The times., 1898-12-19
A BOON TO ALL MANKIND.
The American Sabbath Unions Anni-

The decennial anniversary of the Ameri-
can Sabbath Union was celebrated at the
Calvary Baptist Church, corner of Eighth
Those occupying the platform were:
The Hon. Nelson Dingley, the Rev. Byron
Sunderland, DID,, formerly pastor of the
First Presbyterian Church; the Rev. S. NJ.
Greene. DID,. pastor OF Calvary Church
]. w. Hathaway, DID,, secretary of the
c. McCook, DID,. chaplain of the Second
Regiment, Pennsylvania, u. S. "; Bishop
John F. Hurst, the Rev. A. Mackay-
Smith, DID,, pastor of st. Johns Church;
the Rev. A II. Plumb. DID,. of Boston,
and the Rev. teunis S. Mamlin, D. d.
pastor of the Church of the Covenant.
The services were opened by the read
ing of scrIptural verses by the Rev. ]. W.
Hathaway, Secretary Hathaway then in
troduced Hon. Nelson Dingley as the pre-
siding officer of the meeting. Mr.. Ding
ley, upon taking the chair, stated that the
object of the union was the preservation
of the sanctity of the American Sabbath
and that the Christian Sabbath was one
of the corner-stones of the Republic. The
speaker observed that the Sabbath, used
as day of rest, contributed not only
TO mans moral uplifting, but to his
physical and Intellectual benefit as well; I;
that where the sanctity of the Sabbath is
not regarded there will be found both
private and national degeneracy
At the close of Mr.. Dingley's remarks,
the chair and congregation sang. 30,
Day of Rest" A prayer was offered by
the Rev. Dr. Sunderland, asking for the
perpetuauon Of the holiness of the Sab
bath and the defeat of every measure
that would tend to destroy it, Dr. Greene
delivered the address of welcome, stating
that he was delighted to welcome the
union because 1t was doing so much both
for the church and the country. Rev. J.
W. Hathaway, in a short address, said
that il was the desire of the union TO
come into closer touch with the churches,
so as to increase the efficacy of its work
The Hon. Nelson Dingley then intro
duced the speaker of the evening the
Rev. Henry C. McCook, d. D. Dr. Nc
Cook is a brother of Gen. Anson McCook
and only recently returned from Santiago,
where he served on the staff of Chief
Surgeon Hayard.
DR.. McCook spoke of the Sabbath as a
natural, phiianthropic and patriotic insti-
tuition. The speaker said: God rested
the seventh day" Such IS the Bible $
statement. What cau 1t mean? Read the
testimony of the rocks. The science OF
geology is still unfolding for US successive
laminae OF that antique folio known as
the earth's surface Several OF these
leaves are fairly oyerwritten with proofs
of vast activities. Others are almost
blank. The forces that wrought out the
globe in the divine workshop and studio
OF nature have mad tneIr periods of labor
and their periods of rest. A law of sab
batismas is plainly inscribed upon the
earth's strata"
DIR. McCook then showed that through
all the eras of geological history from
the lowest Salurian TO the age of man,
the stupendous vital forces OF the world
had periods of repose. Continuing, the
speaker said: Sound waves nave their
points of force and their beats Of silence.
THUS God has imprinted upon the
mysterious phenomena of light, color and
sound the law of a sabbatismas-
Who does not know that the fertile
bosom of our mother earth does not and
cannot yield continuously her nurturing
fruits? Every agriculturist knows this,
and by the alienation of crops and the
periodical suspension of culture, recos-
nizes that law of nature whose wisdom
breathes through all the old code of Is
rael, by which rest was given to the
land every seventh year.
"In man himself vital force. like the
waves of the sea. has its high tide and
its low tide every day He works and
he sleeps. Just as needful as his daily
period of work is his daily sabbatismaS.
sleep; sleep that knits up the raveled
sleeve of care, the death of each day s
life sore labor's bath, balm of hurt
minds. great natures second course,
chief nourisher in Hfe's feast
'.Machinists generally believe that all
machines require a period of rest, and So
with all tools and inventions"
The speaker proceeded to show that
the Sabbath is a philanthropic and pa
triotic institution. He said:
"All experiences confirm the saving of
Blackstone: a corruption of morals us
ually follows the profanat ation of the Sab
BATH ii is not difficult to explain this.
Sabbath observance is 4 command of the
decalogue. 1t takes its place alongside
of those laws that throw their sanction
around human life. human property. do
mestic peace and all that makes the in
dIvidual. the family and the state sa-
cred and secure.
Continuing, DR.. McCook said: The Sab
bath is of divine origin. 1t must inevita-
bly, follow; that Sabbath desecration brings
degeneration of the morals. since it at
tacks the core of vital morality by as
sailing the supremacy of God. Ths effect
of this upon the state and upon society is
manifest A sense of duty to God is nee
essary to create and maintain good citi-
Zenship The highest ideal of national
character and prosperity cannot be main
tained without a scored day of worship.
Therefore to break down the observance
of the Christian Sabbath is TO lay the AK
at the root of religion.
The speaker then referred to the war
with Spain and declared that the profana-
ton of the Sabbath by our troops in camp
was terrible, and that this was allowed
without any restraint from their officers.
The speaker declared that the war was
one of humanity and that the ordinance
of the Sabbath should be carried into all
Americas provinces.
At the conclusion of DR.. AIcCOoke ad-
dress Mr.. Dingley introduced Bishop John
F. Hurst, who briefly related the history
of the English Sabbath and what steps
We're now being taken for its inaugura-
ton in other countries. The benediction
was pronounced by the Rev. Mackay-
Smith, d. d.
Mr. Rryan-s backward stem