The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1877-12-01

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whosoever doeth any work therein that soul shall
be cut Of from among the people, etc. And in the
book Of Numbers we have account Of the execution
Of the law upon a man who had transgressed by
picking up sticks on the Sabbath, perhaps TO cook by.
Now here we have in the Statute itself, and in the
way it was enforced among the Jews these two
ideas viz, 1st, that the seventh day is the Sabbath.
and no other. 2nd, that on the seventh day any
manner Of work whether by man or beast was to be
abstained from.
1t is alledged by the Sabbatarians that this is a
moral lava law incapable Of the least alteration
or repeal, binding forever. Yet there are Of oil
religions only Jews and seventh day Baptists who
obey the law as TO time and there are none at oil,
who obey it as the law requires. All the rest. even
the Presbyterians who are sticklers for the Bible as
the sole rule Of faith and practise do not observe
the seventh day at oil, neither do they regard the
express prohibition to abstain from all manner Of
work, and to keep their horses. manservant or maid
servant from work 1t is incredible but II Is true,
that although they say the law is moral and %unrepeal-
able they have repealed IL in respect Of the day OF
the week to be observed c~hangingi ii from the seventh
to the first day. Every family in this day, in this
country, violates the Sabbath law by making fire in
the cook house, by driving the horse carriage to
church. so that If the law were in force now, every
one almost would have TO be put TO death.
Now the ten commandments was the constitu-
tional law Of the Hebrew Commonwealth which
was binding upon the Jews but upon no other
people on earth. The Sabbath law was positive in
its character, and was intended to commemorate
particularly the delivernnce Of the Jews from the
bondage Of Egypt. just as the fourth Of July com
memorates the independence Of America. II was
not epjoined as a day Of religious devotion Mt all.
but only one Of profound rest from toll, for the
word " Holy in the law, ms every one knows
means "Devoted"-Set apart from q common TO a
sacred cause. That these provisions Of law were
local and limited, and could never be apart Of
universal religion appears from the law Honour
thy father etc., that thy days may be long in
the lard which the Lord thy God giveth thee"
What landH Why Canaan. II although appears
from the declaration that the seUenth day is the
Sabbath to the exclusion Of any other day.
On n round planet how could any portion of twelve
hours Of waking time be the Sabbath for all the
world, or how could any one live, 10 January In a
climate below zero without kindling a fret The
law being positive makes the time sacred. A Jew
would have forfeited his life Ind he kept holy
Monday or any other day. because the law expressly
says the seventh day is the Sabbath. It proves
itself therefore to be local, and not intended to be
a feature Of a universal religion, adapted to all
nations and climates.
In process OF time the Hebrew theocracy, des-
troyed by the Romans, passed away forever, and
the Christian Church came into existence, which
taking the Jewish Scriptures as inspired repudia-
ted nevertheless the Jews religion, while she
opened her doors TO converts both from jew aud
Gentle. Very early an ecumenical council (Acts
XVI was held TO decide how the Gentle converts
stood to the law Of Moses which included the Sab
bath. and IL was decided that church members
should abstain only from blood, things s%trangled,
and fornication. Now II the Sabbath law was
universally binding in every age and country,
as preachers OF to-day assert, why did not tho
council say so in regard 10 the Gentle converts.
But how about Christ and Paul, the founder and
builder Of the Christian Church Jesus whose
precepts reached TO the thoughts Of the heart said
4" that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man
for the Sabbath, and that he himself was Lord Of
the Sabbath" and had the power TO repeal. The
Sabbath law required absolute rest from work
even to picking up a few sticks to kindlc a Ore, or
the bearing Of any burden whatever. Yet on a
certain Sabbath day Jesus at the pool Of Bethesda
not only healed the lame man but ordered him 10
" Rise, take up thy bed, and walk" Now that
man had lain at the pool for 38 years, and could
have waited "a hours more. as much as necessity
is concerned, and Jesus made him rise, and carry
his bed home, by which act, II the law were in
force the man forfeited his life. Jesus answered
the clamoring Jews. my father worketh hitherto,
and / work" That is, / work without regard to
days. Then again he actually made clay on the
Sabbath TO anoint the blind mans eyes. Then
again he desecrated the Sabbath law by travelling
on a Sabbath through fields Of corn. Who can
wonder that the Jews for those offences against
the Sabbath law called him n Sabbath-breaker :
Christ knew well enough that IL IL cheap 10 go
punctually TO Church and keep profoundly quiet
one day in seven, but a very different thing 10
love the Lord with all our heart, and our neigh
Dor as ourselves seven days ont Of seven.
Paul understood fully the mind Of bis master in
regard TO Sabbath observance and ~rejoices In the
liberty wberewith Christ had made him free. Paul
writes to the Galatians who were intent on mixing
the system Of religion with Jewish christianity,
and urges a total giving up Of everything that
was peculiar TO Judaism. "Ye observe days"
he says (Gal IV-IO) 81 am afraid Of you, lest 1
have bestowed upon you labor in VAIN As
Christians all days were alike holy. To the Colos-
slams Paul writes. lie no man Judge you In
meat or in drink or in respect Of a holy day or Of
the new moon or Of the Sabbath days" What, no
Sabbath day, no time 10 be devoted exclusively
to worship? What will become Of the Church II
all days are alike An these questions Of Paul
and Jesus. II the Sabbath we're an institution Of
so much importance NJ people would make Ms
believe, the very like and soul Of the Church, why
then did not the founder ard builder Of the Church.
Christ and Paul, give directions for such a day.
II a sail in a boat from Honolulu 10 Eva IL tania-
mount 10 a sail direct into hell. why did they not
say a word about so momentuous a subject'
Because the Sabbath Observance was only a ma
tional commemorative day, a kind Of Fourth Of
July, which expired when the Roman armies over
ran Judea, sowed salt on Jerusalem, aud scattered
the tribes 10 the four winds. Paul settles the
question definitely, XIV. Romans, In that great
charter Of Individual liberty. zone man
esteemeth one day above another, another es-
teemetb every day alike. Let every man be fully
persuaded in bis own mind. lie that regardeth the
day regardeth it unto the Lord, and he that re-
gardeth not the day TO the Lord be does not re.
gard IT," Here is a Reputation OF all Church AN
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