The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-10-20
THE JEWISH SABBATH.

THE JEWISH SABBATH.
There was no institution Of their religion
for which the Jews in ancient times were
more bitterly ass;tied and maligned than
the sabbath. | need only mention the
ninth satire OF Horace Book / and the
savage onslaught Of Seneca, when in speak
ng OF the rites OF the Jews, he condemns
them severely for wasting Il seventh part of
their lives by observing the sabbath. The
sabbath was the most important and most
important and most characteristic feature
Of the Jewish religion. In its nature and
purpose, it was absolutely unintelligible to
the hcathcns. 1t sprang directly from the
peculiar views which the jew entertained
concerning God and man and their rela-
tions to each other, and these views were
directly opposed to those which were cur
rent in the heather world. The ancient
grading and unworthy Of Il freedom man,
and in the days OF Cicero the educated
Roman was OF the same opinion. In all
antiquity there was but one people that
was distinguished for the high estimate it
put upon work, and made it the fOunda-
ton of the social iabric-thc people of
Israel The Bible introduces God as work
Ing siN days and resting on the seventh.
Labor was cnioined on man, according to
the Bible, before he had committed the first
sin. and it was not regarded as a punish-
ment for his disobedience, OF as a primeval
curse. On the contrary, to work was God
like, and labor Of all kinds was, therefore,
commanded as divine obligation resting
upon all men without distinction, There
was no class. or order, which was exempt
from this duty.
1t is only in such a civilization as that of
the Jews that II sabbath could be insti-
tuted where there are no prerogatives of
birth, where slavery is condemned in prin-
ciple by the declaration Of the original bill
of rights that man-neither Greek nor He
brew, nor high nor low, rich or poor, but
man, plain man without any qualification
was created in the image of God, there,
and alone there, the sabbath could spring
up Where all alike are called to the do
minion Of this earth, and upon all alike is
imposed the divine obligation of work,
there a day of rest becomes necessary. 1t
is apparent that the sabbath day among the
Jews was instituted for the especial and
immediate benefit of the laboring classes.
As we know from the Bible and the Tai
mud, the sabbath was regarded is day Of
rejoicing and recreation, aS it was intended
to he a means of relaxation and diversion
from the ordinary pursuits of life, and, by
a coupling OF the religious element, to lift
man up to Il higher and better sphere of
thought and conduct Those who imagine
the Jewish sabbath to have been Puritan
in its nature, know nothing at all about it.
Its whole atmosphere was one of Joy and
delight. 1t is true the Pcntateuch has for
hidden the kindling of fire on the sabbath,
and it also tells us of man who was stoned
to death because ne gathered wood on the
sabbath. But there are more things in
school philosophy OF many Il divine, and |
believe that the history connected with this
inhabitation of fire and OF gathering wood
is one OF these things. ! have never yet
been able to find satisfactory explanation
in all the commentaries | have examined,
and hope may not be considered pre-
sumptuous in yenturing one.
1t is well known that one of the most
primitive and universal cults was the wor-
ship of the lirc-god. In it there We're ele-
mentS of cruelty and immortality, which
constituted it one OF the most baneful forms
of early religion. 1t had spread through
Assyria, Babylonia and Phmnicia, and
Russia was the classic land of the iire-god.
What horrd rites were connected with it
we know from the Bible, which informs us
that the children were made to pass through
the fire in honor of Moloch. The cult of
Venus and Adonis was a part of the wor-
ship of the sun or iire-god, and if we needed
any other information about the indecencies
connected with it than that furnished by
the Bible, we need only refer to the sixth
chapter of l.ucian's "de Syria Dea. The
rites and practices of this cult were abhor-
rent to every principle of the Mosaic reli-
zion. and, on this account it seems to me,
the lindling of fire. which in itself was a
necessary operation in the tire-worship, and
of great religious Importance, was prohibi-
ted on the Jewish sabbath The COM
mandmcnt "Ye shall not kindle fire in
Your dwellings on the sabbath day" is a
vestge OF and witness to the struggle
which MoSasm undertook against one of
the most debasing forms of idolatry that
ever infested mankind.-Dr. s. Sale.