Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-03-15
REMEMBER THESABBATH
THERE IS NO SPIRITUAL LIFE WITH
OUT ASTRlCT SUNDAY OBSERVANCE.

hgious Reading and NIeditation-Ther
Must BE a Set Time for Devotion to
Christian Duties,
Appealing only to the spiritually mind
ed, may take it for granted that there is
such a thing as the spiritual life consist
.ing in the knowledge of God, in com
munion with God, in love for God, in
holy aspiration. And, of course, if there
is such life, then, like all other life, it
has its conditions and its requirements,
and my contention is that the religious
observance of Sunday is essential in
order that these conditions and require
ments may be satisfied.
The religious observance of Sunday is
necessary to the spiritual life, because
time is necessary. The spiritual life
must have its proper nopFishmeRt, and
that nourishment cannot be had without
the expenditure of time. [ hall not
speak now Of the exercises Of public wor-
ship, of the nourishment they afford
and of the time they demand. This may
be taken for granted. But / will speak
of that spiritual food which the individ-
ual must secure for himself, outside the
public exercises of religion, if he is to
have an intelligent and expanding life
of the soul. And this is to be had in
reading, in meditation, and in commu-
Mon with God.
Before all else it is to be had in reading
the Bible and in meditation upon it,
Surely it does not need to be shown at
this late day that the Bible is the great
storehouse of food for the soul. Knowl-
edge of the Bible is strength; ignorance
of the Bible is weakness, Prophet and
psalmist, evangelist and apostle are our
spiritual teachers. The man of God must
make that book his lifelong study and
companion. He must know it as "A
whole; he must know especially certain
books of it, and certain chapters of GER
tain books must be written on his Utmost
heart Every Christian should have
Bible which is thumbed and marked,
and is wearing out from constant usage.
Like a diamond, the Bible casts its lus-
ter in every direction; like a torch, the
more it is shaken the brighter it shines;
like healing herb, the harder it is
pressed the sweeter its fragrance,
How it nourishes the soul to think
through and live over the thoughts and
lives Of this book; 10 go forth with Abra-
ham, aud journey with Moses, and sing
with David, and be exalted with Isaiah,
and be disciples Of Jesus with Peter,
James and John, and 60 through the
doctrines of redemption with Paul!
And there is not the Bible alone, but
there is the story Of the church through
these eighteen centuries, and there is the
record Of the church's activity through
out the world today; and there are the
lives Of the saints" the biographies of
men and women Of God 80 rich in spirit
uai inpsiratiou; and there are the printed
sermons which are like the very voice Of
God; and there is all the wealth Of relg-
ious poetry; and there are devotional
books, of which 1 need only name 1.-The
Imitation of Christ"
Here, then, in reading, in meditation
upon these, is the food of the soul How
nny child of the eternal Father can leave
all this food which the Father has pro-
vided and prefer the husBs which the
swine do eat, in the shape of the reading
matter which is often taken up on Sun
day, is amysteTy TO me.
And, of course, if this spiritual food is
TO be taken in, there must be the expen-
diture of time. And in the way we live
today when this time is 20 be had, if not
on Sunday, know not,
Oh, the value to the soul who can esti-
mate it oS that quiet hour which a man
spends OF Sunday afternoon with his
Bible, with good book, in holy media,
toni
Because 80 few hours are thus spent,
therefore is there such leanuess of soul
Because so many professed Christians
grudge to God and to spiritual things
even the hours Of Sunday, and think it a
sign Of their greater enlightenment and
independence 10 trench upon these hoHrs
with their secular reading and worldly
conversation and their recreation, there
fore is the spirit of God grieved, and the
power of God withheld.
But to him who uses Sunday Alright
how precious its hours are, and TO glance
in another direction just for moment,
now important 10 Jne spiritual IRE OF Jne
rising generation is that hour Of the week
when the godly mother gathers her chill
dren about her to read them a Bible story
Or a chapter from the Pilgrims Pro-
gress," and to talk 10 them as only a godly
mother can; or when the godly father
takes his place as a true priest of God in
bis own homel
Thank God, all such mothers and IA
theirs did not pass away with the Puritans,
and when can such hours be had if not
On Sunday?-Rev. j. W. A. Stewart in
Christian Advocate