The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1922-03-17
Sabbath Observance
Topic of Sermon by
Rev. ]. c. Villiers

Rev. j. Charles Villiers, in his ser
mon preached at the Church of the
Good Shepherd last Sunday morning
referred to the primal, foundation law
of Sunday He said in part. Our Lord
in making the statement. The Sab
bath was made for man, and not man
for the Sabbath did not introduce an
entirely Few principle into the life
of humanity nor destroy the institu-
ton of the sabbath. He simply en-
unciated, or re -enunciated, what had
beer true from the beginning.
"The law of Sunday is something
more than a law of religious ritual,
or legal enactment. It is older than
the Jewish nation, and antedates the
PRONUNCIATION of the ten command
ments at Sinai. 1t belongs to the
eternal order, and is an institution
not of man, but of God for man.
"The principle to be remembered,
and the point to be emphasized, in
connection with the day, is that while
all days may be said to be made for
man" Sunday is a day set apart from
other day and from the tasks and
duties of other days, to give man
time and opportunity to adjust him
self to the things, not of the fleet
ing moment, but of eternity, time
and opportunity to review and renew
in his mind the thought, not that he is
a body, and has a soul, but that he is
a soul and has a body.
"a favorite saying of Thomas A.
Kempis was Man know myself"
Well, the primal law and principle
of Sunday is acknowledge, know
ledge appertaining to man in his tri-
partite nature, to the end that he
may make such knowledge instinct
with the true purpose of life.
Purpose of Sabbath
Matthew Arnold said sonduct is
three fourths of life. But conduct
receives it's direction, tone, purpose
and regulation through the ideas by
which life itself is ruled. Sunday, if
rightly thought of by men, in the
light of it's God-given genius, will be
a day of rest, religion, and re-crea
ton not recreation, though recreation
may, of course, play its part in re,
creation. Rightly thought of, and
transmitted into life, Sunday Will be
a day ll-blanced in the interests
of man'stripartite nature, as spirit
iAiAlN plld bObg 81 uuN " I'll Ill
in us the realities of life; a day fol-
getting a new grip upon ourselves
and to so order our conduct as that
we shall grow in all graces of true
manhood, and be better men, physi
cally, yes, and also morally, and re.
l~igiously.
"The law of Sunday, as our Lord
states it, is a law of liberty, but Of
] 1,lA.4r- -. .,AII lN.~r ~~ No.. -,
que, at times, as if our Lord, in say
ing the sabbath was made for man
and not man for the sabbath had
given them an excuse, and even sane
ton for every kind of licence. A
careful reading of his teaching on the
sabbath would remove from theil
minds any such conclusion. 1t was
addressed to men who had abused
the sabbath in the name of religion
men who had burdened the day with
a hundred oppressive, prohibitive re
| gulations which had made well-doine
almost impossible, and which had
made the day far from being a dag
of joy.
Well Doing Defined
What is well-doing? 1t is any do.
ing that will bring us into closer fel
lowship with God, our fellowmen
ourselves; make us better men, bet
ter women, better friends and neigh.
bors. Such doing our Lord com
mends as lawful 1t belongs to every
day, but especially to Sunday.
Our Lord in his controversy will
the pharisees on the sabbath, says
in effect, My ways are not your way!
nor my thoughts your thoughts. BY
their prohibitive regulations, the pha
risees had, while supposedly keep
ing the sabbath made it a day far
removed from the genius of the sab