Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1921-05-25
BY j. H. LEWIS

Reverend VIM. Lodwick, of Platte
vile, pastor of the Congregational
Church, chose for his sermon at Sun
days meeting of his congregation the
following steXt;-"And He said unto
them, The Sabbath was made for man
and not man for the Sabbath: There
fore the Son of man is Lord also of
the Sabbath. Mark 2, -27:
The reply Of Jesus to the charge Of
the Pharisees that both he and His dis
ciples were guilty of violating the Sab
bath, when they walked in the field
of wheat on Sunday afternoon, rubbed
the stools in their hands and watched
the nusbandmen threshing the grain
was told in the parable when some of
the people in passing by saw Jesus
and His disciples picking the grain and
accused them of working on Sunday;
and they came and said, -"This day
is the sabbath day." and Jesus said
unto them, There are 40 restric-
tions on this day as it is day of joy
for the human soul. Jesus gave them
this example, in the case of the sick
man to whom he ministered on Sun
day: and further, 'if you had a sheep
that had fallen into pit would you
not take it out because it was day
of Sabbath?
They said that He was not a good
man and could not be trusted as he
performed miracles and spoke words
of wisdom on the sabbath, and they
would not have any more to do with
him. To Him it was the great day Of
the week and he wanted 20 feel that
the sabbath was a day of great privi-
lege and gladness. The day was Great
ed for the we'll being of man. Jesus
and His disciples so observed it.
Jesus hallowed the day by lifting it
high above the petty and childish re-
strictions the Pharisees placed upon it
and made it the most joyous day of
the week, and what He did upon that
day; in walking with His Disciples; in
speaking words of comfort and minis
tering to the sick, proves his belief in
the significance of the day.
Good Christian people hold today that
the Sabbath day or the Christian Sun
day is the cornerstone of our civiliza-
ton. Primarily it is a day Of worship.
A day set apart for mans approach to
His Maker. A day also where place
shall be given for the recreating of
mans physical life. The Sabbath is
made for the whole of man, his sp1r-
itual, his moral, and his physical we'll
being. Man has a body as well as q
soul.
Just how the day may be safeguard
ed for worship and also for minister
ing to mans physical needs is the Ques-
ton that we are facing this morning.
Approach the question from the view
point of the Church and the teaching
of Jesus. In the invocation of the law
there is a class that believes that the
enforcement of the law is the proper
method of safeguarding the interest of
the Christian Sunday. We respect their
opinion as we hope they will in turn
respect those who may not agree with
them.
Where earnest and conscientious
Christian people differ as TO the right
method OF approach upon these moral
questions, Christian courtesy, spirit
and federation should prevail, as God
has no favorites.
Here Rev. Lodwick read Section
1895 of the Wisconsin Code of Statutes,
which the writer is precluded from in
corporatingg into the sermon here be-
cause lack of newspaper space forbids.
This legislation was enacted for
people who lived in times of great sim
plicity. They knew nothing OF the
social problems which confront US to-
day. The trainers of this law could not
have forseen the changes IN the soclal
and industrial life which have come to
pass. They knew nothing of the COM
pick and intricate problems which we
are now facing. This, in part, ex-
plains the reason why it is practical.
" impossible to secure conviction OF
those who are charged with the viola
ton of this Statute.
In theory the Statute is legal and
is so recognized; in practice however
it has become imperative. Public SEN
timent must be sufficiently strong t.
make this law, operative. Men VIII
disagree. There is no justification IN
condemning men who cannot bring
themselves to convict. If honest IN
their convictions their opinions are
entitled to respect.
why the Christian Church as an
institution cannot invoke CHS law TO,
fine safeguarding of the Sabbath; and
why Christian people in general VIII
find themselves in embarrassing cir