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TKE SABBATH. By Prof. D. B. Willson. Gentlemen of the Theological class: — We greet you to-night at your appearing to take up the studies of the session of 1914-1915. You have made a good choice for your life work. The nations of Europe are battling to-day to decide whose will shall prevail, what nation shall be paramount. We have peace in our land, and plenty; and for these blessings gratitude is due t(fôd. His will should be recognized by this nation, and in all lands his law should prevail. Then there will be peace, for not unto any man or unto any nation, tut unto him are we taught to pray, Tny will be done in earth. i p.iî.o..e iiiib e,e.iiiig 1.0 uisûss one of his coii.iu..uas, tne law ol \.ue babuain, a l
September 30, 1914. A FAMILY PAPER. all these commands,, the Sabbath law is found, being intimately related to both parts. The Sabtuth is God's institution, aud the Sabbath was made ior man. Ah, it is said, do you not know that the contents of Genesis, second chapter, relating to the Sabbath are proleptic, that is, are inserted in advance.. with reference to the following Sinaitic law; and tbat the Sabbath law is Jewish, and was done away at the coming of Christ, and that the New Testament day has the church, but not divine authority back of it No, I do not know that tbe Decalogue Is only for the Jews. This Mosaic law—the moral law—is fundamental in legisla- •* tlon and bears on all people, and far from being Bolely Jewish., human society is impossible without respect to it in part, else there is chaos. "The Laws of the Decalogue are the fundamental principles of society and government. They are co-operant units like the links of a chain and the breaking ol one is a violation of all." (George Guirey.) Ah, but do you not know that present day scholarship does away with all these records as of old, and postpones their appearance to later times, and thus nothing can be built upon this legendary matter of later Judaism, to bind all men in all times Evolution must be taken into account, and all this voice of authority from early ages can gain no hearing now. Yes, I hear your words,, hut I know that the same Lord who quelled the storm on Galilee, who raised Lazarus from the dead, who foretold the manner and circumstances of his own death. and also that he would rise on the first day ol tbe week, referred to these early records, both in the firstand second chapters of Genesis, asking the Pharisees: "Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they twain shall be one fiesh." Between the two portions of this record thus brought forward to determine the law of marriage., comes the portion I hlave quoted, referring to God's appointment of the Sabbath. They then who cavil at the words ot Christ and all word of authority may fina themselves impelled on and on, as the youn rabbi at Scranton was last winter, who, abandoning the subject in hand in his zeal against religion, inveighed on a Sabbath evening not only against the Messiah but the Torah and the other books as well, and thus severed his relation with the synagogue of his people. Yes, the Sabbath,, as Marriage, is a primal institution of the human race, concerned with God's glory, and fundamental to the welfare of the race. The law is written in the Bible, and in the constitution cf man. The change of day owing to the resurrection of Christ in no wiy lessens the obligation. Rev. George Guirey says: "The law of the Sabbath is one from Genesis to Revelation," The facts of the change appear. We have first,the resurrection of Christ; second, Christ's appearance again on the firstday of the week; third, the day of Pente- «ost; fourth, the first day service at Troas; fifth, the first day servi'ê at Corinth; sixth, the Lord's day of Revelation, first chapter. Thus 'be first day of the week became established as the day of rest, the Sabbath, being the day ol Worship; in its period, the memorial of creation, the rest of God; In the day,, the first day ol the êpk. the mf^morial of the resurrection. Thos« Christian socialists, who to suit a'ltnen press Ior one day in seven" for the laboring man, and not 'or the flrst day of the week, the Christian Sal'- hath, for him, are off the foundation. They may lose all. The security for the day as a day ol rest for the laborer is largely based on the appreciation of it as a day of worship. The toilers themselves know best of all what benefit this moral law is. John Henderson of Scjtland ot fered prizes,, towards the close of 1847, to this ci-ass for essays on The Temporal Advantages ol the Sabbath to the Laboring Classes, because the Su.bbath railway facilities had been pressed as for their benefit. In three month;- l,o4.. essays were received. Prince Albert added to the prizes. In 1S52 it was published that i:ij').7rii) copies of the essays had been circulated. The law of the Sabbath is that labor shall cease. This command, as we have said, ie given to each one, to ii.e nead ot tne family,, to lne einp.oyer ol men, to the civil ruler in his control ol all in his jarisdictlon. Christ by his conduct and words brought out the Sabbath law in its definiteness, treed from the additions ol Jewish teachers, thus making it plain to those who wanted light. Ttere was on his part no abrogation ol ihe law. 'Ibis is the obligation of the law, Thou sbaU not 1: bor. 