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AND
IGATION
DAY 01
REV
-iism HUTcra.soN
Mim
\ \ X.
y- "
\ ._ —
OUR OBLIGATIONS
TO THE DAY OF
REST AND WORSHIP
B^ rr;...rv.
REV. JAMES PATTBSSON/Sui'CtnSCHS
Gen. Sec. of the Mid-West Duf^fet'uifyke'pDol'! Day
Alliance. Member of the Pretti/lery .-of-Tofeia
^jl iAKna^aifpini fl
BOSTON: RICHARD G. BADGER
T0BONTO-. THE COFP CLABK CO., LIUITBD
jiw^
Copyrlsht, 1916, by James P. Hutchlaon
All mghts Reserved
THE r^F-"' ''■■■^'•'^
iPUBLIC LIBRARY
TluDcN FOUNDS MON3
.1.9)7 .
« <• »
».«
« - • . » ,
Ths Gobham Prbbs, Boston, U. S. A.
'^
CONTENTS
PAGE
I. A Call for the Defense of the Day of
Rest and Worship 7
The question, how to observe and defend
the Sabbath. Need of an organized effort,
II. Authority for the Sabbath 15
Traces of the Sabbath in remote his'
tory. Authority for the Sabbath in the
Bible account of creation; from the law
of our being; from the decalogue: The
ten commandments perpetual. Authority
from words and example of Jesus. His
healing on the Sabbath. Scripture teach-
ing on the Sabbath. Paulas statements
about certain days explained.
III. One Day's Rest in Seven 38
Amount of Sunday and seven-day labor
in the U. S. Sunday labor in the steel and
other industries, and in certain states. Mor-
al effect of Sunday labor.
IV. Physical Result of Seven-Day Labor. ... 46
The nervous system in bodily health and
vitality. How it is damaged by seven-day
labor. Oxygen in physical repair, and how
effected by the day of rest. Dr. Haegle/s
diagram. Damage of fatigue. Six-day
\ labor compared with seven.
\ V. Economic Benefits of Sunday Rest 54
ii Principles effecting economic results of
seven-day work. Example of Jefferson
t
r
r
f
r
r
ft
f X
t
■
CONTENTS
PAGE
Furnace and other companies. Post Office
department. Cripple Creek petition.
Horses in Chicago street car service. In-
creased efficency of men because of day
of rest. Incident of Mr. Major with ox
teams.
VI. Relation of Sabbath Observance to the
Development of Christian Life and Char-
acter 65
Spiritual benefits take precedence over
increased dividends. Time required for
development of character underestimated.
The Sabbath, God's remedy for religious
problems. Dying at the top. Answers to
questions sent out. Facts resulting from
uses of the Sabbath. Drifting from the
Christian life because of Sunday labor.
Sunday amusements. The drift from Sab-
bath desecration to unbelief and paganism.
Testimony of Justices Hale, Strong and
others on Sabbath desecration and crime.
Record of descendants of Sabbath keeping
compared with non-Sabbath keeping famil-
ies. Illustration of the garden.
VII. Methods of Securing A Day of Rest
Each Week in Continuous Industry .... 90
The principle approved but not practic-
ed. Blair Sunday Rest Bill. Three re-
quirements: Organized effort; agitation;
legislation. Model statement for Sunday
rest law. The plea that Sunday labor is
reduced to the minimum. Action of organ-
CONTENTS
PAGE
izations showing desire for a day of rest.
Crisis now upon us,
VIII. How to Keep the Sabbath io6
Sacred requirements before secular. The
Sabbath sacred. Where we go? in Sab-
bath keeping. What we readf Medita-
tion in Sabbath keeping. Illustration of
a garden. The man who refused Sunday
work.
IX. Change of the Sabbath from the Seventh
to the First Day of the Week 1 16
Christian Sabbath in honor of our Salva-
tion. Greek "Sabbaton." In New Testa-
ment after resurrection, for the first day of
the week. Testimony from early church
fathers. The Sabbath around the world.
Evidence that time of the Sabbath was
changed in Old Testament times. The
Holy Spirit has honored the first day Sab-
bath.
X. Plans of Work 126
Action necessary. The work that
counts. Utilities Commissions and others.
The public telephone. Sunday mail. Sun-
day stores. Sunday baseball. How to
close Sunday sporting rooms. This work
requires the support of special workers.
Petition of Engineers of the N. Y. C. Ry.
American organizations for Sabbath de-
fense.
OUR OBLIGATIONS TO THE DAY OF REST
AND WORSHIP
Our Obligations to the Day
of Rest and Worship
CHAPTER I
A CALL FOR THE DEFENSE OF THE DAY OF REST AND
WORSHIP
tt
The Sabbath was made for man" — ^Jesus.
*As we keep or break the Sabbath we nobly save or
meanly lose the last hope by which man rises." — Lin-
coln.
*'The longer I live the more highly do I esteem the
proper observance of the Christian Sabath and the more
grateful do I feel toward those who impress its import-
ance on the community" — ^Webster.
OW should we keep the Day of Rest
and worship, has been a problem through
the centuries. These pages are written to
help the reader to think, first of all, how
he should observe the day so as to get the most out of
it, considering all his interests, physical, moral and
spiritual, and live in harmony with our Master. The
fourth commandment is before us, "Remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor
and do all thy work ; but the seventh day is the Sabbath
of the Lord thy God ; in it thou shalt not do any work,
7
: . r*a\ 0' Rest and JTo^skip
• '■ ::r liaup^hrer. thy n:2r.-5cr\ant,
. ::." ::" rartir. nor thy stranger
.-.::?• Ti): ir six dav? thf Ljrd
• • • • • a
* • r:::: »:;l^ • wherefore the Lord
.::\ ;:.ilu»\vcc it." This com-
-:u :: lia> its clainis upon us.
;.:•:.'! .mt must >Oive the
N. .rr.: .Mr. he conscience for
-:,••..'. :: .1- :;::vintr anv bindine
. • .-. i^^cr trained to observe
• ••«•• • • ••• • . % a^ WAS V. An <* \Jk
:: ::; . ::i:v .\»:::n:ard5 of the
. <.'::;r. »m:" victions on how
•'. i:-.. 4::5: .: as those about
..:>.■. V AT x*-ar.: each one to
^ . ..:•:. s.-^r»nd the Sab-
:r's . ::.:> command-
^i , ... ".'^ -:•. *••'•'' '*' "-i^^i iTive the
.....,•. - .':.:* > £ strenuous
,-. .*. . •."». . rr. t : .*^ns an d
"•.. *^' :<:.:..* Sabbath
v •;. o."::'d the
■ *• • •» • ' * ^ "^ "* '* a n .1 •
• • • •# •• « < ■••••BaWUIVt
• «■ •
• • •
N,;rw;i« Will
— * 7y ' -^^"**' '*-
iUliilUUL
8 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant,
nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger
that is within thy gates; for in six days the Lord
made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them
is, and rested on the seventh day: wherefore the Lord
blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it/' This com-
mand is in the decalogue and it has its claims upon us.
