Year: 1876

IHe CPhtenntOt and the sabbath.
SERMON by REV. j. NJ. r. OTIS IN WEST


PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.


There was large congregation in
the West Presbyterian church, Sunday
night, to hear the pastor, Rev. j. M. p
Otis, preach on the question of open
ing the centennial grounds on the Sab
bath to the public. He said 1t was q
noble and Christian action on the part
of the commissioners to close the
grounds on the Sabbath; and that their
actisn was sustained by the law of God
and the law of the land. For them to
have done otherwise, or for them to
reconsider and reverse their action
now, would be a violence to both hui
man and divine law. He hoped that
these commissioners will now be sus+
tanned by all good and law abiding
citizens; and he believed that having
begun right, they will havo firmness,
and stand by the right and the law to
the end. He said that the plea for
opening the centennial grounds was
now put forth in the name of the work.
iug men, but the working men of
America had made no such plea for
themselves. He said that the Sabbath
as day of rest and worship, was Or
dained by divine authority, and en-.
forced and illustrated by divine ex
ample, as blessing to all, but espec.
tally to workingmen; God rested from
his works on the Seventh day and hal
lowed it. The commandments say
six days shalt thou work, but on the
Seventh thou shalt not do any work"
1t was Gods design that all men should
be working men, and that all men
should rest on the Sabbath from their
works.


There is no class legislation with
God. All men stand on the same
level before him. In his sight the rich
and poor meet together, and all are
judged by the same law. Jesus of Ma
zareth was the best and truest friend
of the workingmen that was ever In
this world. He was himself in his hu:
manitya working man; the son of a
carpenter, and himself carpenter
The Christian Sabbath is divine in
stitution ordained for man, to meet
the necessities of mans nature as a
day of restDand worship. 1t existed
from the beginning; was embodied in
the ten commandments as an institu-
tiou already in existence, which was
to be remembered that the Sabbath
might be kept holy. 1t is embided in
Christianity from the very beginning.
1t proceeds from the nature of God and
is grounded in the nature of man. This
| is what Christ meant when he said the
Sabbath was made for man, and not
man for the Sabbath, Damage will
inevitable come to the man or nation
that fails to remember" the Sabbath
to keep it holy. Here he referred to
the condition Of religion and morals,
and especially of the working classes,
in those countries where the Sabbath
is disregarded and dishonored. In an
swer to those who say, .'let us make
the experiment Of opening the centen-
NAL grounds on the Sabbath, and if it
is found to be prejudicial to good order
and morals, we can retrace our steps,"
He said that their position was like
one standing on precipice and about
to mako the experiment of jumping
over to see if it would hurt him. If he
should be hurt or killed, it would be
too late to be benefited by the expert
ment. Other nations have made the
experiment, and by it received dam
age. Ii the experiment should be
made in Philadelphia, it would be"the
beginning of the end" to the institu-
tion of the Sabbath in all America.


Philadelphia is the stronghold of
Sabbath observance in this land. If
that fort should be taken, the whole
land would soon be surrendered. Be-
sides the centennial is national insti-
tuition. and whatever the centennial
commissioners do, is the action of the


whole nation, just like the acts of con-
gress. They have done a worthy thing
Ia thing in accordance with both the


letter of the law, and in accordance


with the spirit of our American insti,


tutions.


If they should revise their action


already taken, and open the gates on


the Sabbath, 1t would be deliberate


violation of the laws Of the land as


well as trampling divine law under


foot; and as they are the agents and


commissioners of congress, their action


would be the action of the nation, and


when the nation in its governmental


agents becomes law breaker, we can


not expect the people to remain as law
abiding citizens. Then we may look


out for rebellions to spring up, and


even for the Commune to come in. i
the nal on surrenders the principle o.
obedielce to law, it must prepare tt


meet the consequence. Let US lool
before We take leap in this direction
there is an awful precipice just ahead
and the nation may leap over it.