Smyrna times., 1906-06-20
ANOTHER LETTER FROM REV. DR.. WATT.
Has More TO Say on the Dissertation Of the
Sabbath aud the Running of Sunday Trains

Sabbath aud the Running of Sunday Trains
Editor Smyrna Times: Dear Sir
Permit an added word on what just
now seems to be an absorbing topic Of
discussion throughout oar state, the
question of Sunday Dissertation. There
seems to be so much confusion in the
minds of many, that l cannot as min
lister of the Church of our Common
Lord remain silent. [ would submit
the following propositions:
I. The Sabbath is a divine institu-
tion which came direct from God. And
He stands related to it in a closer
sense than to any other of His laws,
for it is said, "He rested on the sew
enth day Wherefore the Lord blessed
the Sabbath day and hallowed it," 1t
will be remembered too that even while
Israel was in the wilderness the sane
tity of this day of rest was conserved
in a most remarkable manner. If they
gathered more than one days supply
of mama it spoiled, but on the sixth
day they were to gather enough for
two days and the mama for the sew
enth day was as sweet as that of the
sixth. This was the seal of the Almighty
on the sacredness of His Holy day.
And this is but one of the many in
stances of the care with which the sa
/ nF oh
O. The principle underlying that
day has never been changed or done
away with. While We do not now OBJ
serve what is known as the Hebrew
Sabbath we do perpetuate the principle
| by keeping inviolate the day on which
our Lord arose from the dead. The
change of the day in the calendar does
not in the estimation of any consider
able number of people affect in the
slightest particular the principle upon
which this holy day rests.
8. The general observance of this
day is deemed by the state to be of
such great importance that its observ-
ance is an integral part of the common
law, and has been made the subject of
wide reaching and specific deliverances
by the Supreme Court of the United
States, and be it known that these de-
liverances were absolutely unanimous,
all the members of the court from the
Chief Justice down agreeing.
4. So essential is the proper observ-
ance of this day that nations and COM
munities which have disregarded its
right observance have sunk into the
most awful moral degradation, notably
France and Spain. Aud criminal sta
tistics show that in the communities
where the Sabbath is disregarded the
per centum of crimes of all descrip
tion is much greater than in those
places where the sacredness of the
Sabbath is kept in mind.
5. The law of the Sabbath is one OF
the many ordained of God for the vel
fore of His creatures and it has, so far
as the Divine sanction can go the
place of pre-eminence among the
Divine laws. Hence If its proper
observance is to be reduced to .
matter of personal convenience OF
personal opinion then the same rule
must apply to all the other laws which
God has made. Further, if changed
times and conditions have in any sense
altered or changed this law the same il
true of the other laws of God. And il
| set up such claim and act upon it ]
must not condemn those who do like
wise in relation to any of the Other
laws of God. 1t is a noteworthy fac
that this is the argument now in us,
by those who violate the sanctit,
OF the marriage law and live in open OF
J secret adultery. They plead that it il
} matter of individual opinion and tha
the changed conditions of society .us
tify the Interpretation they put upor
J the laws Of God. If the argument ii
, sound in the one case it is sound in th,
other, but neither are sound as th,
conclusion shows.
This is a government founded on th,