The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1891-08-26

'''f N'' NN4iS '-iHE ON u ways, nor
finding thine own pleasure, nor
speaking thine own words; then
shalt thou delight thyself in the
Lord and / viii cause thee to ride
upon the high places of the earth.
and feed thee with the heritage of
Jacob, thy father: for the mouth of
the Lord hath spoken it." Is. lviii:
1914.
There is a curse for its desecra-
tiou. Jerusalem was given into the
hands of the enemy because of her
PROCLAMATION of the Sabbath. Lams.
ii
What evil things is this that
you do, and profane the Sabbath
day? Did not your fathers thus,
and did not our God bring all this
evil upon us, and upon this city?
Yet .ye bring more wrath upon Is
rael by profaning the Sabbath"
Neh. xiii: 17-1S.
2. Sabbath desecration puts you
in the attitude of a false witness.
"Nerily my Sabbath We shall keep,
for it "a. c. the keeping of the Sab
BATH is sign between me and you
throughout your generations; that
ye may know that | am the Lord
that doth sanctify you" Elk. XXI:
l3. If you do not keep the Sab
bath, it is a declaration on your
part that you do not know God
and do not want to know him.
3. Sabbath desecration is, on your
part, a surrendered the truth, at the
point where you are set for its de-
fence. The Christian religion is,
to-day, sustaining an attack on the
side of dOctrinal truth. The in
spiration and inerrancy of the Bible,
In its historical statements and doc
trinal revelations, are assailed.
The defence, at this point must
be made by faithful men who are
able to teach" and specially equip
ped to meet this form of assault.
The defence at this point is well
made. More formidable than this
the attack upon practical godli-
T. ss. The particular point upon
* hich all the fore 5 of evil are con-
atra;ing s towards breaking down
tle Christian Sabbath.
Our enemies are shrewd enough
to perceive the importance of the
nosition held by the Sabbath, on the
one hand, sign between God and
Lis people, on the other a commem-
Grafton of the resurrection of Jesus
Christ, the C ntral fact of the Chris
tian system. Therefore, they attack
the fourth commandment, as they
10 not the other nine, not because
i is weaker than they, nor because
they dislike its requirements more,
but because they think, and think
rightly, that if they can compel
Christians toyield the Sabbath they
will have carried the very citadel of
doctrinal and practical religion.
Eveiy one Of us is set for the de-
fence Of the truth at this critical
point. 1t behooves us to stand firm.
f. Sabbath desecration is dis
loyalty to the Church to which you
have pledged allegiance worse than
all, and including all, it is a direct
and fragrant disobedience to God
How can you do this great wicked
ness, and sin against God?'
Now bretheru, i'm the name and
by the authority of the highest
court of our Church, and in the
language already used and ap-
proved by that court, we exhort
pastors, officers and members.
" Upon you as the Lords witnesses,
is laid the great obligation of show
ing, on all occasions, by example as
well as by precept a strict and
Jealous regard for the sacred char
acter of the Lords day and reso-
lutte zeal for its holy observance.
We admonish you that il is your
positive, personal duty to keep clear
of completely i'm any sin of Sabbath
breaking, and especially, that you
refrain from travelling Oh the
Lords day, that you do notpurct ase
or read secular papers ON that day,
and that you discourage the use of
the day, or any part of it, for social
visiting Tn the matter of Sabbath
Observance, we urge return TO the
"oid paths iu which our fathers
found SO large % blessing
GAS ya have received of us how vo
ought TO walk and TO please God. SO
may yo abound more and m0ro'
by direction of the General As-
sembIy. ID. J.. Wilson.