The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1897-02-26

men can be guilty of pol1uting the
sacred vessels of the temple and carry.
ing them away to Baylor. The sacred
vessels in the temple at Jerusalem
were the cups and plates of gold and
silver with which the rites and cares
monies were celebrated. The lNyinG of
heather hands upon them and the carr
rying them off as spoils was an In-
bounded offense TO the Lola of the tenn.
pie. Yet Nebuchadnezzar committed
this very sRcrilege. Though that
wicked king is gone, the sins he imam.
gurated walk up and down the earth,
cursing it from century to century.
The sin of Decorating sacred things is
committed by those who on sacrament
tai day take the communion cup, while
! their conversation and deeds all show
that they live down in Babylon. How
solemn is the sacraaenti 1t is time
for vows, time for rope ntance, time
for faith. Sinai statds near, with its
fire-spit clouds, and Calvary, with its
victim. The holy spirit broods over
the scene, and the glory of Heaven
seems to gather in the sanctuary. Vile
indeed must that man be who will
come in from his idols and unrepented
fOllies to take hold of the sacred YES
sells of the temple. o, thou Nebu chad.
nezzari Back with you to Babylonl
Those also desecrate sacred things
who use the Sabbath for any other
than religious purposes. This holy
day was let down from Heaven amid
the intense secularities of the week to
remind us that we are immortal, and
to allow us prepare ton for an endless
state of happiness. 1t is a green spot
in the hot desert of this world that
gushes with fountains and waves
with palm trees. This is the time
to shake the dust from the robes
of our piety and in the tents of Israel
sharpen our swords for future conflict
Heaven, that seems far off on
other days, alights upon the earth, and
the song of Heavenly choirs and the
hosannah of the white-robed seem to
mingle with our earthly worship. We
hear the wailing Infant of Bethlehem,
and the hammer-stroke of the car
penter's weary son in Nazareth, and
the prayer of Gethsemane, and the
bitter cry of Golgotha. Glory be unto
the Lord of the Sabbath With that
one day in seven God divides this great
sea of business and gayety, SO that
dry-shod we may pass between the
worldly business of the past and the
worldly business of the futurel
But to many the Sa bbath comes only
as a day for neighborhood visiting,
field rambling, hotel lounging and po-
litical caucusing. This glorious Sab
bath, which was intended only as a
golden chalice from which the thirsty
should drink, is this moment being
carried down to Babylon. l do not
exaggerate the truth when l say that
to tens of thousands there is no dis
tinction between the Sabbath and the
week days, except that on the Lords
day they do not work, while
they eat more largely and dissipate
more thoroughly. Sabbath break
ers are like hunters who should COM
pei their hounds to take rest while
themselves continue on the weary
chase, for men on the Sabbath allow
their bodies, which are merely the
animal nature, sufficient repose, while
the immortal nature, which should be
fed and freshed, is compelled to chase
up and down this worlds highway.
How shameful to rob God of His day,
when He allows men so much lawful
acquisition, even of a worldly nature,
on the Sabbath day; for although
men themselves are commanded to
rest, the corn and the wheat and the
grass grow just as rapidly on the Sab
bath as on other days, so that while
they sit in the sanctuary they are
actually becoming richer in worldly
things. While you are doing othing
your bonds and mortgages are all &C.
cumulating interests for your estate
just as fast as on other days. Men
hired by the month or year are re-
ceiving just as much wages while
quiet on the Sabbath as they are the
Woodworking week day. No, I say
how unutterly mean it is, when God
is adding to your worldly estate
on the Sabbath as certainly as on
other days, that any should not be
satisfied with that, but attempt to
seize additional secular advantage
from the Lords day. Have you never
noticed the curious fact that our
worldly occupation frequently seems
to be divided into sections of six days |
each? Every week we have just enough
work given us to do in six days. God
makes just enough breaks in our con-
tinuous occupations to thrust in the |
Sabbath. If you have not before no.
ticed, observe hereafter that when
Saturday night comes there is almost
always a good stoppingplace in your
business. All things secular and |
spiritual in providence and revelation |
seem to say: Remember the Sabbath |
day, to keep it holy" When the six
days of creation had passed God |
stopped working. Not even . pure
flower or a white cloud would He |
make, because it was the Sabbath,
and, giving an example to all future
times, He rested.
He who breaks the Sabbath not more
certainly robs God than robs himself
continuous Dissertation OF
the sacred day ends either in bank
ruptcy or destroyed health. A mer-
chant said: Had it not been for the
Sabbath l have no dou bt should have
been q maniac long ago." This re-
mark was made in company of mer-
chants, and one of them said: THAT
with the experience of my
friend, great importer. He often
said: 1.-The Sabbath is the best day Of
the week to plan successful voyages
He has for years been in an insane
hospital, and will probably die there"
Just in proportion as men are wrong
will they be boisterous in their religi-
ous contentious. The lamb of religion
is always gentle, where there is no
lion so fierce as the roaring lion that
goes about seeking whom he may de-
YOUR. Let Gibraltars belch their war
flame on the sea, and the Dardanelles
darken the Hellespont with the smoke
of their batteries, but forever and ever
let there be good will among those who