The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-01

Z-.--t
It's within the memory Of this gen
Grafton when this whole land Of ours,
North, South, East ana West, was
swept by the dcsolaion of war. There
are Oh every hand. in ruined homes,
and stricken households and father
less children ;hc memorials Of our tex
riblc civil war. Verify, we have pass
cd through the furnace Of aiilictiOn-
the gold has been tried. And yet in
the evils which aict us, and the
evils which threaten us. we may say
CT our whole country, as the prophet
said Of Palestine after its fearful
scourgc Of war and captivity, "'Ihou
art land that is not clcanscd The
design Of atlliction is twofod, for
correction and for punishment Job $.
for example, was not 80 much for pun
ishmcnt as for witnc,, to the truth
and Il testimony to the power Of re
ligion in the heart. l'ut whatever be
the immediate design, it ought to lead
us in the end to "A giving up Of sin. IL
searching Of our ways and Il turning
to God in hearty resolve to abandon
everything which might have incurred
his displcasurc, and unless it accom-
plish this, at least in part, We will
have been scourgcd in vain. 1t will
be ga land not clcanscd.' Is not this
our condition? Doubtless, brethren,
there arc sanctifcd results with many;
doubtless tn" Christening which we
hav. rrc"iy.'! has wrought sanctiGcd
result, wl,h m"ny, doubtless the af
fIictinl, has worked patience, and pa
thence experience and experience hope
in many eases, and that grief which
lies buried SO tcnlcrly in the sauctu-
ary Of the soul has wcancd many from
an unsatisfying portion of this earth
to glorious and blessed Immortality.
But if we look at the general results,
and at the prevailing characteristics
may we not say with the prophet,
"thou art land not clcanscd."
(D Brethren, We have not clcanscd
ourselves from proclamation Of q ID $
holy Sabbath. Instead Of less Sab
bath dcsccratiOn than there was 40
years ago, is there not more of it? On
this subject God has given us, not
only his example, but also an express
law. That law was inwovcn with the
warp and woop Of the Jewish economy
and it was reaifirmcd in the ministry
of Jesus Christ. His teachings did
not abolish this institution; so far
from thet he incorporated it with the
Gospel dispensation; and by his cx
ample lie declares it to be of pcrpet-
ual obligation. The Sabbath was
made for man. for his good and his
everlasting well-bcing. But to enjoy
its blessings, and to reap its benefits
we must observe it. 1t must be sane
tilted. Apart from any religious CON
sidcration it would seem that men
would be constrained TO keep it as
day Of rest. Filled up as the week is
with its busy hours and its burden of
cares, and its constant employment
how nccessar some interval Of repose.
AS measure the system Of human
labor, how wise and benc6cent. In
this view of it even the ungodly have
recognized its wisdom. And yet it is
with thousands day of actual labor.
Their physical energies ere taxed as
much as on any other. The great rail
road trains employ their hands and la
borers on that day just as on any 9th
er. The Sabbath receives not even
the homage Of rest. In letter and
spirit the Sabbath is thoroughly dis
regarded. This disregard is not con-
Hncd to those who are careless of re-
ligion, who are Indifferent to it, but
the most mournful features Of it is in
the case Of those whor admit the sane
tity Of the Sabbath, who acknowledge
its divine authority. They know and
approve the right, but they follow the
wrong. So many who profess to hon
or the Sabbath, seem to think that if
they go to church they have fulfilled
their obligation to observe the Sab
bath-that they are, after this, free to
spend the day as they like. They for
get that the proper observance of the
day consists in holy resting, with its
accompanying duties Of prayer, mcdi-
tation and reading the Scriptures. Is
it not true, brethren, that this evil in
stead of diminishing is growing one
in this country? Has there not been
decline in this matter from the prac-
tices of our fathers? It may be said