How should we keep it? Each one must solve the
question for himself. No one can be conscience for
another. Some do not regard it as having any binding
force upon them. Perhaps they have not thought much
about the subject, or have not been trained to observe
the day. Others are convinced that it is the law of
God, binding upon us as the other commands of the
decalogue. Some have no settled convictions on how
the day should be observed, and use it as those about
them may lead. The question we want each one to
ask is, how should I, situated as I am, spend the Sab-
bath so as to obey the requirements of this command-
ment, so as to please God best and receive and give the
greatest benefits intended by it? This is a strenuous
century with modern inventions, large corporations and
fast living. How far should the Christian Sabbath
bend to suit these conditions, and how far should the
conditions be made to conform to the fourth command-
ment.
The reader is asked to think, also, how he should
conduct his business or occupation on Sunday. Will
Defense of the Day of Rest and Worship g
your business yield a larger profit by Sunday and
seven-day labor, or by turning the key upon it Saturday
night and not opening up for business until Monday
morning? Some attend to business seven days in the
week, while others, in the same pursuit, use the day
for rest and moral development. Are they more pros-
perous who attend to busintes on the Lord's Day or
those who do not? And then our moral and Christian
character enter into the problem; do profits increase
by Sunday and seven-day labor to render an equivalent
for the benefits of Sunday rest and moral development?
Is it right to employ others in Sunday and seven-day
labor so as to deprive them of opportunities of Sunday
rest and the advantages of moral development that its
observance affords? Can a person do more and think
as clearly by seven days of labor each week, or by six
days of labor and a day of rest and worship? What
are the "works of necessity?" What is the minimum
of Sunday labor in your business? What plan can be
adopted which will allow the toilers who do the neces-
sary Sunday work to rest and attend church?
The defense of the Sabbath in the community needs
attention, also. There are places where the soimd of
the church bell is blended with the noise of building
and teaming arid holiday sports of the children ; where
places of business are open on the Sabbath day and
people are coming and going with purchases from the
stores; and their arrangements for social a&irs and
'lo Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
pleasure outings make it impossible to attend the public
worship of the church. All because the people have
not thought how they should defend the day in the
community for the nobler purposes of rest and spiritual
upbuilding. Historians tell us that crime and immor-
ality follow Sabbath desecration. And from those
places where the day is largely given over to frivolity
and business and conversation about secular affairs,
proceed a large proportion of persons of degenerate
and criminal tendencies, and a small proportion of indi-
viduals of the nobler attainments and ambitions of
Christian character. In contrast with this is the com-
4
munity where the Sabbath has been more nobly defend-
ed for the sacred purposes of the day; where stores are
closed and the people do no trading; where sporting
and festivities are not engaged in, and the call to wor-
ship is responded to by a people who have formed the
habit of using the day for more sacred purposes. From
such places go forth a large number who occupy prom-
inent places of honor and usefulness, and the percentage
of crime is very low.
The situation today, calls for the attention of the
people to another phase of this subject — ^to a imited and
organized movement for reducing Sunday and seven-
day labor to the minimum, and defending the quiet of
the day for rest and worship. A special and combined
efibrt is required for this work. Leaders are needed
who are specialists in this kind of effort who have
Defense of the Day of Rest and Worship ii
studied the conditions and have seen and feel the
wrongs of Sabbath desecration. We need leaders who
know and realiase the greatness of the numbers of young
men and women who are kept out of the Christian life
by this evil that abounds and are pushed down into
godlessness and demoralization. The people must stand
back of those whose souls are on fire with zeal for this
cause, and who are able to plan and lead the movement
for defending the day of rest and worship. The public
mind must be instructed and the public conscience
awakened to a sense of the wrongs done. Petitions
must be placed before those who are in position to reg-
ulate Sunday labor. Efforts already made prove that
much can be done.
As the Anti-Saloon League and other temperance
organizations combine the efforts of the people in pre-
venting the evils of the liquor traffic; and the Home
Mission organizations are the effort of the people in
building up the religious life in neglected places; and
the Foreign Mission Societies unite the efforts of the
people in carrying Christianity into pagan lands; so
the Lord's Day Alliance and kindred oi^ganizadons
combine the efforts of the people in securing the bene-
fits of a day of rest and worship.
There never was a time when it was not necessary
to make an effort to prevent the Sabbath from being
crowded out. In the days when Jeremiah was the
religious leader of the people, God told him to stand
12 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
in the gates of Jerusalem and instruct the rulers and
people in Sabbath keeping, and reprove them for their
Sabbath desecration. In the days of Nehemiah, a cen-
tury and a half later, he said, "What evil thing is this
that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day? Did not
your fathers thus, and did not God bring all this evil
upon this city? Yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel
by profaning the Sabbath." He then put forth meas-
ures to defend the Sabbath. When God gave the com-
mandments, including the fourth, to the Hebrew
nation. He told them repeatedly, "Ye shall teach them
diligently to your children, speaking of them when
thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by
the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine
houses and upon thy gates." Many times the Scriptures
record earnest directions to keep the Sabbaths. And it
is held up before us that because they polluted the Sab-
bath judgment was sent upon them. Always it has
been necessary to make special effort to protect the day
for its sacred uses. The people who have not made
that sufficient effort have forgotten their Creator and
in their blindness and idolatrous worship have paid the
penalty of an irreligous people. Today, when business
is on such a large scale that labor can scarcely cease
with many for a day, and the attractions appeal to the
baser nature as never before, we are in danger of allow-
ing the love of money and the love of pleasure to rule
Defense of the Day of Rest and Worship 13
out the nobler sentiments by crowding out the Sab-
bath. We need to think carefully how we can help
in a united movement to defend the day.
Never was the Sabbath so strongly attacked, or so
poorly defended as in this commercial age. While we
are directed to teach Sabbath keeping diligently unto
our children, inscribing it upon "the door posts of thine
house and upon thy gates," we find, instead, that large
numbers of parents are bringing up their children with
no instruction or example on this subject. They make
the day a holiday with no instruction in the moral and
religious life in the home. Many children see their
fathers start out on Sunday morning with his work
clothes and dinner pail to his work. Many others
spend the day in sporting and return at the end of
the day wearied with pleasure seeking. Some go to
Sunday-school in the forenoon and leave the church at
the close to spend the remainder of the day in carousal.
They pass through the formative period of life seeing
business, labor and sporting on all sides on the Sab-
bath, and when they read the fourth commandment,
"Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days
shalt thou labor and do all thy work; but the seventh
day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou
shalt not do any work," they wonder what it means.
Is it any wonder that multitudes are about us who are
in a state of inquiry about the meaning of the fourth
command of the decalogue?
