Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-10-07

I EFT us look at the circumstances sur
l. rounding our text. II is the Sabbath
day, and Jesus has entered the syna-
gogue. His critics follow Him. There is
within the synagogue a man with pal
sled and wasted arm. Jesus attention
is directed at once to the sufferer. The
Pharisees, noting this. and divining His
purpose, ask the question 10 which our
text is the reply. But before He rem
ders the man the help he needs and an
swers their query, He asks them a few
simple and searching questions. which
lay bare their false position. What
man shall there be of you. that shall have
one sheep. and II this fall into a pit on
the Sabbath day. will he not lay hold
on II, and lift 1t out? How much then.
is u man Of more value than n sheep"
The Restrictions of the Pharisaic law
might be ossrstepped in behalf of the
brute, which had an intrinsic value to
it's owner, but II must be rigidly and ex-
acty observed when II came to suffer
ing man. who in Gods sight was OF in
finitely more value. And human life has
not ceased 10 be the cheapest thing I'm
tha world in mans eyes, and this fact
is strikingly in evidence In connection
with the violation OF the purpose and
spirit Of Sunday. both as regards mans
treatment Of himself and as regards his
treatment Of his fellowmen. The bust
ness man is willing TO work his clerks
seven days in the week. and when the
men are worn out. he can get more.
The railroad and the factory will put
their men through the perpetual grind
and find more TO fill their places when
they become inefficient and worked-out.
I EFT rs analyze Jesus statement that
l. it is lawful 70 90 good on the Sabbath
day. The doing OF good involves triple
relationship: The relation Of n man 20
himself. TO his God and 10 his fellowman
Doing good cannot measure ny 20 Code
standard OF what goodness IS. II any one
Of these conditions IS lacking. First Of
all then. man must consider himself IN
reference 20 this Sunday question What
should the day bring 10 him. and what
Of HIS own personality should he put into
the day? II the day Of rest was inetf-
tuted for man. what IS II that II should
bring 10 him In his physical and spirit
nal being? Is II not rest on the world
side. and growth Godward? Every sew
enth day was 10 be a day Of rest. Itis de-
clared of God that "in six days lie made
Heaven and earth. the sea. and all that
I'm them IS. and rested the seventh dav.
wherefore the Lord blessed the Sab
bath day and hallowed H." Bat that II
does not mean the rest Of inactivity and
aimless purpose is evident from what
Jesus declared. for. when He healed and
wrought good on the Sabbath day. He de-
Tended His actions when the Jews ae-
cused Him Of violating the command
ment Of God ia regard 10 the holy Sab
bath day by declaring that His Father
worked hitherto and He worked. The
rest which God pnrposed for man was not
the rest Of lazinese. nor Was God pro-
viding for time when man could re-
cover from the week OF jnduleences and
excesses. And yet how many there are
who run Tiot in the direction OF business
and pleasure during the week. because
they know there Is a Sunday coming IN
which they can ortsin rest. How many ,