Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-09-12

fSN SN~~~ VI ehAbBo. OcllcNc Ol
the grace of God humanity is being
uplifted and the world is growing
better. But still I fear that there is
less OF that earnest personal piety,
that entire and absolute conservation
20 God which made the lives of our
grsndmothers SO beautiful. so fruit
full aud so rich in Good works. Can.
not those of you who have passed the
prime of life remember now those
sanity ladies loved to sit for hours
reading the precious promises of
Holy Writ, pondering the great
truths of eternity, and drinking derp
draughts of Spiritual blessing from
the perusal of books like Baxter's
Saints Rest? Can yOn not see the
holy men of your early days-with
piety more robust and masculine.
though no more real and vigorous
pouring over the Commentaries of
Scott and Henry and studying the
thoughts of master minds expressed
III their writings ON dogmauc and
controversial theology: Who sees
these things now-a days: We have
nu: church work. we belong TO our
charch societies. we give of our
means; but ia all there is something
OF the earth, earthy. We MISS the
great deep straws of spirituality
winch flowed from the lives of the
saints of old and cleansed and puri.
fed all with which it came in con
tact. We live III such whirl Of
business activity, such feverishness
of constant effort that we forget to
draw upon our spiritual balance
sheet and neglect the command to
seek tjr~i the Kingdom of God and
His righteousness.
Our spiritual growth Is checked,
our spiritual life Is sapped. our ca
pacity for spirituality is diminished.
Under such conditions remedy
must be found and speedily applied,
aud that remedy is not far to seek
"Remember the Sabbath day to keep
it holy" Use it as God intended
In the refreshing quiet of the Sun
days calm, rebuild the breaches IN
the bulwarks of the soul; grow in
grace and in knowledge of our Lord
aud Savior, Jesus Christ.
Now, my dear young friends, how
shall you spend the day: | do not
expect old heads on young shoulders
or old hearts in young breasts. do
not expect to find in You the same
religious feelings and experiences
which belonged to your great grand
fathers and mothers in the rich
fullness of their ripe old age. Their
religious Development would as lit
tie suit your fresh and buoyant
spirits as would the caps and gray
hairs of the grsndmothers be becom-
ing to the blooming beauty of the
girl and the cane and lettering steps
of the grand-sire be appropriate to the
robust and vigorous frame of the
youth. But each period of life has
its own appropriate form of religious
attainment and growth, and believe
this attainment can not be expected,
this growth cannot be hoped for
without strlcter observance of Sun
day than now prevails.
You may perhaps ask; "Well, what
rules can You recommend for OuI
guidance and help in this matter
Other foundation can no man lay
than that IS laid down In Gods work
for our direction aud help. But
wish to be intensely practical here
and will state first few thing
which we should not do on Sunday
and SecoAd a few which We ShOUld d,
though fully realize that it is no
possible to give special rules to cove
all cases.
NEGATIVELY.
Or course in the prohibitions
shall not include things in themselye
sinful, but only those things whicl
are lawful and right in themselves
but improper on Sunday.
|. We should not engage in ou
worldly business pursuits and pro
fessions except in so far as the calls o
mercy require. "Six days shalt tho
-