Telegram-herald., 1891-12-30


He Wants ,As obisStien 10 ssnday
Sacred Concerts.
An open letter 10 Pastors ConiSEence"
OF Grand Rapids
Dear Brethren-During the three
years OF my pastorate have observed
with what so.icitude you watch avery
movement whseh appears TO menace
the happiness and prosperity Of the
people of thlsf city. But, brethren. why
go solicitous u. regard 10 the proposed
sacred concerts Ia bs gwen by the
Osatorio society," Why ask the man
agers 10 change them from Sunday
evening TO some convenient weekday
evening"" DO they not propose 10
.drag the multitude away from
slnss' fes, they do; ana l learn
that they are 10 be opened
by prayer and that only the best ut
church. music is 10 be sung" Now WY
cause for such deep sollc.tude on your
parp
Is IT not simplv because they propose
10 hold the,n Sunday evening? Is not
that Just the evening they should be
held IN order TO 'draw the masses
away frcm the guided haunts of siny'
"Yes." you say 'nut then sunday 10
holy time--the Sabbath-you know"
Now, MY brethren, you know and
the masses know better; so don't claim
any holiness for sunday until you are
N better shape TO prove II. And even
II sunday is holy the day has gone at
sun set. "The evening and the morn
ing" constitute the day as God reckons
time. Gen. 1. 5. At shutdown the sec
ond day af the week begins. But why
all this talk about Sunday sacredness
when the leading men in the denomina-
tious that you represent admit that
there is none? For proof | appeal to
such testimony.
The NJ. Z. Theological Compendium
saws: lit is true, there IS no positive
command for infant baptism. nor is
there any tor keeping holy the first day
OF the week"
Richard Watson, in his Theological
Dictionary, says: "Now there IS not
on record sry divine command to the
apostles to change the Sabbath from
the day on which IL WAS held by the
Jews To the first day of the week."
Luther Lee. ID. D., says: "There is
no express commandment for observ-
ing the first day of the week rs = Sab
bath, and yet 1t Is almost universal
custom"
Lyman Abbott, editor of the Christian
Union, says in that paper OF January
70, 1882: ''rne current notion that
Christ aud his apostles authoritively
substituted the first day for the seventh.
IL absolutely without any authority in
the New Testament"
The Wstchman (Baptist), in reply to
correspondent, says: "The Scrip
lures nowhere call the first day OF the
week the Sabbath. There is no SCRIP
| tural authority tor 40 doing, nor Of
course, any scripturai Obligation"
DIR. Heyiyn again says: Take which
you will, either the fathers or the
moderns, and We shaH find no Lords
day instituted by any apostolic man.
date; no Sabbath set on foot by them
upon the ilrst day OF the week.
Neander says: tho festival OF Sum-
day was always only human
ordinances; far from the early
apostolic church.; to transfer the law OF
tie Sabbath to Suadsy."
Bishop jeremy Taylor says: ''The
primitive Christians did ali manner OF
work upon the Lords day, even IN the
times of pers.S utiou. when they are the
strictest observers OF all the divine conf
mandmen,s; but in this they knew
there were none"
You cannot be ignorant or these
facts.
Why then so sollcltous about the
morals of others, when you yourselves
are ut taul2
You elaim. my brethren, to be the
dsvlnely appointed expositors of Gods
truth. Why not heed the injunction
then and preach the truth?
God says that "tbe Sabbath is the
seventh Gay ot tie week. ."--Ex. 2o-i0.
lie says slso that "tie Sabcath is holy"
! and has told us to keep It hoIy. Has
He in single instance ascribed any
sacredness To Sunday? None whatever.
az your church authorities ADMIT.
Why then DO yol persist IN teaching
| for the doctrines the commandments
/ OF menT' five fail TO do our duty and
the people 60 wrong VINO IS responsible,
| ssh
Ought you not seriously to consider
thia
Ifyou cannot ::reach the masses"
aud others Can, why objecr Are you
above the eonscrva;o OF the public
good, Does not t,ff1 bold sll respous-
hisg n. then. this Oratorio society can
feacl1 the masses, those who seldom II
/ ,h, .o,<rt.xrv ard 40 thor,