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"SHALL THE SABBATH BE GIVEN UP?"
"Were this question asked of our readers in
dividually we have no doubt that they would
all say emphatically, "No!" Some, it may be,
would refer to the experiment made by France
some years ago, when that country decided lo
give up tho Sabbath, and found that from an
economical standpoint it had to return at least
to its nominal observance. No doubt we would
be reminded that carefully made tests have
shown that men and beasts of toil and even
machinery need a rest of one day in seven. Of
course many would say that we have 110 right
to give up the Sabbath because it is of God's
appointment.
But the fact is that as a people we are giving
up the Sabbath very rapidly. This is not be
ing done avowedly, and yet it is really being
done. There has been no open or concerted
action taken looking to this end, but there has
been a gradual one, and it is a growing pro
cess, and growing very rapidly. This has been
brought about by carelessness and indifference
on the part Of many of God's people in not
drawing distinctly the line between what may
properly be done 011 the Sabbath and what
may not be done. Things are done at first
which seem io be no more than doubtful. In
this, the great principle is overlooked that the
doing of that which is doubtful is a sin. But,
unfortunately, many have gone far beyond the
doubtful point, and are doing things which in
their own hearts they know to be wrong, and
yet are trying to find excuses for doing them.
This destroying of the Sabbath is brought
about in connection with business and with
pleasure. "We ought never to forget the great
principle so admirably expressed in the Short
er Catechism which gives the teachings of the
Scriptures 011 this subject. "The Sabbath is
to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day
even from such worldly employments and re
creations as are lawful on other days, and
spending the whole time in public and private
exercises of God's worship, except so much as
is taken up in the works of necessity and
mercy."
Labor under present conditions is a curse
which God imposed upon man immediately
following his fall in Eden, when lie said, "In
the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread."
God in His mercy, however, gave one day in
seven when men are to be free from the effects
of this curse. On this day He intended that
man should lay aside his work and rest.
In considering the question of rest, we
ought to remember that this applies not only
to ourselves but to others as well. If we rest
from our work, and cause others to work for
us, we are just as guilty as though we worked
ourselves. This should be borne in mind when
we are tempted to indulge in pleasure of any
kind which involves work on the part of oth
ers.
Rest, however, docs not mean idleness. The
fact is that our brains are never idle, and if
they are not directed into proper channels of
thought, they will invariably lead us into sin.
God gives us the Sabbath in which to worship
Him, and he who does not keep this thought
prominently in mind throughout the day is
coming very far short of doing what he ought
to do, and what God requires. To begin with,
we ought to be very careful to avoid anything
that interferes with worship. No man has any
more right to break himself down by labor on
Saturday, so that he is not physically able to
go to church on Sunday than he is to work on
Sunday. The things that interfere with pub
lic or private worship of God on Sunday are
very insidious in their character. One of the
most common causes of this intereference es
pecially in towns and cities, is the Sunday
newspaper. The Sunday paper keeps many
men and boys, as well as women, away from
the house of God, because of the work which
is involved in publishing and v distributing
them, but a great many more people are kept
away by reading it, and those who do go to
church after reading the paper are not likely
to have their minds and hearts in the proper
spirit for true worship.
Riding for pleasure and social visiting and
traveling are other causes which tend to de
stroy the sanctity of the Sabbath. The habit
of giving a part or the whole of the Sabbath
to work is growing very rapidly in this coun
try. Many business men go to their office or
require their employees to go and attend to
business of various kinds on this day. Any
one going into the business section of a city,
especially passing the post office, will see what
a great number of people get their mail and
go to their office on Sunday.
The violation of the Sabbath is probably
greater, certainly more noticeable in cities and
towns than in the country, and yet the dese
cration of this holy day is growing in almost
all country communities. Much work is done
that need not be done, and many things are
allowed to interfere with the proper observ
ance of the Sabbath which can be avoided.
The Christian Church needs to wake up to
the fact that the Sabbath is essential to Chris
tianity. Without the Sabbath there would
soon be no Christian religion, and without tho
Christian religion the world will be lost.
TESTING TIMES.
A new bridge was built over a rushing
stream. The engineers had finished their
work, and the structure seemed complete and
beautiful. Did the precious passenger trains
rush over it at once? No. First, a car and
then an engine and then a train of cars and
then a loaded train at slow speed and then a
heavier train at higher speed; all the while
the engineers were watching to see the effect
of the strain. ?
