The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-03-23
TH1RTY-FOURTH STREET SYNAGOGUE


THE IMPORTANCE OF THE saBBATH-sERMoN
BY THE REV. HENRY $. JACOBS.
The commencement Of the customary scriptural
lesson Of the day suggested the topic of the Rev.
Mr. Jacobs sermon yesterday. the text being Sc
lected from Exodus. xxxv.. l. 2"And Moses gathered
together all the congregations Of the children Of
Israel and said unto them. These the things which
the Lord hath commanded. that ye should do them /:
Six days shall work be done, but the seventh shall
be holy unto Zion-t Is u Sabbath OF rest unto the
Lord"
In meditating this passage of the Pentateuch.
said the reverend gentleman the questions naturally
suggest themselves. Why this repetition of COM
mand recently enumerated ut Sinai? Why so
much emphasis Land thus particular preccpt Of
the decalogue? Several reasons might be assigned.
among them these The Sabbath is important not
only rs u religious duty rounded tho law OF
obedience to the Divine will but 1t possesses clai ins
based on the law of nature which makes rest ne
ccssty for mxn-rest which il not merely rccupera-
tive to his physical organization. but affords the
needed opportunities for spiritual and intellectual
meditation and the development of his higher quail.
tiles II is again Tar connected with the law Of
external nature to present tho ever recurring ties
timony Of creation and creator, in opposition to
the doctrines of chance spoEtaneity. II in
this that the ancient .abDuis declared. ''Hc
who profanes the sabbath denies the work OF crea-
ton"
ANTIQUITY oY THE SABBATH.
Its Importance also borne out by its antiquity.
The seventh day OF rest holy day u pre-
Sinac institution. not only ON It's inicrcnal es,sh
lsninent the closing blessing Of the creation.
put ny its rvcopuiuOn aitcT
and the passage Of the Red Sea Tradition places
this ut Marah. and the plain letter Of Scripture
hibis its authority when the mamma fell the pco
pie we're prohibited from gathering the heavenly
food on the seventh Gay. which was made day OF
holy rest to the Lord. tEx.. xviii
SAxCrITy Oh THE SABBATH.
The maintenance OF the sabbath also important in
ts relation to the sanctuary for 1t Is the safeguard
OF public Worship. The destruction OF the OBJ
servancs of the holy day would accomplish the AM
initiation of synagogue aud temple. The service of
God dcpen's therefore on it's preservation. and can.
not exist without 1t. This recognized by the old
teachers lesson gathered from tho passage before
us, who the fact that the rc-cnunr lated COM
inafd OF the Sabbath preface to the offerings and
work required for the sanctuary to remind the
people Israel that not these. though divnely
ordered, should supcrscdc tho higher obligation of
the scptenary day ofrest
A RELIGIOUS PRINcIPLn
Many reasons exist to enforce tho duty of pre-.
serving and perpeuatng the day which God blessed
aud h,ilowed. II is important as u standard of re-
ligious principle, even because its observance in
its sanctity, day devoted to the Lord entails q
sacrifice. IL tries the charac of the Israelite.
whether his fidelity to God and His command is SUI
pcrior To worldly profit. IL is absolute loss here set
against the promised reward in the hereafter The
sabbath Is. therefore, test of faith in some
palpablc to our material sense.
Accept this test said the preacher BY making
the seventh day your in all its sanctity. Make
its enjoyment the end your daily work; make IL
day covenanted to tho Lord, and realize the
promise. Happy IL the who obscrveth the Sab-
BATH" promise which gives the forctastc OF the
bcatitude in the world Of eternal rest
Which nothing earthly gives or c destroy,
The ssups calm sunshine and tho heartfelt joy.