The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-05-25
Primitive WAYS.

tssSS
Weeks or the Jewish celebration of the
gathering of harvests, called in Hebrew
Sbubonuth. The ceremony Of celebration
commenced at the beginning OF sunset on
Tuesday evening. A contemporary says, ut
is of peculiar significance, being double
celebration of both the ingathering OF the
harvest and the. PRONUNCIATION of the law on
Mount Sanai. The Feast of Weeks derives
its names from the numbering OF the omer,
that is the counting of seven complete
weeks by evening service for forty-nine
nights in the synagogue, the object being 70
impress upon all the value OF time, partlc-
ularly at this period of the year when time
is of the highest value to the husbandman'
for in Palestine, the summer being much
earlier than in this country, the wheat and
barley were ripe at the Passover season, and
the corn was all reaped when the Feast
of Weeks had arrived, so that from every
town and village in the Holy Land came to
this festival the farmer laden with the first
fruits of the harvest as an offering In the
TEMPLE of Jerusalem, with the. sound OF
music and the voice Of song acknowledging
God as the source of all good. But now,
though this feast can present but shade"
of its former beauty, the sons of Israel are
forced to content themselves with the
adornment of their synagogues with choice
plants and flowers, as memorial OF ma
lures productions and Gods bounty. The
services of the day being OF the order OF re-
joicing as the anniversary of an. event OF
stupendous magnitude, the giving OF the
law of Sinai, the revelation of God to his
chosen people, involving the great principle
| of the Jewish Religion, the recogn ition OF
the divine power of God IN every act OF
life, though their sanctuary be laid waste,
their temple destroyed and sheaf OF the
first fruits of the harvest be no longer Of
| fered." t
The same paper, the Philadelphia Press,
gives an interesting account OF the meeting
of the Society Of Friends in that city, last
week. the session lasting four or five days,
and embracing in the subjects considered
many things bearing upon primitive chris
tianity. do you maintain faithful testi-
mony against oashs; an hireling minis
try; bearing arms, training and other mil
itary services being concerned in any
fraudulent or clandestine trade, buying or
vending goods so imported or prize goods;
and against encouraging lotteries of any
kind" were queries which had to be an
swered in the affirmative as essential to eff
fecGive membership in the Society. DO
you take due care regularly to deal with all
offenders in the spirit of meekness, without
Partially or unnecessary delay, in order
for their help; and where such labor is in.
effectual to place judgment upon them IN
| the authority of Truth?' Are Friends
careful to live within the bounds of their
circumstances, and to keep to moderation
in their trade and business are they pune
tual to their promises. and just in the pay
ment of their debts and are such as give
reasonable ground for fear on these ae-
counts timely labored with for their preser-
walton and recovery" Also concerning
| the inspection and relief of the poor of the
Society, assisting them in business, the edu-
| cation of their children, to fit them for
business, and to be placed in proper chan
| nels for useful training.
We refer to the subjects embraced in
the Jewish celebration of the Feast of
Weeks, and the close and earnest inquiry
on the part of the Society of friends as to
the observance among its members of the
tenets of their faith, to call attention to the
wide departure from these primitive methods
which characteriZes our modern sectarian
churches. The Feast of Weeks, instituted as
a means to give expression Of gratitude to the
Giver Of all Good and to recognize the duty
of using our talents for beneficent purposes
| is observed more..in form than in substance.
1t is rarely that we find even among the
Israelites, to whom this impressive and in
structive ceremonial IS peculiar, liberal
compliance with the idea of its institution.
While, in the ordinary and stinted way
the Jews show as much liberality as other
denominations, yet there is none of that
old-time self-denial and sacrifice, which are
implied in the offering of the first fruits OF
the harvest, as an earnest of the sincere
gratitude of the people. In the hustle and
struggle, and the incessant application to
business pursuits, We forget that Paul may
plant and Apollos water, but the increase
must come from the Lord. We delude our
selves with the belief that we do it all
that it is our energy and sagacity in bust
ness which bring their rewards, and that
whatever gains we may accumulate may be
appropriated to our selfish indulgence. al
though right at our doors hunger and pow
erty may go I'm satisfied.
The primitive observances of the Society
Of Friends contrast widely with the meth
DDS and the policies of other sects, in that
they adhere to the means, habits and
forms of worship and religious expression
instituted by Christ himself, while others
seem to believe that fashy dress. gorgeous
edifces, artistic music and the fummery and
foolishness of fortunes devisement, are es-
sential to proper approach to the altar OF
Christ. We are inclined to the belief that
the devil has more to do with the modern
church arrangements and service than the
Lord, and that there is more absolute slave
ry to the wh1ms and caprices of fashion and
society, than humility in conforming to
genuine christian worship. If imposing
buildings, garnished equippages, gilded ap-
parel;and 'furbelows and flounce arounds -
with studied mannerisms, and holier than |
those pretensions, constitute christianity. |
we are very christian people. But we |
doubt very much whether these will be the |
essential passports to higher and better
life, especially when in our daily walks we
encounter the suffering and impoverished |
of our fellow men, who could live sumptu-
ously upon our excuses. We rush along
recklessly, reaching here and there for
selfish qualification, as though SIT were all
Of life to live," unmindful that we must
wind up in very small space Of earth, and
then the judgment.
1t would not be an improbable engage
ment for our modern church membership
to study the queries propounded in the So
ciety of Friends and seek to regulate their
own religious methods by them. There
will certainty be settlement in the here.
after, and. each one held accountable for
L. al. A<.sx, al sko /