14 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
Attention is not given to this subject adequate to its
need and importance. The writer has given attention
to the number of books on this subject in the public
libraries in smaller and larger cities. The result of the
inquiry is, that no book on the subject is found usually,
in the smaller cities, and those in the larger libraries are
few and out of date, generally. Large numbers of
volumes are found upon other subjects of comparatively
trifling importance, while the Sabbath, which is funda-
mental in the moral and spiritual upbuilding of every
life, inseparably essential to the church and important
for the highest good of every home, is given the smallest
consideration. Is there not occasion for us to stop and
think of the meaning and need of the fourth command
of the decalogue?
CHAPTER II
AUTHORITY FOR THE SABBATH
*t
'Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy" — ^The
Fourth Commandment.
"It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than for
one tittle of the law to fail" — ^Jesus.
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day" — ^JoHN I,
lO.
"Where there is no Christian Sabbath, there is no
Christian morality; and unthout this free institutions
cannot long be sustained" — ^Justice McLean of the
Supreme Court of the U. S.
"Laws setting aside Sunday as a day of rest are uP'
held, not from any right of the Government to legis-
late for the promotion of religious observances, but
from its right to protect all persons from the physical
and moral debasement that comes from uninterrupted
labor. Such laws have always been deemed beneficial
and merciful laws, especially to the poor and dependent,
to the laborers in our factories and workshops and in
the heated rooms of our cities; and their validity has
been sustained by the higher courts of the states" —
Supreme Court of the U. S. by Justice Field.
"The stability and character of our country and the
advancement of our race depends, I believe, very largely
upon the mode in which the Day of rest, which seems
to have been specially adapted to the needs of mankind,
shall be used and observed" — ^JoHN Bright.
15
1 6 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
"Of all Divine institutions, the most Divine is that
which secures a day of rest for men, I hold it to be
the most valuable blessing ever conceded to humanity,**
— Lord Beaconsfield in House of Commons.
"There has perhaps never been a topic on which a
greater number of the wise and good have been agreed,
than the Divine authority, the sanctity and the value of
a weekly day of rest and prayer," — Gilfillan.
"Experience shows that the day of rest is essential
to mankind; that it is demanded by civilization, as well
as by Christianity," — ^Theodore Roosevelt.
BRIEFLY stated, the authority for the Sab-
bath is in the account of the creation in
Genesis; in the fourth commandment; in
Christ's acknowledgment of the Sabbath; in
the continual reference to it throughout the Bible; in
the evident need of a day in seven for rest and moral
and religious refreshment, discovered in the physical,
moral and spiritual nature of humanity as we read it
in the Scriptures.
The Bible account of the creation is written in ref-
erence to the idea of six days for work and a sacred
day. "The evening and the morning were the first day.
The second day," through the six days. "He rested
on the seventh day from all the work which He had
made. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified
it ; because that in it He had rested from all His work
which God created and made." Nothing has given us
the week but the sacred day in seven. The seasons
Authority for the Sabbath 17
define the year, but no natural division has given us the
week. Wherever we find the week of six days and a
sacred day, we find evidence of the Sabbath, For a
sacred day in seven is the only thing that defines the
week. Humboldt says, "We find the cycle of seven
days among the Hindoos, Chinese, Ass3rrians and the
Egyptians."
Traces of the Sabbath are found throughout history.
The word "Sabbath," is found on Acadian tablets of
baked clay, now in the British Museum, that came from
the age of Noah, who talked with Methuselah, who
talked with Adam. The ancient heathen nations who
lost the sacredness of the Sabbath, and turned from the
true worship of God, yet retained the week, six days
and a sacred day. Ancient Egypt worshipped Osiras,
the Sun-god, symbolized by Apis, the golden bull, one
day in seven. The Sabbath was observed on the plains
of Babylon before the Hebrew nation was known, gen-
erations before the ten commandments were given on
> Sinai. The language of ancient Assyria has the word
"sabattuv," with the meaning, "day of rest of the
heart." (Sec F. Delitzsch in II Rawl., 32, 16). This
should make clear that the Sabbath was not intended
for the Jews only, as we have heard a few persons
say. It was made at the creation of the world; that
is, He made the world with reference to six days for
labor and a day for rest and religious worship. As
He made the world with reference to the law of
1 8 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
honesty and the law of truth, so He stamped in the na-
ture of man that form of being which requires a day
of rest in seven and time to cease from labor and turn
his attention to the higher truths belonging to moral
character. Honesty has been for the welfare of society,
for God made man with that law built into his nature.
There never was a time when it was not wrong to
steal. And there never was a time when murder was
not wrong. When Cain killed Abel his blood cried
out from the ground just the same as it does today,
when that crime is done. The law of the Sabbath is
likewise the same. Man grows just as weary with seven
day toil as he ever did, and he is just as prone to for-
get God and become demoralized and godless without a
day each week for the study of the higher qualities of
his being. The ten commandments define the relations
which the Creator established between man and Him-
self and between man and his fellowman, when He made
the world. These relations never change. Christ said
''It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than for one
tittle of the law to fail." The heavens must pass away
sooner than the nature of man would change so that
continuous labor would not weaken man by weariness,
or when man would not become godless with no day
in the week for moral and religious purposes. Before
the Creator inscribed the fourth commandment upon
the tables of stone at Sinai, the same hand built that law
into the nature of man in the Creation.
Authority for the Sabbath 19
Authority for the Sabbath, then, is on the same
basis as authority for, "Thou shalt not steal," or "Thou
shalt not kill." God made the world that way. Each
nerve and sinew of our bodies is constructed under the
law of one day in seven for rest. He made the Sab-
bath law when He made the soul of man. He made the
soul of man so that it needs a day in seven to give thanks
and worship its Creator; liable to forget its Creator
and needing to seek help. He created the Sabbath law
when He created the affections in the soul, needing a
day in seven to turn to the Creator and the nobler ob-
jects which we should love, but liable to turn to baser
things. When Jesus said "The Sabbath was made for
man," He evidently meant that it was made in the
creation of the world. It was not made when the ten
commandments were given, but when the world was
created. It was not for the Jews, only, but for every
human being, and for the creatures under us.
We have reliable authority for the Sabbath because
it is in the decalogue. To realize fully that the fourth
commandment is for our observance we should notice
the place the ten commandments occupy as the law of
God for our guidance.
First of all, they are from God. Not because He
gave them on Mount Sinai any more than for the
reason that He made the world with these laws in the
world and in man. The law contained in the com-
mandments are written upon the heart of man. We
20 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
know from our inner consciousness that it is wrong to
steal ; we know that one day in seven for rest is needful
and that we should have a day each week free from
secular toil that we might worship God and develop
our moral and spiritual natures; we know that it is
wrong to bear false witness. The ten commandments
only define the duties which were established by our
Creator when He made the world. We publish the
laws of gravitation; but they were established in the
relations of things when the world was created. We
publish the law which we find when water becomes ice
at a certain temperature, the law of expansion which
the beneficent Creator made when He designed the
world. So the ten commandments only define our du-
ties to God and man which were fixed by the all-wise
Creator when He made the world. God is the author
of them. The Sabbath was not founded but promul-
gated by giving the law from Sinai.
