Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-07-21
rs SUNDAY Il DIVINE INSTT.
TUITION?


ing recently, the current. of thought
turned upon the observance of the
Lords day. And the ideas express
ed, suggested the following ,ques-
tlons:
First, is Sunday divine institu-
ton? Second, If not, why should
we observe it?
The common and popular answer
to the first question is to refer to the
fourth commandment, found in the
twentieth chapter of Exodus, which,
indeed, is plain command, to Gre
member the Sabbath day and keep it
holy" But allowing the books Of the
Pentateuch to be of divine origin,
this proof may be quickly reduced to
ad absuditnm, by considering what
the commandment includes, and the
manner and time in which the jew
ish Sabbath was observed.
FIRST, it was obligatory upon the
Jews, not only to observe the seventh
day, but also the seventh month, the
seventh year, and the seventh seventh
year, or the year of Jubilee. Upon
the sabbatic year, the fields were to
remain at rest; and whatever grew
spontaneously, was to be for tue main
tainance of the poor. Upon the flf-
tieth year, slaves were to be freed and
debts RENTED. What preacher we
would ask, would for moment, feel
himself bound to inculcate such
precept from the pulpit, or if he
should, what one of his people could
he prevail upon to follow it?
Second, although, perhaps, not an
essential point, we would observe
that the Jewish Sabbath was kept in
u manner radically different from
what our Puritan theology would
teach US to keep it. While no good
IIeprew would allow himself to do the
slightest labor upon that day, how
ever necessary, (see Exodus XXXI,
1915; XXXV, 2; Leviteus XXI,
Is; Numbers, XIV, 80 36.) he felt
himself at liberty to visit, to indulge
in recreation, and to feast and make
merry with his friends. In fact, the
Sabbath was with the Jews, much
more like the present Sunday of the
Parisians, than that of the good pco-
pie of Vermont.
Third, 1t is plainly and solemnly
enjoyned with the reasons therefor, that
the seventh day of the week should
be observed, while no mention, what
ever, is made of the first, which COR
responds TO our Sunday. Therefore
in view of these facts, it may not be
amiss for us to remember the scriptural
precept, "that whatsoever shall keep
the whole law, and yet offend in one
point. he is guilty of all" James H.1O.)
But why should we seek in the Mo-
sale law for commandments respecting
the Lords day. live are Jewe well,
but Christians arc under another law
"a new dispensation. Christ not
only taught that the Sabbath was
thing Of the past but By his own ex-
ample led the way. to- its abrgation.
1t is idle TO, quote Mat.V.17-20.
While this passage contains a great
and important truth, iftaken literally
would 60 not only to contradict spe-
cial passages IN the New Testament
but to confound and destroy its whole
spiritIt istrue thatJesns came to fulfil
the law. That is to say, as the theol-
ogy of every school teaches, the Chist-
tian dispensation is the fullillment
and end Of the Jewish, which was pre-
paratory and Introductory to the for
mer. This proof text, also, reduces
itself to absurdity; for should we
take it literally, we are bound to OBJ
serve not q part, but the whole: the
Lcvical priesthood, the sacrifices of
the alter, the circumcision, in fact the
whole Hebrew parapcrnalia.
The early church recognized the
abrogation of the Mozasic law, and
in no instance, more than that of the
Sabbath. The Apostolic epstles, cs
pecially those Of Paul, resound
with assertions of the new freedom.
(see Gal. w, 10-ll; Rom. XIII, 81
The Sabbath was no longer observed,
but the early diciplcs warmed with
love toward their master, set apart in
his honor, Sunday, the first day of
the week.
Within the whole range of New
Testament literature, we flint no COM