Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-07-10

gazed into the empty sepnchre at the dawn
the first Christian Sabbath. But there was ig
norance and unbelief in her tears, and the Churcl
has ever since exulted with heart brimming witt
JOY and in swelling utterances of praise that tn
stone was rolled away. ta -
| The Joyous nature Of the blessed Sabbath find
fitting and beautiful expression in the dulce
voices of the bells that call the devout to wor
ship the Lord in His sanctuary. Those cheerfn
and inspiring strains under whose influence thu
multitude walks to the House of God, are like
those precious promises of the revealed wore
that induce the confidence Of the contrite, ani
sustain the patience and refresh the energies o
the saint throughout the length of his journe,
to the Celestial City.
But while the gladstone music of the Church
bells is in happy consonance with the jubilan
nature of the Sabbath day, it will not do for III
simply to delight our ears with the pleasant
sound our hearts must be attuned to the melo
dy of praise. We must accept with gladnest
and gratitude the musical invitation that comes
from the clear voiced bells, and with intelligent
and glowing perception of the goodness of God
toward US, prepare ourselves for rsverent and
acceptable worship. It is painful to see the lev
| ity and worldliness that characterize the air o
so many on their way to the House of God.-
There is no sense of the sacredness of the day O,
of the solemn services in which they are about
engaging in their countenance, or voice, or man
ner. 1t is obvious that there is no feeling in
their hearts in harmony with the holy day.
We do not think that the sanctity of the day
or effectual worship in the sanctuary require q
severe face or funeral step, but they do demand
serious, thoughtful, composed manner The
reverent attitude of humble worship and docle
listening we are about assuming, should be an
nj fod d.
Lord. The heart should be examined and the
conduct reviewed with minute and unsparing
scrutiny, the sense of our unworthiuess should
be encouraged, there should be established pro
found distaste for the employments and objects
of our secular life, the dust of the mart should
be shaken off, SO that when we reach the Church
we shall be in a condition Immediately to enter
upon its holy services. If we are thus prepared
to pray and praise, and to hear the word, every
moment spent under the consecrated roof will
be replete with blessings, aud the soul will make
rapid advancement toward the prize of its high
calling.
And the spirit that becomes the acts of wor-
ship In the House of God, is the frame of mind
in which the Sabbath should be observed at our
| homes. We may not sustain that exaltation of
feeling we realize while sitting under the drop
| pings of the Sanctuary-the awe that makes the
terance, is absent; but the feeling that then
possessed the soul in all it's funess and grandeur,
though much diminished, is the feeling in which
the holy day should be spent. If we do not
satisfy the high demands of its sanctty-if, out
of Church as well as 10 it, we do not keep the
day In the spirit of it, with all our decorum in
the temple, our prayers and songs and we'll
seeming service, We are Sabbath h-breakers in the
sight of Heaven.
| Waiting with reverential aspect upon God in
His tabernacle and refraining from labor are not
all that is meant by keeping holy the Sabbath
| day. We must do no work in order that we
may worship, and we must worship that we may
be blessed. If we find Him in His temple and
taste the delights of His manifested presence, we
will not permit the world to intrude upon the
holy calm of our hearts. We will bid its vexina
cares away, its vanities and pomps will lose
their power to attract and turning with aversion
from every subject that would interrupt the
nolseless flow OF our peace, We will give the con
secrated hours of the blessed day to the pure
worship and service of our Heavenly Father
| A Sabbath spent in such frame as this pre-
pares the Christian for the hearty and faithful
discharge of all his obligations. His energies
are invigorated, his conscience quickened, bis
endurance fortified, his virtue established, and
his whole nature purified and elevated. Having
closed the door upon secular work and thoughts
when he bade the world adieu, and committed
his household and substance to the guardianship
OF that arm that never grows weary, refreshed
by the sweet Sabbath quietuds and communion
he goes forth to the labor of TIE week witt
broader views of duty and of life, and prepared
to unite diligence in business with ervent spirit
ual SERVICE Charleston Courier ao.