The fact that God gave the ten commandments is
emphasized in the account in the Scriptures. "He gave
unto Moses, when He had made an end of communing
with him, upon Mount Sinai, two tables of testimony,
tables of stone, written with the finger of God." "And
the tables were the work of God, and the writing was
the writing of God, graven upon the tables." The
account of the giving of the decalogue emphasizes the
extraordinary presence and authority of God. "There
were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud upon
Authority for the Sabbath 11
the Mount, and the voice of die trumpet exceeding
loud. And Mount Sinai was all together on a smoke,
because the Lord descended upon it in a fire and die
smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furance, and
the whole Mount quaked gready." The sublime pres-
ence of God in giving the ten commandments mark the
fundamental character of the precepts given. They are
God's law to man. They embody all our duty to God
and to our f ellowman. Nothing is left out and nothing
in diem is unnecessary. Many phases of duty are under
each command. All rulers have laws for the govern-
ment of their subjects. These are the laws for the
Creator's servants.
The ten commandments are perpetual. They are
for all people in all ages. They are not for one people
or for one age; but they are die precepts that never
change. Outward conditions change, but the duties
imposed by these laws never change. There never was
a time when it was not wrong to steal and there never
will be. Murder was always wrong and there never
can come a time when the relations of duty to our fel-
lowman will so change as to make murder right, that is
contemplated, malicious murder. The nervous system
built into man is the same forever; it will grow weary
with seven-day toil now as ever and there never was a
time when people did not drift away from God and
righteousness without a Sabbath. In Psalm 148:6, we
read» ''He hath also established them forever and ever.
22 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
He hath made a decree which shall not pass." These
commandments are unchangeable because God is un-
changeable and the nature of man is unchangeable. ''Be-
fore the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou
hadst formed the earth and the world, even from ever-
lasting to everlasting, thou art God." ''He is the same
yesterday, today and forever." "With whom is no
variableness or shadow of turning."
Not only is God the same for ever, but man is un-
changeable in the relations and duties which the ten
commandments define. A chart exhibiting the anatomy
of the circulatory system of man in the days of Noah,
if correct, would be as reliable for the surgeon today.
The arteries and veins were located the same and car-
ried the blood to the parts of the body. The heart
has always been constructed as it is found today and
has performed the same work of forcing the blood
through the body. The nervous system communicates
sensation and vital energy just the same today as in the
ages of the past. The nerve cells have vital energy in-
creased by rest and diminished by fatigue just the same
today as when God gave the decalogue on Sinai. The
muscles and the bones have similar elements in their
structure and perform the same office. There is the
same demand for food as ever, and no change has taken
place in the necessity for honest labor, the right to
property, the wrong of theft. Honesty and truth is for
the welfare of society today just as they have always
Authority for the Sabbath 23
been.
The soul of man was the same through the genera-
tions of the past as today. Man has always had afiEec-
tions and ambitions and responsibilities which are prop-
erly directed by the ten commandments. Love to God,
reverence for Him and worship of God is expressed by
the first three commandments. There is the same need
of guarding these inunutable relations and duties, and
taking time for moral and spiritual development of the
soul. Cain envied Abel; Saul envied David; the rul-
ers of the Jews envied Christ; we find the same thing
today. The soul of man is as fixed as the body. God
is the same to us and we are the same to Him. Love
to God is as essential as it always has been; reverence
for things sacred is the same ; faith is the same. One
day in seven for rest and worship is the same since
the beginning of the world, because God is the same,
and man is the same; and the relations between God
and man stand unchanged. The nervous system de-
mands rest, for it has ever been made that way; the
soul owes it always to give thanks to the Creator and
Savior, and take a day in seven to worship Him, and to
be free from labor to give time and attention that we
may guard these sacred relations. The ten conunand-
ments which define these fixed relations and duties be-
tween the unchangeable God and man must be un-
changeable.
The Gospel dispensation did not set aside die ten
^4 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
commandments. The sacrifices which pointed forward
to Christ, the Lamb without spot, slain once for all for
the sin of the world, these sacrifices were set aside, and
the ceremonial rites, but not the ten commandments.
Jesus said * 'Think not that I am come to destroy the
law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy but to
fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and
earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass
from the law till all be fulfilled." He follows this
statement in the Sermon on the Mount by quoting from
the decalogue. He confirmed the commandment when
He said, "I say unto you. He that is angry with his
brother without a cause" is guilty. "Do we make void
the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish
the law." Rom. 4:31. "Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness to every one that believeth." Rom.
10:4. "It is easier for heaven and earth to pass than
for one tittle of the law to fail," said Christ. The
word of our God shall stand for ever. When die na-
ture of man is unchangeable and God is immutable and
the relations between God and man stand the same,
how can we expect the ten commandments, which define
our duties in these relations, to pass away? Therefore
the fourth commandment of the decalogue, the longest
command of the ten, the central command, the key-
stone of the arch which supports us in our happy rela-
tions to God and to man, must stand forever.
The wwds and example of Jesus give us audiority
Authority for the Sabbath 25
for the Sabbath. When he said "the Sabbath was
made for man, and not man for the Sabbath/' and
"The Son of Man is Lord, also, of the Sabbath," He
acknowledged the Sabbath. He observed the day with
sacred regard. We read Luke 4:16, "He entered, as
His custom was, into the synagogue on the Sabbath
day.** This was spoken of him when at Nazareth,
where He was brought up. We do not find a single
statement recorded in which Christ denied the author-
ity of the Sabbath or that it was set aside. He was
accused by the envious rulers who had lost the spirit
of religion, of breaking the Sabbath by healing on the
Sabbath and by plucking the com. But we do not
understand these acts to be a violation of the fourth
commandment. He never went after those to be
healed on that day. There are seven accounts of Christ
healing on the Sabbath, and all these cases were brought
to Him or were in his presence as He worshipped and
taught. In no case did he go out on a journey to seek
and heal on the Sabbath. When He was teaching on
the Sabbath in Capernaum in the synagogue there was
a man "with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, say-
ing, what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Naz-
areth.** Jesus healed him.
The second miracle of Jesus on the Sabbath was
immediately after the miracle in the synagogue. He
went to Simon Peter*s home. "They besought Him
for her. And He stood over her, and rebuked the
26 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
fever; and it left her." The remainder of the Sabbath
was spent in quiet, until the time of its observance was
past.
The third miracle which Jesus did on the Sabbath
was in the synagogue. In the presence of the impotent
man they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the
Sabbath day? that they might accuse Him. And He
said unto them, "What man shall there be of you, that
shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the
Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it and lift it out?
How much more value then is a man than a sheep?
Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day."
He answered their inquiry and their accusation by heal-
ing the withered hand. Mark 3:1-5.
