Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-11-23
THE SUNDAY Cars.


NJ. READ, OF THE SUPREME COURT OF
PENNSYLVANIA, IN FAVOR OF THE rAssEN-
GER RAILWAY CARS RUNNING ON EVERY
DAY IN THE WEEK, INCLUDING SUNDAY
1t is clear that the fourth commandment,
which is q positive statute imposed upon
the Israelites alone, as people separated
from all other nations by the Almighty for
special and wise purposes, was not intended
either for the Gentiles or for those living |
under later dispensation. Like circum-
cision it was sign between Him and them
only. 1t was part of the ceremonial law,
like sacrifices, and not binding at any time
on any nation except the Jews. It's evident
that no great nation of modern times, living
under the Christian dispensation, could SUP,
nit to an observance OF day OF entire resi-
under the penalty of death for any breach
of it; for the command of the Almighty
inflicted this penalty on the offender. Inc
whole Jewish Constitution was framed ior
small and partially barbarous nation, whose
tendency was to idolatry, and upon whom
were imposed burdens which could only be
bourne by those who considered themselves
as specially selected by the Godhead. IL
was not q nation who could spread their
doctrines. or convert other nations. and their
mission ceased with the birth of our Saviour.
So in his Epistlc to the Romans, 14th
chap. ,5th verse, Zone man estcemeth one day
above another another esteemeth every day
alike. Let every man be persuaded in his
own mind.' "lIc that rcgardcth the day
regardcth it unto the Lord, and he that re-
gardcth not the day to the Lord, he doth
not regard it ;'and in the preceding chapter,
eth verse, the Apostle says: "For this thou
shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not
kill thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not
bear false witness; thou shalt rot covet;
and if there be any other commandment, it
is briefly comprchcnded in the saying,
namely. Thou shalt love thy ncighbor as
thyself."
1t is evident from these texts that the
Apostle did not regard the fourth command
ment as a part of the moral revealed law,
but as ceremonial or judicial law which
was terminated by the coming Of our Sa-
viour and the completion of the Christian
dispensation. 1t was part and parcel of the
old dispensation fitted only for small and
peculiar nation and necessarily persisted
with it, the whole being supplied by the
Christian dispensation embracing in its out
stretched arms not single people, but all
the nations of the earth, and announcing
principles Of the purest morality exemplitcd
in the life and teachings of the divine Au-
thor of our religion.
! The fourth commandment was positive
statute, fixing the seventh day of the week
as day of rest, and is the day observed by
the Jews; and of course the first day OF the
week cannot be the Sabbath day of the
Decalogue.
The Sunday of the Christian world is
therefore not the jewish Sabbath of the
fourth commandment and such was the
declared opinion of Luther, Calvin, and all
the early Reformers. Luther said: GAS for
the Sabbath or Sunday there is no necessity
for its Observance and if we do so the rea-
son ought to be not because Moses com
mandcd it, but because nature likewise
teaches us to give from time TO time day
of rest, in order that man and beast may
recruit their strength and that we may go
and hear the word preached" "The gospel
regardeth neither Sabbath nor holidays, be-
cause they endured but for a time, and were
ordained for the sake of preaching, to the
end Gods word might be tended and
taught"
"Keep the Sabbath holy for its use both
to body and soul; but if anywhere the day
is made holy for the mere days sake-if
anywhere one sets up its observance upon a
Je,rih foundation, then order you to work
on it, to ride on it, to dance on it, to feast
on it, to do anything tina. shall remove this
encroachment on the Christian spirit and
liberty"
Calvin says in his exposition of the Fourth
commandment "The Fathers frequently
called it a Shddo,oay commandment, because
it contains the external observance of the
day, which was abolished with the rest of
the figures at the advent of Christi
But all that it (the Sabbath) contained
of ceremonial nature was without doubt
l,l, 4
Though the Sabbath is abrogated, yet
still it is customary among US to assemble on
stated days for hearing the word, for break
ing the mystical bread, and for public
prayers, and also to allow servants and Ia
borers remission from their labor"
"They complain that Christians are tine
tured with Judaism because they retain any
observance of days. But reply, the Lords
day is not observed by US upon the principle
of JUddiSmi because, in this respect, the
difference between us anc the Jews is very
great, for we celebrate it, not with scru-
pulous rigor as ceremony which we con
ceive to be figure of some spiritual mystery,
but only use it as remedy necessary to the
preservation of order in the Church."
They" Luther and Calvin, says Rev.
Dr. Rice, "have observed the form rather as
matter OF necessity or expediency, than as
ulNlHciy commanded" Calvin ENCOURAGED
the burgaers of Geneva by his own presence
and example at their public recreations, as
bowling and shooting upon the Lords day
after their dcvotions at church were ended
Melancthon, Beza, Bucer, Zuinglus, Gran
mer, Milton, and Knox were Of the same
, opinion, and Jeremy Taylor says: "ThC
f effect of which consideration is this tha
the Lords day did not succeed in the place
of the Sabbath; but the Sabbath was who'll,
= abrogated and the Lords day was merely o
| ecclesiastical institution.
: Paley, Arnold of Rugby, Archbishop
I Whately, and our great lawgiver, hold til,
, same language. Penn says; "To call any
day of the week a Christian SaLbath, is no
Christian, but JeariSh ; give US one Scriptur,
! for it, | will give two against it."
Bishop White, the chaplain to Congres!
, during the Revolution and the senior 5isho,
+ OF the Protestant Episcopal Church in thu
f United States of America, in his Lectures OF
the Catechism, p. GA, speaking of the fourtl
commandment says: "In regard to its dura
. tion, it appears evident that as far as re
garded the authority of the injunction t.
} the lsraeites, and unless some new obliga
ton can be shown, the institution ceased