Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-09-05

Son of Righteousness arose with heal
ing In his beams, the Jews themselves
Seem TO have maintained Sabbath ob
servance with ali the punctiliousness
OF theletter though there was little
enough of the spirit. At all events. at
thetlme of our Lords advent the day
was "a burden aud weariness rather
than "A refreshmeut aud a delight.
Foolish and grotesque. indeed, were
SOME of the prohi bitions handed
down by tradition as binding upon a
plous jew. One could not rub out a
head of wheat IN the hands. for that
was threshing; nor could one chew
whole grain, for that WAS grinding:
nor could one carry weight heavier
than dried tig; nor could one in
woke the aid of Il physician " hen sick
On the Sabbath, and SO on TO redic-
ulous indnitude of prohibition and
consequent evasions.
When Christ came, he taught that
ne letter killeth while the spirit civ
eth life; He showed that mere out
ward observance wa. nothing unless
accompanied by the inward acqules
cence Of the heart. He touched The
dead body of a formal ritual. and il
stood upon its feet instinct with all
the beauty of living organism. We
find that on this subject he did not
eI'e specific rules and regulations
lie rarely, If ever did-but he stated
their general principles for our gui
dance and direction in the matter of
Sabbath observance. First, il is
lawful to do we'll on the sabbath
day. Sec0ud, the Sabbath was made
for man not man for the Sabbath.
1hiri, the Son of Man is Lord also
Of the Sabbath.
By the first law, We are permitted
as would IN reason aud common
sense be supposed natural-to engage
IN acts of kindness and in deeds of
love. We may, nay we must, min
lister to the wants of the dumb an
lmals dependent upon us, loose the
OK from the stall and lead him away
to watering; We must exert ourselves
to alleviate and lessen the ills of
suffering humanity, visit the sick,
raise the fallen, comfort the afflicted
in 4 word we must withdraw our
thoughts from our selfish week -dav
aims and ends and be the bearers of
good to others.
The second of these general prin-
ciples teaches us that God does not
intend the Sabbath to be "A burden.
a clog, an irritation; it was made for
man, not man for it, 1t was made
for mans body that his physical
frame might rest from the SIX davs'
labor and be refreshed and
strengthened for the duties of the
coming week. 1t was made for
mans mind that it might relax after
the strain of secular duties and re-
cover its spring and snap for fresh
efforts. 1t was made for mans soul
that IT might rise above the beggarly
elements of flesh and sense and soar
into the purer atmosphere of spirit
ual contact with things heavenly and
divine; that it may leave for time
the mean and sOrdid things of earth
and gather wisdom and ghostly
strength for new conflicts with the
world, the flesh, and the devil
Thank God the Sabbath was made
for mani
From the third principle, l seen
t. learn that Christ emphasizes the
fact that He claims a special pro
prietOrship over us on the Sabbath
OF course, we are His servant:
always, and to Him our service anC
our homage is ever due, HIS worl
must be our chief care on all DAYS
He gives MS, however, six days OF
which to look to our own pursuits
manage our own worldly affairs, anC
run the race set before us under tn,
limitations and conditions made nee
essary by our allegiance to Him. Bu
on the Sabbath His work must b,
our absorbing interest, His seryic,
our exclusive occupation, His lif,
and attributes our central thought
Before taking up the practical ap
plication of these general principle
let us consider the question, wha
day should be observed as Gods sev