Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1881-03-10
SABBATH sANCTIFICATION.
The Substance of Sermon Preached by
DR.. sankey.


Remember the sabbath Day to Keep it
Hoiy---keep the commandments.
Froln the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Rev. j. P. Sankey preached an in
teresting sermon last evening in reply
to one recently delivered by Rev.
Mr.. Ham, Unitarian He chose as
his text, ''If thou turn away thy foot
from the Sabbath, from doing thy
pleasure on my holy day; and call
the Sabbath a delight the holy of the
Lord, honorable; and shalt honor
HIM, not doing thine own ways, nor
finding thine own pleasure, nor speak
ins thine own words, then shalt thou
delight thyself in the Lord and will
cause thee to ride upon the high
places of the earth. .'-Isaiah 5S:
1911.
In his introductory remarks the
speaker said the subject of the per-
petuity and sanctification of the Sab
bath has, of late, extensively engaged
the attention of the friends and enc
mics OF the Sabbath. In every age
sin ce the days of the apostles, and in
every country where the gospel is
preached, intihels and skeptits have
manifested not only opposition, but
even bitterness against the religious
observance of the day. Recently, in
our own city, an attack has been
made not only upon the perpetuity
Of the Sabbath, but also. under the
CLOAK o' SO 90, - the sanct'fi-
put all distinction of the day down
entirely, and leave men TO act as they
please. The too general and growing
abuse of the Christian Sabbath must
render a discussion of the subject
both seasonahle and necessary.
There are three or four thoughts,
said the speaker, to which he wished
to call the attention OF his hearers in
reference TO this important subject.
The perpetuity and universal obli-
CATION of she Sabbath. Is the com
mand to ''rememher the Sabbath to
keep it hoIy' binding upon US?
Some say no. but that it was very
binding npon the Jews under form
er dispensation. 1t is said it is no
more binding upon us than the law
of circumcision, or of the feast of un
leavened bread, and that the Sabbath
law is NJ part of the gospel. 1t is
difficult to understand how any man
protesting ordinary intelligence in
relation to the institution If the Sab
bath, should give expression to such
an absurd notion. That the Sabbath
is not purely Jewish, is evident from
the TACT that it was instituted during
mans innocece in Eden, as we learn
from Genesis. ii: 8. Those who
call the Sabbath Jewish, forget that
it existed 1000 years before Abra-
h.m-the father of the Jewish Ea-
tion-was born. The institution OF
the Sabbath is as old as that of mar
riage. Again, the assertion that the
Sabbath is part of the ceremonial
law only, and has long since passed
away with the other rites and cere-
monies of that economy is false, be-
cause it is one of the ten command
ments which were delivered to Moses
by God, amid the lightnings Of Noun,
Sinai This law of the Sabbath is
part of the moral code. which is. and
will, as long as the heavens stand.
stand entire. Not one jot or title o
the moral law has, or ever will pass
away, and the fourth. precept of that
moral law says: Remember the Sab
bath day to keep it holy" If the
fourth precept of that law has passe
away, because, as has been intimated
it is purely Jewish and belongs to The
ceremonies of that economy, why,
, ask, have not commands iorblddlns
murder and adultery also passe,
away? The conclusion is Irresistible
that if the fourth precept of the mora
law, which requires us to keep th'
Sabbath holy" is not binding, thel
the other precepts of the moral Law
which forbids theft, murder ant
adultery, are not binding, as we hav'
a Just as much evidence to believe tina
: the sixth, seventh aud eighth com
: mandments have been repealed, a
: we have to believe the fourth has
4 Again, il is said ''the Sabbath law i
i no part of the gospel If what
l e,
be part of the gospel. Did Chris
and his apostles ever intimate or sa,
u that the Sabbath law was not a par
D of the gospel? That our Savior sane
o TONED the Sabbath, appears from hi
. advice to the young ruler who cam
9 TO Him, inquiring what he must d.
$ to inherit eternal life. ''lf tho
IS wouldst enter into life,' sad Jesus
q sskeep The commandments Then
J. as now, we are to understand by tn
q term commandments tue decalogue
II in which the fourth occupied prom
Is nent place. Jesus never did any
thing inconsistent with the holmes
u of the day, but seemed exceedlngl
r VA tstif 'SNaoi"h, ~ So
IL his sanction. ''As the custom was,
II says Luke, He went into the syn;
E. eogue on the sabbath day" lnstea
4 of repeating the fourth or any oth'
20 precept Of the law, Jesus said. 81
IN came not to destroy the law, but
Is fulfill" Again We argue that Il
II perpetuity IF the Sabbath, from u
xt favor with which God has accomplish
IT, ed it's observance. Is not the Sa
+ bath the day, said the speaker. {
OF which God usually pours out II
Holy Spirit? And not not these con
Sc munitles and nations been blessed
he God, both in a social and religio
n point OF view, according to the u
IT. gree in which the honored the Sa
he bath? Compare these commnnitI
as and nations in which the Sabbath
an honofed and respected with those
which it is not regarded, and 4
eit hand seems to rest upon the latt,
ne whilst His blessing is upon the ft
OF mer. We need only to refer to h
IN, tory for proof of this propositio
&C. Even a curscry examination of fa'
hat