New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-10
SABBATH MADE FOR NAN.


His consequent right legislation for securing its ends
SABBATH MADE FOR NAN
Ky EX-PREsIDENT MARK HOPKINS, d. D., IL. d. OF
wILLIAMsTowN MASS.
If We would know the ground on which we
have tight to the protection OF the civil law in the
enjoyment Of the Sabbath must know the ground on
which we have q right to such protection at all.
For the idea Of righs, Of right must 90 back
10 primitive constitution Under I'll circumstances
man has right to whatever may be necessary TO the
attainment OF his end. that end Ia indicated by his
whole nature that is - his necessities, his active
principles, and his capacities Accordingly there
arc rights that correspond TO each of these
and thoy arc higher lower, moro or less
sacred as these necessities and active principles and
cap.eltc5 are higher lower less saved. II
man las necessity for food. air or hight them under
the conditions ordained by God, he has rght 10 them
II man has cou5tluuOnaiY active principles the de-
res OF property ana power Them under the cOndi-
tons Ord1ined by God, he has Iight 10 properly ADD
puwcr o. II has tie capacity ofl0Ye or or ENJOY
ncut wloIher Of . higher lower kind, tuen, under
The conditions ordained by GOD he has right % tho OBJ
iCCs II such love ana me Iuedns or such e0OYeut IN
each tne above cases Will be found that tho condi-
lions ordained ~ God resolve themselves INTO simply
non-ntorercuce with the rights OF others. or with
That me account Of rights given Is correct any
SELF IN virtue moral constitution, Oh apprehend-
M the laOn between our necessities and the means
AZ sIpr,ring them, between active principles and
ter objects between capacities and the means Of
meeting ihei ~ any 0le WQltt tlWarl the eSGent ln
cnti)n OF GOO IN regard 10 tic5e, 20 I-AeSu!g( EH
ts idea becomes one the deepest and most CONTROL
Ing forces in tho mind. Rights having been thus
Of evil society to protect them. How far
governments may 20 on promoting directly aud posi-
protection OF gifts Is far their object that it may
he questioned whether they would be needed, or would
exist Tor that. With nothing 10 guard against but
takes Of iln1Tance with wrongs TO fear or to re-
ur0,3 aud no crimes 20 punish, with eacn individual gov
eruug msefby the law olOyo or being governed in &C
curdauce with all reCes os could be so supplied each
active principle could find ITS proper object and scope,
and every capacity would be 20 met ihat little would
seem 10 I-HlL lL. 10 sht not DC DcsG uVe " voluntary
associations fOc the promotion OF objects requiring COM
Bued effort But, b. this 1t IL is conceded by
al taaJ the great object ~ cVu government should De-
and j., the protection OF rights ,,,..
With this OF the ground OF rights ana the object
Of government. we proceed 10 lqute whether the SAP
batn holds such relation to the necessities, or the
active principles the capacities OF man. 10 either or TO
an Of them that ne has uatura ght 70 ne projection
OF cy 80 ey It's endowment Our position Is that IL
does hold such RELATION, ahn 'Hat 'Ao .s Sao,
on tho same basis win the family and
with property In syns t9 may {pe DO prs sSg
bIs. tic sabbath, resting on the Divine authority,
and IT'S proper nature rs positive insttuon Uri5in,
ally The olooath dld rest wholly on authority IL must
have re.e Ola tIat since the division OF tine II esao-
period OF She heavenly bodies and with no changes or
tho seasons II man had been developed from an ape,
such division OF time would nave been lmposslole
BY law OF assccinon could II nave been suggested
to him. aad lt could not have aped from any
one else. In any case, indeed ms division
time must have rested net only Ouauth0rlty nut on
dyIne authority since the reason assigned Tor II has no
relation TO ANYTHING done by man, since no human
authority could De- competent mus u separate portion
OF ud5u suisued time, ana siuce the keeping or
ton OF rns hOy Is not an object in which any human
government ever tOO6 tue ea5t interest," OF Whch "
would possible for it 10 enforce period OF rest
human governments might enforce; but the con
CcptiOn OF an uhdlsphsulshcd hhd oiteh lecnr-
RUG portion fOt time 70 DO set apart by
authority and TO be kept as holy could nave originated
only with God. Originating thus Wholly ny authority,
tho UbatI must have Deen received originally, born
the division OF time ana te manner OF Us observance
orally under the OLD Test rnt aud so it Is received by
many now Bat under Christianity al TINS IS changed
Tue single SAYING OF our savior. mat me sa0Dath
was Tor man. puts bJth the Institution ITSELF as
originally given, ana the mode or ITS observance,
ON a new basis they are related to our
minds. It gives us tho reason for the com
mand and the principle for the regulation OF its OBJ
The sabbath ceases 70 STAND before uS a.
