The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-08-01 00:00:00

;" nor, sr

DAILY SERVICE

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
Sza,—The advocates for the above ought to bear in
mind that He who has said " Remember that thou keep
holy the Sabbath Day," hath also said (and conjointly
with the same command), "Six days shalt thou labour,
and do all that thou halt to do." Now Daily Services
would (I feel assured) seriously interfere (if regularly
attended) with the weekly avocations of most people, and
would oftentimes actually hinder them from "doing
all they had to do," thus leading to an infringement of
the positive command I have mentioned ! Again ; let us
look at the matter in another light :—Family prayers
ought not by any means to be neglected in Christian
houses, and such domestic services are, in my humble
opinion (i. e. on week days), far more desirable and im-
portant than "Daily Church Services." More desirable,
inasmuch as all the inmates of each house may generally
attend family prayers, whilst all could not possibly (in
most instances) attend lurch Services ;—more important,
as the standard of religion is, by the existence of domestic
worship, visibly raised in each house, and strangers and
visitors are in a manner compelled to be present, many of
whom would not take the trouble to go to a Daily Service !
In the next place, I think the " Sundayfreshness' (if I may
use the term) of our beautiful Church prayers would be weak-
ened, and marred by their daily repetition ! It is possible
(in this world) to have too much even of a good thing
in other words, a
,good cause may sustain an injury by
being brought forward too frequently, or rather unsea-
sonably ! Weariness and distaste may be produced by
the very means which we (in our ignorance) use to pro-
mote the contrary effect ! For instance, many parents
(thinking, perhaps, to promote the spiritual welfare of
their children) make each returning Sunday a thorough
task day ; chapters, collects, hymns, catechism, &c., &c.,
have to be repeated, till the Sabbath is dreaded, rather
than delighted in—looked forward to with fear, instead
of pleasure !
Lastly, I would mention (as worthy of special notice)
our Saviour appealing to His disciples on two successive
Sundays—(see St. John xx. 19 and 26)—" Then the
same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when
the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled
for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst,
and saith unto them, peace be unto you." " And, AFTER
EIGHT DAYS, again his disciples were within, and Thomas
with them; then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and
stood in the midst, and said, peace be unto you." He
might, of course, have called them together in the course
of the week to a " Daily Service," but he chose rather to
meet them in an especial manner on that day of days,
the Lord's Day, that it might be honoured and distin-
guished above all days. It is also worthy of notice, that
when upon one occasion He appeared to them whilst they
were engaged in their weekly calling, it was (in the first
place) to assist them with His advice; "cast the net on
the right side of the ship !"
In conclusion, let me remind the " Daily Service "
advocates (who apparently forget how very little time a
working-man has to himself whilst engaged for his em-
ployer in the course of the week) that He who has said
six days shalt thou labour and do all that thou hest to
do," bath also said, " I will have mercy and not sacrifice !"
Let the persons I have alluded to advocate the better
observance of the "Lord's Day," and raise their voices
against the fearful desecration of the Sabbath that is
witnessed everywhere in our land, and in so doing I think
they would be better employed than in contending for
Daily Services !—I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
Oswestry, July 21, 1854. A. Rossis.