The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-08-07
Northumberland
1HGSAB i: Il |: ! .||AI
Tile Preachers Meeting Makes
Very Plait,stl,e . Doctrine Of ssI
Their Church.
TENDS \ TOWARD CIVILIZATION
One Day Of Rest and Religious
Observance Is Absolutely
4 /. Necessary. ii4 \ Al

i848 The proposition looking y to the open
ling Up OF \ 1dlewood on Sunday as on
other days and nights, except.iin sonle-
what tnllder form. has aroused the church r.,
people Several special sermons have
been preached bearing on the subject
and the various ministerial con ferences
have had the matter under discussion.
3S133 a week d go the Methodist preachers
meeting f8ithe Methodist Churches y
Richmond, Manchestert4an vicinity APP
pointed q committee to draw pa paper.
to be In the shape Of an address to the
Methodist Churches Of the co g nm
The committee submitted It's report,
and lit was unanimously adopte /, at the
meeting held In the Cen tenary M thodist
= Church yesterday morning. 9t I'M
The Sabbath and It's Uses. 81
III The report is s follows:
TO the Members and Friends Of the Ms
XII T. Church, South: IN az d,
" Dear Brethronaan Friends !: In view
8ofsythe recent discussion concerning the
SSabbath8 day and Its! observance, y nd $of
the growing tendency to disregard the,
day, wo deem 1T not improper that w,
your pastors and brethren, should ex-3
press to you, in a brief statement, our,
views concerning the same.
S33s The rea sons for; the day are TO- be found
In the a. constitution; (2)@nature. and
8(3) position of man, and a. In the facts
growing therefrom.4 SH5
5 rs According to ST.. Patti man Is con-
ssttuted of#"spirit, soul 5and body;''sf a
body as the instrument and habitat Of
soul and spirit a soul to use and coll-
troll the body;$a spirit to receive instruc-f
ton from and hold communion with
Cod s is5I III .5tE H MA
i3 (2) In his nature man Is made, first
of all. (a) a social ben ,S5 II $rea ches MS
great est happiness and highest devel ops
.ment in association with others. He is
also made ~ a moral being. He has
an Inherent sense Of right and wrong.
He naturally experiences a joy in the
right, shame In the wrong. By his
nature man Is (c)S II q dependent being. "A
He must look, NO another for both the
gift and maintenance Of life. Another
characteristic remains to be added VIZ
man being dependent crea ture and pos
sessng n moral nature, is essentially
(d) a 'religious being. He cannot avoid a.
disposition to worship nor sense OF ac-
countab ility. 81 KS I'll III y U
9a (3) Man. thus fearfully5 and wonderfully
made is placed, in care and con troll, over
the world about him.
Inevitable Facts. a5s a.
y TO man thus made and thus placed at
least two facts are inevitable He VIII
become weary. Continued exertion pro-
duces WEAKNESS in all animate creatures.
Man is no exception. (2) He will dete-8
5riorate. Continued exertlon and atten-
ton to business produce z not Eonl ~, ~ ear
ness. S but a forgetfulness nd4tneglects Of
social duties, blindness to moral dis
&tinctions. .5a.
III Out OF the unavoidable conditions and
facts arise the necessity for period set
apart ~ for rest, e. recuperation. and
(3) religion. So Imperative is this me-
tcessty that bath Divine and human law
have recognized IT. and en1oined the OBJ
servance Of the period. *
THE Divine law was issued so soon as
the constitution. nature and position Of
man had been fixed It was then God
5n"hlessed the seventh day and V santified
3it."f, When the Lord gave his law to- his
servant Moses. He. remenb e,sa this ne
ccssty and said. Remember the Sabbath
day to keep 1t holy" And when u
Greater than Moses was here, He too,
remembered this eternal necessity and
said 1.-THE Sabbath was made. for man."
The State Laws. FL
Our statute law, III wise accord, speaks
as follows: 1T a person on Saba tn da:H
be found laboring at any trade or calling,
or employ his apprentices or servants IN
labor, or other bllsiness except in house
hold or other work Of necessity or charity,
he shall forfeit, two dollars for each
offense.'' The penalty for the violation
o. this statute may seem light and easy
to pay, but the stain OF conviction re-
mains. ~ III s555F +! a 3.i
The necessity for the period Of which
we speak has ever been q part OF world
Nj, Han 11ty11t ot1 here
left It's records has left a record of It's
sacred seasons. The downfall of every
civilization that has failed began when
tho people became too intent upon bus
mess or pleasure to observe their sacred
seasons. l5I ss, i!Es {f 83 4
The chief proof Of the superiority OF our
civilization les In the accuracy with
which we calculate and the method by
which we observe our sacred day We
have learned by revelation and by ex-.
perlence that the repair OF the, running
night is not sufficient to make UP the
wear of the running day; and that one
day in seven is required to compensate
for the deficiency.
Hence our Sabbath day. day TO DO,
sacredly observed for the three-fold pur-
pose of rest. recuperation and religion,
Absolutely Necessary.
Arising, as IT does, out OF the essential
facts of our being, this Is not q day
which We may observe or not ct our
pleasure, The neglect or abuse of the
day is sure to return In villconse1uences
upon ourselves Or our children. II our
sperior civilization is to stand. we must
continue to observe our superior day after
a superior fashion. Rest and recuperation
may follow an enforced or q perfunctory
observance: but. to reap, the spiritual
benefits OF the day, It must he willingly
spent in holy service to God and to man,
Believing that these views are consist
ent with the requirements OF our statute
law. with the teaching Of history, eXS
5perience and revelation. we call with
confidence upon you to Join with us In
upholdine, by practice and precept, the
sacred Sabbath day, We earnestly and
entrent you to refrain from
all unnecessary Sunday travelling as also
from patronage Of all such amusemen,s
and pursuit Of all such business as may
be inconsistent with a holy day to be
Sreverently observed, and willingly given
In sacred service to our gracious Maker
and his needy creatures. &
Respectfully evnd affectionately,
a A.