The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-03-01
SABBATH KEEPING.
LESSON X, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MARCH 5.

o-y Verses, II. 1s-GoIden Text, Ex.
TX, s-Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
stearns.
This chapter gives an account of the dis
cipline of Nehemiah in separating from
Israel the mixed multitude. and in cleans
ing Israel from all strangers with whom
they had become cutan=ied 10y marriage
oversees 8. 30). II tells also Of the discipline
in reference to Sabbath Dissertation, which
Is our special lesson Tor the day; but before
taking this M consider the dangers of be-
ing entangled and hiudered by mixed
multitude When Israel left Egypt a com
pany Of that kind went with them, and
caused them much trouble lex. xii, 3S;
Mum. XII, A.. Much trouble in the church
today arises from the people vino are half
and half-the worldly church members
who are neither one thing nor the other.
II any think that the restoration under
Zerubbabel and the reformation Of Ezra
and Nehemiah f0lfilled the prophecies con
cerning restoration. let them compare lisa.
xiv. 1-3, with Neh. tx, So, 81. If any think
that we are now In the miilennial age, or
that the church with her present zeal will
bring that age. let them be honest enough
to believe what is written, aud they will
come for IsraeTs restoration and to intro
duce the millennial age Fps. eli, 10; Acts
Iii, 1o-2l)
ID. I'm those day saw in Judah come
treading wine presses on the Sabbath"
Then he euUmerstes their other deeds OF
Sabbath breaking and says that he testi-
fed against them. The Sabbath was insti-
tuted IN Eden before ever sin entered this
world, and when God wrote with His finger
the Ten Commandments on two tablets of
stone He said, Remember the Sabbath
day" That man should give unto God
one-seventh OF his time Is a law from the
beginning and Of perpetual obligation.
10. "There dwelt men Of Tyre also, who
sold on the Sabbath unto the children Of
Judah, and in Jerusalem" God gives
His laws to His children because they are
His children. He gave no laws to Israel
until He had redeemed them from Egypt
No man can be saved by the deeds Of the
law, but only by the grace of God, but be-
ing saved through Jesus Christ, who Is the
end Of the law for righteousness TO every
one that belieyeth, il is then, and only
then. that the righteousness of the law
can be fulfilled in us who walk not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit Rom. iii, 90,
"a; X, 4: viii, A. Those who know not
God know no Sabbath, hut the people OF
Judah should heve shown the men Of Tyre
that they kept holy the Sabbath because
of their God. There can he no trade with
no buyers, and unless the people Of Jeru-
salem had bought the men of Tyre had
not sold.
L. "Then I commended with the mobiles Of
Judah aud said unto them, What evil
thing is this that We DO and profane the
Sabbath dayf" In verso II we read that
He cOntcnded with them because they had
forsaken the house of God. The house Of
God was lsrael's center, and the laws OF
God their especial delight, II they were
Israelites indeed; but they were prone to
| fOrsake His house and despse His word
or Chron. xxXvi. 1G), and for this they went
20 Babylon. Now that they have returned
from captivity and left their idols their
hearts still w;.lder from God and His laws.
| And so it WIS long after, in the days OF
Malachi, when they robbed God I'm tithes
and offerings and said that it was vain to
serve God (AiGl. iii, s. l4).
Is did not our fathers thusi Yet We
bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning
the Sabbath" Although judgment had
overtaken their fathers yet they continue
in the same sins, for not until the Ethio-
| plan can change his skin and the leopard
his spots can those do good who are accus-
toned TO do evil der xiii, go. IAN empty
man will get understanding when a wild
ass' colt is born a man" Job XII. 10, r. V,
| margin). Nothing will make man what
| he ought to be, but a new heart, Dir I
from above, and this is new creation ac-
complished by the word and the spirit OF
God. 1t is the gift OF God Q1zek. xxxvi,
9G), and nothing can deprive one of it but
! refusal To re, i've.
| 10 And some of my servants set / at
the gates. that there should be no burden
| brought in on the Sabbath day." There is
| such thing rs compelling law breakers to
be obedieut, and If our city rulers had the
spirit of Nehemiah there would not be the
Sabbath dissertation which is increasingly
aud alarmingly prevalent in all our cities.
| God will hold our rulers responsible for all
| that they can prevent OF evil and do not.
But 10 be personal, there are such COM
maDds as these FOR believers Let us lay
aside every weight ana the sin which doth
so easily best. US" Let Us cleanse our
selves from al Glthiness Of the flesh and
| spirit" Put Cff the old man, with his
| deeds CHeb. Xii, !; IL Cor. vii, /; Col. iii,
| %. And these we Ofc bound 10 obey If we
would know IN cur daily life anything Of
the meaning of true Sabbath rest.
| ~. 80 tEC merchants anG sellers OF all
kind Of ware lodged without Jerusalem
once or twice" The perseverance Of the
doors of evil ought TO put TO shame the fol
| lowers Of Jesus Those who desire TO do
away with the Sabbath are Outlines more
united and persevering than those who
| bear tine name of Jesus and ought TO stand
for His holy day. Oh, to be filled with
the Spirit Of Cod and have ut heart the in
| te~asts NJ His Irirvdafnf
q. From that time forth came they no
more on the sabbath" He testified against
them and threatened 20 lay hands Oh them;
| then they saw that he meant it, and de-
sisted We live in the Nineteenth century,
ia the most advanced period of the worlds
| history, but where are the Nehemiahs, and
the Daniels, and the men who have ut
heart above AZ things the honor and glory
| of God? To come again TO the topic OF a
little while ago--the Sabbath is the soul
| of belicyer---we Viii not know it I'M
til we stand a. decidedly against every be
setting sin end every phase of the self life
"a did Nehemiah against these Sabbath
/ breakers.
% Remember me, o my God, con-
corning this also, and spare me according
20 the greatness of Thy mercy" The
| prope- men were set apart to see that the