The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-07-24
REV. VIM. WYLLIE ON
SUNDAY OBSERVANCE
A Sermon Delivered at St
MARKS CHURCH Last Sun
DAY MORNING.

At st. Marks Episcopal church last
Sunday Rev. VIM. Wyllie, Archdeacon
of the Diocese of Florida delivered a
sermon on Sunday observance that
has been quite generally and favora-
bly, commented on by those so fortu-
nate to hear it. By consent of Mr..
Wyllie The News is enabled to pub
lish the sermon, which follows:
Genesis 11:3.
If in the ordinary course of human
life and experience, it fell to my lot
to catechize class of young men and
women, on what might be called gen.
eral knowledge, one Of the first ques-
tions | would ask would be: What Is
the oldest institution in the world?
and | would ask this question partic-
ularly for my own benefit; because
of the enquiries l would instantly re-
ceive respecting the nature and ex-
tent of my question would be instruc-
tive and in some instances very anus
ing.
/ The question l have asked is not
hard to answer, but the amount OF
ignorance that exists as to which is
the oldest institution in the world be-
trays the awful fact, that we think
of that institution and use it for other
purposes than that for which it was
ordained. 1t is, l own, disregarded
thoughtlessly, but that does not ex-
cuse the sin.
Supposing, that, finding l could not
receive the proper answer to my ques-
ton, | stated the same question in an
other way, and this time ask, What
institution has had the most benefi-
cent influence on mankind? That is,
what in your opinion has influenced
mankind towards better social ideals,
afforded opportunities for better and
more humane moral relations and
made intellectual progress possible,
and given tone and color to spiritual
and religious life?
The answers | am sure would be
many and various. l cannot very
well imagine how many there would
oe, but many would speak of inf1u-
ences rather than institutions and few
indeed if any would dream of the
right one; simply because it is so ole
and common place, it has become IN
fact so much a part of our necessary
existence that we think of it as little
as we do of bread and butter
Even you of an older generation
ask yourselves this seemingly simple
question. What has made religion
possible, what in all the world has
kept men pure, and many times fore
eG men and women every where Jc
the thought of God? and the studio:
answer of a studious mind would be
the institution of the old and timt
honored Sabbath Day.
1t is the oldest institution in the
world. Instituted in the days Of
mans innocency and consecrated tc
the exclusive service of God by the
Levitical Code-or moral law. Thu!
you see the Sabbath day is older thar
the Bible itself, older by centuria:
than the Church in the wilderness. A!
old, and no older, than man, as a self
conscious being. 1t is co-existan
with his being, made for him and :,
the day upon which he offers his trio
ute of praise to deity.
Let us dwell for moment on tn
!. fact of the institution of Sabbath
and think of all that fact implies; ant
q let us do so in the hope that our med
: itation will inspire, our hearts an'
y minds with worthy thoughts and rev
q erential feelings for the sanctity o
that day.
And God rested on the seventh da.
: and hallowed it. ;,
- First: The Sabbath day was God
. first gift to man. 1t was never man
own day; it was the day that Go
c chose for himself and he gave it t
- man. for man of all creation wa
n alone worthy to have it, and use i
g Receiving this gift as man alway
. has, it is an acknowledgment .
Gods sovereignty over US, OF God
interest in US. 1t is our recognltlo
of Gods right to receive service troI
= us, Ability to use that gift is Coo
~ acknowledgment of mans worth as
man. and of mans purpose In Iii
i which is to honor and enjoy Goa. =,
q Notice how unselfish God is: II
a gives man one day in seven. W
, have six days for our own specl;
: purposes, labors and pleasures-on
= in seven for God; 50 out Of 800; or
/ seventh part of ones life dedicate
= entirely to the service Of God: an
some men think that that is to
;o much, and even misuse the day
~ thought and in deed; and | belleN
= thew do so because they do not su
70 fciently understand what the da
w means. ILL.,
10 size what consider to be well-kel
~ Sabbath day. Nor would der
~ mans freedom to use that day as
# mans conscience may direct, provide
- mans conscience and not mans Il
4 clirarion directs the use Of that da
~ am never afraid of anything a ma
~ ~ NAV do or say, if his conscience
~, Jirects: but so many of US call inc
r. nation and desire ny the name OF co
n science. But l do depricate 9ny l
tv slrration which would incline any o.
# to the belief so common in so maj
m minds. that Sunday is the only day
p. ,+he week that one has to ones Sc
for we have six days in which to
that which we ought to do. The OF
er day insist on, is a gift to ma
TO man alone, making his superior
NJ ~ things and animals, emphaslzl
an mans kinship with God. | am ava
ne of the fact that occasionally 1t is L
en- nossible to do other than labor
III Sunday. l can imagine cases whe
on some might suffer if Sunday we
X kept rigidly. How can l be cert'
that the work | do on Sunday Is
&C. -ycrl, O. necessity and mercy!
ne answer would be, that when occasl
IN demands that l should follow my u
ed 81 avocation on Sunday, | would ma
it rule that half of the product
=. nv Sunday labor should be deyo'
e1t to religious purposes, and oeh'
no if this rule were followed Sunday
icy yoor and Sunday pleasure would be
am duced bv three-f0urths.
mp You will recall that in my hrst
no. marks regarding Sunday. salo
was an institution, a Divine lnstl