The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-07-21

worship. Sunday is the Christian Sab
bath, not Jewish, and that day being
commemorative OF Christ's resurrection
is called the Lords day. The proper OBJ
servance of the Lords day is all impor-
tant to the growth of Christian life and
to the growth of the nation.
There is more danger 70 the nation
arising from dissertation of the Sabbath
than from any other way. The Sunday
laws on the statutes are well enough,
but they lack enforcement, without
which they are useless. Rev. Benson
said he did not intend to sayHanything
| against the officers. 81 think Rev.
Sweet has already given them all they
want. | am glad the large membership
OF the First church is standing so nobly
by their pastor. He deserves their sup
port"
The "amens" heard over the church
was good indication that Asbury, too,
was ready to take a stand in the matter
of reform along the line started by Rev.
Sweet.
There are many ways, said the minis
ter that the Sunday laws are trodden
under loot. To begin with the laws are
utterly disregarded. Railroad compan-
les run Sunday excursions for the reason,
as they say, that the laboriDg man needs
recreation, when in reality the roads
first desire is to make money. 1t is the
money that makes the benevolence. At
tending base hall games and buying
goods on Sunday are common methods
OF breaking Gods law, the violators
showing by doingthose things that they
have not a proper sacredness in their
hearts. Ordinary work on the Sabbath,
Rev. Benson showed, is not only neces-
sary but is in direct violation of Gods
commandment. The Bible now herespre-
sents such an idea as harvesting crops
on Sunday, and does not recognize the
doing of any ordinary labor on that
day.
Rev. Benson spoke considerable on the
question of bicycle riding on Sunday.
He thinks the wheel is at fault for much
OF the improper use of the day. To use
wheel to carry person on the right
errand on Sunday he comedies is perfect
ly legitimate, but to take wheel ride
that day for pleasure is an abomination
in the eyes of God. Reading secular
newspapers on Sunday is species OF
dissertation, and the visiting of friends
for the purpose OF business or political
conversation as well.
The method of reform from these
things, said the pastor, lies with the in
dividual. Each one should endeayor to
enforce the laws of God and the state by
precept, then act unitedly against the
vice.
Rev. 8. A. strawns Views.
"The Lords Day, or the Christian
Sabbath" was the subject of Rev.
Strawn's sermon last evening at the
church OF Christ. The following is q
synopsis OF the sermon.
GA period OF rest is necessary for both
man and beast; and it has been proven
that they will live longer and enjoy
better health by using one day out of
seven for day OF rest. Gladstone at
tributes his good health to the strict
manner in which he observed the Lords
day. The Sabbath was given to the
whole human race and was blessed by
God. The idea OF the Sabbath in the
beginning was rest and moral improve
ment. Going back to the time that the
children of Isarel were being led through
the wilderness we find that God gave
them mamma every day except Sunday,
but enough was given them Sunday to
last over Sunday.
The people OF the present age cannot
observe the Mosaic Sabbath. Under
that law we would be stoned to death,
so rigid was it. But we are not under
the Mosaic law but under grace, but
Christ is the end OF the law.
We should keep the Lords day as
sacred to the Lord as we keep the
week days sacred to ourselves. We
should work as hard for the Lord as we
work for ourselves. Are you going to
be like the man, who when given sc out
OF 81, stole the other dollar, and steal
the Lords day to engage in revelry? 1t
is day when we should look to the
Lamb of Calvary. When we should look
within and see our weaknesses and look
to Christ and have our sins washed
away. We are not to spend the day at
the river, on excursions, gossiping about
our neighbors, at big dinners, or for our
own selfish pleasures, but to the glory OF
our God.