, 1876-01-29

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to prevent ido1atry Involves An Inconsistency.
becaasH thoro ~ Nas - dlfeos M @ command agatnht It;
itlohtry had no legat sanction attached, and
ileuce that IL nlgh. be .liareGasslod with ttn-
punisy no far "a fear ot Immediate punia''-
sh' Wsta s"o H"' ssbeat', sw Tho p penalty fo1ios.
od nursly and swiftly. Mr.. u. also forgc:s
tllat procepts do not always enforce their
own observance; thai additional legislation
eonolimcs, and aro always the liigl.e5s effort nt
J)iyIns or human wisdom. Wise cxpedenev ia
tho right ndap:atou Of means 10 ends. Tho
parent aud tho teacher tstabIiHll rulos for tho
conduct Of tho family and tho school. II thsy
Aro both vino mcn thoy will rcanrt 10 any Just
oxpcdtcnts llIat will to,id to impress slle ropri-
oily OF those rules Oh Tho mud Of t)io child and
induce him to respect thom. did not aaport
that tho Sabbath law vas directly ngatnst idola-
try, but that 1t was an cxpcdtont for tts proyen-
tiou and SEQ no good renson for modifying
tho statement. On tho contrary, think tho
circumstances of tho case mike 1t almost nco-
casary conclusion. grant. Of conrsn TINT i. "a
not "nominatcA III tho bond !" but, to my tnlnd,
1t Ia worry strongly tufurou.ia1.
Let us now cousiIOr thu proposition thai the
Sabbath is not ao csuonsially moral, but ccro-
n!onial institutions: Ask my candid man WHO
believes in tho Hahhat, why l!e obsorvos tho
day sacrod and II lle has no special theory to
snetaIu. he will answer tnstinctiroly, Dcesuse
Cfod coMn!hnAa W.. AeK HIN why no utte8 not
practice or counttnnnco murder and theft. and,
ho will reply, With eq,rlly instructive promps-
ness, because thoy aeo uFong not simply that
tiod prohibits thair practice, though that 10
equaly tsue: "a is the fact TINT 1Io enjonod tlss
sabbath. The man fools in respect to tho sao..
BATH that WHOM lie tlaa carried It back 10 tho will
Of God that IL As tar as ii reaches, and Ia reason
euf,lclons, provided thai will Htill suBtafnB 1t. 1a
stain from nets essentially wrongS Not at III.
1lo fools that thoy do not deIjcnd for
thoir propr!oiy or binding forco on tho
wilt OF uod my moro tlau on tho will Of man.
III the nature os things with which oven God
canuot intoTferc. lie recognizes TINT ono pro-
cept dorivos nil ita moral forco and virtue from
tue command. the other rests On n principle Of
right utterly Independent Of tho law-piver. Ono
may bo repealed OF modified, Or drop into obly-
lon whom tho purpose for Which 1t had Its being
Is accomplished; tho other annoTer DO repealed
or Changed 10 a1 to mako it oBa morally binding.
therefore, Is commanded because It is right por
| &c. 4 ceremonial laW In right merely because 1t
| IL commanded. Horo ia o broad and pairabLo
| distinction that child can comprehend. 1t
psocspt remains In iorco u stauds Oh . lcyel.
