The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1886-08-12
OBSERVANCE OE HE sARRAIH

meeting IN Dalton, Ga, directed the chair
man of the committee on the Sabbath to pre-
pare circular, setting forth briefly the
sanctity Of the Sabbath and warning our
people against some of the dangers which
threaten its existence.
The subject is 50 important touching so
many interests, that it is difficult to com
press within due limits all that might prop
erly be said upon the question.
Space will allow us to refer only to few
points without expanding them at length.
We find in the scriptures two divine in
situations, the Sabbath and marriage The
former gives to mankind one day in seven
for rest from labor; the latter furnishes the
basis of the family relation They are the
two pillars on which society rests, and the
destruction of either would involve the
downfall of the social fabric
1t is to the first of these institutions that
we would call special attention at this time
We shall not stop to prove that God in
the beginning set apart the seventh day of
the week as day of rest from labor, nor
| that the Sabbath was subsequently changed
| from the seventh to the first day of the
| week in order to commemorate the resur
recton of our Lord This subject has been
ably handled by DIR. James Stacy in his
work on the Sabbath, which we commend
to all readers.
The necessity Of one day. rest in seven
for mans physical and mental well being
has been proved by experience
The bodily and mental powers will soon
become exhausted by constant labor. Hence
as matter OF policy apart from any higher
motive it would be wise to rest from all I'M
necessary labor on the Lords day
Mans spiritual interests are infinitely
higher than his temporal and the former
can only be promoted by obeying the com
mand to keep the Sabbath day holy unto
| the Lord.
The civil law IN measure protects the
Sabbath from many kinds of PROCLAMATION
Factories and work shops must shut down
their machinery; stores and offices must
close their doors: the pillow must lie idly in
the furrow, and labor and toll must cease.
There are, however, other pursuits which
are carried on with all the push and energy
of week day work. Sunday rail road trains
transport the mails and passengers from one
part Of the country to another, thereby ne
cesSitating the labor of an army of employ
ees who are robbed of the rest which they
need and which God has solemnly enjoined
Sunday newspapers are published and sent
broadcast over the land, furnishing the pub
lie with secular reading which is most I'M
favorable to the cultivation of devotional
fame of mind. Pleasure excursions on the
Sabbath tempt the old and young to absent
themselves from the sanctuary, and to de-
vote the day TO pleasure seeking. These
are few of the ways in which the Lord $
day is desecrated by multitudes
The evil is growing one, and should
arouse the church to put forth all its inhu-
ence to arrest its onward march.
The fruits of Sabbath Dissertation are be-
ginning to be~ seen in some of the larger
cities filled wiahaa foreign population where
anarchists and socialists meet in large as
1embies on the Lords day and openly adj
vocate the principles Of communism, which
would rend in pieces the very frame work OF
society and destroy every thing dear to the
heart of humanity.
The events which have recently occurred
in Chicago are but the mutterings OF the
distant thunder, presaging a storm which
threatens to sweep religion, and civilization
and church, and family, and state, into one
common grave and bury in ruins the hopes
and happiness of our people.
We may well fear the judgments of God
upon our land, if we become nation OIL
Sabbath breakers.
The depths into which We shall fall will
correspond to the heights of religious priy
leges to which we have been raised
What then is the duty OF christians and
patriots? Evidently to throw all their in
tluence upon the side Of the Sabbath, and
so far as possible preventit from being con
verted into day of recreation and amuse
ment. They should not travel in public
conveyances on the Lords day, nor visit
the post Office to receive or dispatch then
mail, nor read Sunday papers, nor go on
pleasure excursions, nor do any work, MOI
engage in any pursuit, Shiph tends 10 com
promise the sanctity of the Sabbath.
If the members of all evangelical church
es would faithfully observe the Lords day
they would WELD an influence which would
20 far towards making the Sabbath de.
light, the holy Of the Lord honorable.
We are happy 10 state IN this connection
that the NJ. IN G. road running from
Marietta to Ellijay also the f. Il w. road
from Gainesville Ga, to Broken Arrow
Ala, run no Sunday trains All the EN-
pIoyees on these roads have the rest OF the
Sabbath, and may enjoy the privileges OF
divine worship if they choose. The good ct
ieots Of ceasng to run trains on the Sab
bath are seen all along the line of these
roads
May we not pray God to hasten the time
when from one end of our country to the
other, not a railroad train shall be run on
the Sabbath nor Sunday paper be issued
from the press, nor post office be opened
for the reception or distribution of the
: mails.
Such reform would go far towards max
ind this nation what it now processes to be,
a christian nation. ID. l.. BUTroLPu.
An interesting but somewhat apoo-