Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-12-14
SAVING SABBATH FROM SHOCK OF war
The Sunday seheei Lessen Is
Nehemiah Enferees the Law of the Sabbath"
Nehemiah isi1s=35
By WILLIAM +, ELLIS

Civil tumult has sften changed So
elai and even religious institutions.
wars effects are not ali felt only on
the battlefield, There are vast con-
seuuenees to civilization involved.
with which ali teachers of morals
and religion should primarily con
Germ themselves, Religion herself
needs to be especially vigilant lest,
while devoting her most sacred ener-
Eles to tho protection, by means of
armed conflict, of the ideals which
10 fundamental to civilization, she
S-hsa certain heritages as precious as
those for which civilization Ii bat
Ting, These are grave days for all
who have responsibility for the
conservation and extension of the
EroHt teachings of the Gospel, Only
tho most stupid and unobservant per-
son can fail to see that the moral and
rorial consequences of world war
Rro by no means clear and assured.
IA II is now. so &c was In the days
OF jeremiah, In this pertinent old
story, which has been assigned for
study by the Sunday schools of the
world. wo learn how life had grown
lax In old Jerusalem, under tho stress
ot conquest and civil dlsorganization.
them generation ago, prevailed.
Tho usages OF the fathers had been
allowed to slip away, The Jews who
were dealing with the disturbed con-
uitious OF the old city had been so
bent upon practical" questions that
they had permitted the institutions
for which Jerusalem peculiarly stood
u lapse; while they borrowed freely
~ the laNer customs of the surround
largely heather. the sons Of promise
forgot their inheritance.
Especially shocked was Nehemiah
by the violations of the Mosaic laws
OF the sabbath. The foreigners in
the city were largely responsible for
this, just as immigration has so deep
" colored our own civil life, But
Jews as well as. heathens were buy
ing and selling on the holy day, and
treating il like any other day OF the
week. They had been too busy"
TO take cognizance of the Sabbath of
their fathers. Like dwellers in for
eign lands. they had imperceptibly
slipped into the local disregard for
the day that had meant so much
when they We're back home. 1t is not
unknown for persons who were once
church workers and Sunday school
ea chers 20 grow slack even in
church attendance when they move
TO new community, where laxer
standards prevail.
A Strenuous Reformer
Some of us would have felt self
~omplacent serse of superiority over
ne conduct of these violators OF
-nd's law. had We been in Nehemiah's
position. Or else we should have
gathered together a little company OF
she stricter sort. like-minded folk,
and bewaiied the deterioration of the
ines. Not so Nehemiah. He was
ike an American, in that he ever
Turned keen. untroubled face
Home to the instant need of things
Eo Nehemiah spoke to the right per-
ons in cond emnation of the shocking
aNity; then he shut the city gates
sainst the on-Sabbath-keeping for
gners; then he threatened persist
Mt violators with the rigors of the
law But let us have the story itself,
) Nehemiah told it:
In those days saw 1 in Judah
ONE treading winepresses on the
lbbath, and bringing in sheaves,
d lading asses; as also wine, grapes
nd figs. and all manner of burdens,
~fch they brought into Jerusalem
q the Sabbath day; and I testified
-linst them in the day wherein they
Il yictuals. There dwelt men of
re also therein. which brought
sn. and all manner of ware, which
hey sold unto the children of Judah,
q in Jerusalem. Then 1 contended
ith the mobiles of Judah. and said
lnto them. What evil thing Is this
e do. and profane the Sabbath day?
bid not your fathers thus. and did
lot our God bring all this evil upon
is. and upon this city? yet We bring
rore wrath upon Israel by profaning
he Sabbath. And it came to pass,
efore the gates Of Jerusalem began
@ be dark before the Sabbath,
commanded that the gates be shut,
nd charged that they should not be
psred until after the Sabbath; and
one OF my servants set 1 at the
ates. that there should no burden
. brought in on the Sabbath day.
- the merchants and sellers of all
iuds OF ware lodged without Jeru-
itann once or twice. Then I testified
zainEt them. and said unto them.
Why lodge ye about the wall? II ye
o so again, | will lay hands on you
rom that time forth came they no
lore on the Sabbath. And com
anded the Levites that they should
leanse themselves, and that they
hould come and keep the gates to
hnctify the Sabbath day"
Big Men For Hard Times
Something like the hard sense of
ehemiah is needed, in this time of |
transformation, and observation of
horal values, to save TO civilization
$ Christian Sabbath. With sud
enness for which most of us were
OF prepared, our very life, as repre-
,nted by our choicest young men,
as been thrust into the midst of
ndicaI conditions, and into contact
ith environment wholly different
rom those amid which they were
aared. All the old order is being
iaIIeneed. There are no sanctities
eyond the pale of the question
ark. In q soldiers life little is
ken for granted, except military
Itv The conventional world of tens
thousands of young soldiers Is
alIing about their ears. II Is not
asy for them, in this crash OF con-
sntionaIities, to distinguish between
be essential and the nonessential.
Therefore the compulsion is strong
non all who see clearly and think
neIv TO save the tested integrities,
bciai and personal Some lessons
bich the world has been long in
arning should not be forgotten in
is day when men go to war for
birtual values. While we fight for
berty and justice and democracy
o should not become blind to the
rces which underIie these. and have
ade them realities in the history
the race. To sacrifice lightly the