'ihis freedom from labor opens up the way for those who fear God, to employ the day for his worship, his special service. Families gather together, societies are made up, congregations are formed, religion flourishes. Within the circles are nourished the characters that bless the world, that promote peace and good-will In the earth. The church Is the salt ol the earth; it Is the light of the world. What of the great multitude that do not use the day for worship, that have no mind to do so, and to whom therefore It will be a day as other days, for labor and for self Are they free to follow their own will Do they involve thexselves alone In any disregard of the law Let us Jcok at this In the light of other laws ol tne same group. Does the violation of the sixth com. mandment with Impunity involve only the actual transgressor By no means, "Blood,, it defieth the land." Does steal'u; with imi'unity i'lvolve cnly the thief In all cases of laws violated with Impunity, the burden of guilt heaps up on the community itself. The commands come to all, and this Fourth command as well—not for enforced worship, but for outward respec* lo the law, in rest from labor and in good behavor The State Is under the Decalogue. The Government of a people, as well as the people, themselves may be Immoral. It may be Idolatrous. II may rob. It may be unmerciful. U may Ignore the law of the Sabbath. The Interchange of notes between the Powers of Europe, before the present war began in all Its breadth, as exhibited in the Blue Book ol England of August 6th, and the White Book of Germany, exhibits charges on either side., measured by this great law, showing that there is a Higher Law than their will. Therein "Each nation's ground for fighting with a clear conscience are stated." (The World, August 18.) The nations are calling one another to account. God calls them to account. I quote some weighty testimonies as to the Importance of these matters. Earl Russell said: "There is no necessity, in the nature of things, that nations should die. History points to no people wh'ch, while strong in faith. In reverence, in truthfulness, in chastity, in frugality., in the virtues of the temple and of the health, has sunk into atrophy and decline. We may decide,, therefore, that so long as moral energy falls not, the life of the nation will not fail. Dr. Schaff has said: "Take away the Sabbath and you destroy the most humane and most democratic institution which In every respect was made for man, but more particularly for the man of labor and toil., of poverty and sorrow. Take away the Sabbath, and yo« destroy a mighty conservative force, and dry up a fountain from which the family, the Church, and the Sate receive constant nourishment and support." (Princeton Review vol. XXXV.) Blackstone said: "A corruption of morals usually follows a profanation of the Sabbath." Justice McLean of the Supreme Court said "Where there is no ChrisLian Sabbath, there is no Christian morality; and without this, free institutions cannot long be sustained." Gladstone said: "The religious observance ot Sunday is a main prop of the religious character of the country. From a moral, social and physical point of view, the observance of Sunday is a duty of absolute consequence." These testimonies are easily multiplied from the great teachers and statesmen of the world. The Sabbath Is wounded in these days, and its maintenance in the State is handicapped by the treatment of It by Christian people. Consider our excellent President. What noble views are these uttered by him In Philadelphia on the Fourth July, this summer: "I am sometimes very much interested in seeing gentlemen supposing that popularity is the way to success in America. The way to success In America is to show you are not afraid of anybody except God and His judgments. If I did not believe that, I would not believe in democracy It I did not believe that, I would not believe people could govern themselves; if I did not believe that the moral judgement would be the last and final judgment in the minds of men as well as at the tribunal of God, I coud not believe in popular government, but I do believe these things, and therefore I earnestly believe in the democracy, not only of America, but in the power of any awakened people to govern and control its own affairs." After his election In 1912, he visited his birthplace at Staunton, Virginia, at the close of December, and left there on the Sabbath morning after his Saturday reception, and travelled to Princeton, New Jersey, reaching there in the evening. Since his term of office began, he left Philadelphia after the public ceremonies there on a Saturday, and travelled all day Sabbath to Macon, Georgia,, for the Commercial Exposition on Monday. The Secretary of State In 1912 attended the Chicago Republican Convention as a reporter, and left at Its close on Saturday night, and journeyed through the Sabbath to Baltimore to the Democratic Convention of Monday. I Instance these cases as showing how men prominent in the church and State regard Sabbath travel. What is needed is an arrest of thought. Again, the country has spread before it throu.gh these years the progress of evangelism on a d"- fined plan. The forerunners see to the districting of the city for prayer meetings. Homes ar.« opened up In advance, and there are many praying circles before the evangelist comes. The support he asked besides is the closing ol the city churches on Sabbath morning. For example, this city was districted, its suburbs and adjacent boroughs, and by sections the churches were closed on Sabbath mornings, tickets for seats being provided for the people. Thus multitudes from a distance made their way to service. The cars were most of all weighted down on the Sabbath day. Of course, the prayer meetings were to revive religion, to create an interest in the coming work,, and to pray for the divine blessing on it, not to fill the temporary structure. There Is the problem of Sabbath travel, though, In these days of federating, more and more the direction seems to be In the way of massive bul'dings, united churches,, cathedral services. Is there need of this to promote religion Christ
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