The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-01
LAST SERMON
Preached by DR.. w. M. Grier, at Bethle
hem Church, September 3rd, 1899.
Associate Reformed Presbyterian.

land that is not cleansed. "-Ezek.
1924.
s, It is within the memory Of this gen.
Grafton when this, whole land of ours,
North, South, East and West, was
swept by the desolation Of war. There
are on every hand. in ruined homes,
and stricken households and father
less children the memorials Of our ter
rible civil war. Verify, we have pass.
ed through the furnace Of affection
the gold has been tried. And yet in
the evils which aflict us, and the
evils which threaten US. we may say
of our whole country, as the prophet
said Of Palestine after its fearful
sceurge Of war and captivity, "Thou
art aland that is not cleansed, l." The
design of afliction is twofold, for
correction and for punishment. Jobs.
for example, was not so much for pun
ishment as for a witness to the truth
and q testimony to the power OF re-
ligion in the heart. But whatever be
the Immediate design, it ought to lead
us in the end to giving up OF sin, a
searching Of our ways and turning
=
to God in hearty resolve to abandon
everything which might have incurred
his displeasure, and unless it accom-
plish this, at least in part, we will
have been scourged in vain. twill
be ca land not cleansed." Is not this
our condition? Doubtless, brethren,
there are sanctified results with many;
doubtless the chastening which we
have received has wrought sanctifed
results with many, doubtless the at
Fiction has worked patience, and pa
thence experience and experience hope
in many cases, and Tat grief which
lies buried so tenderly in the sanctu-
ary Of the soul has weaned 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
NAV we not saw with the prophet,
thou art land not cleansed. :"
W Brethren, We have not cleansed
ourselves from proclamation Of God 4
holy Sabbath. Instead Of less Sab
bath desecration 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 inwoven with the
warp and woop Of the Jewish economy
and it was reafirmed in the ministry
of Jesus Christ. His teachings did
not abolish this institution; so far
from that he incorporated it with the
Gospel dispensation; and by his e1-
ample He declares it TO be Of perpet-
uak obligation. The Sabbath was
made for man, for his good and his
everlasting well-being. But to enjoy
its blessings, and to reap its benefits
we must observe it. It must be sane,
tilted. Apart from any religious con-
sideration it would seem that men
would be constrained to keep it as a
day Of rest. Filled up as the week is
with its busy hours and its burden Of
cares, and its constant employment
how necessary some interval of 1crcse.
AS measure of the system Of human
labor, how wise and bene6cent. In
this view Of it even the ungod!y have
recognized its wisdom. And yet it is
with thousands day Of actual labor.
Their physical energies are 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-
fined 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 whouadmit 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, medi-
tation and reading the Scriptures. Is
it not true, brethren, that this evil ia
stead Of diminishing is growing one
in this country? Has there not been
a decline in this matter from the prac-
tices Of our fathers? 1t may be said