What was the purport of it all? Were these
men trying to destroy the work of their brains
and hands for so many months? No. They
were trying to find out the weak points, to
correct them.
Every year or two and sometimes oftener
that bridge was carefully tested to see what
effect the strain was having on its structure.
A perfect bridge for the work of the world
was what the engineer was after, and he found
it necessary to apply severe tests in order to
discover any faults and so to correct them.
God's business is making lives fit for the
Master's use. Ready for the perfect environ
ment of the perfect Home. That is what God
is busy about now.
Sin has sowed the human life with faults.
Defects are hidden beneath handsome exteri
ors. Flaws are in the truest steel. They must
be hunted out and taken away.
In this work man is co-operative. His nature
is such that he must stand with God in this
work. He is not exactly a dumb, dead thing
of steel. He is a living, pulsing, rational,
willing creature. He must do his part. Man
will never give up the faulty part without a
clear pointing out of the consequences; with
out a struggle and a striving to hold on to our
weakness. They are our pets. We do not
wish them away. Often their dangerous and.
hideous natures are unseen by us.
. We must be made to feel that this delusion
is corroding our lives, eatin gout the fibre of
our souls, and bringing terrible results upon
ourselves and it may be, on others.
Nothing so corrodes our lives, and often un
consciously than covetousness. Loving the
things of the world more than we ought. This
is the Christian's weakest spot. Self-preserva
tion seems to demand that we hoard and hold
on to the perishing lest we perish ourselves.
Not only does it become the first law of nature
in point of time, but also the first in import
ance. Not only a law of nature, but, one, we
piously transplant into the realm of grace.
"Caring for our own," we translate to mean
"caring for ourselves." To this love of ac
cumulation we sacrifice every generous im
pulse, every laudable deed of unselfish love,
every high instinct of our nature, 'til our lives
are in danger of deadly corrosion. Then a sud
den calamity comcs across our lives. We see
where our penuriousness has chilled and killed
the little plants of affection; gradually rifted
us apart from lives that were closely knit to
ours, and then the long life of close-fisted liv
ing within ourselves, rises up to smite us in the
face, and wreck our happiness.
God is saying, "I will show you how rot
ting, covetousness is to the fibre of your soul,
so you will co-operate with me in taking it
out and putting in the solid beam of generosi
ty.0
The love of enjoyment for itself; even inno
cent enjoyment, weakens our spiritual powers.
"Oh, have a good time"; as if that were the
end of life. . What' a mistake that is. Life is
more than a series of thrills. But we will have
it. It is so sweet to our taste.
Nothing is so destructive of usefulness. Not
even a business man would give a job to a man
who is living for enjoyment. Why should
God do so? So it comes to past that the most
useless creature in the Kingdom of God is the
Christian who is giving herself ever to a round
of parties and pleasures. They become spir
itually unfit. They may put up a great show
of energy and bustling activity, but results
show failure. Bridges are made for use, and
the bridge that gives itself up to pleasurable
sensations will be useless for the purpose of
carrying safely the transportation of a great
line.
So God comes on, and turns these pleasures
into gall and bitterness 'till we see their danger
with disgust in our souls for them.
God is trying to get the weakening girder
out that He may put the sturdy beam of ser
vice in.
This is the secret of Providence. She does
not come to us with gloved hand, or condoning
voice. She strips off the false covering, the
veneer, the paint that covers the rust and dis
closes to friend and foe alike and especially to
our own eyes, the weakness and faultiness of
our lives. The engineer who covers the cracked
girder with a coat of paint is an enemy to
man. God never hides things.
This is the answer to the question, "Why
should I have to suffer this, to undergo this
affliction, endure this cruel loss!" Why? Be
cause you are the one who needs just this to
make you what God wants you to be, and what
your highest good demands. It is not the
hand of punishment, nor is it evidence that
Satan has gotten the best of God" in your life.
It is the hand of God; not always gentle, be
cause gentle means have failed in your case,
but sometimes, hard and stern, but it is al
ways the hand of the One \yho knows what is
best and is trying to get you to see it in that
way.
Are you in the midst of your testing time?
Give yourself over into the wise hand of your
Father, the great Engineer.
Have you had no tests; do not flatter your
self that you do not need them.