SUNDAY OBSERVANCES.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 119, 4 February 1926, Page 5

SUNDAY OBSERVANCES.

FIRST AND SEVENTH DAYS. Comparisons and Contrasts. “ The Truth Cannot Harm.” “ One hesitates at a time when there is great laxity throughout the world in connection with religious ob- • servanees, to say anything which may tend to increase that laxity,” sti-'fd the Rev. E. Ward, vicar of Putaruru, in commencing a sermon on i! Sunday Observances ” in the local Anglican Church on Sunday last. There were many who felt as he did on this question, conunued the preacher, some of whom even vcent to the length of suppressing their views in case they injured others. Old ideas died hard,' and he felt that the old doctrine cf eternal hell fire had done more to blast Christianity than anything else. Many minds stood aghast at this doctrine, and the slowness of many people in giving it up. It was a simple fact, however, that millions in the world to-day stood fast by that old doctrine. In fa '.e of this fact, it was not to be wondered at that there was a belief in the rigid observance of Sunday. He put forward his. views on this subject with a fail sense of responsibility, but he also believed that no .harm could come to humanity by telling the truth. If the truth had been told in regard to the future life, he -felt that millions would not have .turned away from the church. 1 There was hopeless confusion in regard to the ancient Jewish Sabbath, .-and the Christian Sunday. The Jewish Sabbath was founded upon the re■yelations concerning the creation. He ■would not pause to consider the meaning of the six days mentioned, hut because Gcd had rested on the seventh ■day the Mosaic law l held that to be a •holy day. The Sabbath was made for man’s physical and spiritual needs. It ■was a day of rest from labour, and of •worship, and it was amazing how the -mind of man could he so tortuous as .to invent the teachings such as the Rabbis taught in this connection. The Sabbath as interpreted by them was mo longer a day of rest and worship, .but a day for the elaborate interference with the details of life. One -instance of these absurdities was that though a specific might be taken into the mouth to allay toothache, it could not be ejected, hut had to he swallowed. Their interpretations were nothing but a farce, and our Lord was a Sabbath breaker according to the Pharisees. The Sabbath was made for man and f f not man for the Sabbath. It was given for a set purpose, and was never intended to be used as it was by the later generations of the Jews. With the advent of Christianity the Jewish Sabbath passed away. Jews who became Christians went on observing the Jewish Sabbath, hut the •Gentile Christians knew nothing of it. A conference was then held, and it was •agreed that the requirements of Judaism should not he imposed on the ■Gentiles. x

The Apostles met on the first day of the week to break bread, though at first we are told that they met daily. The requirements of ordinary accupations then resulted in the first day of •the week being set aside for this purpose, and the Jewish Sabbath was deliberately passed over. It was written -that no man was to judge another in respect tto the observance of the festivals and the Sabbath day. The Jewish Sabbath referred to the close of the Creation, and the Christian Sunday to the beginning of a new creation. Since Sunday was the weekly commemoration of Christ’s resurrection from the dead, and had been handed down to us as a holy day, but no precise directions as to the method of observing are contained in Scripture except that the early Christians met on that day for the breaking of bread.

Sabbatarianism was not held amongst

the early Christians. It began in the third century and was consolidated about the fifth century. The speakerstated that he had been brought up amongst the very strictest observers of the Sabbath, and when he recalled how very much they gave up he bowed his head in profound respect. He was, however, bound to confess that in his opjnion there was no justification for such an idea of the Christian Sunday. No one should impose any strict regulations regarding the observance of Sunday, but they had to remember that it was set apart by Apostolic example for the purpose oi commemorating a great event. Sun-

day should be a day of refreshment and for escaping the daily round of common tasks, and -of preparation for the week’s work. A man in a sedentary occupation might need exercise, and those engaged in hard, work indulge in any reereatic?n provided it

was innocent, and did not interfere with others, and there was no justification for saying this was wrong. It was not for Christians to say tha.t this was lawful, or that was sinful. Instead they should consider whether it was for the best. How the day could hest be spent in improving their bodily conditions, and aiding them in their spiritual life. They had to bear in mind their religious duties first, and their example to others, for inasmuch they were their brother’s keepers.. Moderation was necessary, and sound coiinnonsense, for one who was a follower of Jesus of Nazareth. They had to bear in mind their responsibilities to God, to man, and to themselves, then they could do as they pleased so long as it was innocent, and so lorfg as they never neglected ! their spiritual duties.