The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-09-06

shail not do any work, nor thy con MOI
thy daughter
,, II ia the duty Of masters to see that
their servants keep it. Thou nor thy
man servant" ETC.
Some people think that they are keep
ing the Sabbath when they cease work
themselves ard attend Gods worship,
Not so; better let your cooks and house
girls off too.
Railroad officials observe it, ~
when hundreds Of trains are steamnS
through the country by their orders, and
thousands of men are employed on that
holy day, forced to work Ivy those who say
that the Sabbath, train is necessity
Others think that the Sabbath train ia a
necessity too. We rcfuto it by saying
that our forefathor. did without trains
altogether But some one says: "This is
fast ago" Is it? When the age gets
ahead Of the interchangeable God and at
tempts to set aside Hia immutahle Jaws,
then it ia high time that the age should
call halt.
;. 1t is the duty of heads Of families TO
SEQ to it that all within their house keep
it. "Thou nor thy stranger that is within
thy gates
The moat courteous treatment that We
can extend to our guests is Ivy seeing to
it that they, too, regard the Sabbath by a
holy rest and attendance upon Gods Or
dinances.
4. The command may also refer to
magistrates, whose duty it 10 to see that
all within the city regard it, at least e1-
tcrnally.
This command may have thus been fully
expressed on account of the particular
place tho Sabbath holds in religious
worship. For with the observance Of the
Sabbath religion stands or falls. "lf the
foundation be destroyed what can right
eousness der
The Sabbath is the great foundation
stone of our Christinn religion. We
might safely say, too, that upon its strict
observance depends the welfare of the
state, the veal Of the Republic. To set il
aside would be about the most unreason-
able thing the state could do. Abolish
the Sabbath and you have anarchy, dis
order and confusion. Sunny France tri-
cd it once. What was the result! a
reign of terror, such aa no nation ever
saw before or since 1t would seem that
the curse Of God is resting upon France
until this day. Not two months since her
noble President went to LIONS to attend
the opening exercises Of the great exposi-
tiou. 1t was opened OH the Sabbath, and
it was on the Sabbath that he was stab
bed to hi. death. Ia this the providence
of God2 Cant say, but it looks signifi-
can't. We have case in Jewish history
at any rate where man was stoned tC
death for profnning Gods day. When =
man ignores Coda law and profanes Iii:
Sabbath, he darcs God, and "Woe to that
man that atriveth with his maker"
rrRrosEs OF THE SABBATH, OR now sASCTlFIED
"The Sabbath is to I've sanctiGed by d
holy resting all that day, even from such
a r
lawful on other days, and spending thu
whole time in the public and private e1,
crcscs Of Gods worship, except so mucl
as is to be taken up i'll the works of neces
sty and mercy"
|. To sanctify this day, then, NE mus
regard it as day of holy rest. Holy res
includes works Of charity and mercy. II
does not mean not doing anything thu
whole day but Christian work, at loast :
part Of the day.
. Worldly employment and recreation
must be laid aside. sa. 5s.i3.
3. tits day of worship. Tho design
Of the Sabbath is twofold. First, that We
NAV secure rest Of body, mind, etc. Sec
ond, that God may he worshippcd, maj
instructed, and his soul brought undo
the influence of things unseen and eternal
The Sabbath is prc-eminently day y
worship meditation and prayer, and hi
who neglects these duties fails most Of al
to regard it properly.
4. 1t is day Of joy and of praise, o
Thanksgiving and of bright anticipation
A time when we should look forward Il
that endless Sabbath-that "eterna! res
which remains for the people eff God"
Finally, let us inquire, how is the Sab
bath violated, or what is forbidden in tn
fourth commandment.
'.The fourth commandment forbiddetl
the omission or the careless pesformanc
of the duties required, and the profainin;
of tho day By dleness or doing that whic
is in itself sinful, or by unnecessar
thoughts, words or acts about cur world
employment or rscreations."
!. 1t is violated, then, by omittin
anything that ought to be done.
2. By doing nothing on that day. Coo
fancy, looks with more contempt o.
those WHO idle the day away than II
does upon the men who struggle for tn
almighty dollar, or than he who is in no
pursuit of pleasure.
3. BY doing that which is iii itself sin
full. Sins committed on the Sabbath AT
aggravated God holds us Responsible TO
the sin itself and for profaining His da!
t. By unnecessary thoughts, words
acts about our worldly employments o
T., t.. 5Q.ir .ro fouo h