The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-03-04
The Sabbat, not sunday Ques'
fiOn.
$50. XIl.l

vnu have in the last tWuI cHubSe" ~ "
sunday. This may 10 you seem a small
matter, and you may think ue captious
in Directing 10 this change; more especial
Iy as most denominations OF Christians
have accepted Sunday "a a proper desi-
CATION OF the day. do not regard it as
a matter Of Indifference, inasmuch as we
have names given us in the Scriptures,
by which TO designate this day. Sabbath
was the name given by God Himself at
its institution, and the only name Tor it,
ior which we have divine authority, un-
til the change OF the day in the New
Testament, or gospel 'dispensation, where
it is designated the Lords Day. God
having thus designated the day by names
appropriate on account OF their signi-
ticanCe, / will simply ask, why should
we designate it by another name, and that
of heather origin? All such things have
tendency, in n degree, to weaken our
Impressions Of the sacredness Of the day,
by rendering us oblivious to the fact that
il is an ordinance Of divine authority. |
think such Of my readers as have given
careful and earnest attention to what |
have written, will allow that have es.
tablished from the scriptures, that the
Sabbath has the sanction Of divine auth
GRITTY. That it was instituted by God the
Creator, for man the creature, md from
the very nature OF the case has no partial
or temporary significance, that it was to
man, under the former dispcnsations, n
day commemorative Of the rest Of God
from creations work, and 10 the Jew had
this further significance, that it was APP
pointed to commemorate the redemption
Of Gods people from their bondage in
Egypt; whilst, to the Christian, it is made
to commemorate Christ's rest from re-
demption's work, and to him also 1t is
made to have this further Significance, OF
a commemoration OF his redemption from
the bondage OF sin, Of which the former
was but atype.
now propose TO make practical APP
plica,ion Of the foregoing facts, and in
auire what is mans duty in relation to
the Sabbath? | will observe in the first
place, it is duty which he owes to his
Creator, to keep all his commandments
and in doing so, he must necessarily keep
this one, which requires him 10 keep the
Sabbath day, to keep itholy. God claims
this much Of mans time TO be devoted
to His service. lie very often in the
Scriptures claims this day rs His holy
Sabbath. 1t istQ be kept first, by n holy
resting all that day, even from such
worldly employmcnts and reCreations US
are lawful on other days; and secondly,
by spending the wi ole time in the public
and private worship Of God, celebrating
His praises, studying His word, and in
works OF Charity and mercy. And what
ever attitude civil governments amongst
men may assume toward the day, what
ever liberties men in their individual &C
ton may take with this institution, there is
the law; and by it all will finally be judged.
Whoever sets at naught Gods law; con-
tennis His authority, and must take the
risk OF the consequences. He may rest
assured however that for all these things
God will call him 10 account; and being
not only omniscient, but also omnipotent,.
He will be abundantly able to convict OF
guilt, and to vindicate His authority, by
inaicting the penalty Of His violated law.
We must not keep the Sabbath in Phar;,
isaical or legal spirit. An enforced
obedience is no obedience at all in the
sight Of God. tits only as we find delight
in the appropriate duties OF the Sabbath
that we properly observe it.
An outward regard to the day in its
influence on society ia better than not TO
observe il at all, but in the sight OF God
it is not accepted. Then an acceptable
and profitable keeping Of the Sabbath in
wolves the hearty and cheerful enjoyment
OF spiritual communion with the Father
and with His Son Jesus Christ.
But what is the duty OF civil govern.
ments in relation to the obscr vance Of
the Sabbath? Civil government is.an
ordinance OF God. The powers that be
are ordained OF God. Hence it becomes
the duty Of civil governments TO take the
Word OF God rs the basis OF authority
and to make their laws, in all their moral
aspects, TO conform to His moral law
This all civil governments amongst
Christian nations propose to do. Hence
they punish MS crimes such actions as are
inira6tions OF the decalogue that pass
over in their consequences from the indi.
vidual who breaks the law to his fellows.
Murder, adultery, theft, perjury, Sc, &C.,
are all made crimes, punishable by human
laws. Those moral duties, however, that
man owes to his God, amongst which is
the observance Of the Sabbath, it may be
alleged. stand on n different footing,
and that to God alone can man
be held responsible for these. will adj
nit the distinction thus far, that govern.
ments have no right to require man to
worship God at all, much less to pre-
scribe the manner in which hC shall do
It, or the times when he shall do ii. For
this, man must answer directly to his
Maker. Nevertheless, civil governments
instituted by Christian people must fully
recognize the rights Of conscience, and
are as much obliged to protect these
rights as the rights OF person or OF prop.
erty. The right to obey the law Of God,
10 keep the Sabbath, and to engage in
the worship OF God, without let or hind
rance, is right that every rightly.organ.
lied and rightly.administered government
will protect. Those who feel disposed to
claim it have right to quiet, undis.
turbed enjoyment Of the Sabbath. Then
1t follows that civil governments have
right to restrain those who do not nc.
knowledge the obligation Of the Sabbath
from everything that would infringe on
the rights OF Sabbath.keepers. The gov
ernmcnt has no right to say to any
citizen that he shall not publish a
newspaper on tho Sabbath; neither
has II right to say to any citizen that
he shall not subscribe for or read paper
that is published on the Sabbath; but II
has a right to say, and it is its duty, in a
Christian land, to say, you shall not pros
ecutc this business in such way as to
annoy Sabbath keepers, and infringe on
their right to q quiet observance Of the
day, Then it would be the duty OF the
civil authorities TO put n stop to the
screams Of newsboys on the streets on the
morning Of the Sabbath, and to their in
sulting annoyance Of those who recognize
the sancity Of the day, in their eagernes'
to vend their wares, even making 1t
point TO meet church goerS regularly, and
push their papers out at them in the mos
obtrusive manner. This method Of find
ing patronage 10 RilRtain a ORDeF pub