Evening journal., 1909-04-15
CHRISTIAN
ENDEAVOR NEWS
Topic, April 1s. Why we Observe the
Lords Day. Mark 16;1-6; Acts 20;7,
! Cor. 16;2i Rev. 1;1o.
NOTES ON THE TOPIC.
By Charles r. Eastman.
ey CharIes E. Eastman.

We observe the Lords Day because II Is
the Lords. 1t commentaries the resur-
rection Of Jesus from the dead, that most
joyous event Of, all the ages. It commem-
crates the coming OF the Holy Spirit TO be
with us for all time. II there had never
been a Sabbath. Christianity could hardly
help celebrating the Lords Day.
We have an unusual number OF Scripture
references given for this topic, four in all,
and these are given US 10 throw some light
on the early observance OF the day. We
notice from our first reference that it was
on the Jews Sabbath, or Saturday, that
Christ lay in the tomb. That was the sad
dest day that the apostles and other early
Christians had ever known. It is no won
der that they and all the Christian church
after them have ceased to observe that
day as the weekly festival of praise to
God, and instead have taken, doubtless by
the direction Of she Spirit of God, the fol-
lowing day. Easter day, the day when
Christ rose from the dead. We are not told
IN the Scriptures just how or when the
early Christians ceased to observe both the
last and the first days, FOR we know that
for a time both days were celebrated, but
our second and third references show how
early the Christians began TO place special
importance on the first day Of the week.
The book of I Corinthians is one OF the
earliest Christian writings. and from it
we sec that at the very start the Christian
church celebrated the first day with
especial and peculiar reverence. making
Il not only their communion day, but also
their collection day.
The last reference given may suggest to
us the how of observing the Lords Day; II
Is day I'm which we may be I'm the
spirit" occupied with the highest things
Of time and eternity. This does not near
that we are to sit all day with the Bible
on our knees or wrapped in prayer and
meditation: neither does it mean that We
are to spend the day in idleness or un.
profitable recreations with no thought oi
the spiritual value OF the day. AS Prof
Amos Wells says. to use the Lords Day
only for bodily rest and not for spiritua
uplift is like owning a fine piano and using
It only for rag-time tunes.
Some Christians are needlessly disturbed
about the question as 70 why the first da,
is used as our Sabbath instead Of th'
seventh. Did not God command us to re
member the seventh day as the Sabbatl
and TO keep 1t holy9 BY what authorit,
was this command set aside. and wha
right have we TO make the first day ou
weekly day of rest and worship?
! The practical answer to this question /
that since the year is not made up Of mul
tiples OF sevens nor even OF an exac
number OF days. having fraction Of da
over. It is impossible to observe the ex
act recurrence OF the Sabbath as original
instituted. which is proof that such observ
ance is not required OF God. Had 1t bee
the exact anniversary OF the original da
Of rest that God wanted us to observe. ii
would have arranged the revolutions o
the earth and moon so that our years an
months, and weeks could be evenly divid
ed. AS It is, we add day TO the yea
every four years. and omit these lea
years at the close of three out OF ever