The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-03-28

49,.
During the captivity and upon their
return to Palestine Ii became ~necessar.
for the leaders in Israel TO combat the !
Chaldean cosmogony, with which the
people had come in contact. Hence
the emphasis laid upon the creation
by the Sabbath and the necessity d
rest as obedience TO Divine example.
The Sabbath thus buttressed the
Scripturai cosmogony and served 4
symbol of the covenant Of Israel WITH
God.
But mere cessation from labor.
is not the full merit of the Sabbath.
even though done i'm religious spirit
II is but a negative value. Mere idle
ness is not recreation. So the idea
of rest must be supplemented by
some rositiy &c religious activity. Hence
the sentiment grew that the true Sab
bath is not so lunch the mere cessa-
ton from toll as it is the opportunity |
for intellectual, physical, and, above
all. spiritual recreation. The thought
was voiced by the Talmudical teach
ers. 1.-The Sabbaths and feasts were
given to Israel for no other purpose
| than the study of the Torah." TIE me-
/; this contains the full theory of the
/ sdDUdtu duo sdDDdAh obc ANY
The Sabbath is for rest, for cessation
| from our daily toll; not that the rest
is the end i'm itself, out merely the
| means toward an end. The Sabbath
| is an opportunity for worship, for o
| training and development. Hence Its
sanctified and dignified character and.
| it's religious necessity. Industrial Idle
ness in order tina there might be spir-
| :4,x,I ,-4;r;tr froalnrn from nhyS:TaE
| labor and from purely selfish pursuits
in order to give strength and thought
to the spirit. The modern world ac-
cepts this dea as Il valid, reasonable
and practical basis for the Sabbath
institution.
ANSWERS IN THE NEGATIVE.
"Now our problem confronts Us.
Does our Saturday Sabbath give Us
this opportunity for rest II worship:
for physical freedom in order for soul
communion? The answer is in the
negative.~Is there IA way i'll which
this opportunity for rest Il worship
may be assured us? l believe there Is,
and that my position may be made
plain | would say that if the decision
lay in my hands, l would transfer the
service and the worship to the day
on which we do rest-tO Sunday.
Il make this statement with tne
keenest consciousness of all that it
implies, with the deepest sense of re-
sponsibility for all that it contains.
l know that it is no light matter 10
transform a three-thousand year in
stitutiOn. | know that the very
thought gives a wrench at our heart
strings, that there is no one OF us
| that does not feel that it is as though
a dearly loved n was lying before
us and gasping for life But the logic
Of circumstances is ruthless n ur
escapable. 1t is certainly better &c
worship God and sanctify ourselves or
the day on which we do rest than l
is for us to continue to labor Oh thu
day we call our Sabbath and disregard
the day on which We rest.
Il realize there are objections t.
it many and strong. True it is tina
Sunday has for us no sanctity, tina
it cannot for us take the place of tn
time-hOnored and beloved Sabbath
which our fathers and u fathers
fathers befolC us have observed ant
halIowed. True, it cannot for us, bu
it may for our children. We are III
martyrs of the transition period.
believe that the move is inevitable
and the sooner it is done the better.
NO SIGN OF SURRENDER.
'True it is that many of the wei
meaning but undiscerning of our Chris
tan friends will hail the move wit
joy and say that it is a sign of surrer
der on the part of the Jews, and tina
liz l1:oJ ~-D Of Ioc+ 1nrsnnipr 10 GO
the true light, because they will VOL
ship on a day devoted to the Christia
Saviour. Let these good friends sin
their poem of joy 1t cannot be Ions
lived. We have been accustomed fo
so long to be misunderstood and hav
every act misconstrued that we ca
,e afford to be SO a few years longe
s Time will .soon prove that though i
d non-essentials the Jew may adaI
himself to his environment, yet in til
it essentials and basic principles Of h
.n) faith he is steadfast as the sun, an
v unmoved in his loyalty as the etern;
n For from being 4 sign of surrendi
Is the may be for us a token {
e. triumph. Our religion is not afraid
re searching inquiry. Judaism improve
he upon acquaintance. There is muc
L prejudice against US simply o
re cause there is much ignorance Co
in corning us and and our faith. Ar
&c while our doctrine lis primarily Il
he those who are of us, yet we have
message for the Gentle as we'll as II
Jew. There are those whose assoc
ne atoms are within the shadow of IL
CT church yet who do not accept the fu
II. damental creed of the church. The
are those wh6, though not born with
rs the pale of the synagogue, yet
OF thought and in belief do accept Il
V one God of Judaism. Is it too niue
III to believe that this movement,
which we low look with so Iluch fe'
OF and dread, may not be the beginniI
oy of a wider, greater, more comprehe
So sive Judaism? The destruction OF j
ne rusaIem the gall of the temple and {