The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-01-14
GheGtteIIigereer.
TuE SABBATH QUESTION.
Is IT'S Observance binding on
christians nv II DiEtncly APP
tainted Institution

N'hfINIlhuh -
pointed Institution:
Editors Intelllgcnctr:
| propose, with your permission, Z
vri,G n series Of short articles on thu
SabSoth nucstion. | am led TO this BY
tho efforts that are now being made BY
many including many Of the secular pa
ners to overthrow the faith OF Gods PEG
pIe and abrcgate the Sabbath.
This effort is not confined. to open ant
ovowed infdels who reject the Divine
authority Of the Scriptures, but is par
ticipated in by many who, whilst giving
oaasi assent to their authority, yet 70
pcrvcrt them as TO find in them no a ~,
thority for the observance Of the sao ;.a
day. Many who are nominnlly Caris' ., T.,
and perhaps many who are CHFisllans III III
fact, have been led to embrace inc CITY,
thai the Sabbath was an institution ina!
was ncculiar TO the Jewish economy, and
therefore passed away with that econ
omy. NV
The general and growing laxity in the
obserrsGcc Of the Sabbath even by those
Thri,,ian sccts that are acknowledged
~ ho the striclcst, its almost total dis
=, rcrord and dissertation by a large pro-
portion Of tho population, especially in
towns and cities, in this nominally Chris
,,n land, together with the many open
and fragrant examples of its proiana.
lion that are seen all around us, and that
are tolerated and even participated in
by the members OF all our churches,
show that the poison OF this error is be-
in, in.idiously Infused; even into the
heart OF the church. 1t is now time that
we look to our ways in this matter, and
scrutinizc carefully the foundation OF
our faith.
+, has often been shown, and can be
shown again, that the honest, faithful, SIM
rere observance OF the Sabbath is highly
beneficial 10 man in all his interests.
NECESSITY FOR A DAY OF REST.
# has been conceded by all who are &C
uuainted with mans constitution that he
needs seasons OF relaxation. Not only
does his body need intervals OF rest, but
his mind as we'll; and not less beneficial
is the influence Of this relaxation from
worldly tolls and cares oh his moral we'll
being.
II could easily be shown by following
up the history Of individuals, as we'll as
OF communities, or States, that the. con-
scientious observance. of the Sabbath, as
day Of sacred rest, secures the highest
and best development of character as we'll
rs the highest measure OF worldly sue
cess; in other words, that mans best inter
ests, both for time and eternity, arc pro-
noted by its observance. will not,
however, stop for arguments OF this kind,
because unless it can be shown that the
Sabbath was instituted by the Creator, to
be observed by all men in all ages, it can
have nothing authoritative in it. q.
However salutary its Observance may
have proven, no government would have
right 10 require its Observance. II
could only be a matter Of Individual
choice or convenience. As am writing
not for infdels, shall take it for grant
ed that my readers accept the Scriptures
as the word Of God, and hence that they
carry with them the sanction OF Divine
authority. l shall therefore write with
constant reference to this authority
which regard as supreme.
THE BIBLE ALONE AsAUTuoRIrY.
The opinion Of men, whether good OF
bad, shall have no weight with me
whenever they cannot find solid foun.
da,ion on the revealed will Of God. Hence
| shall continually appeal to the Scrip.
lures as the only rule Of faith and prac-
tice on this as on all other subjects OF a
religious character.
propose to prove, first, that the Sab
bath was sanctiiied. or set apart from the
beginning Of the world, and was intended
TO he held equally holy under the Patri-
arcbal, the Jewish and the Christian dis
pensations. In doing this shall neces-
sarilv show that those who think it was
peculiar to the Jewish dispensation have
avery superficial acquaintance with the
Scriptures.
shall then show that the Christian
il under obligations to observe it, be-
cause there was nothing in its Observance
peculiar to the law OF Moses; and because
it rests on the permanent obligation OF
the original institution, afterwards EN-:
bodied in the dccaloguc, and recognized
by our Lord and his Apostles.
will also show that the change OF the
day from the seventh to the first day OF
the week has not made void the primary
import Of the institution or OF the 4th
Commandment, the binding and perpetu-
al authority OF which is by no means al
iected by that change.
will then consider the question OF the
change Of the day, and deduce authority
for the Christian Sabbath, both from the
Old and New Testament Scriptures.
FINALLY,
will consider the proper method OF
its observance; and show that the abroga'
ton OF the Sabbath, or its perversion to
the purposes OF recreation or amusement
would necessarily cause rapid degen-
cIacy in morals, and ultimately relapse
into heathenism. In other words, that
Christianity and the Sabbath must stand
or fall together.
Ipropose to make my articles as concise
as possible, and earnestly bespeak for
them a careful and candid consideration
at the hands Of a Christian public, and
particularly would ask this at the hands
Of all Young people who desire to know
Just what their obligations are in relation
to this subject. IL.