The Baltimore County union., 1883-06-23
HOW TO KEEP SUNDAY.

The Rev. DR.. William Kirkus delivered the
following address At 81. Miehasls and All Angels
p. Z. church, Baltimore, on the 10th inst, on
Sunday Observance" to = large congregation:
"Dr. KirkuS took 40 his text all the references
made in the New Testament to the question Of
Sunday observances, and then showed how Il was
impossible to eOnstrue them into anything like
Sunday Law prohibition. They were at most only
references 10 tho frst day Of the week as day Of
religious Observance. They did not contain any
command as to what everybody should 10, but
where historical statements Of what, on certain
occasions. Christian people actually did. They
detailed how the disciples assembled TO break
brsadi they listened to religious discOursss, aud
they laid by what they could spare for purpose.
Of charity on the first day. The selection Of the
first day Of tho week, the day Of the resurrection,
was entirely natural. TWAS sanctioned by apos-
toiic usage and presumably by apostolic rule
The Jewish converts TO Christianity observed
their own Sabbath as we'll a. Sunday. II Is more
than probable, in deed that the Gentle Christians
actually worked on Sunday as slaves, and chill
drsn were under subjoeton. Moreover, keeping
Sunday by strict rules would have instantly be.
,rayed the Christians to their prosecutors. They
would not have hesitated TO lose their lives II
principle had been involved but they evidently
did no, consider Sunday observance one. Strict
Sabbasarians profess to take their stand on the
Scriptures. ye, there Is In the New Testament no,
one syllable Of Prohibitory Sunday Law. Az this
point DIR. Kirkus said 1T may or may not be
wrong 10 20 to Druid Hill Park ON Sunday. or
iii n..f .
by Beethoven. but there is not syllable to show
it in the New Testament" some Of the strict
Sabbatarians. he remarked, betake themselves TO
the Old Testament. They say that this law Of
the Sabbath Is still binding on Christians, but
that the day Of its Observance has been changed
by divine authority. DR.. Kirkus considered this
theory as highly unteuabie, as the original Sab
bath lAws Of the Jew. provided for a yearly.
seventh year and dflisth year sabbath, which had
been abolished. while the weekly Sabbath was
retained. The Sabbate law VI debt, Of alienation
and reversion Of land. Of slavery emancipation.
had been abolished, yet the Law was claimed TO
remain as divine Law, binding on all mankind
forever. DR.. kirkus showed how the doctrine oi
the present sabbath observanees arose from the
ediet Of Emperor Constantine. This eiict
carried out simply BY physical fOFce-the fact
that 10 was q law. This ediet rendered all Chri,
tian fAsts and festivals compulsory. it involved
every kind Of cruel persecution and admitted Of
many caprieious relations At the time Of the
Reformation there we're two evils to redress-ec-
clesias;cal iesPotism aud moral corruption. Both
were attacked by Al adrOi; use Of Scripture. the
one By the Gospel. the other by the law. The
whole political conflict vi the time was founded
IN the Old Testament, and thus among the Puri-
,Ans sunday was converted Airesh into a modid-
cation Of the Jewish Sabbath. What, then. is the
real ground Of the obligations Of Sunday They
are. first. the rules Of the Christian society to
which We belong second. the apostolic usage and
sacred association third, spiritual ex2endisncy.
The question. therefore. occurs. How Is il to be
observed We should observe it by rest, love-
brotheriy kindness, private devotion aud public
worship, and BY re!rcshment Of body and mind