Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-10-11

was at length, by most horrid parricide,
to devote itself, with its unhappy posterlty,
to the lasting curse of God. "-Witsius.
From the Virginia Conference Sentinel.
WORLDLY CONVERSATION on THE SABBATH.
By worldly conversation, | understand
and mean that which has no relation to God,
and no connexion with religion.
Conversation about the things Of the
world, in the general sense Of the word, and
particularly in relation to our own temporal
concerns this is too common, not only
with the people ofthe world, but with pro-
tessors of religion. When together on the
Sabbath, instead of conversing upon the
subject of religion aud kindred topics, how
frequently is this holy and precious time
occupied in different manner. Is it a
company Of merchants7 How apt are
they to converse about the state of trade,
the amount Of their sales, the character OF
their debtors, the extent oftheir losses, and
their prospects for the future. Is it col
lection of farmers? How frequently do
they engage in free conversation about the
seasonablcness of the weather, the condition
of their grounds, the growth Of their crops,
and the price Of produce. lfit should be
a parry of young persons, what is more
common than to hear full and animated
conversation about the manners of the age,
the fashions of the day, the amusements of
the world, and the matrimonial changes that
are taking place in society, and so on in all
the professions Of life, in all classes of the
community. ""'ese things ought not so
to be-" 1t is a manifest violation Of the
Sabbath. We are commanded "to remem.
Der the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" This
We should do, not only by abstalning from
ordinary work." but from ordinary world
ly conversation. There is nothing holy in
such conversation, either in its character or
tendency; and however proper and profta-
bic it may be on other days, it is improper,
improbable and sinful on the Sabbath.
This is evident, not only from the above
commandment, but from another passage
Of scripture equally plain and positive. 1t
is found in Isaiah, lviii. and l3, eff thou
turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from
doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and
call the Sabbath a delight, the holy Of the
Lord, honorable and shalt honor him, not
doing thine cwn ways, nor finding thine own
pleasure, nor speaking thine own pords," &c.
By our Gown words" Il understand, words
exclusively in relation to our own temporal
concerns, such rs we have noticed above.
Conversation ofthis description has direct
tendency to grieve the Holy Spirit, to har-
den the heart, to make US worldly minded,
and to prevent that good which might 9TH
erwise be derived from the appropriate ex-
ercises ofthe Sabbath day. How totally
disqualified is one who has spent the morn.
ING in this manner, to repair to the house
of God and engage properly and spiritually
in his service: he carries along with him
too much of the spirit Of the world, and is
apt, while yet in the church, if not upon his
knees, and at the holy altar, to be thinking
about the matter of his previous conversa-
tons: and how runous are the effects Of this
practice after going to church and hearing
the word of God. 1t supplants the more
important subjects that were there presented
to the mind-it destroys the good impress
sions there made upon the heart-it weak
ems the pious resolutions which were there
formed, d,tand it leaves person unprofited by
the ministrations Of the sanctuary.
To prevent these evils, would beseech
all, professors of religion especially, to spend
one or two hours every Sabbath morning in
reading and studying the sacred scriptures.
Among many other benefits which they
would derive from this practice, it would
furnish them with ample and profitable top.
les for conversation in the after part of the
day, especially if they would treasure up
some suitable passages for that particular
purpose. Another preventive which |
would earnestly recommend to all, and es-
pecially heads of families, is, the reading of
religious newspapers. Our country abounds
with them at the present day, and they are
generally published towards the close Of the
week, in reference, no doubt, TO the Sabbath,
for the purpose of furnishing their patrons
and readers with mental and spiritual feast
on that holy day; these, also, provide ex-
cellent topics for social conversation, during
the intervals ofprivate and public devotion.
In addition to these, there are many excel
lent books upon moral and religious sub
iects which would furnish sufficient and