The Portland daily press., 1886-03-15
THE SABBATH.
What Portland cIergymen Said of 1t
Yesterday,
In Their Sermons Upon the observ-
ance of Sunday.
Reasons for the Better Keeping of
the Day.

Reasons for the Better Keeping OF
the Day.
In accordance with the vote of the Minis
terial Association, most of the clergymen of
Portland preached yesterday upon the better
observance of Sunday. We present the fol
lowing abstracts:
Rev. Mr.. Blanchard.l
At the Congress Square Church, yesterday
morning, the pastor, Rev. Henry Blanchard,
preached sermon on "The Better Observance OF
the Sunday from the text, Mot forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together, as the custom OF
some isy-the words being part OF the 25th
verse of the 10th chapter Of Hebrew. Mr. Blan-
chard first gave account of the way in which the
united preaching on the part of all, or nearly all,
of the pastors of the city this important theme
arose He then said that he should confine his
line of thought. because of this union, to one
main point on which all OF the clergy would agree.
1t was likely that in details of observance of Sun
day. different ministers would have different opin-
ions. They were heartily united, however, in as
sertng strenuously the imperative need OF as
sembling in the sanctuary on some part OF every
Lords day. He had outlined, two years ago,
what he believed would be good observance OF
Sunday, Probably some of his brethren would moi
endorse all that he had said. He would not owen
on controyerted ponts--he wshedt to stand strong
ly and fraterpally with all who believed that pub
lie worshipis Indispensable to national prosperity
The following proposition, therefore, is what
he would enforce upon all whom he could reach.
He was profoundly grateful for the large hearing
he received in his beloved church. He counted it
great privilege to speak to visitors as well as to
his own people. He was deeply touched often
times by the kind words spoken. But he wished
that his people should come to church every sun
day morning, not because they liked to, but be-
cause they felt 1t to be their duty. The purpose OF
this sermon was TO show this duty. and TO gain co,
workers In the advocacy OF better observance OF
the Sunday, In this respect, than that which now
exists.
The proposition, then, on which the sermon is
built is this Man needs the services Of the sane
tuary in order to gain most fully physical, intel
lectual and spiritual development, because to gain
this development, he needs to feel his dependence
upon the Creator, and his immeasurable debt to
the leadership of Jesus Christ, and to be reminded
continually OF his weakness and sinfulness, and
because the sanctuary will best produce these nee
essary feelings.
Mr. Blanchard here dwelt at length upon some
of the salient features OF American communities
today; their absorption In business; their ankle
ties; their weariness; their dcvouring of newspa-
pers to the neglect of books; their Ignorance of
history and especially OF the great story Of Israel
and the founding and progress Of the Christian
Church; their increasing secularlzatlon and con
sequent pride of power and lack of the feeling OF
unworthiness. Indolence, Ignorance, Selhshness,
are three of the great enemies of mans full de-
velopment. 1t was these which largely kept men
away from church. He then proceeded to show
what the services of the sanctuary will do for men
physically intellectually and spiritually.
Physicians confirm his statement when. be de-
clares that the coming to church, with its incden-
tai change of thoughts, Is helpful to the body. In
tellectuay, man is helped by the great themes
treated in the pulpit To follow the story OF Abra
ham or Moses; to study the transformation OF
bod sf sla info hod Of free nh
education of the wilderness TO know well the deeds
of the Judges OF Saul, of David. of Solomon; to
kiel and Isaiah and the Psalms; to learn of the
great Maccabean reyolt-its victory and its final
overthrow; to see John the Baptist, as he stands
at the ford OF Jordan; to study the deep words OF
Jesus Christ apd the epistles of the apostle Paul;
10 understand the tremendous battle between
Christianity and Heathehism, and the reasons for
another study of the Scriptures and history are
quckening to mans intellectual nature.
To feel Gods presence, as a people unite in
prayer or hymn; to feel the greatness of Jesus
Christ he is presentedlin sermon; to be made to
feel how little is man, and how weak, in the midst
of this mysterious Universe; to be made to re-
OF temptations yet unmet-ls to develop the spirit
ual nature.
will grow" said Emerson. To feel God as the
Ever Near is religion" said F. w. Robertson
Ii, then the proposition is sustained by the ar
gumentS presented, the question comes-"HoW
Shall men assist the ministers in securing better
observance Of the Sunday?' That question Mr.
