The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-07-04
Church News.
VIRGINIA.


at night he addressed an audience that overlooked
the large Assembly Hall in Harrsonburg Few
men have so interested and moved their audiences
as he did here. The wonderful story of his life
and work in Africa he told with great power and
effectiveness, and he did much to stimulate inter
est in the great work of evangelization of the
world. In each of these services his wife sang
some hymns that were greatly pleasing and touch
ing Many prayers will follow them in their
splendid work for the Master.
Pastors of the Evangelical Churches of New
port News have issued this address Sabbath
observance to the people of their city:
"We the Christian ministers of the city of New
port News, having witnessed with painful regret
the continuous and ever-ncreasing proclamation of
the Christian Sabbath Lords Day, and having
at heart the highest welfare, temporal and spirit
ual, OF our community, and believing that this can
not be attained without preserving the sanctitv of
the Lords Day, feel it our imperative dutv to adj
dress you this vital question
we reafhrm our deep and abiding faith in the
Bible as the Word of God in the power and puri-
ty of the Christian religion revealed therein and
IN the holy efficacy of all its institutions of which
we regard the Christian Sabbath, or Lords Dav
by no means the least We do not ask for a re-
turn to that ritualsm which DESTROYED the origin
al intent OF the law and produced the deadly
Phariseeism of Christ's Day. We are asking for
the preservation and sanctity of the Lords Dav-
that day consecrated by the resurrection of Tesus
Chrlst, sanctioned by apostolic usage, accepted
by the early church and perpetuated throughout
Its history. Its necessity lay in the constitution
to man, and it therefore ordained Of God
Mans physical limitations demand at least one
day out OF seven for rest. The decimal system of
goddess French revolution proved failure and
IS preserved in history only as a monument to
human folly. Men have been created social and
religious beings and their highest development de-
mands, and therefore the divine law provides
stated times to assemble and worship God
We do not ignore the fact that some work
must be done on the Lords Day. Man and beast
must be fed, the helpless cared for and suffering
relieved. All work of mercy or necessity was
permitted by Jehovah under the Jewish economy,
by the Christian church in all ages, and is APP
proved by enlightened reason.
We would therefore most respectfully urge
upon all employers of labor the consideration of
the claims of the Christian Sabbath, or Lords
Day, in its moral and economic as well as re-
hgous aspects, believing that the highest inter,
ests shall obey the divine law as written in the
constitution of man and in the Word Of God We
ask that they refrain from all unnecessary work
the Lords Day and in case of necessary work
that they adjust their industrial system as to
give employees part of the day for rest and wor-
ship
1--WE especially urge the aboring man to keep
molly the Lords Day, reminding him that Chris
uanlty has done more to ameiorate his condition
man all other agencies combined. We would warn
MN against appropriatng the Lords Day to sec
uar pursuits and holiday amusements, lest that
awful day when the merciless greed of a
goddess industrial system will give him oppor-
unity for neither rest worship, but force him
TO grind at unremtting toll seven days in the
week
We appeal especially to the Christian people
Dl our community. We urge them to minimize
me necessary work in the home on Sunday so
mat all members of the family may have oppor-
unity for rest and worship to refrain from all
Unnecessary travel, from Sunday excursions and
pcnlcs, from visiting places of amusements, es-
w
ors are in fragrant violation both Of the law of
-0d and Of the State from ali nnneces sar, hn,inn