The fourth miracle which He did on the Sabbath
was, also, in the synagogue. A woman was in the syna-
gogue who "was bowed together, and could in no wise
lift herself up. And when Jesus saw her He called
her, and said to her. Woman, thou art loosed from
thine infirmity. And He laid His hands on her; and
immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
And the ruler of the synagogue, being moved with in-
dignation because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath."
Jesus defended His act by saying, "Ye hypocrites, doth
not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his
ass from the stall and lead him away to watering? And
ought not this woman, being a daughter, whom satan
had bound, lo, these eighteen years, to have been loosed
Authority for the Sabbath 27
from this bond on the day of the Sabbath?"
The fifth miracle which Jesus did on the Sab-
bath was when He went into the house of a ruler of the
Pharisees to eat bread. "And there was before Him
a certain man which had the dropsy." They were
watching Him. He asked them, as they watched for
His miracle. "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or
not?" He healed the man before them and defended
his act with a similar statement that He had made be-
fore, "Which of you shall have an ox or an ass fallen
into a well, and will not straightway draw him up on
a Sabbath day?"
The sixth miracle done on the Sabbath was healing
the man who had been thirty-eight years in infirmity,
and was at the pool of Bethesda. The seventh, was the
healing of the blind man, when they asked Him as they
passed by, "Who did sin, this man or his parents, that
he was born blind ?" Jesus healed him by anointing his
eyes with clay and asking him to wash in the pool.
These miracles of Jesus and these statements in de-
fense of His acts of healing on the Sabbath, have been
used by many to indicate that Jesus did not keep the
Sabbath. And the accusation of the envious rulers
against Jesus have been held up as accusations against
those who keep the Sabbath today. But a careful read-
ing of these accounts will show that Jesus did not vio-
late the Sabbath by His acts of healing. There should
not be considered anything wrong in such acts on the
28 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
Lord's Day. And when Jesus said, ''Is it lawful to do
good or to do evil ? Is it lawful to lift the ox out of the
pit on the Sabbath day?" There is nothing in His
words intended to set aside the Day of rest and wor-
ship. He evidently never intended to say that the fourth
conunandment was not to be observed, but approved of
it by obeying the Sabbath and by stating that ''the Sab-
bath was made for man," and, "The Son of Man is
Lord of the Sabbath." Fair minded people see noth-
ing inconsistent in healing the sick as Jesus did on the
Sabbath. It was doing good ; it was proving the divine
power and mission of the Savior; it was extending the
Kingdom of the Master. Of all the miracles Jesus did,
only these seven were done on the Sabbath, and these in
connection with his worship and teaching. He never
continued his journeys on the Sabbath, but always went
to the place of worship. These acts of healing were the
only accusations that the prejudiced rulers, watchful of
any acts of transgression in Him, could make in His
disregard for the fourth commandment. Neither
should any inconsistency be charged against the disci-
ples for "plucking the ears of corn," on the Sabbath,
when they were hungry.
Authority for the Sabbath is found in numerous other
passages of Scripture. From Genesis to Revelation we
find reference to it. Neither the Old Testament nor
the New lose sight of the fourth commandment. After
the resurrection of Christ "Sabbaton," the Greek word
A^uthority for the Sabbath 29
for Sabbath, is always used when the first day of the
week is referred to, and John in the closing book of the
Revelation, refers to it as the "Lord's Day." Only a
few of these passages need be referred to.
"Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh
day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord ; who-
soever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall
surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of
Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath
throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for
ever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth,
and on the seventh day He was refreshed." Ex. 31:
14-17. The perpetual nature of the Sabbath is refer-
red to in this passage, as well as the sacred character
of the day.
The beasts that serve us need the weekly day of rest
as well as man. "Six days thou shalt do thy work, and
on the seventh day thou shalt rest; that thine ox and
thine ass may have rest, and the son of thy handmaid
and the stranger, may be refreshed." Ex. 23:12.
Some may think this law may be set aside in a busy
season or for other interests. There are works of neces-
sity, but the rest day was urged in "earing time and in
harvest. Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh
thou shalt rest; in earing time and in harvest diou shalt
rest." Ex. 34:21.
The sacred character and uses of die day is empha-
30 Obligations to the Day of Rest and fForship
sized. ''Ye shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my
sanctuary," Lev. 19:30 and 26:2. "If thou turn away
thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on
my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, and the
holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor it, not
doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure,
nor speaking thine own words : then shalt thou delight
thyself in the Lord ; and I will make thee to ride upon
the high places of the earth ; and I will feed thee with
' the heritage of Jacob, thy father : for the mouth of the
Lord hath spoken." Isa. 58 :i3, 14. "Her priests have
done violence to my law, and have profaned mine holy
things: they have put no difference between the holy
and the common, neither have they caused men to dis-
cern between the unclean and the clean, and have hid
their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among
them." Ezek. 22 :26.
Blessing and protection is promised to those who keep
the Sabbath. "It shall come to pass, if ye diligently
hearken unto me, saith the Lord, to bring in no burden
through the gates of this city on die Sabbath day, but
to hallow the Sabbath day, to do no work therein ; then
shall there enter in by the gates of this city kings and
j)rinces sitting upon the throne of David, riding upon
chariots and horses, and this city shall remain forever.*'
"Blessed is the man that keepeth the Sabbath from
profaning it." Isa. 66:2. See also verses 6 and 7.
The judgment of God, is likewise declared, against
Authority for the Sabbath 31
those who transgress the fourth commandment. ''If
ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath
day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates of Jerusalem
and it shall devour the palaces thereof, and it shall not
be quenched." Jer. 17:26, 27. Because Israel pro-
faned the Sabbath they were scattered and humbled.
''My Sabbaths they greatly profaned: then I said I
would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness,
to ccmsume them." "I lifted up mine hand unto them
in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the
nations, and disperse them through the countries be-
cause they have not executed my judgments, but have
rejected my statutes and have profaned my Sabbaths."
Ezek. 20. Nehemiah wrote in Chapter 13:17, 18, "I
contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto
them. What evil thing is this that ye do and profane
the Sabbath day? Did not our fathers thus, and did
not God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city?
yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the
Sabbath."
The day was called The Lord's Day, and was ob-
served and called "The first day of the week," by the
apostles after the resurrection of Christ. Acts. 20:7.
"Upon the first day of the week (Greek Sabbaton)
when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul
preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow."
"Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have
given orders for the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
32 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
Upon the first day of the week (Greek word Sabbaton
used) let every one of you lay by him in store, as God
hath prospered him that there be no gatherings when I
come." I Cor. i6:i, 2. John wrote the book of Rev-
elation a generation after Christian work and customs
had been established and he mentions "The Lord's
Day" in Rev. i, 10. "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's
Day, and heard behind a great voice."