Blanchard pressed streuously upon the minds OF
his hearers. He asked men to study this theme
to rise above Incidence ana selfishness He re-
spected each mans right to judge for himself. AS
minister and rdS me ne only ssdg fF tbsss
His proposition, he must believe is sound: the
Hs nVoea sympathec nearing aa
judgment, fraternal cooperation. The sermon
closed with picture of what the world would be,
If the Lords Day were well observed.
CRev. Mr.. Daniels.]
Rev. Mr. Daniels took as his text, Isaiah 55: 13,
IA. This and kindred texts was aimed. not at the
abuse of the Sabbath by what is usually termed
pleasure but at its prostitution to business. The
word pleasure has init the proper idea of "busi
ness" The prophet aimed at the avarice of the
people in exacting Of their servants labor on the
holy day. There is nothing in which human ma
ture finds so much qualification as in the accumu-
lation of money from business. Covetousness, a
most deadly sin against God and man, was, with
the Hebrews, and is now with us, a prolific source
of Sabbath desecration. The Sabbath newspaper
and postal service, after all excuses
and discussions, are but for business gains. 1t is
the same spirit which oppresses the hireling IN
his wages, that seeks to rob the workingman OF
his Sabbath. The text invites the people to turn
away from qualification of ayarice and to de-
light themselves in Gods holy day.
The Sabbath is the workingman's friend-this is
the phase of the subject which we will consider.
the bodily rest which he requires for
the preservation OF his greatest physical vigOr. IL
Is now known to science that the ordinary rest
Of sleep does not suffice for our constitution.
1t has been proved by adequate induction that
men will do more work and dOt better, II they rest
one day in seven @ The laboriag mans stock l IN
cal health If this is lost he or his family will suf
ier. In concedng the physical necessity of one
day in seven for rest while you may deny the re-
striking evidence of Divine authority Man could
not have originated such law. A French Social
st. able thinker, has said that ii the week were
by single day, there would not be
sufficient labor comparatively to require rest II
extended by one day work would become exces-
;ive. How did Moses hit 1t so correctly? The
social philosopher comedies a Divine revelation
If the law of work and rest
The Sabbath brings intellectual repose. The
mind can not be continuously kept intent upon its
-egular employment without exhaustion. The
waste is In proportion to capacity and intensity of
application. Not always the excitement of labor
,ften the very absence of it, the monotony of dai
y tasks, wears upon man. The thoughts need
Q be jostled into new channels. The Sabbath for
his purpose is wholly unique. There is nothing
ike 1t under any other system.
1t is more especially as a social and religious be
ng, tn tt the Sabbath blesses the worklngman. 1t
The bath, the clean clothes, the family and home,
IL Sunday array add to his self respect. The rest
'rings higher thoughts. Now is an opportunity
o read the Bible and to worship. The man can |
it down in church and feel the uplift of soul which
omes from communion with his Maker -,
Virtue and prosperity decline where the SAD
,ath loses its hold. The laborer should insist |
With Divine rights to have his time protected, one
eventh for rest. The law of God should be the |
aw of state, and no grasping corporations, greedy
capitalists. money making enterprises, can tnem
Vlat you will should rob the workingman OF his /
iod-given right.
In order to these desirable ends named, the |
ay must be kept holy. You admit VIII at has been |
aid but question whether it must Of necessity be |
.ept religi0usly. These propositions Will hold: |
When Sunday loses its sanction as holy day 1t |
ecessarily becomes a holiday. Rest might mean |
or few intellectual training, but as human ma |
nre is, it means for the multitude amusement, |
elf, indulgence and vice. II Is so now where the
religious element prevails. You will say that |
ur ThanksgIvings. Memorial days are not so bad. |
md yet money making greed has set traveSty |
pom these days with all kinds OF sport, game and |
uflic good? weekly holy day does promote |
ublic good-a weekly holiday never If the Sab
ath be simply holiday many men must be de- |
rived of their natural right of rest in order to
to the amusement of Others If Sun
ay's exercises, as is so often the case when CIV
n to irreligious things units one for Mondays |
'Ork, would he not better work every day?
To the workingmeD, then, and we are about all
ucl, the sacredness Of the day measures its bene-
IS to them. In this busy country it does not re-
uire much invitation to set work going on the |
abbath. 1t will complicate the labor question
till more. Proudhon, the French socialist,
harges his cOuntrymen to "restore and preserve
ne solemnty of the Sabbath Workingmen,
emember:
The Sabbath is divine provision for your in
crest.
Resist the encroachments of all business upon