The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-05-18
SABBATH DISSERTATION.
Sunday Address at Y. M. C. A. by
Rev. Ira W. Kimmel.

hall on Sunday afternoon before large
audience. Following is Il BRIEF report of
the address:
ssBut il &c Will not hearken unto me to
hallow the Sabbath day, and not to bear
burden, even entering in ut the gates of
Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; then will
kindle fire in the gates thereof, and it
shall dcrour the palaces of Jerusalem, and
it shall not be Quenched. "-Jeremiah,
1927.
The dissertation Ct the Sabbath day is
one OF the most fragrant sins of the day.
There seems to be u growing irreverence
that is especially to be noted among the
younger population. The drift is towards
a denial of the religious claims of Gods
holy day, ard to throw off it's obligations
rs far as they are binding TO solemn OBJ
servance of it, The arguments to be adj
duced here will be based upon the posi-
tive Divine command for holding the
sabbath day" sacred. God has said:
"SiX days shalt thou labor and do all thy
work" He has reserved one day upon
which all the people are to worship and
rest, ami no one has r. right to profane
His day by using it for personal profit
pleasure or selfish indulgence.
We note in the prophets declaration q
positive note. Nothing indeterminate
about it. 1t also has attached tc it a
penalty for disobedence. If YOU are
careful to observe my Holy day, saith the
Lord, "kings and princes shall enter the
gates of this city, riding in chariots and
OH horses, and this city shall remain for
ever. But if you will not hearkep unto
Me to hallow the Sabbath day, / will
kindle II fire in the gates thereof, and it
shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem,
and it shall not be qucnched - 1t is an
historical fact that this prophecy was
literally fulfilled In the siege of .Jerusa-
lem the gates and palaces were actually
destroyed by fire.
One of the most ominous signs of the
degeneration of the present day youth is
the proclamation of the Lords day. Re
ligious restraint is fast losing it's hold on
the young. Our people, because of the
lack of home institutions, are becoming
irreverent violators of the Sabbath and
the day for them is rapidly being Invested
OF its sacred character, and becoming a
mere holiday. 1t is being degraded into
Il day of idleness and amusement, the
effects of which are becoming apparent
in the lives of our people. The attempt
to prove that the fourth commandment
is no longer binding has fallen down.
1.-The Lords day is Il divine ordinance.
founded in the nature of man, consecrat-
ed by God at the creation of the race, for
mulated i'll the fourth command ment of
the Decalogue, recognized by Oh rist, a nd
perpetuated in the Lords day of the
ChristianChurch." This concise statement
by Atterbury is true. We always honor
God when we put His revelation to us on
impregnable grounds. We find that in
no instance, either by word or deed, did
Christ arrogate any of the 'ten command
ments." 1t is just as much CT sin now
as ever was to lie, steal, swear, dishonor
your parents, commit adultery, worship
idols or covet anything that is your
neighbors. BY what process ofsreasoning
does any rational being reach the conclu-
sion that while nine of these command
ments are still binding on the hearts and
consciences OF man, the one referring to
the Sabbath has lost it's force? The com.
mand to remember the Sabbath day to
keep it holy is as binding to-day as it
ever was. Violation of the Lords day
demoralizes the individual and through
him the community. This sin against
God destroys family and national life.
We do not plead for the old Jewish Sab
bath with all its restrictions and pensal.
ties MOI do we want the Puritan Sab
bath with its rigid, icy Journalism. But
we do demand proper conception of the
day, i u the light of Gods insured word
and religious observance of it in obedi-
ence to Gods commands and Chrst's
teachings, THAT it was made for man."
1t should he a day of joyful service and IL
day too sacred to be profaned 1t was in.
stltuted as day of rest. Commanded
iromaSinai rs remembrance of the de.
liverance of the Hebrews from t.gyrt,
to be observed now as the day upon
which Christ rose from the dead.
Dissertation OF the Lords day produces
n 81
science, Injuries beyond repair the moral
nature, destroys utterly the sense of
religious obligation. No man is accepta-
BILE to Christ who has not n high and holy
regard for His day.
1t is natural that the question should
he asked what constitutes IL dissertation
of the Lorll's day. What can do and
what must abstain from doing? 1t is
absolutely necessary to discriminate be.
tween Gods day rs IL holiday and n relig.
ious day of worship and rest. The spe-
cilic object of the Lord IS day is to teach
man his duty TO God. "Then i. is an d.
vantage to public ihealth, public educa.
ton, checks crime, preserves the home.
and increases reverence
Proclamation of the Lords day includes
everything that detracts from the proper
spirit of its observance, or DESTROYS it's
sanctity. Secular reading, worldly con.
sations, visiting and social calling,
exec ssve feasting, Sunday trains, Sun
day mails, Sunday work of any descrip.
ton, Sunday newspapers, bicycle riding
or driving for pleasure. We want to
consider first Sunday labor. large
number of persons are compelled to work
seven days in the week, which is wrong.
The intent Of the day was that one dav
out of seven should be day of rest No
corporation or business concern hos n
right to offer their employees the alterna-
tive of "your bread or your services No
man or woman has n right to work ON that
day, and if coerced should say as Peter