Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-07-22

OppOSeu 10 THAT extreme, Is tue
position taken by the Religionist, and
also by the Catholic countries of Eu-
rope. suppose the free Religionist
would tell you that there was no reason
of any kind why public worship should
be attended on Sunday, any more than
any other day; that the custom was
established by Moses to meet the needs
of the Jewish people, and was not
binding except on them; that public
worship was at best a useless ceremony;
that God could be worshiped truly only
in spirit, and that any attempt to ex-
press worship outwardly led toward in
sincerity, and hypocrisy. Accordingly,
he would say, if you wish to make
Sunday different from other days, use
it as day of rest from business,
and devote it to any form of pleasure
that you can best enjoy; put the idea
out of your mind that it is in any way
connected with religion and have good
time. Between these two extremes,
there is surely a middle ground, which
is both right and reasonable. Let US
try to find it. There is way of using
these hours SO that they shall bring us
both profit and pleasure, and become o
season of sweet refieshment to body and
spirit. 1t is true that the strict observ-
ance of one day in every seven was cs-
tablished by Moses, for the use of the
Jews ana the early Christians, or at least
some of them. did not look with favor
upon its continuance as Christian insti-
tuition. This is distinctly and frequent
ly stated by the Apostle Paul. But
Paul would never have said to Chris
tians of the present time, Make Sun
day just like other days" lie would
have said instead, Make all your days
Sundays, let the example of Christ, and
the will of God 80 enter into your lives
that every day shall be filed with noble
deeds of helpfulness and charity to-
wards those about you; oil your busi-
ness conducted NOT only honestly and
justly, but generously; all your pleas
ures Of kind that you need never
feel ashamed of; all your thoughts and
desires such as would not shame the
name of prayer" Christ himself vio-
lated the Jewish Sabbath and taught
his disciples to do so, but he also
taught them to give their week days
to the service of God, by serving and
helping their brother men. So, until
you are sure that your whole life is thus
devoted, let no man succeed in persuad-
ing you that you can afford to dispense
with religious use of this one day in
seven. But what is q religious use of
Sunday? Like every other question of
conduct, this can be settled in detail
only by each individual for himself.
Consider conscientiously in what way
you can best make these hours serve
your own improvement, and then con-
slider, also, how far your course ought
to be modified by thu influence of your
example upon others, and act according
ly. If your own heart does not con-
denim you neither will your Father in
heaven. But as a general rule, I should
say, give part of the day to public
worship, even if you 60 sometimes un-
willingly, and without the devotional
feeling which makes the service true
worship Often the association with
those who have the feeling will beget it
in you. In SO doing you are placing
yourself in the way of good influences,
by which you are almost sure to be ben
Gifted. But do not go because you
think God strictly requires it of you, and
will be angry i you do otherwise. He
does not. Under some circumstances it
might be much better for yon to do some-
thing quite different, and you must de-
eide for yourself whether the circum-
stances are yours. Do not give the best
part of the day to sleep, unless you are
sure that for you it is the best use.
Day of rest," it is called, but not day
of laziness. The truest rest is usually
change of occupation; therefore dismiss
from your mind, if you can, the week
day cares of business, and money-mak-
ing, and household economies, and by
reading, and by intercourse with friends.
and enjoyment of the summer glories
of Gods beautiful world, or by other
means, which for you may lead to the
same result, try to lead your thoughts
into green pastures and beside still
waters whose memory shall lefresh you
CurOuSn tne week. ,..f.,. .,.t- r' p.
should like to Ray q werd about the
Unitarian view Of Christ, but how can
I hope to speak clearly on a subject
which has been so discussed and dis
sected by theologians of every school,
that words when applied to it seen, to
have acquitted q hidden meaning, dif-
ent from their eommcn everyday use?
Here; too, our position is midway be-
tween two extremes. We do not hold
that lie was God himself, condescending
to come down among men for q
short stay; we do not say that he was o
common mnn, no more entitled to the
high place he holds than some other
good men have been. Son of Man and
Son of God are the two titles oftenest
applied to him in the New Testament.
To my mind these together exactly and
satisfactorily define his nature. Son
of Man, the child of Joseph and Mary.
growing up with his brothers at first on
no different footing from them; Son of
God, in spirit, more closely allied to him
by his fearless and, persistent devotion
TO right and duty: by the clear, pure
spirit of unselfiskness in which his
whole life was spent, than any other
child Of His on this esrth has ever yet
been. How can we call him God,
when he himself would not accept from
his disciples the honors due only to the