The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1908-05-13
"SABBATH OBSERVANCE"

May IN THIS city as the week OF
prayer every afternoon from three
to four O'Clock. which were well
attended and with profit. Each
Reader handled their subject in an
able and forceful way. Subject :
Sabbath Observance" closed the
services Saturday afternoon. Mrs.
b. F. Thomson gave such splen-
did paper bearing on the subject
that we want to give it to others
SABBATH DISSERTATION sAPPING
CHRISTIAN CHARACTER"
The Sabbath seems to be of the
most ancient origin. Apparently
twas instituted along with mar
riage with Adam and Eve. In
the ten commandments we have
Remember the Sabbath Day."
showing its previous existence.
Recent research proves the inter-
esting fact that before Abraham's
day the Babalonians ended their
week of seven days with day of
rest, strictly observed and called
the Sabbath by Assyrian writer's.
1t was certainly a well-known in
stitution before the giving of the
law of Sinai. 1t was after he
laws of prohibition and the penal
ties were given. With Christ the
spiritual superseded the ceremonial
az mechanical. God ordained
marriage and the Sabbath in the
beginning. In the giving of the
commandments it was enjoined to
remember it as a thing already
binding on the conscience. The
provision of a double supply of
mamma and its usual preservation
indicates familiarity with it on the
part of Israel. There has never
been an abrogation of this law.
Jesus certainly did not abolish it,
but taught men how to properly
utilize it. Being an example in
all things He shows how the Sab
bath is to be kept. 1t has been
encountered with traditional rub
bish and there was more concern
for ceremonial observance of it
than the enjoyment of rest for
spiritual contemplation. To shut
up shop and sit in doors doing
nothing is not keeping the Sab
bath. Nor is there any virtue in
observing idly that Day which
men call now the seventh day. No
man can tell with certainty the
real sequence of sevens from the
beginning. The commandments
respect one day in seven, or a
seventh day, after six days of
labor. Remember the Sabbath
Day." is the message and voice of
our Father-yours and mine-and
full of the tender yearning love; of
His great heart for his children.
Created in His likeness, and re-
deemed by His love. He knows
our proneness to forget, and so in
one form or in another He gives
THE message repeatedly. He first
gave it in Eden where He set the
example of resting after six days
of work, and better still laid His
auieting hand on His eager chill
lren to whom the world with its
beauty was new and attractive, and
bet apart for them the first day of
their married life and each weekly
return of the day for quiet inter-
course with Him which should keep
hem mindful of their high birth
I'd destiny, and full of love for
heir Father. So God blessed the
sabbath Day and hallowed it for
yer. Later the message was
Frittea by Gods own hand on
tore tablets that it might be pre-
prved among the nations treas
res. 1t was Numbered on Sinai
lat it might echo around the
orld with the majesty and au-
hority of the King of Kings. In
bndage and captivity as we'll as in
Ie land of Promise. The. Prophet
bnti9uslly reminded the chosen
i Pople that the Sabbath was sacred
God, a sign by the observance