The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-20
How Should We Use
and Enjoy 1t?
AN INSPIRATION
To Higher Life, Not the O b.
servance of Form Wanted.

Rev. Austin 5. Carver or the tlrSt
Unitarian church preached yesterday
on 1.-THE use of Sunday" He took as
his text Mark ii,27-'The Sabbath was
made for man, not man for the Sab
bath" He said in part:
To the Jewish mind the Sabbath was
sacred in itself and must be guarded
and reverenced for its own sake 1t was
hedged around with restrictions. AS al
ways happens, the institution itself
came to be more important than the
purpose for which 1t existed. Ask a Jew
of Jesus time how to keep the Sabbath.
His first thought is what the day de-
nands, not what men need, not what
1t will do for them, but what they
should do for II.
Laws and regulations are multiplied
lest the holy time be violated, no mat
ter if humanity suffer, This kind of re-
gard Is not wholly misplaced. 1t seeks
to preserve what is most precious. 1t
becomes mischievous only when It
blinds one to the real meaning of the
day.
Jesus was no destroyer of old Gus
toms: a gentler radical never set him
self against the mistaken reverences of
men. He did not depr-ciate the Sabbath,
he did not say the Jews thought too
highly Of it. He simply told what 1t
should be reverenced for. He would
have men appreciate It's Just signin-
canoe by placing them at the proper
point of view. 1t is divine, 1t Is sacred,
he means to say, because 1t Is such
boon to humanity and not because of
any tradition regarding its origin. It's
value Is to be found in its practical USE
fulness 1t Is made for man.
And when we ask how our Sunday is
to be kept the answer is to be sought
in the light Of the principle. How can
it be made more helpful, refreshing and
useful in the varying conditions and
necessities of the people. This is the
point OF view to be kept in mind to
guide US through the confusion that
often surrounds the Sunday quiet. At
once, all considerations of its origin or
divine sanction become merely aca-
denic. What would it's origin or history
prove even If we knew them well?
1t is interesting to trace the high an
tiquity of the day of rest back beyond
the Hebrew people to the primitive
Babylonian beginnings. 1t is interest
ing to note the freedom of the early
church, to listen to Peters bold chal-
lenge, "One man esteemeth one day
above anothsrJ another man esteemeth
every day alike Let every man be fully
persuaded in his own mind" It is in
teresting to know what was the origin
Of that new thing In church history, the
Puritan and Protestant Sunday, and to
recall Luther's comment upon it when
he said, IF anywhere Sunday is made
holyWor the mere days sake, II any
where any one sets up Its observation
on a Jewish foundation-then I order
you to work on 1t. to ride on 1t, to
feast on it, to do anything to remove
this encroachment on Christian lib
erty." All this Is doubtless interesting,
but it does not help to determine the
point in hand. The real question is not
where Sunday comes from or what 1t
once was, but how to make the most
and best Of 1t now that it Is here.
One obvious feature OF Sunday is
that it Is day of freedom. The busy
cares of the world are suspended for
most people. The lawyer need not go
to his office, nor the banker to his
daily business is not heard. The
wheels stop. The workingman is free
Other days he is like q soldier in the
ranks. He must keep step. Today he
is master of himself Other days he is
part Of a machine. Today he is an in
dependent being. Whether men realize
it or not, they are better for such an
CdblS III illGs IHty dIG IdlSGu ABOVE
themselves and above their daily call
culations and interests. Who does not
appreciate the value Of such a period
of relief from the wear and strain of
our modern ways? Who does not hail
the morning of quiet with sense of
well being and feel that it brings a
priceless blessing?
Here then are these 10 days for our
selves how shall we best use them?
TT would ha phc1Ird oil
ton that would apply to all cases. Con-
ditions are differeHt and means are
different. 1t seems clear to me that
there must be the largest liberty al
lowed to the individual. What we
should agree upon is that Sunday is
too great privilege to be wasted. 1t
offers US the rarest opportunity we
have for some of the things we want
TO do but have not the time for. II
you had seven solid weeks each year
for some special pursuit or interest
aside from your pressing duties, seven
weeks for science, or art, or history,
or poetry, or fireside travel, you would
feel rich indeed. Yet that is what is
offered you.
AS 1 have said there is no way of
keeping Sunday that can be said to
be called the best. But there are a few
conditions Of general application. 1t
ought in the first place to give the OPP
portunity for complete rest 1t is said
it is good for a violin to be strung al
ways at the same pitch. But for a
man, If he is to play his tune well dur
ing the week, it Is necessary that the
strings be loosened. Physiology en-
forces the obvious lesson Of Sunday and
breaches to the busy man the virtues
Of Incidence. All that is said Of the ex-
haustion Of modern life emphasizes
this aspect of the day Of rest. No ex-
hausting occupation or exhausting
pleasures should have q place. Let a
man be lenient with himself.
Then, a part of the day should be
made different from ordinary days
There are two ways Of doing this. One
is by repression, by not doing what we
have during the week. This is the
simplest but also the most stupid way
although considered religion by many
good people Its particular disadvant-
age is that II creates the impression
especially with the children, that It is
wrong to do certain things which are
perfectly innocent
The more excellent way is by expan-
sion. by doing something different or
better. Let there be an eager and ac-
tive employment and keen enjoyment
in some real interest reserved for this
day. We are all in danger Of becoming
thin and narrow in sentiment. Life
loses the breadth and beauty Of its
early longings and purposes, It tends to
sink down TO a level plane and is con-
fined to small circle Of necessitated