The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-06-12


ed, but because they love Jesus, their Sa.
lvior, they will use it for him.
The fourth commandment reveals a
principle which is borne out by experience
and the example Of the early church that
one seventh Of our time should be used es-
pecially for the Lord. One who loves the
Lord will want at least one seventh. The
real children of God by faith in Christ usu-
ally take a great deal more than one-sev-
enth specially for him. For they use the
hour or so on Wednesday night, they use
about an hour every day in private and
family worship, they spend seasons in
protracted service, so that the real child
of God devoteS Il great deal more than
one-seventh OF the time to God
1t is a very fair question. therefore, as
indicating the spiritual condition Of a con-
gregation for our General Assembly TO
ask how is the Lords Day observed. Mote
If you please it is the Lords Day, not the
Sabbath about which this question Is
askedJ Do the people spend that day,
which is, by the law of the State, kept free
from intrusion, do they follow the example
of Christ Il use it for active service for
him, do they seize this time, in Abbeville-
for il is about ourselves we are talking
in going down to the mill village, where
work is stopped, and seeking to impart to
those there the blessings which they en-
joy, by going out to neglected districts
and spreading the good news OF the Cos
pei, by meeting together and not only
wOrshipping God and singing his praises,
in the stated meeting at II and 8, but also
by gathering into the Sunday school the
children who are not favored as theirs?
Do they lay by in store for the offerings as
God has %proSpered them, or do they dis
honor God and their profession by sleeping
late Sunday morning, or spending the aft
ernoon in selfish idleness or In fretting
that responsibility demands that they
worship, at least outwardly, in the sanctu-
airy, though of course such worship could
not be real, or by showing an unwelcome
come to hear the gospelin their church, and
thereby saying, like the Pharisees OF old,
Il thank thee that l am not as other men
are, Or by not coming up to the attain
ment of the stingy Jew Of old who gave a
tenth of his increase, and instead OF lay
ing by for the Lord as he has prospered
him, laying by a bare pittance for His SER
vice. 1t is a fitting question. How do
your people observe the Lords Day?
am satisfied that the churches are full
today of legaliSts, OF men who though
protesting to be saved by faith, yet really
think that they are virtuous because
they do this or that or do not DO
this or that. And these legalists
use the Lords Day, which was In
tended to be used not primarily for rest,
as a day Of lazy idleness, refusing to use
their talents, which are so many and SO
fine, for the glory Of Christ and soothing
their conscienceS under the plea that they
are keeping the fourth commandment,
and thus making use of the word of God,
as the devil did, to escape sacrifice for
Christ.
Now let me show you a blessed secret:
Nature and Scripture reveal the fact that
man needs physically one days rest III
seven. But the Christian, il his covetous-
ness does not tempt him into using more
of the six days in work than Is right, will
find greater physical rest in worship ami
active service Oh the Lords day than in
idling and sleeping.
Recall that wonderful scene in our
Lords life. Wearied and worn out, on his
way from Judea to Galilee, he sat on the
well near Samaria. Think OF the Creator
OF all things wearied and SO in need of rest
that he did not accompany his disciples
into. the city. While they are gone a
woman comes down to draw water for pu-
ritication, to perform an act OF religious
worship. One in the dark seeking light.
And here at her side was the light Of the
world. 1t is not our purpose to describe
the interview or it's effect on the woman.
| What wish you to notice was Its effect on
Christ. When the disciples came back re-
membering that they had gone to buy,
meat for Him, they said, Master, eat"
| But he did not need food now. He had
been engaged in a Spiritual service and
this took away his WEAKNESS. And in this
We have an example Of what use to make
of the Lords day. We may be wearied by
the physical labor of the week before.
But in order to get the best physical bless
ing for ourselves as well as spiritual, if We
| worked with might and main in teaching
| Christ and ministering for Christ ON the
Lords Day, it would go farther than
| morning maps or afternoon sleeps OF lazy
Iidleness than anything else.
There is one matter however which
ought to be noted whether you are q
Christian or not. II you are not a
real Christian, so far as l can see
from the Bible you are under the law
and bound under the penalty OF the
law to keep the seventh-day Sabbath. II
you are u Christian, you are not under any
legal obligation at all, you are not under
the law, and Sc the seventh-day Sabbath
has no claim upon you either as an obllga-
serve the Sabbath II the Lords day and
for whatever reason. the whole Christian
world is guilty OF a most serious sin In
connection with the day, namely, the time
when the day should begin. Heather
Christendom began the day ut midnight.
The Scriptures from Genesis to Reve lation
begin the day at sunset. Originally the
evening and the morning were the first
day, not part Of the evening and all the
daylight and part of the next evening, but
the evening and the morning constituted
day. On the first day Of the week when
the disciples came together to break
bread Paul preached to them, intending to
depart in the morning. de preached Till
midnight, and after the young man fell
out of the window and was restored, he
continued till daylight and then travelled
ON the Lords day. At the end OF the Sab
bath Christ rose from the dead. But we
need not multiply references. About this
! there is no dispute that the day began
and ended at sunset. Why have We made
| the goddess change? And having made
it, we are reaping the consequences. Sup
pose the state made its day OF rest begin
at sunset, as it has a right to do. Since 1t
has made Sunday the day for its citizens
to rest, what an advantage that would be
to us Christians ! All the work would
cease at sunset Saturday. There would be
no tired clerks worked to death by covet-
Gus employers. A quiet evening at home
with all the cares laid aside. A restful
night, and then with Il vigorous mind the
morning of the Lords Day spent in Bible
School and worship, and then after dinner
the whole of the afternoon spent in active
service, rendering to less favored ones the
blessings of grace which we ourselves
have, and when the sun set and the Lords
Day ended, gathering the family at home
l. IL N,,N ,,r.,1 ~ tntn ncf m fhn IN,