Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-01

tlohs, or countless sermons, and of
special organizations, the undeniable
ufIlI OF our time is away from the
sacred observance of the Lords Day
Inns loss means the disappearance of
our historical rest day, the day of
peace, OF worship and of idealism.
me best in our American life is in
separately bound up withsthis institu-
tlon OF the Sabbath, which has nour-
lshed alike our patriotism, our do
mestic ideals, and our religion.
Sah the Church Afford To Lose The
Sabbath?
The time has arrived when We
may consider fearlessly what will
happen to the church if Sunday be-
comes Ike other days. Then we
snail find out whether the Sabbath
Is merely an advantageous prop, sus-
tanning the church, or whether it -
vital institution, essential to the
existence of Christianity. Certainly,
our sunday makes church-going easy
ana natural, and affords time and
leasure and sanction for specific
christian work. 1t gives the right
of way to religion.
In open competition with all the
deVlces OF modern amusement, can
the church hold her own? If Sunday
Is not different from other DAYS, may
we expect the stated worship of God
IN public assembly to survive? 1t
unquestionably would, even as it sur
yves in heather land, but the eXpe-
rience would be costly to both the
church and the world. Such an
event would be a calamity of the
first order. All historical considera-
tions aside, the Lords Day is a mon
ument to the place of the church
among men; 1t is an expression of
the present life and activity of the
church. 1t stands for the power of
religion among men.
This being so, the best way to in
sure the permanence of the Lords
Day is to, vitalize the church, so that
the Sabbath may take its character
from the upswelling life of the
| Christian community Let the Sab
bath be the consequence of the spir-
| ltual mind of the people, and there
will be no question about its obser-
vance.
Picture Or The Frame
Sometimes a picture is so elabo-
fately framed, and surrounded with
such overwhelming detail, that the
picture itself is lost sight of. In
somewhat this fashion, the "don'ts"
of the churches have often shut out
a vision of the real character of the
Lords Day. Men have sought to
! t4ttNANc NAAS Aoubbibil " prevail bS pro-
hibitions. The persistence of the
Jewish and Puritan ideals of the day
have singularly affected the Chris
tan church, despite her emancipa-
ton from the old dispensation in
other respects. The ancient Jews
created an elaborate system of regu-
lations for their Sabbath. The Puri-
tans went as far, or farther. They
succeeded in creating a day that was
IN 1Na NN~f,N f.,1z
! neighbors should not do what one
thought wrong.
That type of Lords Day can no
( longer prevail. The issue is very
much bigger than petty questions
about whether to cook meals on the
Sabbath, or ride in the car, or walk
/ abroad, or read the Sunday news
papers. These are incidentals for in
! diVidual decision. They hinder
grasp of the big principles involved.
1t is time to look at the picture and
forget the frame.
This trail leads straight back to
| Christ. In His example and teaching
must be found the warrant for the
observance of the day. We are
startled to find that Jesus always
appears in connection with the Sab
bath in the role of Sabbath-break-
er. This should give pause to us
when we are tempted to impose our
interpretations upon another man.
To-day's lesson enunciates two prin-
sciples, THE Sabbath was made for
man." and 1T is lawful to do good
on the Sabbath" On this platform
Jesus fought the narrow legalists
whose regulations had compressed
the life out of the great day which
the law of Moses designed to be a
time of rest, and of refreshing men,
ories.
The Day To Fight For
Let us give up the fight for the
Puritan Sabbath, upon which n man
could not even kiss his wife. What
ever Sabbath keep we must be a
twentieth century Sabbath, and so
kept in modern ways. Practices
must be for individual Interpretation.
The preservation of the essential
spirit of the day alone is important.
Cheerfully may we surrender any
rules or regulations, If only we sue
ceed in saving the day of the Lord
in the spirit of Jesus.
And what is that Sabbath? BY
His definition, it is a day that min
isters to man. THE Sabbath was
! made for man." but to interpret that
statement as meaning that the day
was created only for the baser uses
of the lower and physical nature of
man is absurd. The highest exercise
of any office or function is its truest.
The Sabbath ministers to mans body,
but, more important than that, it
! serves His immortal spirit. The
Sabbath was made first of all for
that part of man which is immortal.
If his mind and soul are not the
stronger and the nobLer for this one
day in seven, then there has been no
proper Sabbath observance. The
| best Sabbath helps man to be his
best self. Too much consideration
for the body and its pleasures would
give us a decadent Rome.
BY the second definition of Jesus,
this should be ministering day.
His example also set the seal of wor
ship upon it, for in the house of God
! the memorial purposes of the Sab
bath are best observed. Then the
day is to be put to uses of charity
and brother1iness. The sick are to
be remembered, and all the world s
needy. Jesus grew angry with the
men who put Sabbath regulations
above the needs of humanity. A day