The age-herald., 1900-07-02
WHY THE SABBATH
 SHOULD BE KEPT Dr.. Steele Breaches a Very h. tereSting Sermon. IS A BENEFIT TO HEALTH There is a Persistent and Desperate Eff fort on the Part of Many to Make
 Sunday Simply
 Holiday
IS A BENEFIT TO HEALTH

Rev Dr. l. D. Steele, pastor of the First Cumberland Presbyterian church, Fifth avenue and Eighteenth street, preached on the subject of the Christian Sabbath" yes- terday morning. His text was:
 Mark 2:27, "The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath
 These words are recorded as the words of Christ, spoken concerning the Sabbath. He was combating the idea that the Sab- bath was something holy and sacred in and of itself, and that man was made to fit in1o this sacred institution Jesus re- versed the thought and stated that man was made first and the Sabbath was made to suit man, made for his good and that the proper observance of it would result in the good of humanity and the glory of God. "He came not to destroy the law" and the Sabbath Is part of the law.
 In this discussion of the holy Sabbath day, we will not dwell so much on the Bible injunctions as we will on the obvious reasons for keeping the Sabbath and the reasonableness of observing such a day. It is very apparent to all Christian observers that to give up the day known as the Amer ican Sabbath would be morally disastrous to the welfare of the great mass of Amer ican citizens Those who are contentious for the change destruction of the holy day are working against their best inter- ests, and also to the hurt of the great so- cial fabric of our whole country. Whatever tends to break down the Sabbath tends to destroy Christian godliness and the de- struction of Christian godliness means the downfall of national morality.
 Not ganst the Constitution
 The proper observance of the sacred day is not antagonistic to the constitution of our country, which says, that Congress shall make no laws respecting an estab- lishment of religion or the prohibiting of the free exercise thereof" While this is true, yet Congress does and ever has en- acted laws which respect our common Christianity. It does not compel any kind of worship neither does it prohibit any kind of worship provided it does not dis turb others. It would be a very strange thing for a nation of Christian people not to have Christian laws. The civil law does not protect the Sabbath or the worship on the Sabbath because Gods word says it should be; but because the sentiment is one of freedom, and it is liberty rightly given to all free Christian people.
 Its Benefits to Health and Length of Life
 There are many worthy citizens who have no respect for the Sabbath day such, but simply regard it as a Christian sentiment. There are others who are open ly hostile to it and use every endeavor to i, desperate and persistent effort in this country to make it simply holiday
 When Sir Robert Peel was Prime Minis ter of England it was thought that his health would not stand the great strain, which naturally fell upon a man in this position. The reply was: ''Sir Robert works only six days and on the seventh he and his family worship Cod His health did not fail and he thought it was due to strict observance and rest on the sev- enth day. Mir. Gladstone gave strong tes- timony of its inestimable value to every man in any kind of toll. Yet in the face of all of this evidence there are many to be found who totally disregard the day. as day of rest. For the sake of health and in the name of good morals we plead for the Christian Sabbath day.
 Factories and Railroads
 There should be a cessation of toll in all factories, and as far possible on all railroads. Labor should at least be at the minimum. The nations of the earth who do not observe the Sabbath day are not as rich nor as powerful as those who do. Of course there are works of necessity and works of mercy; these must be attended to, and it is proper and right that they should be. great manufacturing concern in New York stated that the church-going workmen of their factory were worth 25 per cent. more on Monday and Tuesday than those who spent the Sabbath in dis sipation and in excursions. Mir Stude-