Too little stress is placed upon the fact that the first
day of the week is called "Sabbath," by the Scriptures
each time it is referred to, after the resurrection of
Christ. Some of the passages may be quoted in which
"the first day of the week," is called Sabbath in the
Scriptures, the same Greek word that is used to refer
to the seventh day of the week before the resurrection
of Christ. Matt. 28:1. "In the end of the Sabbath,
as it began to dawn toward the 'first day of the week/
came Mary Magdalene." The seventh day and the
first day of the week are both referred to in this verse,
and both are referred to by the same word, "Sabbaton."
There can be no other translation literally given than,
"In the end of the Sabbaths, (The Old Testament
Sabbaths) as it began to dawn toward the first of the
Sabbaths (The first of the Sabbaths under Christ's
completed work), came Mary Magdalene." There are
reasons why the translators rendered the second "Sab-
baton," the first day of the week. It evidently was to
make clear that it was not the seventh day Sabbath.
* Authority for the Sabbath 33
The Gospel by Mark uses the same word, "Sabbaton,"
in referring to the first Christian Sabbath. Mark
16:2, "Very early in the morning *The first day of die
week/ they came unto the sepulchre." The statement
given by the Holy Spirit is. "Very early, on the first
of the Sabbaths, they came to the sepulchre." Luke
uses the same word, Sabbaton, "first of the Sabbaths,"
Luke 24:1, also John, 20:19, in referring to the first
day of the week after the resurrection. The reading
of these statements conveys to the reader a very slight
impression. The use of the word referring to the Sab-
bath in the Scriptures must be studied carefully to un-
derstand that the first day of the week is the Sabbath,
by divine authority.
As some say the fourth commandment is not binding
upon us because Christ healed on the Sabbath day, and
from His words of defense, that we should lift the ox
out of the pit on the Sabbath; there are others who
would construe three statements made by Paul, con-
cerning certain customs that arose in his day, as mean-
ing that the fourth commandment is no longer binding
upon us. His statement in Rom. 14:5, 6, has been so
construed. "One man esteemeth one day above an-
other; another esteemeth every day alike. He that
regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he
that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not
regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord." The
apostle is not writing about the Sabbath in this chapter.
34 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
There is not a word in the chapter about the decalog:ue,
or about the Sabbath as a divine institution. He is
writing about certain customs and ceremonies observed
by some and not observed by others. He was writing
about matters of conscience in eating meats. Today
some give special reverence to Good Friday, Lent,
Ascension Day, Easter, Christmas, while others in the
Christian Faith esteem every day alike in respect to
these days. But there is nothing for or against the
fourth commandment in this passage.
Paul's similar reproof to the Galadans, Gal. 4:8-10,
has encouraged some to think lightly of the decalogue,
especially the fourth commandment. A study of the
meaning intended will easily satisfy anyone that the
Sabbath is not set aside by Paul's statement. ''When
ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by
nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have
known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye
again to the weak and beggardly elements, whereunto
ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days,
and months, and times and years." Galatians was writ-
ten to overcome certain Judaistic teachings. Some had
taught them, "Except ye be circiuncised ye cannot be
saved." Other ceremonial rites, heathen and Jewish,
were practiced by the Galatian Christians. Some had
been heathen idolaters, and were carrying their pagan
observance of days and anniversaries, which they ob-
served, "When ye knew not God." It was not easy for
Authority for the Sabbath 35
them to give up their former ceremonies. In Esther
3 :7, we read of them observing "da3rs and months and
times and years/' "In the first month, which is the
month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus,
they cast pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day
to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month,
which is the month Adar." They had "stargazers and
monthly prognosticators," and heathen and Jewish fes-
tivals, which they were placing with equal sacredness
with the appointments of the Gospel. In denouncing
these Paul never thought of the decalogues or the Chris-
tian Sabbath.
The only other passage so far as we know, that any
have thought of, in this connection, is Colossians 2:16;
in which Paul wrote of precisely the same controversy
to the Colossians that was troubling the Romans and
Galatians, referred to in the previous passages. "Let no
man judge you, therefore, in meat, or in drink, or in re-
spect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the
Sabbath day." There were more than one hundred
traditions regarding the observance of the Sabbath. The
Pharisees and rulers of the Jews troubled Jesus about
these meaningless forms in Sabbath observance. The
Jews continued to observe the seventh day as the Sab-
bath and the Christians observed the first day of the
week. More than a century later TertuUian wrote of
the controversy that was still on about the Sabbath.
He wrote, "We keep the first day of the week instead
36 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
of the seventh, because our Lord rose from the dead on
that day." All that Paul advised in this statement was,
"Let no man judge you," in these things. If they had
a good conscience and followed it they should do well,
in all the controversy about them, what they thought
best they should do.
There is a difference between the ceremonial observ-
ances, which were connected with the sacrifices, typi-
fying Christ to come, and the ten commandments. The
first were to pass away when Christ offered Himself,
once for all. The Epistle to the Hebrews makes plain
what was to pass away and what did not pass away
with the offering of Christ. But let us not be deceived
into thinking that the ten commandments were a part
of the ceremonial law that ceased to be required of us
when Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice for our sins.
No one can think for a moment that these incidental
statements of Paul concerning the controversy in the
early church about the ceremonial law and the customs
of the times, were intended to set aside the Sabbath.
Our authority for the Sabbath and the decalogue is the
most substantial possible. It is in the plan of creation ;
it is in the Word of God ; in the thunders of Sinai ; in
the tables of stone. We have authority for the Sabbath
in the godly character and Faith of those who have
observed it, and from the absence of these qualities in
those who have not kept the Sabbath; from the ex-
ample of Jesus, and from His teachings, that the Sab-
Authority for the Sabbath 37
bath was made for man, and that it was easier for heaven
and earth to pass than for one tittle of the law to fail.
It is written in the hearts of the people of God, and
inscribed in the physical being of the race. Paul, who
forbid his converts from observing the pagan or Jewish
ceremonies, dates or customs which were to pass away,
wrote to these same people in the same letter, '*Do we
make void the law through faith ? God forbid ; yea, we
establish the law." "I had not known lust except the
law said, Thou shalt not covet. . . . Wherefore
the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, and just
and good."
CHAPTER III
ONE day's rest in SEVEN
^^Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, but
the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God;
in it thou shalt not do any work, thou nor thy son, nor
thy daughter, nor thy man servant, nor thy maid ser^
vant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy
gates," — Fourth Commandment.
"It is as unreasonable as inhuman to work beyond
six days weekly,'^ — Humboldt.
"Resolved, That in the opinion of the Federation of
Labor there is no necessity for Sunday work. The la--
bor people demand, not as a privilege, but as a right,
that they should have the Sabbath for their own use.
It was made for man. Resolved, That we urge our
members to continue their warfare against Sunday
work, remembering that, if six men work seven days,
they do the same work of seven men in six days; there*
fore, every time six men work on Sunday, they are tak-
ing the bread out of the mouth of one fellow work-
man.'* — ^Adopted in National Convention, Dec.
15, 1896.
"Operatives are perfectly right in thinking that if
there was no Sunday rest, seven days work would have
to be given for six days pay.** — ^JoHN Stuart Mills.
