National Republican., 1873-11-18

was connected with the giving Of the law TO
moses, and II was made sign OF tue uclNer-
ance q the lsraellies out % kgynt, ann s tn.s
between them and uoi. -,-.
Under the Christian dlspcnsation the ohsery-
ance Of the sabbath has been changed from the
seventh TO the nrst day Of tho week. Tho Sab
bath never was, as portion Of time, moral
| law unchanrcable In It's nature, but an outward
| sign which may change with The will OF the law.
giycr. The observance OF the same period Of
| sbsoluio time all over the world Ii Impossible,
| for astronomical reasons and differences OF lon
gitude.
/ Christianity, was accomplished on the nrst day.
The Father rested on the seventh day from tue
work Of creation; the Son rested on the nfst dsy
from the work OF redemption. How ntunR,then,
that the subsequent work Of which creation was
| but type should be cornmemoraied on the Gay
when this was perfectly and forever finished.
Il The sabbath has come TO us from the lapse OF
ages, siae by side with the Word Of God and tho
ministry OF the gospel and the ordinances OF the
Lords house, as one OF the visible, lmpcrlshable
monuments which God has erected on the Garth
to the truth Of the Christian religion. 1t Ia the
glorious banner hung out upon the heavens, with
the inscription on IT, "Ihe Lord IA risen indeed"
IL II the weekly signal struck out On the clock
work Of the heavens, sweeter than the music
Of the spheres, blending In the tones Of all Slb-
bath bells, and II must ever show forth In Its re
christian ordinances are ali prospective, as well
as Retrospective, looking forward as well ns
backward.
1t is SC. with baptism, tho Lorls Supper, and
so with the Lords day, which Is ever reminder
OF his resurrection as a historical fact, and
equally an index Of the future funment ot MS
great and precious promises, The true heavenly
Sabbath In yet to dawn, when the last prOcllina-
t0n OF the gospel shall have been made and tN-
| ultlng Christians shall he "hoine At last That
sabbath shall he q season ot rest no. inccnslst-
ent with the great activity, hut tho spirit shall,
Ike the famous abatross, tue fTigale bird Of the
| sea, sleep upon the wing.
The OBSERVANCE OF TuE siBBlIl
Two great errors are made In this nhttcr rcr.
resentlng two extremes Of opinion; The hrst of
which, pharasaic and supcrstitiOus, Is based on
the reasoning that man was made for the San.
bath and not the Sabbath for man. This Is,
however, Of anclent date, the tendency now he
spirit which talks and acts as Il neither man was
made for the sabbath nor the sabbath for the
man. Christian liberty Is the liberty Of every
Cnrstsn 6I. when re i,Sesly becomes mere n, az y
we justly apply the language Of Paul to the sor-
cerer, 20, full Of oil subuGty aud child OF the
devil, will thou not cease TO pervert the way OF
1t is this spirit Of false liberty which 10 our
day Is to be guarded against Ia It's dealings with
the Lords ordinances.
that one seventh Of u shall lie exclusively dc,
| voted TO his woik. "If universally observed,
says Bishop Hopkins, "wc see the folly OF those
| ultra evanRelcals who think they End freedom
/ In destroying the law OF the sabbath. No good
law whose force is In the reason OF y can be de-
siroyed In the interests OF freedom, for 10 II b1
good law the benefits OF II can only be had
through obedience, and the abrogitiOn OF d law
comforting benefits Is either u mistake or sheer
license"
Nine tenths OF so-called Chfistendom have no
Sabbath. The violation OF the Law Of the SAT-
bath Is one OF the alarming features Of the times.
In Europe the Lords day means little more than
q holiday. In England tho "Westminster Re-
view" Is striving to make II there, while In this
country there has been an importation OF the
same licenti0us spirit.
We are all, as Christians, In part TO blame for
this Our Irregularities have done much to cf.
feet II. We fail to make the sanctuary as AZ
Of the Sabbath-that nrst faint ray Of Heaven;
the weekly sign OF the good time coming.