St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-11-14
iay Of Gods Purse and the Sunday Of Human Needs
copyri,. 1908. by J. NJ. Edison.

ing and obligations of the day when
Jesus attacked their false and unholy
position.
WITH a Chicago university pro-
w fessor advocating Sunday base
ball, and other religious teachers and
preachers throughout the country at
tempting to determine what may law
fully be done on Sunday: with the
letting down of the bars in every di-
rection and the shutting out of God
from the rest day by the distraction
of human plans and purposes, there is
need to turn from human thought and
reasoning and get near ito Jesus,
where we may hear Him tell us again:
"The Sabbath was made for man, and
not man for the Sabbath; SO that the
Son of man is Lord even of the Sab
bath" ut is lawful to do good on
the Sabbath day." Jesus critics were
ready to argue with Him. And there
is just as eager willingness to-day to
enter into controversy over the Sun
day question. The punctilious Phari-
sees in their bigotry and blindness
thought they were right on the Ques-
ton of the right observation OF the
Sabbath day, and the liberalist OF to-
day. although he is on the other side
of the fence, as he reasons from his
human point of view, believes that he
is right. The Pharisees, with their
distorted ideas as to what constituted
work, asked: rs 1t lawful to heal on
the Sabbath day." Think OF It!
What b,indness! And to-day with the
extreme of liberallty reached In REL
erence to the question Of Sunday OBJ
servance, and with human desire and
selfishness encroaching more ana
more upon the Lords day, we hnd
those who do not understand the real
purpose and obligations OF the day
asking as foolish questions. and max
ing as vital mistakes as did the
Pharisees. To the two extremists Je-
sus says: at is lawful (righD to DO
good on the Sabbath day" Within the
scope of this simple and plain state
ment Is comprehended the whole sun
day question, and within Its spirit anu
meaning we find the practical demon
stration of the truth that the Sabbath
was made for man.
EFT us look at the circumstances sur
l. rounding our text. 1t is the Sapoatn
day. and Jesus has entered the syna-
go9ue. His critics follow Him. There II
within the synagogue man with a pal
sled and wasted arm. Jesus attention
is directed at once to the sufferer Inc
Pharisees, noting this, and divining His
purpose, ask the question to which oul
text is the reply. But before he rem
ders the man the help he needs and an
swers their query, He asks them Few
simple and searching questions, which
lay bare their false position. Wna'
man shall there be of you, that shall have
one sheep, and II this fall into pit OF
the Sabbath day, will he not lay hole
on It. and lift it out? How much. then
IA a man of more value than sheep!'
The restrictions of the Pharisaic Law
might be overstepped in behalf OF TIT
brute, which had an intrinsic value tt
it's owner. but 1t must be rigidly and ex
actly observed when it came to suner
ing man, who in Gods sight was OF In
fnitely more value And human life ha!
not ceased to be the cheapest thing IL
the world in mans eyes, and this FAC
Is strikingly in evidence In connection
with the violation Of the purpose ant
spirit of Sunday, both as regards mans
treatment of himself and as regards hi
treatment Of his fellowmen. The bust
ness man is willing to work his clerks
seven days in the week, and when tn
men are worn out, he can get more
The railroad and the factory will pu
their men through the perpetual grind
and find more to fill their places whel
they become inefficient and worked-out
| It Is right to do good on the Sabbath day
But man is doing evil when he fill
Sunday with the business and work o
the week day; when he let's the excesse
of pleasure and ease, and personal ambi
lions and desires, shut out OF the da,
all approach unto God, and all rest in Hi
righteous will.
| 7 EFT us analyze Jesus statement tina
l. 1t is lawful to do good on the Sabbath
day. The doing Of good involves tripl
relationship: The relation of man t
himself, to his God and to his fellowma1
Doing good cannot measure up to God
standard of what goodness is, If any on
of these conditions is lacking. First c
all, then, man must consider himself i
reference to this Sunday question. Wha
should the day bring to him, and wha
Of his own personality should he put int
the day? II the day Of rest was inst
tuted for man, what is 1t that it shout
bring to him in his physical and spirit
nal being? Is 1t not rest on the worl
side, and growth Godward? Every sey
enth day was to be day Of rest. tits dc
clared of God that in six days He mad
Heaven and earth, the sea, and all ths
in them is, and rested the seventh day
wherefore the Lord blessed the Sal
bath day and hallowed It," But that
does not mean the rest of inactivity an
aimless purpose Is evident from whs
Jesus declared, for, when He healed an
wrought good on the Sabbath day, He d.
Tended His actions when the Jews a,
cused Him Of violating the command
ment of God In regard to the holy Sal
bath day by declaring that His Fathe
worked hitherto and He worked. I'll