The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-11-21
THE PEOPLES FORUM.
Sabbath Observance.

DISCUSS the observance OF the SabDath
and with your permission | will present
few thoughts on the subject. 1t is
too large to dispose of in one brief
article, or a dozen for that matter, how
ever l shall confine mvsely to this pres
ent writing. hoping | may be able to
arrest the attention of all your readers
and lead them to consider their duty to
this holy day.
The Sabbath was made for man, we
are told So it was, for his profit not
for abuse; Tor edifcation not demon
alization. To keep it holy is binding on
US because the Lord has commanded it.
This command was founded on the re-
lations of man and hence is permanent.
1t is also founded on the nature of God.
1t is moral law and hence of universal
obligations. The Lord blessed the day
on the ground of His resting from His
six days work. He set it apart to a
holy use-for religious services.
The Sabbath was instituted to meet
the necessities of man. The physical
necessities require the rest of the Sab
bath. This has been thoroughly tested
in the past. He needs the Sabbath
rest to recuperate the wasted energies
of the week. Men have thought they
did not need this rest and so have won't
only dlsregarded the Sabbath, but their
folly has brought them to shame and
they have suffered loss.
Six hundred of the best physicians
of England once sent petition to the
British Parliament against opening the
Crystal Palace for profit on the Sab
bath day. They said. your petitioners
from their acquaintance with the labor
ing classes and with the laws which
regulate the human economy, are con-
WINGED that seventh day of rest, in
stituted by God and coevaI with the ex-
lstence of man, is essential to the
bodily health of man in every station
of life. ="
II you keep the Sabbath properly you
will accomplish more in a years time.
than if you had worked on that day.
But mans moral nature made it g nee
cessity. Mans moral nature is his
glory or shame. This is true of nations
as well. Universal experience of man
furnishes undeniable proof that our
present conduct forms the character
for future and is source of happiness
or misery. We are subject to moral
government and so must have time to
get acquainted with our duties to God
and man. Moral and religious truth |
must be the guide of our moral affec-
tons. But this truth cannot be follow
ed until it is known and it cannot be |.
known unless time is taken to master |
1t. We must have time to learn duty |
and to cultivate the virtue that must |
adOrn our character. 1t is necessary
that the cares of the week be dismissed |
from the mind, that it may mediate on |
the truth of Gods word. Religion is |
not the natural outgrowth of the hu-
man heart, it must be put there and |
cultivated carefully. 1t takes time to |
cultivate piety. The Sabbath then is
desirable as time of religious culture
and enjoyment. We take time for
social pleasures, why not for commun-
ion with God? In the face of the d.
vine command to remember the Sab
bath day. No ruler has the right to
work himself, or to require his sub
jects to labor on the Sabbath, except
IN cases of necessity or mercy.
It is not matter of marvel that the
country is made to pass through so
much suffering of late. 1t is as true
now as ever, that judgments follow the
breaking of the Sabbath. The stan
,dard of religion and morale in any COM
munity is according to the keeping of
the Sabbath. The profination of the
day always brings judgments. l do not
mean superstitious keeping of the
day when outward observances take
the place of piety, for then fanaticism
increases In proportion as the power of
piety is lost.
Christ found fanatical zeal for re-
Hglous forms existing among the Jews.
They would not defend themselves if
attacked by enemies. Christ approved
of works of necessity and mercy. He
healed the sick and did good on that
day. The Jews made merit of their
observance of the Sabbath. Christian
nations have regarded the Sabbath as a
civil institution of great Importance |
and have enacted laws for it's protec-
ton. Where it has been best protected
the standard Of morality is highest and
the gospel is preached in the greatest
purity. Where the Sabbath has deter
iorated into holiday it has become
source of corruption and dissipation.
To see the dire effects of such per-
version of the Sabbath or public morals |
you have but to look at Spain or South |
America where the masses go from
morning service to the bull fights and
theatres and no day in the week is so