The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-06-07

as ordered the churches OF Galatia
so do you. On the first day of the
week let each one of you lay by him
in store as he may prosper, that no
collections be made when / come" II
is evident that these churches met on
this day for public and social wor-
ship.
Then from the testimony OF the &C.
clesiastical writer's. In a letter writ
companion Of Paul, It is said. The
eighth day is the beginning OF an
other world; and therefore with JOY
we celebrate the eighth day. on which
Jesus rose from the dead" About so
years later. A. D. $50, Justin Martyr,
In his Apology to the emperor Antoni-
US Plus, says, ION the Lords day all
Christians in the city or country meet
together because that is the day Of our
Lords resurrection; and then we read
the Apostles and Prophets. This being
done, the President makes an grafton
to the assembly to exhort to initiate
and TO practice the things they have
heard, and then we all join in paryer,
and after THAI we celebrate the Lord
supper; then they who are able and
willing give what they think proper
StiH thirty years late, A. D. $50. Ire
naeus says, On the Lords Day every
one OF us Christians keep the Sab
bath" Still later Eusebius, the father
OF ecclesiastical history, says, From
the beginning the Christians assembled
on the first day Of the week, called
by them the Lords Day. to read the
scriptures, to preach, and to cele-
brate the Lords Supper" Many 9TH
ers could be given, but these are suf-
hcient to prove beyond all reasonable
doubt that the first day Of the week
was, from the beginning, sanctified to
the Lord by the Apostles and all other
primitive Christians.
6. The proper and specific name
given to the day by the Holy Spirit
shows that II is the duty of every
Christian TO consecrate it wholly to the
service of the Lord. If the first day
OF the week is the Lords Day IL is not
OF course our day, and much less is IL
the devils day. A thousand precepts
ike the fourth commandment could
not more clearly and specifically ex-
press Gods reserved right to this por-
ton OF time than the name by which
he has here seen fit to designate t.
What belongs to A does not belong 20
B. And what belongs to God does not
belong to man, any further than God.
as the great proprietor of all things,
has delegated the right TO use II. The
cattle on thousand hills, al 1.-The fowls
OF the mountains, the fishes of the sea-
and the entire vegetable and mineral
kingdoms he has given to man in fee
simple. Six days also out Of every
seven have been granted to mankind
for secular persuits, so far as may
not be inconsistent with their own
good and the glory of God. But one
day in seven has been as certainly
sanctified to the Lord, as the Lords
Supper has beer sanctified. IT, thea,
some of the Corinthians were punished
for appropriating some of the sacred
feast to their own sensual gratifioa-
ton, is that many any less guilty be-
fore God who appropriates any por-
ton of the Lords Day to his own sell
fish or secular purpose?
Our obligation, then, is enforced by
the analogy of the primitive Sababth;
by the laws and wants of our own
physical, intellectual and moral nature;
by the highest moral, social and religi-
Gus interests Of society; by our natural
desire to commemorate the great and
leading events of history; but the
resurrection and triumphs of the great
Hero OF mans redemption; by the
example Of Christ, by the Apostles and
all the priamtive Christians.
I conclude that everything is sinful
on the Lords Day which in any way
interferes with its own haIiowed nAssb-
Citations; with the proper discipline of Z
our own hearts, and with the proper
education Of our own families. Conse-
quently much of the travelling, boating,
visiting; the open door of meat shops,
drug stores, soda fountains, fruit
stands, excursions and such like are
an abomination in the sight Of God,
and utterly inconsistent with our
Christian profession.
Today in Pensacola so-caIled Chris
tians so abuse the day by going by
the way of the world and partakng of
worldly things, that when the hour of
service arrives they are so completely
exhausted physically and spiritually
that they have no thought, nor energy,
nor interest in the work of the Lord.
Hence their seats in the church are
empty, and by so doing they yield TO
the influences that are against their
own interests and the good Of their
fellow men and our nation.
II Christians would not patronize
these places on the day mentioned the
places would soon have TO close for
want of customers. Then If people re-
fuse to recognize the day. and have
no respect for God, for Christ and all
that we are, then enact laws where
by they may be forced to recognize the
day, and elect officers that will enforce
the law. Then may we put an end
to these things that threaten the foun-
dalton OF our nation, the happiness Of
our homes and the honor and virtue
of our boys and girls.
When this is done, The wolf shall lie
down with the lamb, and the leopard shall
lie down with the Md. for the earth
shall be full Of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters that cover the sea-"