Sunday Observance.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 142, 20 June 1904, Page 2

Sunday Observance.

WIHTELEY' CHURCH. Tho Hev. J. Newman Untile took the morning service at the above church. There was a good congregation, ami the choir, under Mr 0 Jl While (organist) led Ihe service of 1-i-aise with good effect, the anthem being well rendered. The preacher ookas his text Exodus xx., v.B-11.' ■»< Buttle explained the successive -Ups taken by the Ministers' Assou*i* on m rogicril.r.o Hie , /Jt _. siimllot .-.abbath desecration, and also as to the decision reached that sermons should be preached i n u ll the churches, 'dealing with the subject of the religious observance of the Lord's t ay. Ihe prevalent disregard of the claims of the Lord's Day as a day of rest and worship was not peculiar to -New Plymouth. It was aianifcßt to a greater or lesser extent in every community. The result of the continuation of such a condition of life could not but have a very serious eflect upon tho well-being of the twopie, there were some who hold what were termed very liberal views on the subject, but these were not always sound or true. ltecognising the fact that the observance or nonobservance of the day as one for religious duty and worship was of serious moment to the well-being of the community, it was needful to know the mind of God on tho subject.

; The SabfAUh was of divine institui lion, being commemorative of the 1 ","'n ° f c ]?, atUm ii. v. ;t). (iod - hallowed the day. All nature was hushed to rest, and still the sum,, (fiuetude prevailed on the Lord's Uay. The preacher stated it wus not his intention to deal with arguments in support of the change of the day from the seventh to the lir*t day ol the week, as these were not material to tiro present discission He wus desirous to trace the divine authority attaching to the religious observance of the Lord's Day. The Sabbath was of universal and perpetual obligation. It was given to Adam and was re-aflirmed by .Moses, and connected with tho Jewish economy. It WUK '„„,.(, 01 - Uw moral law, which came to fulfil. There were niuny reasons of u practical nature which might bo urged in support of the religious observance of the Lord's Day. It promotes the physical health of man and supplies an obligatory cessation irom secular toil. The "lirule creation need the day of rest, and Man especially so, Jt promotes 'he spread of good morals which results in the benclit and happiness of tl u . people. V here no moral principle exists there are unrest, f.tiilV and contenlion It n | KO Unity for acis of devotion ami worship to the individual, as also in he family, and to tin. , m i,i ic „, large, in reply to the objection as to what harm there was in a part of the day being spent in recreation and sport with attendance at a public service once in the day the preacher expressed the view that such a lino of conduct detracted from the holy character of the dav and lowered its position in relation to oilier days of tho week. Those who used the day for pleasure and' recreation were called upon to show that every other expedient had been exhausted to gain opportunity to supply this element of human life