The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1866-05-09
TFOR THE CENTRAL PREsBYTERIAY. J
The Sabbath.

I uan Church GS one OF Its strong towers from
the enemy" The communication below is in
tended as an autidote TO error. In giving it a
place, it is proper to remark that when notice
of the debate in the Presbytery Of Glasgow,
Scotland, and of the views of DR.. Norman
Macleod was published in the Central PreSby-
terrain Of January 11th, it was simply the object
of the writer to give sketch of that discussion,
not to argue the question himself-that he did,
however, unmistakably indicate his dissent from
Dr.. Maceod's erroneous views-and that, not
Z long before he had under the samo signature,
shown what his own vie-s were sRoutt the obser-
vance of the Sabbath. Moreover, in the sketch
of the debate referred to, the writer was careful
to give the satisfactory answer to DR.. Macleod
made in the Presbytery by Rev. Mr.. Charteris
and others. l-CEN Pass.
As [ have seen no direct answer to a
communication setting forth the most sin
gular, and I think unscriptural views of
DR.. Norman Macleod, which appeared in
the Central Presbyterian several months
ago, I have thought it would not be out
of place to recur to the line of argument
upon which the Church has relied for the
perpetual obligation of the Sabbath.
There have been for centuries two
leading opinions in the Church in regard
to this subject. The one adopted by the
Lutheran, and some of the other Re
formed Calyinistic Churches, and by the
Romish Communion, is that the obser-
vance of the Sabbath was mere cere-
monial, typical custom, which properly
ceased with the Leyitical law, that the
day should be regarded as a civil institu-
ton, and through economic considerations,
but that there does not exist now, and
has never existed, since the death of
Christ, any divine obligation for the OBJ
seryance of q Sabbath day.
The other opinion is the one adopted
by the Westminster Assembly, and holds
that the Observance of one day in seven
as a day of special and exclusive wor-
ship is duty Of perpetual andmoral OBJ
igation.
The first mention Of the Sabbath day
is at the completion of the six days of
creation. con the seventh day God
ended His work which He had made;
and He rested on the seventh day, and
hallowed it. tits assigned in the Com
maudment itself as q reason for its obser-
vance, that the Lord rested on the sew
enth day.
The Sabbath was instituted the day
after man was made, while he was yet in
holiness.
If man had remained in innocence, ne !
would still have kept cn d. seve
as peculiarly consecrated to God. If the
curse Of labor had not fallen upon us
through sin, we should still have been
employed six days Of the week in a way,
which would not have been lawful on the
Sabbath day; for the "Lord put the man
into the garden of Eden to dress it and
to keep it. The curse Is not in labor,
but in the fact that our subsistence de-
peuds upon it. Had our first parents
remained upright, they would not have
dressed and kept the garden on the Sab
bath day, but would have set it apart pc
cuGarly to the service of God. Hence,
we infer from these facts that the Sabbath
rest was obligatory before the fall, before
the giving of the law, and hence, was not
part of the ceremonial law.
We argue for the inherent, perpetual,
and moral obligation of the Sabbath,
from the fact that 1t IS demanded By the
necessity Of mans mature. That man
needed restraint and holy influences is
proved by his sad detection. The obser-
vance of one day in seven in peculiar
thought and worship of God would have
been beneficial even to the holy pair
But if needed by holy beings, how much
more by those corrupt The Sabbath
command grows out Of principles and re-
lations as legitimately as the command
= thou shalt not kill, - and is therefore of
moral obligation, just as is any other
Commandment of the decalogue.
As social beings We need community
Of worship; sympathy, concert, and ex-
ample are beneficial in worship, as in the
other social duties. God has commanded
public worship, has given US a ministry
and ordinances, and unless some particu-
lar day was set apart, this worship would
be neglected, and most probably aban-
doned; not one-tenth of the population
Of our cities attend worship, though they
cease from their usual avocations: if
then, each church, and each community
selected its own day, how soon would
anything like public worship be ne
elected
Having seen that the obligation Of the
Sabbath is moral and perpetual, We find
also that God by a positive command has
set apart one day in seven to be so OBJ
served; and this demand we find co-eval
with the race. There was this division
! of the week in the garden, at the end of
DAYS" process Of time) Cain was engaged
inrehgious worship. Noah used this week
ly division in sending out the dove; the
passover was to last a week no mamma
was to be gathered on the Sabbath day.
An this shows that from the very begin
Ming, up to the direct and personal com
mand at Sinai, the Sabbath was observed.
1t was such a familiar Observance, that
no explanation is added, until the whole
moral law is repubEshed. But suppose
that the Sabbath had been first instituted
at that time, would we not have found
some such explanation as accompanied
the command for the observance of the
passover. But the very words of the
law, "Remember the Sabbath day." &C.,