Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-09-28
The Sabbath.

Inc SaDDatl IS tnc Will organ III our CHTlS
ton existence, and, therefore, is our true nation
al life. 1t is as essential to the health of the
state, the well being of the body political and
social, rs the lungs are essential to the life and
health of the physical frame. The Sabbath Is
for the ventilation of the social state, what the
lungs arc for respiration I'VE breathe through
the Sabbath though and feeling, purpose and
resolve, pure, high, and holy, comes and GOES
As in passing through the lungs, the blood takes
coloring and life from ethereal elements of the
air, so in passing through the Sabbath, our in
dividual, social, and national existence is purified
energised, and vivfed from heaven. Our men
tai and moral life receives it's sacredness its worth
its vigorous health, its permanence there, its
power to endure labor, its security against cor
ruption its ability to resist disease.
Hence we affirm, every injury to the Sabbath
is an injury to life. You may make your attack
upon many points in this mortal frame, and yet
the object of your injuries may recover you may
do him no mortal, but only transitory harm.
But as you approach the lungs you come to the cit
adel of life, and injury there is the near approach
of death. So it is with the effect of the profa-
nation of the Sabbath on our moral social and
civil welfare: when that proclamation is permitted
and becomes prevalent, there is no more hope
There is mortal disease and weakness through
the whole frame, and our very social system has
tens to its dissolution, or to chaos ofpermtted IL
centiousness and sin, which is worse than even its
absolute destruction. A social state without the
Christian Sabbath may go far to realize the con-
ception of hell on earth.
The secret of our own prosperity thus far, Our
unparalleled, unexampled progress, power and
happiness as a nation, is lust here, in this gift
from God to us of the Christian Sabbath, OBJ
served and sustained for so long time in il sa-
credncss, fathfulness. purity, and power, so like
the brightest glory of its pristine life. Near two
hundred years did it please God to keep US un-
der this discipline, almost every thing in our
economical and political, as we'll as social and
moral existence, taking a coloring and character
from the strict observance of the Sabbath. Thus
did we live and breathe, and have our being, and
hence, (rccurring to the analogy of the lungs
results still our vigor as nation, our freshness
and elasticity of growth and life, which, as COM
pared with the nations of Europe, is like the
health of the mountanecr, who has cheerily la
bored in the pure open air beneath the heavens,
in the varied and salutary activity of farmers
occupation, in comparison with the sallow pallid,
shrivellcd faces, and mcager, attenuated forms
of men shut mp in city garrets nr confined il
STOPPING posturies amidst pcstiferous gases, at
manufacturing looms.
TO the life and health giving power of the
Christian Sabbath over us and in us we owe our
whole superiority; for the influence acted from
the outset, and acted in every direction. 1t set
our whole existence, as apant is set in its growth
and raised into maturity. 1t was as omnipre-
sent as the atmosphere, and as direct as stream
ofelectricty; there was nothing hid from the heat
thereof. 1t was the only example Of Sabbath
born Sabbath-cducatcd nation in the whole his
tory of the world. Our Pilgrim Fathers came
to this continent that they might be free to keep
the Christian Sabbath in its purity, and to edu-
cate their children and their children's children
beneath its power. 1t is this same benefit and
blessing which God has committed us in trust
for another generation.-Independent.