, 1875-06-13
call. for change Of base to make the enort

calls for change OF base to mako the edort 4
succees,
Tho central idea Of the sermon is, tb.t the
Sabbath is cns-seventh part It tims" ipdeh-
pitalY. and not the seventh day specifically in
weekly order. This point seems to be based on
the supposed indefinite length OF the days OF the
creation week. This indeiulienees b Assumed.
and not proven, aud may 90 untrue. Those
days were marked By tho same natural phe--
nomena IS days now, VIZ: " the evening and
morning," the night and day. An expression IN
the sermon, "God therefore ballowed tho Sab
bath day. Tint once in . week men might turn
their thoughts to Him." seems to be recalling
OF the indehnlteuess, and to make the ordinary
week the true measure OF time This shows tho
impropr'ety Of starting Oh basis that LAS TO 10
abandoned in the argument
The assertion, also ~ that the seventh part Of
time is ali that is required BY tbs spirit aud ln-
the explicit language Of tho Sabbath law. which
says, "T The teyenth day IL tho Sabbath Of tho
Lord thy God.' This Indebtedness In tho or
position OF tho law opens fully tho question ot
choice as to which " ouo-soyouth part o{ t1ino )"
may be kept rs the Sabbath aad involves tho
secular, according to tho choice of the re"pie.
thus practcnlls defeating tho expressed good
pleasure OF God, iu saPctfyiug tho seysnth day
as memorial OF his rest. Such indehnitoncek
with its attendant divisions Q! opinion. naust
forever be hindrancc to conscientious obsorv~
ancs OF tho Sabbath. 1t will slso be unod - an
unansworablc objection to making any epccl1c
day the Sabbath. Tho liberty Of choice Of any Of
the seven days Of the week IL by this
in selecting FRIDAY for his Sabbath, the Seventh
Day Baptist in keeping Saturday, and Constantine
in seloctlng tho Leathen % venerable day Of the
sun," are justified in their choice by tho seventh
part Of time theory. The Sunday oea, ,rver who
closed bis right to insist upon the observance
Of any spocinb day as the Sabbath. aud thus
renders futlo all his efforts 70 secure the obserI
ance Of any specific dav. .
Having quoted Genea,s IT,, !, 2. in which the
DAY Of the Sabbath is definitely settled for this
10 shoH that the blessicg and sanctifsius snera
gwen By God to tbs specific seventh dAy 1s With
drawn from that day, and Transferred TO another
definite or indefinite day. The argument il H.
complete without thta proof.
Civil law cAnnoI create rights. It can only
protect IN the cnioyMept Of Iights- It cannot
bind conRciences for it ia not the baeis on rh,ch
conscience rests. Ciyl lawa By Ctsy Councils,
State Leglstaturcs or constitutional amenu-
meutB, canuot secure the observance Of Sunday
as sacred day, because the sacredness Of tho
Sabbath rests with Gods authority, and not with
mans. 4 return to the letter Of the Sabbath
law. and 10 it's spiritual import, is Essential to
Sabbath eanctiticatiou.
Another difficulty II the way OF securing sane
tinca!ion Lies in loworlng down the sabbath
idea by calling it the American Sab
bath" God calls tho Sabbath 81 Ny Holy Day"
This gives it its sacred character. - Tho Ameri-
can Sabbath " must be considered an American
institution, and can only bind All American
conscience by American authority. II this there
is nothing specially sacred. The American Sab
hath can rise no higher than American law or
american thought and, therefore, will be power
less. very largely, in influencing foreigners, and
inspiring sacred emotions with those who
Worship on the basis OF Divine, and not human
authority. JAMES BAILEY.