In point Of moral obligation to obey It,
with tho moral law. This command not to touch
or eat certain an:nas, designated ns uuclaan,
mand :. Thou slalt not steal" / may add horo
that every ceremonial law ia an expolient for
tho attainment OF HOMO specific ona IN which
nlau'a ulsu,ato good Ia invo[vod God doos not,
| from nero caprtco hurl1au mou with coro-
moulas, and He continues tile burden 80 long as
| the ucccssltto3 OF tho case lcmAnd. II ho liz
| infinitely rood, aH must bolIoro, this n11st DO
truo. Now to which Of tho CLASSICS nnnud, tho
essentially moral or ceremonial. does tlo sab-
bath law CLEARLY oolong7 DO wo or can we
ttaco 1t 10 principle in tho nnturo of thlugs do
scribod by roaBon without revelation? or docs It
reAt simply on tho expressed viii Of the law-
e.ycr Z u there anything IN Nature. 30 far as
wo aro ablo to comprehend 1t, to teach us that
one portion Of tine is moro Aocsa1 than an-
other, OF deserving OF moro reverence and
respect DooB Nature close tho: doorH of her
laboratory. drop her tools, and sink down to qui-
ct reposo on uny particular day. Do tho wayes
oenso 70 ro tho winds to blow, tho rivera to
run, tho tides to obb aud tow2 Do not al tho
actg::.:es and rrocessos Of nasnEo 20 on just ns
freely, md with Just hs much effort mud cJmmo-
ton. on enc lay rs ou another There ia Moth
Ing tn mAterfal nature, ct which we hhve any
knowledge, That Recognizes ons day 40 better or
holier than anothor. Nature, tbon. gives no
proocdont, no basis fran which roaBon could In
for thai any portion Of time was to bo kept At
lolv. la tloro anything tn our mental organism
that would. Of itscf. toad liz to such couc!u-
aion ? Possibly thceo H.; bit, II It be o fact,
few: very few, havo mado tho discovery, The
ttu.l, ia, VIC hayo no conception Of holy time I'LL
. .procept conlea to ns from rccosnizod
| authority, md We know II ia not essentially
moral. but only given to subBcrvo Some e1podt-
ont purpose In tho economy OF Gol. That tho
Sabbath is not an essentially moral institution
II settled beyond caVll, fn my Judgment, bJ the
affirmation Of Christ sbnt ue vas Lord OF tho
sabhath.dag. Il 1t was an essentially moral
law, Christ could not consistently, matte nn5
auch assertion: EssontfaI morals admit no gov:
ornor Or superior. God did not croato them ant
cannot set them aside or losson sholr effective
foreo. Wore not tho principles OF moral rectt
trdo just as binding on christ as they arc or
us7 To say 14o wsa thoIr Lord md had there
foro control over them, or that His OVID con
! duet wa not noceauarly governed by them
I would ho thu widest rngarY OF fanatlchinl
! Tho Sabbath 'aw, then, was ceremonial, and iii
being cu,braced in Tho docalogue does no
change its character. Like the other ceremonial
lnwB, 1t lived till tho oId OF its being waB at
salnod, and thu: was when chat cry Of triumph
"1s ID finished" wsnt up from, tho croes. tha
tnonial Sabbath and all.
, Ilowoyor much tho Sabbath a&lvoc.te may b
dryon to tho vail, there IL ono a:gument tia
. In bis estimation is ai,al.ty and an c1d OF 81
Btrfc. Christ said tho sabbath was made 70
mau. THIS, it iB conBIdnrod, call mover b
ovaded or set aside. Let liz 500 ii tho prouIs
! warrants, by my nocessity the conclusion tia
the sahbatl, law vas giyon to oil mankind. I
may mean this, but is it the necessary mean
. ing7 I think not. Christ might, with egua
proptiety, hnvo mado tho Same statomell
s Respecting every ceremonial IN tho slosai
aud unclcan aui1n,is Thoy were all, III the higt,
D cat anti fullest RenHc. mato for Enan. la an
d nan Ut haf common sonso 10 narrow In hi
4 conceptions Of God u to belfoyo or aHsert tha
g.. Ills dealings With the Jewa tia.} respect only t
j ono insignificant and paltry nation The Jow WI
but tho instrument Though which tho Divin
: purpose in rotorence to ull lnon VAS cousumNas
0 cd ilo was merely tho cauel. ladcn with richie
q for the whoia raeo. to he borne by lin ncroH
= tho desost. Eyerycosomoniai ptocopt. therefore
i giyou to the jew, could DO aaid with strict nre
!; rrtoty to Ia made for man. Hence, il the 1ct
:. aratioa Of Christ proves that tho Sabbath wa
binding OIL oil mon IL also proven thnt tho wliol
q Mosaio dlBpensa.lon was giyen to the whol
II world, To which fow would probably caro to euh
IL scribe. MO3Es.
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CANGE3.