Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-22

nies would fil columns Of this paper.
and there IL scarcely room for the bare
mention OF the names Of some or the
most eminent OF these witnessee-such as
Irnatius. Justin Martyr. Tertullian. Gle
ment Of Alexandra. Euseb1us, and lastly,
the most interesting letter Of an educated
and accomplished pagan--the younger
Pllny--addressed TO the Emperor Trajan.
with regard 20 the religious practices OF
the prosecuted Christians.
4. The great principle involved In the
Observance whether Of the seventh or
the first day of the week In that n certain
proportion Of our time shall be devoted
10 religious uses. The sacredness does
not belong 10 the literal day. az por-
ton Of time. but Is 20 be looked for In
the heart OF the worshipper. All that
can promote spiritual life in the souls OF
mon Is TO be found In the first as well
as in the seventh day OF the week-com-
mun.on with God. brotherhood. antici-
patton OF the Heavenly rest, all that holy
worship cen do 10 give preparation for
that eternal rest: all that Is sacred In
the permanent relations OF men, either to
God OF their fellow men. has been trans
feired 10 the Christian Sabbath. All else
is c.rcumstantial. variable. and temporary.
What is essential 70 the sanctity OF any
day in the seven ls eternal. The setting
forward or cOnSecrc1e1 time Dy one hUN
does not impair the obligation to keep
one seventh OF the week holy 10 the Lord.
II only gives new sanction to II by the
remembrance not only OF Gods rest
from His work, hut by the additional
remembrance Of the new creation emerg-
ing from the old. and OF the affecting
methods by which the redemption Of the
race was effected. That the essence OF
the command to keen one day holy cam
not belong 10 the day itself, numerically
considered. ie evident from the TACT That
no one day can be observed "a the Sab
bath at one time all over the earth.
Owing 90 the diurnal revolution OF the
earth and the inequality in the length
OF the Gays as we travel from the equator
toward the Poles. II Is utterly impossible
for all the inhabitants OF the earth to
observe the same periods Of time While
1T Is day I'm one half Of the world It Is
night In the other half.
What is n sacred day in Oriental lands
Is secular day in Occidental lands.
It Is, therefore. in the very nature or
the case a physical impossibility for all
the world 10 observe the same period Of
time for religious uses and no single day
can be called holy or devoted 10 holy uses
in every part OF the globe simultaneously.
Ii is evident, therefore. that what the
commandment requires is the keeping
of one seventh of our time holy. and that
IN each part OF the world the worshipper
must observe that portion Of the week
In the latitude or longitude where his
lot IS cast, in the way most In harmony
with the requirements Of Gods Word
and therefore most conducive 10 MS
temporal and eterpal welfare.
The celebrated boaAt that the drum-beat
Of England salutes the rising sun all
over the world finds its most beautiful
parallel in the fact that the psalms and
hymns Of holy worship salute the earliest
light Of the successive Sabbath mornings
as the earth revolves on its axis. until the
chorus OF praise encircles the earth.
This Is the day that the Lord hath
| made. let us be glad and rejoice In II.