The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1881-03-16

NAN HAS A WHOLE DAY TO HIMSELF.

NAN HAS A WHOLE DAY TO HIMSELF.
Now, for all men who are SO occupied through the
to keep the sabbath is not to seek simple rest or mere
variety. but renovation. They ought to do something
TINT shall bring up the qualities In them that are moi
excited or used through all the business OF the week
There are some who hold that reading the Bible and
praying would be q wholesome change from the ordi.
nary duties OF the week: that is their Sunday; but
there are men to whom . good round 0f laughter would
BE- q greater and moro beneficial change than reading
a nious treatise; and I believe that which makes q man
manly, that which wakes up the virtuss and moralftiet
In him, IL what business does not touch. To cultivate
that which makes q man blossom In the things that
are furthest removed from his animalhood Is the way
TO keep Sunday and there are multltudes Of cases
where the Sabbath can be better kept BY that which
plays on the social feelings than In any other way.
and that, not to the prejudice OF tho %churches, as l shall
have occasion to show In . minute.
Above all. tho sabbath (and In the very line OF these
remnrks) ought to have In 1t a gentle sxcitation Of In
~tsllectual and moral feeling, for
THE nIaHzsr ELEMENTS IN NAN
ar. the imp- rial reason and the oil seeing side
Of human nature. which liz him Lbove the irrational
or only ~limitedly endowed instinct Of the brute.
There 10 q largcness and . liberty to ono who has rea-
son and moral sense, who has . radical measure In bis
own thought and nature Of right and wrong. and who
sccustoms himself day BY day not to lo"k upon things
merely as to whether they bring prais., or pleasure, or
money, or disgrace, but to look at all things ~habstuaily
a'ong the measure Of right and wrong, And every
Sabbath day ought to have > portion In 1t for mems
higher nature-f6r their reason and moral sense. Thi.
10 The very way toward ths largest manhood and the
largest liberty. am ono who believes thatA commu'
nifty Of men who have been accustomed to sun them.
selves in the light Of Gods coantenancs.. and TO call
themselves sons OF God, can never be put down By op.
preston, and / am accustomed to think that no rom.
muni,y eaa stand Up and be governed until It has been
sciousness, I'VE arc tho sons Of God"; and to leave
TINT ont Of Sunday. or the Sabbath, whichever you
choose tn call II, Is to leave ont the principal thing.
~ L E.bkakh Isv Il N txu In Whfeh thA ItNn.
It's Of observance are fixed BY the necessities Of those
who nee, change from absolute toll, being dnllsd by
constant routine. 1t 10 q day Of renovation for those
whose positions and occupations are such - 70 give no
play to the finer social feel ngs, and above all, such a.
to give no Intellectual or moral training.
Therefore, the method Of keeping tho Sabbath mass
adapt itself TO tho wants Of humanity-not to the hab.
in Of antiquity, nor to the theories OF this or that
church. In every age, and according TO tho progress.
the development and the changes that have been made.
the Sabbath must seek perpetually to adapt and 70.
adapt itself to the absolute wants Of men In every ono
OF these respects which l have been mentioning.
There Is no one Sunday that comes 0 wi to US re-