The Holly chieftain., 1922-03-02
HOW SHALL WE SPEND THE
FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK?

tatSru tfie question, HOW Shall we
spznd our Sundays?'
II i needful that we realize first
OF All. that it is a purely personal
question that each must decide ac.
eocding to his own conscience. No
one has right to impose on another
his own convictions. Save in the
matter of the closing Of business
houses and pleasure resorts the law
of the state is wisely aliiescent in
the matter of Sabbath observance.
II is left to the citizen to decide
what Is best for the moral order
and welfare of the community and
the state.
For many centuries after the in
stitution of the Sabbath il was OBJ
served almost wholly as day cf
rest simply. Rest was the predolnl
nant idea Ct tho day. All work was
forbidden The people must rot
plow nor Gather the harvest. They
can neither hl1v nor sell No fire
mrst hr l;indlasI in the homes and
all culinary duties were abrogatcd
for the day In general WAY thee
it.aa!s arc embodied in the obsel.
vance of most communities todfy
e%ecpt nerhaps, in the home, where
the mother may worl, harder than
on the other days Gf the week ha-,
cause of the habit or Sunday visit
ing and the custom of big Sunday
dinners
Why was there. anciently SO much'
insistence upon rest? In part, be
cause man needs relaxation weekly
both for body and mind, We're
there no rcss day provided the
state would need to create one for
the welfare OF the people The dom.
inant purpose OF rest was. however
y rreparation and opportunity for
worship However. today with many
rect is for the sake of pleasure.
yynr,iiip can net he commanded
No onc not even God could do more
than furnish i fayor6lIId condition
for worship The first favorable
condition IL SD time-a time sf'
opart from all temporal cares and
labnrs SO the day OF resi- was com
mandcd in the Mosaic Law
So worship followed on the heels
Of rest Tt was the custom of Israel
to repair to the prophets FOR in,
structinn and worship on their day
Of rest. In New Testament times
we find the regular synagogue wor
ship on tho Sabbath and Jesus took
advantage of this opportunity to
present himself to the people.
Two ideals prevail today as to-
the proper observance of the day,
Of rnst. Scme conceive OF ii: as m
on ortnnity for worship and .,somc
ns an onportunitv for pleasures
Tlorn IL n third class that 20 to-
chnrci, cnce or twine&. q day and
snena The rest Of the aav in the,
oner and feel this is the iasal OF
co,r'eo tIicrca re a few that either.
s.,1ah tho aay in regular or irree9l
Iar. work as on other days or else
snend the day in complete idlcness
Roth .sra raprehcnsihlc. Rest is'
nfceeenrv but illenoss is pernicious.
God ohhors m idle man as much
. ~ nature abhors vacuum
Several drestion in reference to
Sundov Observance arise in every
practical mind that each must de-
c'Ae ror himself.
The firrt mleStlon may be; Shall
norton Of tl,c dav be sncnt in the
Dlaee ef Worship or not?" This is
n pertinent nuestion when go many
neorla tanore the church and rarely
a.tand hnr scriers. Many arc the
ranscna aivnn for tiis attitude. The
bneiroes man pleads the need OF
rret st homo or eIerPisn in tl'c ope!>
Tho f5rnnr makes il,n plea of his
,ncrr,ir- chores end thc long ride.
The house WIFI claims That children
and bt.r,sc worI. holl her at home.
IT church attendance is merely a
matter of expediency ,such rensons
nav stand for what !hey are. worth
TO the Individual since one cannot
irdra anc4hn', Gut when we think
of thc effect on non.chureh, going.
In the rising generation and realize
the restraining power OF the church
oyer tie younc, we gravcly cues
ticn such excuses. Few would wnnt'
to live where there were no church
cs. knowine how lax would he the
morals. and how unsafe pronerlv
and life and yet manv do ute
to support the Institution. This Il
not 90 much n plea for the church,,
snrelv no for any sect OF denomtna-
49,, J1,,t . ,,Ion for thot WbnlnSpmc