Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-09-24


A. 10 the propSie,y of observing the
6sss day d tho week, instead OF the
seventh, we deem il sufficient 10 say,
lha, the Christian world generally hsv'
ing now Cor eighteen centuries regard
sd the first day Of the week as the true
Sabbath, il cannot he eapected that they
wili change il back till they are clearly
shown TO be ~ ihs wrong. u any are
pcrsuaded Of the claim Of the seventh
day 10 he So observed, we would repect'
fully urge opoo them To maintain Such
observance, in siiict accordance WIN
the Bible exposition Of its snnctny.
Tive ex,rnt 10 which the Sabbath
shoulA be kcp, hdy, Is plain. "ln II
,how sh.k. not d" amy work 'h""' n"'
thy so,, nor thy daughter, o" my man
servHnt, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger,
TIN, IL " i,hin Inv gates Comment on
a ,,n,v,c 80 rxplici, would hut weaken its
force. II is equally binding ON Ali
mrs. There -, however, divine
commentary recorded by tha proohe'
Isaiah. "lf thou turn away thy loot
from the Sabbath, from doing Thy pleas
urs on my holy day, and shall call the
Sabbath a delieh, the holy OF the Loro'
honorsble 4; not doing thy own ways, nor
finding thine own pleasure. nor speaking
thine own words tall my blessings,
individual, socinl, rational. shall be thine. >
These expost'ons are Just ns 'mnWn'
bic az the Decmloeuc. No plea Of in
t.r.st or convenience viii ever inyalidar
n word oi them. There they are clothed
with Gnd's authority good against all
travelling or visiting, or labor, or recrea'
lion. on the Sabbath day, for purpose.
Of convenience or gam, down to the last
day Of the world. The passage from
Isaiah susprnds all abiding national
prosperity "n The Observance oi the Lord =
day, M there expounded. G"d VIII
hear bong, u may be, with the Sabbath
brenkins prevalent IN our State aud IA
iion bu, M God is Interchangeable, there
mus, be national reformation IN our oh
ssrvance If the Sabbath, m permanent
prosperity will be withheld.
God requires US To remember The Sab.
bath dny that is, to recollect II, during
the previous week, and so arrange all our
worldly Interests, ms to make II sure, thai
we shall have nothing TO hinder Us from
krcping il holy. Again God requires
Va 10 remember the Sabbath DAY.
"day" is hreniy-jor hours /; one exact
s-vru'h part of every mau's human eS's'
trn.e.
Ia tba Scripture, there is not hint,
TIM, thai par, T the Sabbath, when 'hr
am shines, and some men are awake, Is
sny more sacred than those other hours
0i the day when the sun 10 set, and some
mcn are asleep. Common sense repels
ihe idea.
Such, then. are the light and divine
els,Ds nf The institution, Tor the rescue
s,f wbicl. from all manner Of PROCLAMATION
and abuse, we would faln rally the peo-
pie of this emloenlIy prospered common
wealth. We present II to you, Ms invest
ed with an authority, and with a sancliiy,
whirh must remain I'LL the heavens and
the earth shall pass away. IL !, not en-
tu,rd to your most coosc ie n,ious regard !!
Ought mol every degree and species o!
10 be forthwith forsaken
That the Sabbath is extensively desc
Grated in this State, none will deny. Ioi
spenkng of the various forms OF desecra-
ton, we begin with the worldly conver.
sation of Christian families on the Sab
bath. Nlul,hudes who regularly repair
tn "iae communion table," are in the
habi, of "speaking their own words, "
cmpha'ically, on the Sabbath day ac.
cusiomed TO converse often on purel.
secular topics or, at best, only about
religions things, aud in scculaliz,ng
splri', which has no tendency TO hallo"
the passing hours. TINS habit has al
ready reached To an alarming extent, and
is embolden,ng those, who feel not the
restraints Of personal religion, To indulge
in All the open forms OF Sabbath desc
Grafton. IL il an -Hrc'nal hindrance Ia
a general, outward reformation.
There are many who compromise with
pr mclple and Coincidence, by travelling
for instance, or nv requiring persons IN
their employ, to labor, on a part cf The
SnbbnM day resting. or attending pub
lie worship, and allowing their servants
To dn the same, during the remainder oi
the day; n # 10 he prnfsne in the morn
ing, could he a'oned for, by being de
vou, ai NOON as il dishonesty to-day.
might be balanced by The honesty Of to.
morrow Take another case. Why L.
II any less SIN Tor man to require u do
mesiic to devote large part ol the Sab
bath, 10 the preparation of sumplnou>
meals, than To run an omnibus, by hiring
some one io drive IT for him
Almost every kind oi recreation is re-
sorted 10, more ~ less, On tho Sabbath.
aud especially by the young. There Is
= great deal of riding and of sailing OF
the Sabbath, whenever opportunity Of
fcrs.
Steamboats,, rail cars, and omnibuses.
are run in vinlation of the Sabbath
manufacturing is done, directly or ndi-
recfIy, on the Sabbath livery stables
nre kept open, as standing temptation
10 tbose who have no other time for re.
lnxaiion, 10 break Gods law provis-
ions are prepared for market, If not cx-
posrd Tor sale milk-caris rattle through
the streets Of our chef cities on the