotha. This letter declared:FAFA 143.2
“I am the Lord.... It is my will, that no one, from the ninth hour on Saturday [3 p. m.] until sunrise on Monday, shall do any work.... And if you do not pay obedience to this command.... I swear to you ... I will rain upon you stones, and wood, and hot water, in the night.... Now, know ye, that you are saved by the prayers of my most holy Mother, Mary!’ - “Roger de Hoveden’s Annals,” Vol. II, pp. 526, W, Bohn’s edition. London: 1853.FAFA 143.3
In that superstitious age such childish fabrications might, to some extent, satisfy some people, but four hundred years later the trouble flared up again.FAFA 143.4
“Upon the publication of the ‘Book of Sports’ in 1618, a violent controversy arose among English divines on two points: first, whether the Sabbath of the fourth commandment was in force among Christians; and, secondly, whether, and on what ground, the first day of the week was entitled to be distinguished and observed as ‘the Sabbath.’ In 1628 Theophilus Brabourne, a clergyman, published the first work in favor of the seventh day, or Saturday, as the true Christian Sabbath. He and several others suffered great persecution.” — Haydn’s Dictionary of Dates,. art. “Sabbatarians,” p. 602. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1883.FAFA 144.1
Several ministers arose in England about this time who defended the Bible Sabbath, and who were bitterly persecuted by the state church. John Trask was put in prison; his wife, a schoolteacher of a devout Christian character, remained in prison for fifteen years. On November 26, 1661, John James, a godly Sabbath-keeping preacher, was hanged for advocating the Sabbath truth, “and his head was set upon a pole opposite the meeting house in which he had preached the gospel.” — “History of the Baptists,” Dr. J. M. Cramp, p. 351. London: Elliot Stock, 1868. Dr. Thomas Bampfield, who had been speaker in one of Cromwell’s parliaments, wrote two books defending the seventh-day Sabbath (1692, 1693), but he also was imprisoned. In 1664, Edward Stennet, an English minister, wrote a book entitled: “The Seventh Day Is the Sabbath of the Lord.” But like the rest, he had to spend a long time in prison. In 1668 he wrote the following letter to his Sabbath-keeping brethren in America:FAFA 144.2
“Abington, Berkshire, England,FAFA 144.3
“February 2nd, 1668.FAFA 144.4
“Edward Stennet, a poor unworthy servant of Jesus Christ, to the remnant in Rhode Island, who keep the commandments of God, and the testimonies of Jesus, sendeth greeting:FAFA 144.5
“Dearly Beloved: “I rejoice in the Lord, on your behalfs that He hath been graciously pleased to make known to you His holy Sabbath in such a day as this, when truth falleth in the streets, and equity cannot enter. And with us we can scarcely find a man that is really willing to know whether the Sabbath be a truth or not, and those who have the greatest parts, have the least anxiety to meddle with it.FAFA 144.6
“We have passed through great opposition for the truth’s sake, repeatedly from our brethren, which makes the affliction heavier; I dare not say how heavy, lest it should seem incredible; but the Lord has been with us, affording us strength according to our day. And when lovers and friends seem to be moved far from us, the Lord was near us, comforting our souls, and quickening us, with such quick and eminent answers to our prayers, has encouraged and established us in the truth for which we suffer. But the opposers of truth seem much withered, and at present the opposition seems declining away; the truth is strong, and this spiritual fiery law will burn all those thorns which men set up before it. For was there ever any ceremonial law given us? But this law was given from the mouth of God, in the ears of so many thousands - written on tables of stone with His own finger - promised to be written on the tables of their hearts and confirmed by a miracle for the space of forty years in the wilderness, the manna not keeping good any other day but the Sabbath....FAFA 145.1
“It is our duty as Christians, to carry it with all meekness and tenderness to our brethren, who, through the darkness of their understanding in this point, differ from us. We have abundant reason to bless our dear Father, who hath opened our eyes to behold the wonders in His law, while many of His dear servants are in the dark; but the Lord has in this truth as in others, first revealed it unto babes, that no flesh shall glory in His presence. Our work is to be at the feet of the Lord in all humility, crying unto Him, that we may be furnished with all grace to fit us for His work; that we may be instruments in His hands, to convince our brethren (if the Lord will) who at present differ from us....FAFA 145.2
“Truly, dear brethren, it is a time of slumbering and sleeping with us, though God’s rod is upon our backs. Oh! pray for us to the Lord, to quicken us, and set us upon watch-towers. Here are, in England, about nine or ten churches that keep the Sabbath, besides many scattered disciples, who have been eminently preserved in this tottering day, when many once eminent churches have been shattered in pieces. The Lord alone be exalted, for the Lord has done this, not for our sakes, but for His own name’s sake. My dear brethren, I write these lines at a venture, not knowing how they will come to your hand. I shall commit them and you to the blessing of our dear Lord, who hath loved us, and washed away our sins in His own blood. If these lines come to you safely, and I shall hear from you, hereafter I will write to you more largely. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.FAFA 146.1
“Edward Stennet.”
— “An Original History of the Religious Denominations,” I. Daniel Rupp, p. 71. Philadelphia: 1844.