St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-11-14

to well-doing on the Sabbath day.
IN the third place, we'll doing on the
| Sabbath day involves mans relation
to his fellowman. This raises COM
plexity of questions and problems which
only can be settled as light is received
from God, and His will and Spirit have
opportunity to operate freely through
one. "It is lawful to do good on the
Sabbath day." declares Jesus, and there
is apparently a vast deal OF well doing
from man to man on the Sabbath day
which apparently receives the general
approval of man, but we dare to say
that some Of It at least does not meet
the approval Of God, for the well doing
does not reach any higher than man or
seek to go beyond the temporal physical
needs of man. Take your Bibles and
read all portions of the Gospels which
tell of Jesus Sabbath day activities, and
what do we find? Jesus well doing as
it touched the physical sought to reach
the spiritual and lead to clearer under
standing of God and nearer approach
unto Him. Test your activities on the
Lords day as those activities bring you
into touch with others and see what is
the underlying motive. Why do you do
this or that on the Sabbath day? Why
do you go to this or that place? Why do
you make that call, or go on that 1aunt
On the street cars to another part OF the
city or country? Why do you arrange
that gathering of relatives or friends
at the festive board? What is your pur-
pose in it all? All that you do may In it.
self be harmless and perfectly proper In
its rightful place. It may satisfy and
please your friends, and those with
whom you come in contact, but II 1t
does not satisfy the conditions which
God lays down as the law of His day you
have failed. It is lawful to do that good
on the Sabbath day which helps the one
to whom the good is done to clearer
vision of God and closer relationship
to Him.
IF Sunday baseball, Sunday picnics
| Sunday pleasures and outings, Sun
day sociabilities and feasting can stand
the test Of this triple-sided view OF the
law OF the Sabbath day, all right; but
If not. it is all wrong. The trouble with
people in arguing with themselves and
with Others in regard to what they
rightfully may and rightfully may not
do on the Sabbath day Is that they rea
son from human standpoints and with
conceptions Of life which do not reach
beyond the present life. But If ques'
ton as regards to conduct on the Sab
bath day is to be settled rightfully ane
finally 1t must be considered In rela
ton to himself. to his God and to hi
fellowmen. Christians would not be 81
troubled and anxious over this Sunda,
question II they were moved by the pur
pose of doing good which actuatee
Christ. He never found it difficult t.
decide what He ought to do. He never
seemed to be troubled by the criticism
of those about Him, for the law of thu
Sabbath day was being lived out In Hill
life. He was doing good. It involved
His relations to Himself, to His God ant
to His fellowman, and this was the pur
pose of the day. 1t was the direction il
| which the highest possibilities Of thu
day might be realized. Surely the Sab
bath day was made for man, but tn
only pathway of realization Of all tn
blessed possibilities of that day is tn
way which Jesus marked out. He is tn
Lord of the Sabbath. He 1t is Who cal
lead us. Do good on the Sabbath da.
and test that good doing by your rela
tionship to yourself, to your God and t.
your fellowman. Then the Sunda.
question will be settled, at least as Ia
as you yourself are concerned, and thi
will be long step in the direction o
settling 1t for others.