, 1879-05-19
SUNDAY LAWS.
SERMON BY DR. RYDER.

The Rev. W. q. Ryder preached last evening
before large congregation, IN st. Panl's Uni
versalist Church, taking for his theme, = Sun
dav LAWS and Observauces." Following is tht
| sermon:
And upon the first day Of the week, when thi
disciples came together to break bread, Pau
preached to them' ready to depart on the morrow
| The leading facts In reference to the obsery
ance of Sunday, so, far as they relate toe oul
present discussion, are these:
F1rst-The Jews kept the Sabbath with great
care, chiefly distinguished, however, By absti
nence from work. The rule Of observance was
binding upon all who resided within the limits
| OF the State. The Jewish Sabbath was Satur.
| day, or the seventh day Of the week.
/ Second-The references in the Bible to the
Sabbath, unless otherwise srecial]y mentioned
as the tt first day OF the week." are to Saturday.
and rot to Sunday. The commandment, " Re-
member the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy,'' and
all like requirements in the Old Testament, so
specially to Saturday. -
Thtrd-The early Christians, mostly converts
from Judaism. had been accustomed to the
observance OF Saturday rs the day of worship;
but soon after the resurrection Of Christ, In
comm memoration Of that great event, they
/ changed the DAY upon which their meetings had
been held from Saturday to Sunday; tllat is,
from the seventh to the first day OF the week.
And from that time to this, throughout oil
Christendom, Sunday has been the day specially
set apart by Christians for purposes of religious
instruction and for physical rest.
- Fourth--The observance Of Sunday as day
Of RELIGIOUS culture and rest Is based upon the
custom OF the Christian world, and upon certain
sacred associations connected with the personal
history of our Lord, rather than upon
an express command. But, while this is true as
to the day, the principle which underlies the OBJ
religious culture and rest Is based upon Divine
command, and is authorized both By Judaic Gus
tom and the example Of Christ. II is not neces-
sary that the day Of the Jewish Sabbath be OBJ
served in order to perpetuate the principle 1or
which the day stands. The obligation to observe
ono day in seven for purposes Of worship and
physical rest is, therefore, OF Divine ORIGIN.
Fifth-1be observance OF Sunday as the dav
OF worship in Christendoni is now so thoroughly
interviewer with The customs Of society, With
the history Of the Church, and with the ideas
and feelings Of Christians, that it can never oe
changed for any other day. Any attempt TO
abolish IT, Or to substitute any other day Tor 1t,
is simply IN attempt to abolish all days as Gays
OF worship and rest, In any portion u Chr1s1en-
dom where Sunday is not kept, no da7 is.
Sixth-1hc Judgment Of mankind is uniform
with respect to the necessity OF desagnaLmg
some day as q period Of worship and rest. ine
weekly division OF time seems u euI5e7t sn31&
one dar in HE seven be taken for this purpose;
aa few viii TINT 31n hsst Tth u.s. taFs
practicable. then, the issue before the Christian
world IS not whether Sandiy nS Iss soPa p wseer Gs
;Ta obsrrrance should be enforced b. Law and !
made all WE s5s a naeson adea e1
makirg few brief references to the customs OF |
other times and peoples.
Sunday, that is. 1.-THE first day OF the week."
was, MT verr vigorously observed iamoug the |
Chr!ans For awh Tosk WIS mot 3b ans daz
hv some relipious observance did so, for the |
ost part alter the hours Of labor vRst But tbs
aafd That "labor was permitted among Christians |
on The first day Of the week for centuries
after Christi while the statement IS subssan-
tiallv correct, the Impression made by 1t upon |
those not familiar with the cfrcu umstailces is |
erroneous, The early Christians were largely !
converts from the Jews. They had 10 obey the |
laws of the country in reference to the\ keeping
OF it, Sabbath. So far as they could they kept |
both days. But Sunday had no legal recoRni !
ton; the Christians themselves, SO far as their