Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-04-06
MAKING THE SABBATH THE
BEST DAY OF ALL.
Uthai Vincent Wilcox.

ers, too, in endeavoring to maintain
the sanctity of the Sabbath, are seek
ing to restrain and repress their chill
dren, thus making it day of dread.
Such a.course is likely to engender a
deep seated dislike for religion,
when the parents ought to make the
Sabbath delight by having some
thing that growing boys and girls
can do that will be interesting and at
the same time beneficial and in har-
nony with the Fundamental and God
given plan for the sacred day.
One mother after thinking over the
problem for time, studying the
Scriptures that relate to the observ-
ance of the day and noting the pas
sage in Isaiah 5s:13, about making
the Sabbath delight" formulated
a successful plan.
The family was an average one.
Father and mother were church mem
bers and preserved form of rever-
ence for the Sabbath and its keeping
as they had been taught to believe.
There was a 'tform of godliness."
The plan that was chosen made the
Sabbath day that was looked forward
to with delight by each member OF
the family. The day became favor
lite. It increased the love of religion
and the, Bible, it made better boys and
girls by giving all something to do
The tasks of the day were reduced
to a minimum. All the cooking posi-
BILE was done on the day previous.
After Bible School and the church
service, dinner was not had later than
] o'clock, and while the dishes and
things were cleared away father took
the nap that was to him as the breath.
of life.
Then there was an afternoon out
of doors. The family went for tramp
to the woods, to lake, to a river, or
to visit some construction going on
nearby; or it was merely hike down
the long road. "Best" clothes were
discarded for that which would make
the walk pleasant and easy. The hikes
were not meaningless either.
One week, according to the season
and the weather, it would be a hunt
for some kind of tree of flower, moss
or odd stones. Another time it would
be a study of buildings, architecture;
of houses, windmills; of balance and
design in the laying out of the yard
and the surroundings of the house.
AS they walked they talked about
God in nature and His great power;
the intellect and ability that men have
in making use of their God-given fac
ulties to make the world better to
live. in. It seemed to be this family's
Keynote to look on the positive side
of everything, to emphasize the best
rather than to dwell on the bad.
When the weather prevented go
ing out of doors, interesting times al
ways were planned fer inside. They
would play what they called their
suggestion game" For instance,
leaf might be suggested as thing
to talk about. Someone would men
ton, perhaps, the fig leaf. That would
suggest the beginning of dress and
Ewes first garment. Mention would
then be made of Joseph's coat of
many colors, the white raiment of
the angel visitors, the robes of the
priests, the Babylonish garments, the
gorgeous apparel of King Solomon,
the strange attire that was prohibited,
with its Ground tires like the moon"
and its "crisping pins;" the camels
hair of John the Baptist; the seamless
coat of Mary, the mother of Jesus,
anu SO Oll. lASlS was liO Civ w WIN
interesting discussions and sugges-
tions; the broad fields of knowledge
and of history and the sciences that
was open to the family.
There was never any attempt made
to hold the talk to hard and fast lines.
Humor and witty comments always
were permitted. The suggestions were
not to be sermons or preachments:
The only rule was that the suggestion
itself should originate from the Bi-
BILE. The Bible came to be held in
higher esteem when its vast store
house of knoiwedge was understood
better. The parents rightly felt that
in using the Bible as the starting
point there would be little danger of
going wrong. By the help of con-
cordance now subjects were injected