The Portland daily press., 1883-10-06
Sunday Dissertation.
How shall the Integrity of the Lords Day
be Preserved.

EXTRACT from Paper read by Rev. James Nc
WINNIE before the Baptist State Convention.l
We need, first, a clear understanding of
our obligations towards the day. Without
passing judgment on the different view,
respecting the ground OF keeping the Lords
Day sacred, may we not ask whether there
be common ground on which we may all
stand in defence of it?
First, then, we all agree that,ss we have in
the Lords Day the opportunity of day of
rest. need not prove the need of such day
tor mau and beast. Abundant testimony to
this effect is at hand from every age and
from men of every faith. No need that /
show that nature teaches that he proportion
of rest days to the working days is as one to
seven. We are all satisfied, think, thai
God has planted in our natures the law "Six
days shalt thou labor, one day thou shalt
rest" Now, in the first day of the week,
by the Providence of God, there has come
to us the opportunity of satisfying this great
need of our nature. But since we need
rest, and may rest, we ought to rest, and be
most thankful for the privilege.
Then, we are endowed with a spiritual
nature. We are infinitely more than the OK
that tolls six days and rests on the seventh.
We are made in the image of divine Fa-
ther, and the deepest need of our natures is
to live in communion with that Father, to
learn his will and obey it. This need ex-
presses itself in prayers, in worship and in
searching his word. And since we are
spiritually dependent on each other, this
need requires the assembling of ourselves
together for its fullest satisfaction.
Now, by the Providence Of God, there is
given to us in the first day of the week all
opportunity for the complete satisfaction of
this need, day secured from the cares and
toll of this earthly life, when, resting from
daily labor, we may seek and find C mmun-
ion with God in private and public wor-
ship. But, since we need this communion
with God, and the Lords Day furnishes the
gracious opportunity for it, we are placed
under the fullest obligation to use it for this
end. He needs no formal command who
recognizes his spiritual nature and desires
to satisfy its wants. To say that all days
are alike sacred to the child of God is true
enough; to say that he ought always to be in
communion with him is also trus; but God
does not deal with us according to theory.
He knows the way in which the cares of
this life preoccupy the soul and rob it of its
higher birthright. Therefore He secures us
against these aggressions OF the earthly life
by the gift of one day especially for our
highest good. Here then we have two facts
on which We all agree-the need of rest from
abors ono day In seven; the need of time
for the care of our spiritual natures and for
undisturbed worship. Now, in the Lords
Day, preserved to us through nineteen CEN
turies, and hallowed by the prayers and be-
neficences of countless host of the people
of God, we have the gracious providentlal
day on which these profoundest wants of
our natures may be satisfied Merely to
have such day brings the amplest obllga-
| tion 20 preserve 1t.
But the chief ground on which we may
| combine for the preservation OF this day is
| its memorial character. 1t is the Lord
| Day. the queen of days, because 1t COM
| memorates the resurrection of Jesus: the
| bright and glorious day that followed the
| gloomiest Sabbath the sun ever shone upon /:
| the day that brought life and Immortality to
| night for a lost race; that broke the bars of
| death and pointed sinful, toiling man to the
rest that remaineth to the people of God.
It was love, grateful, thankful love that
brought the disciples together again on the
second First Day when their Lord met them.
| and on the next and the next, till the eighth,
when the Lord sent down his spirit upon
them at Pentecost, accepting, sea ing, con
secra ing forever the Day which their love
had set apart for Him. Aud today, lore,
ten thousand fold stronger than any decree,
sits apart and consecrates :his Day, most