Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-05-10
&eadina fpr the ;Syaabbath.
CONDUCTED BY .'|f
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
fOrlginalJ.
THE SABRATH. ..


H. REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
a 90 : T-Ta5Z71 |TET''l7'7 20 ~ : forlginalJ.
i1$ THE SABBATH. . tea4as.r.
The sabbath question" as it is called is
| creating no little interest in the Christian
world. We do not propose to enter into the
discussion, but the observance of the Sab
bath is subject which demands the serious
consideration of all moral not tOdsay re-
ligious, people. q The marriage relation and
the Sabbath lie at the base Of good national
government and all Sgood public morals:
Men may point to the polygamy of the old
patriarchs, but it will avail them little. 1t
is true, that Abraham and Jacob had more
wives than one, but this does not prove that
polygamy was right. In fact, the domestic
life Of these good men is conclusive proof
that polygamy was wrong. The Bible does
not sanction polygamy any more than 1t
sanctions murder. The history of polyga-
nv, as it existed among the Jews, is nara
ted lust as the history Of their idOlatrous
practices is narrated, but neither is sane
One of the national sins Of Israel waspo-
lygamy. Another national sin OF these
people was Sabbath breaking. BY the for
m1er they destroyed their civil government,
and by the latter they corrupted their re-
=
the history of any people. A people living
in state of concubinage is utterly unfit for
a form ofgovernment, having even the SEM
blance Of refinement: =, ,,,.,, .,;.a
What the marriage relation is to ciMl So
ciety the Sabbath is to man as religious
and responsible being. No marriage no
civil government, no Sabbath no Bible re-
ligion, are statements susceptible of de-
monstration so clear that no sane man will
call it in question.
The question Chow is the Sabbath to be
Observed" is one of vital importance to the
world Much more depends upon the OBJ
toned to think. An absolute neglect of the
Sabbath indicates not simply a low state of
religion, but total destitution of Bible re-
ligion. We would have the reader empha-
size every word in this last sentence. There
may be some religion among people who
observe no Sabbath, but that religion is not
the religion of the Bible. The stating of
this point is sufficient. Such being the fact
that no Sabbath indicates no Bible religion,
the mode or manner in which the Sabbath
is observed is an accurate indicator of the
purity of the religion of individuals and
communities.
The authority for observing the Sabbath
is the command of God. This is the high
the Sabbath must be observed is als0Speci-
fed by God. Hence the manner of obser-
wing the Sabbath rests upon the same au-
thOrity that the observance itself does. We
are not commanded to observe the Sabbath
and then permitted to devise our own mode
of observing it; but we are commanded to
observe it, and also commanded as to how
we shall observe it.
The mode or manner in which we are to
observe the Sabbath is contained in the fol-
lowing words, "Remember the Sabbath day,
to keep it holy" Exodus 2o:S. The com
mand is that we keep the Sabbath holy to
God Thegword holy, in thesSciptures, Of
ten means "devoted." In this sense, or one
similar, it is used in the passage quoted.
We are commanded to devote the Sabbath
day to God. AS proof of this, we are COM
manded to abstain from all secular labors
and amusements lawful on other days. Not
only so, but parents and householders are
commanded, not simply advised, but to
cause their children, their servants and their
domestic animals to abstain from all secular
labor. Exodus 20: 10. The day isto be de-
voted to God. 1t isa day of rest-rest from
secular labor, but not a day of idleness:
In the mode Of observing the Sabbath
manded as duties, and other things are for
hidden as sins We are commanded to
spend the whole day in manner becoming
the character of God the creator, preserver
and redeemero hispeople. Nothing which
is untitled to the character of God is alloWa-
BILE on the Sabbath. The day is to be kept
I holy-to be devoted to the public and pri-
vate worship of God. It would be proper
to say that the whole day is to be devoted to
the worship of God. The homes of profess
sed Christians should, on the Sabbath, pre-
sent all the appearance of temple devoted
to the service of God. In the houses OF
Christians, the head of the family should
devote the Sabbath to instructing the in
mates of the household in religion. So much
is required.
The Sabbath law, as laid down in the Bl-
BILE, forbids not only labor, lawful and right
on other days, but it forbids many other
Things which are allowable on the other
days ofthe week. 1t forbids social visiting
and social feasting. The Sabbath law re-
quires that each family keep itself excluded
from all others on the Sabbath, except so
much of the day as may be spent in the
public worship of God. The law of God
respecting the Sabbath is very eXacting. 1t
requires US to study Gods word and forbids
us to devote the day, or any part of it,, to
books. Everything. secular in its character
is absolutely and positively forbidden. The
only apparent exceptions to the rule, and
these are only apparent, are acts of necessl-
ty and mercy. 80
God gives us six days in which to transact
all our secular business, and he demands
that the Sabbath be devoted to Him and his
worship. The individual who devotes the
six secular days of the week to the gratifi-
cation of his carnal appetites tOr who wastes
those DAYS in idleness is certain to be over
taken by want. The secular affairs of such
an individual cannot prosper. 1t is the
hand of the diligent, not the hand OF the
sluggard, that makes rich.
In the same way, it may be legitimately
argued that in order to grow in grace, we
must be diligent in observing the Sabbath
day in the manner in which Gcd has conf
manded us in his word.
GODS PLAN FOR YoU.-Go to God him.
self and ask for. the calling of God; for, as
certainly as he has aplan or calling for you,
he will somehow guide you into it. And
this is the proper office and work of his Spir-
it. BY this private teaching he can show US,
and will, into the very plan that is set for
u.s. And this is the significance of what is
prescribed as our duty, namely, living and
walking in the Spirit; for the Spirit of God
is kind Of universal presence or inspirsI-
ton in the worlds bosom; an unfalllng in
ner light, which if we accept and live in,
we are guided thereby into a consenting
choice, 50 that what God wills for us we also
will for ourselves, settling into it as the
needle to the pole. By this hidden union
IL, l. 20