Evening journal., 1908-09-24
Sunday as the Sabbath

Lane, pastor of Olivet Presbyterian
Church, preached by him Sunday
night, the Goth, and entitled "Why the
Christian Church Observes the First
Day OF the Week as the Sabbath"
Accompanying this was a request
that review the sermon in one of the
Wilmington papers, prompted, 1 pre-
sumo, by the knowledge upon the part
of the petitioners that my attitude with
regard TO the subject matter of the
sermon was the exact opposite of some
of the statements made by Mr.. Lane
have never considered it very es-
sential that utterances such as have
before me be reviewed But in the
present instance there are some state
ments that are so unusual that l would
like the privilege Of replying to them
through your valuable paper.
Mr.. Lane said that Paul had no
contention with the Jews, who wished
to continue the observance Of the Jew
ish law, but he did have a serious con-
tention that they should not force
upon the Gentle converts the yoke of
the Jewish law Thus, he abolished
the ancient law, which preceded the
Mosaic law and the ancient scripture"
Here is something new in connection
charge is made that Paul abolished
the ancient law'-presumably the one
containing the, law of the Sabbath
but Immediately preceding this charge
the work of abolishing the law had
been attributed to Jesus Christ,-and
evidently we are to believe that years
after Christ did It, Paul, not yet know
ing that the law had been abolished,
took IL upon himself TO again abolish
II. In this connection it might be
well to call attention to the language
of Matt. 5:1S, 10. For verify l say
unto you, Till heaven and earth pass,
one jot or one little shall in no wise
pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Whosover therefore, shall break one
of these least commandments, and shall
teach men so, he shall be called the
least in the kingdom of heaven"
am glad to say that the above state
ment by Mr.. Lane is not in harmony
with the doctrine of the Presbyterian
Church as a whole, for in chapter 10
Of the Presbyterian Confession of
Faith in sections 2 and 3, very de-
cided distinction is made between the
moral and ceremonial law. And Of the
moral law, or ten commandment law
the Confession states in section 5, of
the same chapter. "The moral law
doth forever bind all. as well justified
persons as others, to the obedience
thereof; neither does Christ in
the gospel any way dissolve, but much
strengthen this obligation" So, ac-
cording, to good Presbyterian teach
ing neither Christ or Paul ever abol-
ished the law containing the Sabbath
commandment.
Again I quote from the sermon: rs
there then no Sabbath law in our
time? Has the obligation of the time
and other enactments of the Jewish
law passed away? BY no means. The
Sabbath enactments of that law are
no longer binding upon the Christian
church. But the principles back
OF that law still hold good" and far
ther along it is stated that the words
Of the Fourth Commandment may
4 themselves be taken as expressing
every principle of that law: "Remem-
Der the Sabbath day TO keep II holy
Six days shalt thou labor and do all
thy work, but the seventh day Is the
Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it
thou shalt not do any work" etc.
Notice the argument: The Sabbath
law is not binding but the principle is.
The principle is expressed in the words
of the commandment but the words are
not binding. 1t is hardly necessary to
comment upon this. / call attention
to it as an illustration of the depths
into which one gets who endeavors to
do away with one of the divine re-
quirements
Again it is stated: I'VE must give
one day in seven for rest. The
constitution of our natures demand that
one day in seven should be given to
rest" Very true. But may 1 inquire,
Why not give the day TO rest that
God points out2 Why seek for another? q?
Is that not one day in seven as we'll
as another? And more than that It
is the definite day that God requires
Mr., Lane stated: "The Christian
/ Church, we find from the very first,
has observed this day (the hrst) as
a day of worship" MAY 1 inquire.
where we find this? Again-"We find
frequent references TO the first day
assemblies, where there is never a sin
gle reference to the keeping of the
seventh day as Sabbath" And where
do we find these references? I have
searched in the Bible for them for
seven years and they are not there.
Now, where are they? Again:-
Again and again we have reference
to assemblies of the disciples, wherein
they met and have broken bread and
worshipped on the first day." Again
inquire where are these references
Again and aeain?" I read further
There are various other references
showing that largely, the early por-
tion of the Christian Church observed
the first day of the week continually"
Where are these references? I notice
they are not given in the sermon, but
on the contrary / find such express
sions as 1T is quite likely and I'VE
presume" etc, which will hardly be
accepted in the absence of definite de-
clarations of scripture.
In closing l quote the Protestant
pledge from Dowlings History of
Romanism: THE Bible, and the Bible
only, is the religion of Protesants. Nor
is it of any account in the estimation
of the genuine Protestant how early
doctrine originated. If il is not found
in the Bible. Hence If a doctrine
be propounded for his acceptance, he
asks, Is it found in the inspired word
Was its taught by the Lord Jesus
Christ or his apostles? II they knew
nothing Of IT, no matter 10 him wheth-
er IL be discovered in the musty folio
of some ancient visionary Of the third
or fourth century or whether it
springs from the fertile brain of some
modern visionary of the nineteenth.