Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-06-10

day, one OF the characteristics of the
Mosaic theocracy. The day was set
apart for rest, moral improvement and
holy enjoyment. To break the rules
laid down for the observance Of II was
a severe offsuse, being n case OF CON
tempt against the Supreme Majesty Of
Jehovah, to whose special service the
day was set apart.
with the commencement OF the
Christian era a new dispensaiion was
inaugurated. Mosaic institutions had
to give way 10 others Of universal
application. The first Christians
undoubtedly celebrated the seventh
day Of the week with the Jews, but Mt
the same time they felt tbat there
was IN event 10 commence
rate equsl In importance 10 the creation
Of the world and far greater than the
deliveranoe Of one nation from politi'
cal bondage. Tint event was the
redemption Of the world by the Son Of
Cod, the browning work of which was
His resurrection from the dead. THIS
great event occurred on the first day u
the week and the Christians therefore
called this the LORDS Day and conse-
Grated It, as IL evident from several
passages In the New Testament. They
therefore had two sacred days instead
Of one. Soon this became lmpracilcable
aud one day had TO be- decided on.
The frst day Of the week was chosen,
and as this was done 10 the very
earliest history Of the Christian
churches, It 10 safe 10 assume that the
change was authorized by divine sane.
lion. Justin In the irst half Of the
second century states that the practice
Of keeping Sunday holy was already
universal among the Christians. "We
all Of US" he says, Ensemble together
on Sunday, because 1, Is the fret day
In which God changed darkness and
matter, and made the world. On the
same day, also, Jesus Christ our
Savior rose froG tho dead"
On the first day u the week the follow.
efs Of Christ held their sacrament meet.
ings and listened to the instructions Of
their inspired teachers (Act II; y.
II was a day In which TO remember the
poor with gifts q Cor. xii: ~ Aud It
was day for special meditation Rev.
Il lO)
In this age the Lord has especially
sanctioned the observance fthr L)rd's
day as sacred among the days. In a
revelation given through Joseph the
Prophet In 1881, lie says:
That thou mayest more fully keep thy
self unspoued from tho world, thou shalt
40 10 the house OF prayer and offer up
Thy sacramonts upon my holy day. for
i verify this N a day appointed unlo you
10 rest from your labors, aud to pay thy
devolions unto tho Most High doc. and
Gov. lixi q, l0l.
This is explicit; giving inlructious
how the day Is to DO observed and as.
signing the reason Tor It. The duty
OF the Saints on that day Is to be found
In the religious Assem- blies Of the peo.
pie In order TO be- kept from the con
Eliminating influences Of worldly
associations. And through con.
sciontious observance Of thiscommand,
the object will certainly bo gained.
ar" says an ancient prophet, "thou
turn away thy feet from the Sabbath,
from doing thy pleasure on my holy
day; and call the Sabbath u
delight, the holy OF the
Lord, honorable; and shalt honor Him,
not doing thine own ways, nor find.
ing thine own pleasure, nor speaking
thino own words; then shalt thou
delight In the Lord; and | will cause
thee to ride upon the high places OF TIA,
earth, and feed thee with the heritage
Of Jacob, thy father for the mouth OF
the Lord hath spoken It,"