positive institution merely bat bases its claims upon its
Tearing upon human "e!aIc' ~ - III .i9 noiu p
OF Christ tuat II the DAY liset nshty observed would
not promote tho well being OF man. then 1t Is To be abr0
gated aud that there is TO be nothing IN the mode OF t
observance That Is not snDserVien TO INC same emu but
while this rue, IL also true that Christ said
word tending to abrogate tho law OF the
nly. or rather directly affirm, that the
Sabbath for Tue race, Tor man as man. and OF unit
yeral and perpetual obligation what he dld was to
give US principle for the Interpretation and applca
ion OF limited In its nexlbty only by the end
mis- view OF IT, the the Sabbath for just
tho law OF the family or OF property Is ana II tne Fourth
Is To hold It's place win the others, II
must regulating as each vi the others do, one OF
tie great elements and relations that are essential To
And tins is precisely what It does The fourth
IL Gods statute III regard to the element
time, the NTH IN regard 10 the family the sAth IN
regard life the seventh in regard to purity the eighth
regard property and the ninth In regard TO truth
Let these elements DO rightly adjusted ana give Us IN
connection with them the worship OF God
and freedom from a coyetous disposition
aud say that have everything required
for the condition OF the individual and OF society
The law OF Lord Is perfect" Nothing eau be |
Quilted; nothing need be added OF the Command |
ens just specified bearing on relative duties, II we
except the fodrth IL Is conceded ny al tnat eacn
resp .cts one element OF human being that Is uni
yersa that involves rights that requires legal enact
meut aud protection Does the Commandment recognize
aud regulate the family so does the law" Does the
say. Thou shalt not XII e. so does ne
law Does the Commitment say, " Ihou shalt not |
commit adultery Z" 80 docs the law. Does the Com
nandment say. Thou shalt not steal T. SO does the
law. Does the Commandment say, IhOu shalt not |
bear false witness 20 SO does the Law In connection
with each OF the Commandments the indiyidupl has
ghs need 10 be- aud are secured by the clv law.
and what we affirm is that the fourth Commandment |
takes It's place with the rest aud stands, III this regard
Oh precisely the same basis.
That tho law Thou shalt not steal" is for the race
no doubts because the reason for 1t Is universal
Property aud the mode OF us distribution are elements
related u human wellbeing everywhere and the laws
On statute books against stealing are not these
simply, perhaps at all, because stealing Is Tor
bidden In the Decalogue, but because can see |
for ourselves that IL violates natural right |
and must be Injurious TO society. But Time IL an el5
neBt universal than property, and how extensive
" mode It's division and employment enters into
all that pertains human welbeng few OF realize
us relations that even more intimate and perya
two than those of property. Or both property and tune
nent is the statue God 20 regulate by its spirit
FOR the good OF man, and Tor that only, the |
distribution aud MANA cement OF that properly |
which belongs 20 b i'm In the way the fourth
the statute OF God u regulate Tor the
good OF nau, aud that only the division aud en-
poymeut OF that time which belongs 10 Hun. what the
eject upon tne would be II the fourth Command
ucnt were Obeyed IN full-inat Is, IN the law OF
lahOr for six days well as OF rest
Tor the soyeuth-van be known only by
trial NV own conviction Is. that tins
would clye u DIV sion and employment OF time In exact
uocorlnoe with tie demands Of the constitution OF man
In h, presenC slate, whether as needing alternate
activity And rest, or diversity OF employment Tor bis
varons facultes and that n all mon would work a.
n. nnd speu tho seventh IN holy Tosi, Tue ideal point
IN icarl 10 division and employment OF time would