SABBATH OBSERVANCE

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1818, 2 August 1913, Page 3

SABBATH OBSERVANCE

|"Paper by Mr. J. Holt, Tend at the halfyearly conference of the Congregational Union of New Zealand (Wellington District), at Terrace Church, Thursday, July 17th, 1913.1 To my way of thinking, no seriouslyminded person who believes in the teacnings of Hod's Word, can view other tiian with tho deepest concern tho prea?nl-day tendency to —not only or merely even —nonobservance of tho command to keep holy the Sabbath Day, but to do tho exact opposite, and not alone ignore that command, but to go still further and turn it into a day for loalinjj, secular amusement, outings, "etc., and thereby they are not merely doing wrong themselves, but inflicting an injustice and wrong on others around them, and on those who have to work if the means of locomotion, etc., are to be provided for the eonveyanco of the pleasure-seekers. I am not here to take u.p other than a reasonable and broadminded view in this connection (bearing in mind, of course, all the while the command given us to obey). My desire is to cause people to pause and think what their individual attitude and action should 1)" on this question; what is tho best line of conduct for them to pursuo in their own best interests, as well as that of their neighbours, etc. The evils of what is termed tho Continental Sabbath are so manifest and fl,.,;rant, whether considered from the sacred or the secular standpoint, that I have never yet heard anyone openly advocate such for our land or nation. And yet ara wo not in this fair country as a people, even now, trifling with the sacred heritage of the Sabbath Day and all the blessings in its train, and step by step surely, arid, indeed, rapidly, allowing it to be filched from us? Why, within the present month, although it is only a liltlo more than half way through, 'hero ill our own city tho ever-increasing encroachment on what should be the Day of Rest is so great and so insistent as to have been.several times referred to and reported upon in our local papers—as, for instance, tho proDosal that bcwling clubs be made available for play on Sundays; the changing of organ recitals, under tho auspices of tho City Council, from we?k day to Sunday; and tho protest against municipal rccreation grounds being used for the playing of football matches and other games on that day, in direct contravention of even tho existing City Council by-laws. But were I to set about enumerating even a very small proportion of tho open and direct violations of the Fourth Commandment that prevail in our midst and on every hand, the catalogue would indeed bo a lengthy ono lorn; before it was nearly exhausted —nnd I have nn intention or desire to so do. One ranst resrettablo fact is that those in high places an:l positions of inflbmre and authority aro oft-times the most flagrant offenders in respect to desecration of the Sabbath Day. And what hypocrisy it seems to "have up" a poor Chinaman for working within public view in his c;arden on the Sabbath, as a violation of the law of the land, whilst tho lawmakers and administrators themselves so frequently set the exnmnlo of far more flagrant, open, and needless violation of the Day of Itcst; and in so doing not alone compel those serving under them to do likewise, but also at the same time deprive the latter of the privileges associated with the day that (many of them at any rate) would gladly avail of. There can be no doubt but that the Fourth Commandment is one of God's best gifts to man, and that tho command to rest on every seventh day applies to the twentieth century as well as it did in. the past. It is a clear and distinct command to my mind for all time. The divine obligation of tho Sabbath, as a seventh day sanctified by God at tho world's creation (Gen. 2-3, Heb. 4-1), was recognised as such- by our Lord's own emphatic assartion that the Sabbath'- was a worldwide heritage when Ho said, "The Sabbath was made for mail, not man for tho Sabbath" (Mark 2-27).

But it is not from the legal, or municipal standpoint—or, indeed, from any merely public point of view—l desire just now to touch upon this important subject, but rather from that of tho individual; and if possible to cause a deeper realisation of what must ultimately bo the inevitable result of tho present trend of even's-rif nothing is dono to stay it and arouse both the individual and public conscience in regard thereto.

Tho number of .workingmon being employed on Sundays in connection with our railways, and other means of transpart and locomotion (both public and private), telegraph and post offices, mili-tary-camps and training, etc., is steadily increasing, aud apparently without any really earnest united effort being made to check or minimise same.

Wo have long looked upon the English Sabbath as a great national heritage, too firmly established to be easily taken from us; but tho fact undoubtedly is only too patent—that an undermining process has for long been going on; and, unless tho individual and public conscience is aroused to recognise the true position, and isteps taken to amend matters, we may find when too late that the opportunity for so doing has passed. Wie know there are those who scoff a great deal about the old Puritanic Sabbaths. Well, whatever errors of judgment thcro may have been in the direction of over-strictness, I would rather trust the old Puritanic Sabbath than the modern Sabbath (which is fast becoming to so many no Sabbath at all) for producing stalwart Christian character, such as can be depended upon in the day cf temptation or tried. The late Johji Bright, one of England's greatest men, said before- the House of, Commons: "The stability and character' of our country, and the advancement of our raco, dopend, I believe, very largely upon the mode in which tho day of rest, wnich seems to have been specially adapted to tho needs of mankind, shall be used and observed." And Lord Shaftesbury—that great and good English statesman, that groat friend of tho working men. and who 'did so much to improve conditions for tho working class generally —said: "Just in proportion as the religious associations of Sunday aro lessened, will the exaction.? of Sunday labour be multiplied." I.am not hero to find fault with those who, in the interests of humanity, or who, with a clcan conscience, can say they were unavoidably obliged to travel on "the Sabbath Bay, for we are told in the Old Book that our Lord's reply to thoso who found fault with Him for healing on that day was: "It is lawful to do well on the Sabbath Day" (Matt. 12ch. 12v.). But surely nono will deny that probably fully 80 per oent—if not more—of the travelling on tho lord's Day is not really necessary, and at any rate by far tho greatest i»rtion is such; and we cannot wilfully and deliberately ignore and disobey this Commandment with impunity—any more than either of the others. Parents and teachers can do much, both by example ami precept, lo educate and foster right views in the minds of those they have charge of: and ministers would, I think, do well to specially deal with this most important subject moro frequently and more earnestly when speaking to their congregations, and at week-right and other meetings and classes, olc. The point has been raised that the law of the Sabbath has never been transferred to tho Lord's Day. The reply to this is that the principle of the Sabbath has been ucocpted and applied to the L-ord's,Day in every Christian ago; and the Lord's Day is much more to tho Christian than over tho Sabbath could over have been to tho 'Israelite; for it reminds him of tho Resurrection of our Lord; and its observance becomes—and indeed is—an act of obedicnce and devotion lo tho Person of our Lord and Saviour.

