The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-07-24
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SABBATH BREAKING.

SABBATH BREAKING.
We ask this important question, How is
the Sabbath day spent by the masses p
This day has been divinely appointed as a
day of rest. "Remember the Sabbath day
to keep it holy" "Six days shalt thou
labor and do all thy work; but the seventh
day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God:
in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor
thy son, nor thy daughter nor thy man
servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cat
tie, nor the stranger that is within thy
gates: for in six days the LORD made
heaven and earth, the sea- and all that in
them is, and rested the seventh day: where
upon the LORD blessed the Sabbath day,
and hallowed it."
Around one seventh part of our time,
around the first day, God has drawn dis
tinct line, separated it from all other parts
OF the week. This little space of time He
has reserved for Himself, and enjoined the
performance of religious duties, and the
REIMBURSEMENT of all labor. He has de-
clared that they who violate the Sabbath
shall not prosper, and they who profane
His sanctuary shall not be innocent. On
the observance of this day the Bible is ex
plicit, and no man can labor, or give the
day to pleasure and dissipation, without
fearful guilt. There is not an individual
who inhabits this beautiful world, outside
of the borders of the heather lands, that
does not know hoao the Sabbath should be
spent. But how often is this command
totally disregarded or wholly neglected,
and that, too, in many cases, by persons
protesting to he the followers of the meek
and lowly Jesus. 1t is a lamentable fact
that many use this holy day to make plans
for the weeks labor, and numbers employ
their time in regulating their accounts,
writing letters to friends, reading books
which have no tendency to produce relig-
ious feelings, and others labor still more
about their farms or in their workshops.
| have even known some to harness I'D their
team and drive several miles to make a
trade or transact some other business
corners, store porches, drug stores, and in
the country, perched on the fences around
church, where divine services are being
held, engaged in conversation, discussing
the topics of the day,-politics, weather,
crops, real and prospective, sc, making
remarks, indecent or otherwise, about pass
ing persons, using low and vulgar language,
telling stories, relating experience of their
drunken revels, and "pleasing Satan -
generally. In many cases you may notice
farmers and laborers, who never enter the
threshold of church, in numbers from
two to ten, assembled under shade tree i'm
front of farm house, engaged in all man.
ner of unholy conversation, while resting
from the tolls and labors of the past week
Experience and observation teach US that
this is not only wicked, but altogether un-
profitable. l doubt not that many failure
is the consequence of book keeping on
Gods day; many bill is unpaid because
made out on the Sabbath; many plan is
defeated because formed in forbidden time.
God overrules all things, and He will defeat
all attempts to make money in His own
time, and for one dollar which man gains
upon the Sabbath he will lose ten at some
other time. Sabbath labor cannot receive
divine blessing. Oh, what a sad state of
affairs, when men, possessed with a reason
able share of good common sense, intelli- |
gence and enlightenment, will thus refuse
to obey the commands of God, and con-
tinue to live in sin and wickedness, rearing
their children under the same degrading
influences. Such habits degrade and de-
bauch society. Oh, reflect, stop before
you farther go,
Why sport upon the brink
Of everlasting VICE."
We are taught that Jehovah looks down
from heaven with adherence upon man.
who, not satisfied with laboring and striv.
ing for gain six days, not content with Civ |
ing the world six parts of the time, bestows
upon it the seventh also; steals the Sabbath |
from his maker, and profanes it's holy hours. |
If the noise and confusion of earth can |
ever ascend to heaven what feelings must |
the angels have, as on Gods day they kneel
before Him in speechless alteration, while
from the towns and cities below, comes up |
the sounds of the mechanics hammer, of |
the bacchanalian revels of the grog shops
and gambling bells, the shrill whistle of
the steam engine, and the shout of the
crowd.
On the other hand, did they obey the
commands of God, live and lead pure and
holy life, walk blameless and harmless, the
sons of God, without rebuke, letting their
light shine before men that they may see
their good works, bringing their children
up in the fear and admonition of the Lord,
through home training and by the aid of
that blessed institution, the Sabbath school, |
thereby making them fit to live and pre-
pared to die, what glorious change would |
be wrought around them, and how great
their reward would be eternally?
Should we attend to the instructions of |
the Bible, how much more appropriately
would the Sabbath be observed. He who |
observes the Bible will hallow the Sabbath,
and love the sanctuary; he will delight |
when it arrives, to devote it to religious
pursuits, and, though others toll on around
him, he will rest. it'll.
LIVE CHEERFULLY.