The Portland daily press., 1878-07-20
THE END.
The Last of ihc Sunday Question for the
Present.

Mr. EDIToR:-Rsv. Mr.. Buck thinks that he
would be entirely with me if it were not for
the failure of my methods. But do my friends
methods work any better? Are they not large
ly accountable for the thing which we both
regret? The old methods are not embarrassed
by any inherent defect. But the new methods
are another form of Sabbath dissertation which
Just now the old methods have to encounter
but which they will ultimately overcome. Mr..
Buck even endorses them for people of our
class, who 'csn't comprehend any other argu-
ments."
Really, don't think that the gentleman
considered the full force of that remark. He
didn't mean to intimate that the defenders of
the Christian Sabbath are inferior to his own
scAool. Such profession of intellectual su-
periority poorly compliments his catholicity.
He wouldn't think for moment to dispose of
the question by any such piece of pedantism.
We net only accept the irrefutable teaching of
the work, but comprehend the rational argu-
ment as fully. Bat we interpret the rational
evidences as a complete supplement to the
written word. They contain the divine be-
hest"
So far as "Subscriber's'' article is concerned,
we wish to say that what the moral law says
about other days is nothing here or there.
What does the moral law say about the Sabbath
institution? What the Quakers do is nothing
to the point. We are not discussing the Quak-
ers, but the evidences that the Sabbath idstitu-
ton is founded on "Divine authority" If "the
fathers and primitive Christians" are unsatis-
factory evidence, the Quakers should also be
ruled out But the Quakers are too well
known for law and order to be quoted on the
side of authoritarian, whatever some lndi-
vdual members may have done in the matter
of knitting as work of necessity during the
discussions referred to.
We find but one zeal square attempt in the
article to disprove the Divine authority Of the
Christian Sabbath, and that it is binding upon
this age. That argument sets forth certain
Scriptures. "Let man judge you in
respect of an holy day or of Sabbath days."
&C., Sc, &c.-Col. 2: 16, II. "He that re-
gardeth the day regardeth it unto the Lord"
&C. The highest authorities agree that there
is no reference in these Scriptures to the iDsti
tuition now under discussion, but to the Jewish
and Pagan festival days that were altogether
another thing. Limitarans not only give this
Interpretation, but Liberals as well. Sylvanus
Cobb, the Unversalist commentator, says:
"The Sabbath days here referred to are kind
of festival days which priestly ingenuity had
multiplied, and from which the municipalities
and powers doubtless derived revenue. But
| the primitive Sabbath of the Lord, the institu-
| tion of one day in seven for rest and religious
culture is provision of the moral ldao and was
never against men nor contrary to them,
whether Jews or Gentiles. This primitive
| Sabbath is always for the good OF men, being
promotive of their highest welfare, both 1spir-
| though "Subscriber' is hoisted by his own
| petard!. Subscriber" says "to show that the
| seventh or Saturday is declared in the written
| laws given to the Jews does not help the mat
! ton peculiarly, this might be true; if it had
depended upon their judicial or ceremonial
| law, it would perhaps have fallen with them
| But as it was before them, was incorporated
| into the moral law as we have shown in
previous paper, It was gwen 1or an time.
| Disseminate between the institution and the
| day; the thing signfied and the term. The
| institution has never been changed but the day
has been changed. The exact limit of time is
| not the same. There is irrefutable evidence
that the disciples observed the institution on
| the first day of the week. This seventh day
observance was custom with them. After
eight days His disciples were again within.
| This fact is fully substantiated. From that
time the great body of Christians have been a
unit on the observance of this institution on
the first day of the week. The transition OF
the institution into the gospel is plain and
clear. When the arguments on this point are
so full and available it would be an abuse OF
| good nature and patience to occupy space and
| multiply words over the matter.
| We wish to submit the query. 1t man
refuses to a,ceot the plain teaching of the
| moral law on the matter of Sabbath observance,
| since Christ arose on the Christian Sabbath
| the Pentecost occurred on that day; and on
| that day the Saviour repeatedly met His
disciples, have not all Christian men and all
peoples who recognize the gospel sufficient
| reason; yea doesn't it seem to be obligatory
upon them to stop and prayerfully and worship
fully spend the day in devout recognition OF
the unspeakable gifts Of which it is a constant
| reminder?
Since all Chrstendom has agreed upon this
day even if there were no other consideration
and since the ages have demonstrated the in
stitution a blessing to mans moral and physi'
cal natures and in every country where it has
been desecrated piety has been quenched
| religion neglected God forgotten and profiigacy
corrupted the people ought not men to hesitate
long before they say, when will the new
moon be gone, that we may sell corn? Ant
the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat"
Since it is an institution of our civil law
whatever men may think about its dependence
| upon the Decalogue are we not bound as goot
citizens to keep it inviolable so long as i
| remains upon our statutes? Are we so ia
| gone into communism as to allow any part o
the community to trampel any of our law
under foot? Are we 80 partial in the ad
ministration of law as to permit one man t
do that for which We interdict another.
j. r. DAY.