The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-10-24
rHE YALUE oT THE sABRATH
BY prsHoP wIrsoS.

How i 4 wandering, fallen, and de- |
nraved world 10 be recalled 70 God with |
cut that day which celebrates the works,
and world. and grace Of God-that DAY
which recognizes his authority over man
that day which Proclaims mans m
tellectual and accountable nature nis
future. his eternal hopess The sabbath
interposes a space between total irrelig-
ion and the conscience Of man; II puts
IN the claims Of God upon the human
heart. Nor is the temporal welfare OF
mankind less concerned than sneiT sP,i
itual, in the observation OF the L9ru 9tSl,s
day. Man was created ior 81 uAy
work, not for seven; his tacaAtles can
not bear an unremitted stralns Shlu-
rem and servants, and the iaboFing clasSes
of mankind (by far the more numerous
and the most liable 70 Be oPPIesseuh
reqnire-what this institution gives
day Of reposa, Of refreshment, OF rehg-
ious recollection and peace. Ine whole
world rests and is still, that God may
speak-that conscience may resume hor
sway-that the exhausted body ana
mind NAV recruit their powers, ana De
fitted for a more vigorous effort Ane
utmost productive labor Of man is N
the proportion Of rest and exeruon or
daired by his merciful Creator. Ihs
hest prevention of disease, the prolonga-
ton of human life itself, depends on
the like alienation of tod and rePoss.
The springs of pleasure are thus aug
mented and purified. The safety, the
sameness, the weariness, the uniformity
of human life is broken; and blessed,
hallowed period for religion Is inter
posed, The interval between these SEA-
sons il neither so distant as TO be tnet-
fectual to its end, nor 50 near as 70 In
jure the real interests OF our Wotiu.y
callings; but, like everything else ~
Gods revelation, unites the prosperity
of the soul with the highest welfare OF
the body and concerns OF man. BOW
great, then, is the Importance et every
ones falling in with the designA OF this
institution! Can any one estimate ade.
ouately the soul, eternity, heaven ana
hell. God. Christ, salvation, pardon,
hone happiness, the whole intelleetual,
moral, and religious welfare OF man as
he was formed after his Creators image,
has fallen from it by sin, and is called
to the renovation of it by the blessings
and duties of the Christian Sabbath
Look at tho evils Of the contrary
ahuse. See man sunk from his real
honors into the rank OF the brute-see
him lost in appetite, vice, lust, pride,
carelessness. With nothing to restore
the spirit of God departed from nimI-a
reprobate sense possessing ana weighing
down his soul. The main dlnerence 90
tween heather and Christian nations Is
the recurrence and due observation OF Q
sabbath. The violation Of this day IN
Christian countries is brand upon the
forehead of nominal religion. See the
Sabbath-breaker opening his shops, wfit
inc his letters, preparing his accounts
| see him entering his ofice-see him I'm
nosinp upon his servants, his clerks. m
dependents, the yoke Of uApermitted
| and unholy labor. Observe him IN IAN
/ guid carelessness, idling away the Morn
| inc hours, and disgracing, by excess ano
worldly company, the evening. Notice
the effect upon his own mind ana na1lIs
He boasts of his liberty, his freedom
from superstitiouS fears, his suPeriorlty
to ordinary prejudices: But ne is th'
slave of covetousness, OF PRIDE, OF aPPSS
tite. The violation Of the saboatf
draws with II the neglect OF all othel
| religious duties-prayer, family Tellg
ION reading of the scriptures. Misery
follows in the train. In vain he blus
tors. and protests and affects independ
lence. the moral judgments OF the Al
mighty oyertake him the selfish, earthl!
creature, vegetating rather than living
is lost in shifting speculations; diifuse
mischief all around; neglects and col
rupts his children and servants mas. mas !. =
corrective to his jealous and irritate
temper. no cordial to his droopin
spirits, no prospects 70 enI1yen tine fr
ture, no friend, no Saviour to reiley
him as to the past. The Sunday jo,ul
nal, the Sunday festival, the ounda
amusements, fail to please. He sink
into IifeIess dependency, or frets wit
infuriated malice-all his noble caPI
cities perverted, because his God ha
been contemned, and the day OF reli(
ion abused.