The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-03-27
Rev. C.. NJ. Olipllant Delivers a
Discourse his Topic Being
OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH
Day in This City-The Saloons, Sum
day Base Ball and Other Things
Condemned by the Speaker How
Christians Unwittingly Violated tho
Spirit OF tho lords Dny-Much I'M
necessary Work on the Holy day.

delivered q DISCOURSE on ouNuay III
Wheeling. After speaking along the
line Aof the sanctlty of the Sabbath,
he called attention to Sunday violations
Of the law. incidentally arguing against
Sunday base bail.
Rev. Mr.. Ofiphunt's remarks were
substantially rs follows:
Human obligation to refrain from un-
necessary manual labor and secular
pleasures during one day in seven is
both perpetual and universal. Com
mon physical, intellectual. social, moral
and religious wants OF one man require
one day In the week sanctified to the
Lord. Under Moses and the Jewish
law, this one day was the seventh day,
called the Sabbath. Under Christ and
His Gospel (thc present dispensatioN,
this one day is the first Of the week, sec
ularly speaking, Sunday, rclisiously
speaking. the Lords Day.
\, There are but three grounds for any
thing of Il secular character being done,
on the Lords Day, or as we usually say.
Sunday.
The ground of necessity. Jesus
Christ and His disciples went through
corn fields on the Sabbath. the day to
be sancliiied by the Jews. The dsci-
pies plucked the ears of corn. The
PharIsees ask, why do they on the
Sabbath that which is unlawful?" Jesus
replied that David being hunSered,
and they that We're with him, ate the
shewbread, and gave to them that were
with him, thus, sowing that on the
ground of necessity they ate. The ne
cessity overrides the ceremonial. The
Sabbath was made for man. not man
for the Sabbath" Mark IL; IBIS. Luke
XIII; 1l-lI. teaches the same.
The ground OF mercy Mercy can
not be circumscTibed by rules and cere-
monies Works of mercy OH the Lords
Day are justitiab.e. No one would say
that had the Good Samaritan round the
man who had fallen among thieves, and
who needed immediate relief, on the
Sabbath day, or II In this age on the
Lords Day, he should have waited TIL
the next day TO help The man. Luke
X; S0-3T. 1t would be cruel to withhold
the hand OF mercy simply because 1t Is
the Lords Day The extremely sick
man wants a doctor. The principle OF
mercy requires simmediate attention.
Strange to say, however, some people
never want a doctor ut any other time
than on the day that should be sancti-
fed to the Lord. They lind It very
announcement TO be Ill Ut any other tune.
The ground Of life. Life controls all
Jesus laws. Jesus healed on the Sab
bath. The Pharisces questioned the ie-
gality OF the act. He rchuked them.
He said: IF a sheep fall into a pit on
the Sabbath will not "a mani lay hoid
"a. - 4. ~ ~
is man than sheep? Wherefore it
Is lawful to do wei! on the Sabbath
day, Matt, 12; 1912. When the
freedom OF a great city is conferred
upon q great man all laws are set
aside. So when life is at stake all laws
must be suborG!nated to saving HE.
These principles, necessity. mercy
and life. should be the tests as to the
proper or improper observance OF the
Lords Day, aside from the express re-
quiremenis to observe this day. WHAT
ever comes under these principles Is
justifable Whatever does not come
under them is evil. and merits the con-
domination of God and all good people.
Many good people in our city properly
observe the holy day. Their intluenc"
is powerful. TO them we owe much Tor
the progress in righteousness. which is
ground for gratitude. But there is a
side TO the picture which is not bright.
There are many evidences OF LORDS
Day dissertation.
l. Non-church attendance.-Not more
than one in five OF our population at
tends church. Not more than one
church member in three attends public
services regularly. Many attend irreS-
ularly Tonight, all over this city,
there are companies of church members
conTcrsing about secular affairs. Let
these often ask, why does not Chris
tianity progress better In Wheeling"
Their indifference to Christ is largely
the cause. Many say they are tired on
Sunday. Why tired on Sunday rather
than on other days? Not tired when
pleasure makes an appeal. They do
not cease from labor on other days sim
ply because OF being tired Why give
secular duties first place? No man has
Il right 20 so work In six days as to I'M
fit him for higher duties on the Lords
Day. VIII man rob God? Yes.
Many rob Him of the service that be-
longs to Him. The example of neigh
bors. Christians and all would be pow
erful for good, IL the service that be-
longs to God were given Him. Our
churches should be filled with people.
anxious for the bread OF life. They
would be happier, and have the pleas
ure that cndurcs.
2. Visiting that intcrfcres with higher
duties. When visiting hlndcrs the cause
OF Christ IL should stop. Visit your
friends, but do not violate Gods law.
With many visiting Is more important
than serving Christ. Sacredness Of the
Lords Day, communion with Christ,
spiritual help. do not impress them.
Many, through their visiting. keep 9TH
crs from public services on the Lords
Day These DcoDlc would be courteous
yet forget that many whom they visit
have an engagement with their Lord
which never should be broken IL posi-
bic to avoid It. The really devoted and
regular attendant at church service Is
seldom hIndered from attending public
services by visitors. The frequent
Lords Day visitor knows whom to visit
and whom not TO visit.
3. Secular work and pleasure on the
Lords day. Unnecessary work Is done In
mills and elsewhere. Extra street car
traffic requires additional labor. Many
men are required 10 work hardest on
Sunday, because of conditions that
might be changed with good results to
employer and cmploye. Too many en-
ploycrs and employees are not satisfied
n with the money made In six days. and
thus rob God OF service and themselves
of that delight and helpful influence
that would result from sanctifylng one
day to the Lord and TO their own high
cr interests. Happy Is the man who
properly utilizes God-Eivcn time. Many
places Of business are open on the
Lords Day. Why? Not on grounds
OF NECESSITY. mercy and life. The bus
iness men, whose places are open to-
day or tonight are not considering
these principles which justify secular
work on Sunday. They do not claim