The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-09-02
The Sacred sabbath.

Back OF all right laws there is a prln'
ciple. The law OF the Sabbath so strictly
and so minutely laid down from Mount
Sinai was not made for that time merely,
although it was necessary at that time
to have it clearly set forth and framed in
'SThou-shalt-nots" for the sake of an err
ring and ignorant people. 1t was after
all but the bringing to their knowledge
a law of Gods universe which must have
been as old as creation itself.
We talk much of the new dispensatiop
in these days, and there is much said
about this law of the Sabbath not being
binding upon us because we are under
grace now and not under the law. But
the law of the Sabbath was the statement
OF principle, and had behind it a reason.
Science has come of late, and made plain
this reason There is in mans physical
as well as his spiritual nature need for
a rest and complete change one day out
OF every seven. Investigation has shown
beyond doubt that not only men and
animals, but even machinery can do better
and longer work ii allowed to rest this
seventh day.
But in the day of the Pharisees the prin.
ciple was not understood. Men took the
law for petty rule, the explicit following
OF which was to count virtue to them
selves They failed completely to grasp
the good that was to come to them
through the bodily refreshment. and the
uplift of the heart toward God, on the
rest day; and in the following of the let.
ter OF this law they forget the law OF loving
the neighbor. Poor, quibbling men, OBJ
jecting that brother was healed on the
Sabbath, as though there was virtue in
Withholding relief to the suffering!
With the Pharisees the law had eclipsed
the principle. 1t was necessary that they
should return to first principles and learn
that the Son of Man was Lord of the
Sabbath. He who made the law was
greater than the law.
Now this story has been made to be.
come the conscience-ease of many a Chris
tian to-day, whose actions do not fit the
good old law OF thou shalt not" Many
and many an action that can neither be
construed into ''plucking wheat" to satisfy
the actual necessities of life, nor the reach.
ing out of succor to the helpless and per-
ishing, is made to figure as righteous in
the light of this chapter.
And yet Jesus did not 40 away with the
Sabbath! And He is Lord still Of the
Sabbath.
Take, for instance, the man who travels
on the Sunday train or car, compelling
scores of Others to work the whole day
through that the system Of trains and
cars may run for his and others benefit
He is going. maybe, to town to hear some
great preacher, who will do him much
good, he thinks. But there are preachers
at home. And he even might spend a
pTOHtdDle sunday with MS DlDle ana GOu
alone II necessity held him where church
privileges were out of reach save through
Sunday travel. 1t may be, though, he
feels justified because he is going to preach.
and justities the journey on account OF
the message. Does not such a one need
to be very sure that he is the only one
who can deliver that message, or that
| there is absolutely no other time for max.
ing that journey than Gods holy day?
This is only one OF the many questions
| that arise whenever the Question of Sab.
bath observances is brought up. There
are the Sunday visits, the Sunday reading,
| the Sunday papers, the Sunday amuse.
ments. But back OF them all lies the
same principle, the breaking of a law OF
nature, which was the foundation for the
law of God.
The man who loves God will keep the
Sabbath holy. because it is Gods plan for
His children's growth; and he will be
prevented from falling into the Pharisees
fault because the love he is bound to have
toward his fellow men will teach him the
true spirit OF the Sabbath.
Listen to the prophets picture. 1t is
not the dismal Puritanical Sabbath. neither
is IT in the least our present worldly one:
III thou turn away tnv foot from the
Sabbath, from doing thv pleasure on My
the holy OF the Lord, honorable. and shalt
honor Him. not doing thine own ways, not
finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking
thine own words; then shall thou delight
thyself in the Lord and | will cause thee
to ride upon the high places OF the earth.
and feed thee with the heritage OF Jacob,
thy. father; for the mouth OF the Lord
hath spoken it."-Grace Livingston Hill,
in the New York Mail and Express.