The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-07-11
REV, DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DTvINE'S SUM-
,s.s,, DAY SERMON.
Subject: ssThe Sabbath Rest"

The wisdom of cessation from hard labor
acknowledged. The world has found out
that it can do less work in seven days than
In six, and that the ffty-two days OF the
year devoted to rest are an addition rather
than subtraction. Experiments have been
made in all departments. The great Lord
Castlereagh thought he could work MS
brain 365 days in the year. but after aWniie
broke down and committed suicide, and
Wilberforce said Of him: "Poor Castlereagh
the Sabbath p
A celebrated merchant declared. 81 should
have been a maniac long ago but for the
Sahbath!'' The nerves, the brain, the
muscles. the bones. the entire physical, in
tellectual and moral nature cry out for the
Sabbatic rest. What is true OF man IS. for
the most part, true of the brute. Travellers
have found out that they come to their
places OF destination sooner when they let
their horses rest by the way on the Sab
bath. What Is the matter with those for
lorn creatures harnessed to some Of the city
cars? Why do they stumble and stagger and
fall? It is forthe lack OF the Sabbatic rest.
In other days when the herdsnsn drove
their sheep and cattle from the Far West
down to the seaboard, 1t was found out by
experiment that those herdsmen and drovers
who halted over the seventh day got down
sooner to the seaboard than those who
passed on without the observance OF the
holy Sabbath. The fishermen on the coast
of Newfoundland declare that those men
during the year catch the most fish who stop
during the Lords day.
When asked the Rocky Mountain loco
mstive engineer why he changed locomo-
tives when it seemed to be a straight route. he
said, "We have to let the locomotive stop
and cool off, or the machinery would soon
break down." Men who made large quanti-
ties of salt were told that If they allowed
their kettles to cool over Sunday they would
submit themselves to a great deal OF DAM
age. The experiment was made, some OBJ
serving the Sabbath, and some not observing
the Sabbath. Those who allowed the fires TO
20 down and the kettles to cool once week
were compelled to spend onlya few pennies
In the way Of repairs. while IN the cases
where no Sabbath was observed many dol
lars were demanded for repairs.
In other words, Intelligent man, dumb
beast and dead machinery cry out for the
Lords day. But while the attempt to kill
the Sabbath by the stroke of ak and fail and
yardstick has beautifully failed 1t is pro-
posed in our day to drown the Sabbath by
fioodingit with secular amusements. They
would bury it very decently under the
wreath OF the target company and to the
music of all brazen instruments.
There are to-day in the different cities TO-
900 hands and 10, 900 pens busy In attempt
ing to Gu: out the heart Of our Christian Sab
bath and leave it bleeding skeleton OF what
It once was. The effort Is organized and
tremendous, and unless the friends OF Christ
and the lovers OF good order shall rouse up
right speedily their sermons and protests will
be uttered after the castle Is taken. There
are cities in the land where the Sabbath has
almost perished, and 1t Is becoming prac-
tfcal question whether we who received O
pure Sabbath from the hands Of our fathers
Shall have piety and pluck enough to give to
our children the same blessed Inheritance
The eternal God helping Us, we will
protest against this invasion OF the holy
Sabbath in the first place because it is war
on Divine enactment. God says In Isaiah.
'ssIf thou turn away thy foot from doing thy
pleasure on My holy day, thou shalt walk
npon the high places. ;" What did He mean
by ttdoing thy pleasure?' He referred to
secular and worldly amusements. A man
told me he was never so much frightened as
in the midst Of an earthquake, when the
beasts of the field beloved in fear and even
the barnyard fowls screamed in terror.
Well, it was when the earth was shaking and
the skies were all full OF fire that God made
the great announcement, Remember the
Sabbath day to keep 1t holy"
Go through the streets where the theatres
are open on a Sabbath night, go up on thesteps
ment and tell me II that Is keeping the Sab
bath holy. "Oh." says some one, "God won't
be displeased with grand sacred concert !"
A gentleman who was present at "grand
sacred concert" one Sabbath night In one OF
the theatres OF our great cities said that dur
ing the exercises there were comic and senti-.
mental songs, interspersed with coarse JOKES,
and there were dances and farce and tight
rope walking and trapeze performance.
suppose it was holy dance and consecrated
tight rope. That Is what they call ''grand
sacred concert"
y We hear a great deal Of talk about "the
rights of the people" to have just such
amusemsnts on Sunday as they want to
have wonder If the Lord has any rights.
You rule your family ;the governor rules the
State the president rules the whole land.
I wonder II the Lord has right to rule the
nations and make the enactment, "Remem-
Der the Sabbath day to keep it holy" and if
there is any appeal to high court from
that decision, and II the men who are war
ring against that enactment are not guilty OF
high treason against the Maker Of heaven and
earth. They have in our cities put God on
trial It has been the theaters and the opera
houses. p 'aintiis, versus the Lord Almighty.
defendant. The suit has been begun, and
who shall come out ahead you know.
Whether it be popular, I now announce it as
my opinion that the people have no rights
save those which the great Jehovah gives
them. He has never given the right to man
to break His holy Sabbath. end as long as His
throne stands He never will give that right
The prophet asks question which can
easily answer, "Will man rob Gody" Yes.
They robbed Him last Sunday night at the
theatres and the opera houses, and charge
upon them the infamous and high handed
larceny. I hold the same opinion rs sailor
I have heard OF. The crew had been dis
charged from vessel because they would
mo- work while they were in port on the
Lords day. The captain went out to get
sailors. He found one man, and he said to
him, "Will you serve me on the Sahbath:'
sNo." "Why not?" "Well, replied the old
sailor, "a man who will rob God Almighty
OF His Sabbath would rob me of my wages II
he got a chance"
Suppose you were poor, anil you came to
a drygoods merchant and asked for some
cloth for garments. and he should say, II
will give you six yards" and while he was
of from the counter and binding up the six
yards you should 40 behind the counter and
steal one additional yard. Taat is what
every man does when he breaks the Lords
Sabbath. God gives us six days out of
seven, reserving one for Himself, and If you
will not let Him have it, it is mean beyond
all computation.
Again. am opposed to this desscration
OF the Sabbath by secular entertainments be-
cause il is a war on the statutes OF most Of
the States. The law n,New York State says =:
HTt shalI not ha lawful TO exhibit on the
first day OF the week, commonly called Sun
day, to the public in any building, garden.
grounds. concert room or other room or
49, -,,xIi.. L. ai... md aa1ntr Of Nav