The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-03-17
NEEDS LOOKING AFTER.


the consciousness, as we see from a ser
mon preached by him on the 9TH of this
month, in his church, in Covington, re-
ported in the Cincinnati Commercial, that
the Puritan Sabbath is gomez He
preached two sermons on the day in cues
ton, both on the subject of the perpetuity
OF the Sabbath. We cannot do more than
give brief extract or so from these re-
markable discourses from minister of
the Presbyterian Church, but these will
suffice to indicate their character.
The Commercial reports the opening
OF the morning discourse as follows:
Mr.. Moore took for his text, Remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy Said the speaker
would gladly have RETAINED from speaking
on this subject but at the request of an esteemed
member of this church. and in accordance with
the public interest which seems to be aroused.
| have endeavored to conquer my repugnance
to the discussion of it. The subject is of most
delicate nature, and l must confess my inability
to give clearly even my own convictions. In
TACT, have no absolutely clear convictions about
1t. The two Iestaments contain the subject in
exceedingly different form Completely different
not In spirit but in form. In the Old Testament
the rule laid down for the observance of the Sab
bath is contained in the Decalogue, and is align
ed with all of the other requirements of the
moral law. In the New Testament the precept
IN relation to the Sabbath is not repeated, al
though each of the other requirements of the
Decalogue IS repeated. Therefore we are almost.
as it were, at sea. What does Christ mean when
he says the Sabbath was made for man. and not
man for the Sabbath ST. Paul saws let no man
Judge you about holy days or the Sabbath DAYS.
What does he mean 1t is not clear repeat
that the New Testament is not positive concern
ing the observance of the Sabbath dav. The
entire English speaking race regards the observ-
ance OF Sunday as binding on the Church The
non-Engllsh speaking races take precisely the
opposite ground. Is it not proper to admit that
while the Decalogue requires the observance of
the Sabbath, the New Testament does not, and
that therefore the law can not be enforced on
Scripturdt prnciples2 1t must be determined
outside of that. 1t is significant that the com
mandment concerningthe Sabbath day stands
alongside OF those commandments concerning
murder, theft, and adultery But on the other
hand the New Testament does not repeat that
distinctly, and therefore scriptural decisioa is
impossible. 1t must be determined outside of
Holy Writ.
1t is very evident from the language of
this extract, as from the vacillating tone
of the whole discussion, that Mr.. Moore
has launched into deliverance on this
subject before he has thoroughly matured
his views. His head (Which we Judge is.
not very strong one) has been turned by
just enough learning on the subject to
daze his ideas, and instead of going pro-
foundly into matter which requires
patient examination and thorough com
prehension of the genius and spirit of the
Christian religion, he has exploited his
difficulties and doubts while in this con
fused, perplexed, and uncertain state of
mind. That we do not misrepresent him
may be gathered from his own declara
ton that he has "no absolutely clear con-
victions about it. Now, here is an as
tonishing state of things: young man,
Presbyterian clergyman, and the son of
the sanity DR.. T. " Moore, undertakes
to set aside the obligatory character of
the Christian Sabbath, and rushing in
where many would fear to tread, proceeds
to unsettle the minds of all his congre6a
tion on a practical question, vital to the
Church and society, when, as he admits.
his own views are entirely uniformed on
the whole subject. He not only has mo
absolutely clear convictions about it. D."
but he says he is almost, as it were, at
sea- on the subject That is exactly
what Is the matter. Mr. Moore is at
sea, and what we complain of is, that
being at sea, and yet quite young.
he should undertake in a Presbyterian
church, when we are all now trying to
maintain the Sabbath against Infdelity
to declare that the Puritan Sabbath is
gone'-the Sabbath Of John Owen, Flavel.
Howe, Bunyan, Baxter, Chalmers, Sam
uel Davies, Archibald Alexander. T. Y.
Moore, and the rest
Here isanother extract Che is speaking
Of the Sabbath of his childhood):
What was the Sabbath Gloomy and melan
choly. The voices of childish laughter wer4
suppressed and forced into silence The iov
business of children was restrained the very
sunlight seemed to shine more Silly and more
subdued, aud gloom descended upon the house
hold and the street. 1t was what we call a
Pp7tonical Sabbath. | do not use this term in
an offensive sense. / regard it with reverence