1 firmly believe that to rest on the seventh day is needful for both man and beast; and if it were not so, God would not have decreed that neither should work tlioreon.

I am fully convinced, also, that many d-> not at all realise what they misseven as regards this life, and from a merely temporal standpoint—by not obeying tlia divine command in this connection. In this command and, demand that God made, that man should set aside oiio day in seven for Him, He was making a provision for tho soul, mind, and body—provision for worship, service, and rest, that was indispensable for man's l.vst welfare.

X am fully persuaded, too, that God does—hero and now in this life—still fulfil His promiso to reward those who obey His command with respect to nis Day.

Tho promise of blessing to those who respect and obey God's commands willi regard to the fourth commandment ro tho Salbath Day is very clear, very pronounced, and repeated. His promise to His people in this conncctlon is very

distinctly recorded in Isaiah 58 and verses 13 ami Iwhich read—"lf thou turn away thy font from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of Ihe Lord, honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own whys, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; then shalt thou delight thyself in tho Lord, and I will cause tlieo to ridu upon tile high places of tho earth, and feed tlice with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the month of the Lord liatli spoken it." And tliero can bo no question but that those who now obey the divine command with respect to the Sabbath Day will also share in tho blessing so clearly and repeatedly promised to His people of old.

lu Jvehemiah, 13tli chapter (verse 9 15 to 21 inclusive) a graphic account is given of the drastic measures so effectually adopted by this prophet to put an end to the Sunday trading, Sunday labour, and other secularising of tho Sabbath Day which had gradually crept in; and he at the same time reminds tho people that their fathers had sinned ill a similar way, and thereby brought wrath and punishment upon" Israel. Ezekicl also very specially refers to, anil has much to Bay about tho Sabbath; and in tho 20th chnpter and 12th verse, we read—thus saitli the Lord God "Moreover also I gave them My Sabbaths, to bo a sign between Me and them," etc.

Tho Sabbath was to be a special bond between Jehovah and His people. And in Isaiah, 56th chapter, wo further read of a, special blessing for those who ol> scrvo God's command with respect to this day, and in these words—"Blessed is the man that doeth this, and tho Son of Man that layelh hold on it; that kcepeth tho Sabbath from polluting it," etc.

That those who knew and loved our Lord when lie was on earth were taught by Him to observe tho Day of Best is very clrarly shown by tho fact that whilst His "body lay in the tomb "on the Sabbath day they rested according to tho Commandment."— (Luko 23; v. 55.) The Lord's Day has in different ways been made sacred by our Lord Himself, viz. (I) By his rising from the dead on that day. (Luke. ch. 24, v. 1-G.) (2) As the day chosen by Him to reveal Himself to His disciples and friends after ITis resurrection. (John ch. 20, v. 1!).) (3) It was also made sacred by being chosen as tho dnv on which to brenk ■bread at tho Lord's table. (Acts ch. 20, v. 7.)

Many of us no doubt cherish tho memory of happy Sundays in tho old homo, and the early example and precept of loving God—fearing parents in respect to the keeping of the lord's Day. Tho faithful work done by so many consecrated teachers in our Sunday schools is simply invnluable; ill fact, cannot bo over-estimated; and yet, ono does not hesitato to say that the best of Sunday schools is the Christian home; for neither Church nor Sunday school can influence the child for good like the parents—to whom the primary responsibility belongs. To thoso engaged in business, wearied with tho cares and duties of the week, as well as to the working man, beyond all doubc Sunday well spent is tho best of all refreshments for both mind and body; and nothing elso can compensate for its loss, or take its place. In faco of the many evidences of increasing forces at work to secularise the Sabbath Day, tho question surely arises: What is my duty in this crisis?

On the motion of Mr. Ilott, seconded by tho chairman, the following resolution was unanimously adopted-.—"That, in tho opinion of this Half-yonrly Conference, the ever-increasing desecration of tho Sabbath Day is an evil so manifest and c erioi.is as to demand the most enrncst attention of all who have tho welfare of the peopie at heart, and considers that it is tho duty of each and all to do what they can to discountenance and lessen same; and further urges upon all, and in particular parents, ministers, and thoso in charge of the young, the urgent necessity of teaching and emphasising the ckiiuis aud sacrcdness of the Lord's Day."