38
One Day*s Rest In Seven 39
WHEN we consider one day's rest in seven,
a subject that has received entirely too
little attention, we must note the com-
mercial conditions, today, that enter into
the problem; what is the minimum of Sunday labor
in these conditions? What economic benefits, do the
facts show, result from the six-day plan compared with
Sunday and seven-day labor? The need of educating
the public mind, conscience and habits in the observance
of a day of rest and quiet; how much consideration is
to be given to the claims of a day of rest and worship
because of its part in the development of Christian char-
acter and Faith of the individual and of the children
in the homes ?
Those who have not given special attention to this
subject have but little impression of the number of per-
sons who toil on Sunday and seven days each week.
In a city of about 35,000 population an effort was be-
ing made to secure a law for one day's rest in seven for
employees, with certain exceptions. Some said there
were no persons, scarcely, who worked seven days each
week in that quiet town. But a careful estimate
showed that about three thousand labored all or part
of Sundays and seven days successively. A large num-
ber of hotels were in the city employing labor Sunday
and seven days, and at such times as to render church
attendance largely impossible. Public works of the city
employed large numbers in Sunday labor, including the
^4 Obligations to the Day of Rest and fForship
commandments. The sacrifices which pointed forward
to Christ, the Lamb without spot, slain once for all for
the sin of the world, these sacrifices were set aside, and
the ceremonial rites, but not the ten commandments.
Jesus said "Think not that I am come to destroy the
law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy but to
fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and
earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass
from the law till all be fulfilled." He follows this
statement in the Sermon on the Mount by quoting from
the decalogue. He confirmed the commandment when
He said, "I say unto you. He that is angry with his
brother without a cause" is guilty. "Do we make void
the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish
the law." Rom. 4:31. "Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness to every one that believeth." Rom.
10:4. "It is easier for heaven and earth to pass than
for one tittle of the law to fail," said Christ. The
word of our God shall stand for ever. When the na-
ture of man is unchangeable and God is immutable and
the relations between God and man stand the same,
how can we expect the ten commandments, which define
our duties in these relations, to pass away? Therefore
the fourth commandment of the decalogue, the longest
command of the ten, the central command, the key-
stone of the arch which supports us in our happy rela-
tions to God and to man, must stand forever.
The wwds and example •/ Jesus give us authority
One Day*s Rest In Seven 41
from 90,cxx) workmen investigated by the department
about 28 per cent, of them worked seven days in the
week, and more than twenty per cent, of them labored
eighty-four hours per week, which meant, that the work-
men labored seven days a week and twelve hours a day.
This was regarded by the Secretary as a condition of
over work. We need not ask if these people who are la-
boring in a steel plant twelve hours on the Sabbath
day, are attending to religious duties in their homes, or
growing into the Christian life.
The state department of labor of New York sent to
the secretaries of trade unions asking for reports of
amount of seven-day labor among their members.
Unions with a membership of 300,ocx>, in New York,
reported 35,742 of their members worked seven da5rs in
the week. This is about 12 per cent, of the members of
labor union workers. And labor unions discourage Sun-
day labor. A large amount of Sunday labor may be
expected from toilers outside of these organizations. It
will be noted, also, that the membership reported is
about 28 per cent, of the wage earners of the state.
The Minnesota state bureau of labor investigated the
condition of labor in respect to Sunday work, and found
that, in various trades, industries and occupations in that
state, 98,558 persons engaged in Sunday toil. This is
about five per cent, of the entire population of the state,
who are employed to labor in Sunday and seven day-
labor. In one county, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania,
42 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
it is reported after investigation, that 14,000 persons
are employed to work seven days a week. In a large
steel plant in this country investigation showed that out
of 9,184 men employed, 2,628 worked seven days a
week. Of these 85 worked over twelve hours each
day, and 2,322 labored twelve hours each day of the
week, or 84 hours each week. About the same number
of men worked twelve hours each day for six days of
the week, or a total of 4,725 men labored twelve hours
in twenty-four, which was 51 per cent, of those cm-
ployed, twelve hours each day for six or seven days a
week. The writer, in an endeavor to secure better Sun-
day rest conditions in one of the largest steel plants,
found from the books of the company, that on the Sab-
bath preceding 1,120 persons were required to labor
where the total payroll was a little more than 4,000
persons; which is about 28 per cent, of seven-day toil-
ers, of the total niunber employed.
From these statements it will be seen, when these
estimates were taken, that in the steel industry of our
country, about 28 per cent, of those employees work on
the Sabbath day or seven days a week and eight hours
a day; and about 20 per cent, labor seven days a week
and twelve hours a day. In addition to this there were
some who worked, irregularly, overtime. And in
changing shifts, from night to day work, some labored
sixteen hours or more, consecutively.
To show that all this Sunday labor is not necessary,
One Day's Rest In Seven 43
the amount of Sunday and seven day labor was much
greater in some mills than the same kind of work in
other mills; and the amount of Sunday and seven-day
toil has been and is being greatly reduced, with no
apparent financial loss, but rather, with better eco-
nomic conditions. In one of the steel plants the seven-
day workers were about 20 per cent, of the total num-
ber employed, while at another the seven-day workers
were from 28 to 43 per cent, of the employees. In
one of the plants there was a full stop of twenty-four
hours on Sunday of the rolling mills, and the open
hearth furnaces were not operated from Saturday night
until some time on Sunday, when the steel was heated
for the rollers to begin Monday morning. In the other
plant, no more successful, the rolling mills and the open
hearth furnaces were c^erated on Sunday and every
day, at least part of the year. Blast furnaces are con-
structed so that they cannot be shut down on Sunday.
In addition to the vast numbers that are employed
to work on the Sabbath in the steel industry, other
forms of employment are being constructed more and
more without "remembering the Sabbath day to keep
it holy; six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work."
The affairs of the world are arranged for business and
traffic and society and pleasure on the Sabbath day.
The popularity of the Monday stock market has -built
up a large trade in live stock on Monday, which means
shipment on the Sabbath. Large dinners, social events.
44 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
excursions on the Lord's Day, all mean more labor in
furnishing transportation, foods, baggage, confections
and domestic service. Sunday trains cause labor from
the firemen, engineers, conductors, brakemen, porters,
and require multitudes to labor all along the line in
meeting the train, and others to provide fuels and other
materials necessary to run the train. More labor is
required from the street car employees on Sunday thail
on other days of the week. The Sunday newspaper^
even a larger edition than is published on other days of
the week, requires labor on the Sabbath or on Saturday
night, and so interfering with Sabbath duties, in type-
setting, press work, composing rooms, distributing and
selling by trainmen, postmen, news dealers and news
boys. The public telephone, telegraph, electric light
plants, the open store and numerous forms of Sunday
service, call for Sunday labor. And Sunday labor calls
away from religious worship and spiritual development
on the day divinely set apart for rest and worship. It
is not our part here to say what portion of this work
can be dispensed with on the Sabbath. We may justly
contend that in all forms of continuous industry, Sun-
day labor should be reduced to the minimum, and the
sacred uses of the day be extended to the maximum.
If we take the state of Minnesota as an average, as
reported by the State Bureau of Labor, five per cent,
of the population engaged in Sunday labor, that would
mean the enormous portion of our people numbering
One Day's Rest In Seven 45
about 5,cxx),cxx) persons, toiling on the day of rest and
worship, in the United States. When we consider
what this means in the physical, moral and spiritual
conditions in the individuals and in the homes repre-
sented, in the future years, we cannot be indifiEerent
to this subject.
One of these men said, before he was employed to
labor on the Sabbath he went to church, and gave
attention to the development of his Christian life. He
was raised in a Christian home. His father and his
mother were active church workers, and brought him
up to think of the better things of life. But when he
began working on the Sabbath, he ceased to go to
church, and found religious interest and moral life de*
dined. For a few years he has been engaged in Sun-
day labor, and has found a contrast in his life, in
respect to moral and religious living, compared with the
years before he began Sunday labor. He was asked
if there is not something wrong about requiring a man
to so labor on the Sabbath day that he cannot take care
of his moral character and the salvation of his soul?
He replied, "WE know it*s wrong, and we feel it, but
what can we do?" It is for the American people to
think what must be done, and to do it. For he represents
the millions of Sunday toilers in their loss of moral
and Christian character.
CHAPTER IV
PHYSICAL RESULTS OF SEVEN-DAY LABOR
"In seed time and in harvest, thou shalt rest/* —
Bible.
"Our company does not consider favorably the ap-
plication of a person who works continuously*' — Pres-
ident Life Insurance Company.
''/ believe the institution of the Sabbath is one of the
greatest benefits the human race ever had, I believe
in the strict enforcement of the law that prevents servile
labor bing carried on on the seventh day/* — Henrv
George.
BACK of the appeal for Sunday rest, or for
one day's rest in seven, is the physical neces-
sity. When man was made for six days work
and a day of rest then continuous labor must
do him harm. An investigation into the structure of
the nervous system, and its relations to the healthy
action of the other parts of the body, makes clear the
necessity of a day of rest from the regular efforts of
the week.
The nervous system directs and controls the difier-
ent organs of the body. Vigorous action of the organs
depends upon the nerves. If the vitality of the nerves
runs low the action of the organs of the body is weak ;
46
Physical Results of Seven-Day Labor 47
and if the nerves are full of vitality the work done by
the functions of the body is vigorous and complete.
Each nerve cell is capable of expansion or contrac-
tion, according to amount of vitality. Scientific inves-
tigations have shown that after rest brains cells have
certain size and configuration. After long nervous
strain and stimulation, cells are shrunken; borders of
cell become irregular ; the nuclei become reduced. The
nuclei, an oval substance within the nerve cell, are
reduced sometimes as much as fifty per cent, after a
few hours labor. The fresh supply of daily created
energy gives out when you have worked so much, and
if work is continued after the created energy has be-
come exhausted, then the reserve force is borrowed
from. After complete rest the nuclei and cell are re-
stored to normal size. You look upon the face of one
and see the marks of weariness. The sunken cheek,
the dull eye and nervous action tell of nervous exhaus-
tion. It is the reduction of the nerve cell which shows
itself in the face and in the action. It is the lack of
vitality and consequent lack of repair of the tissues of
the body. The muscles quiver, the mind fails to think
accurately and easily; the liver and kidneys and stom-
ach and heart and lungs and all the powers of the body
fail to do their work well. Poison is thrown back into
the system instead of being carried off. The skin takes
on a pallid complexion instead of the ruddy glow in-
tended by nature. The worn out and decaying parti-
48 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worsldp
cles of tissue are not replaced properly with new cells.
All because the law of rest which our Creator has com-
manded, ''Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy
work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord
thy God, in it thou shalt do no work,'' has been vio-
lated, and the requirements of rest and sleep have not
been fulfilled.
The rest of the night does not completely restore the
nervous system to its normal condition. There is a let-
ting down of the vitality through the six days of the
week. So that there must be a relaxation for one entire
day in seven, that the nervous energy of the body may
recover. Shifting the energies of the body is relaxa-
tion; unless that shifting taxes the nervous energies
unduly. Dissipation may weaken. Over stimulation
on the day of rest may weaken through other causes.
The day spent in religious devotion is rest.
Experiments made with a vigorous laboring man
showed that during a day of work this man e3q>ended
under the form of carbonic acid gas 192 grammes of
oxygen mt)re than he could inhale in that time. And,
further, that during the night of rest and sleep he in-
haled more oxygen than he exhaled under the form of
carbonic acid gas. And that this surplus received di^r-
ing the night supplied only in part the loss during the
preceding day of labor. He did not recover by the night
of rest more than five-sixths of the loss of oxygen dur-
ing the day of work. The experiments showed a con-
Physical Results of Seven-Day Lator 49
stant loss of oxygen by the day's labor in excess of the
amount accumulated during the night, until by a period
of rest, the loss can be restored to its normal condition.
To prevent the depletion of the necessary amount of
this vitalizing element, one day in seven of rest is es-
sential.
Oxygen is the vital spark of the body. If we invite
it into our bodies in proper proportion, by obedience to
nature's laws, it gives tone and energy to all the body.
It gives vitalizing power into the blood. It causes the
food to become assimilated and gives strength to the
body. It bums out decaying tissues and helps the rapid
supply of healthy cells instead. The limgs carry it to
the blood and the blood distributes it throughout the
body. The world is nine-tenths oxygen. Its proper
distribution through the human system means health.
But the seven day toiler cannot have that vitalizing ele-
ment in proper proportion in his body; because he vio-
lates the law of rest by which it is obtained. It is
necessary to have a regular and complete day of relaxa-
tion each week. Nothing can take the place of one
day of rest in seven. Nothing can supply its place. A
celebrated physician has said that, "The proper rest of
one day in seven will increase by seven years, the dura-
tion of a life of fifty years." What healthy nerve cells
are in imparting vitalizing activities to the functions
of the body, the proper supply of oxygen is, in trans-
forming food, water and air into nourishment for sup-
50 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
plying healthy blood, tissue and energy.
Dr. A. Haegler, of Basle, Switzerland, has given
much study and investigation to the physiological ef-
fects of Sunday rest, and one day's rest in seven, and
has shown the result of his investigations of Sunday rest
as compared with seven days of consecutive labor, by
the following diagram :
The chart indicates how bodily energies decline by
Sunday labor, and are restored by Sabbath observance.
We are weary in the evening. Sleep restores almost,
but not entirely, to the condition of the morning before.
The rest of the six nights of the week restores in part,
but not completely, the loss of nerve force, oxygen and
vitality by the work of the six days. The necessary
oxygenation in the body falls lower each day of the
week; the repair of the tissue is not complete; there is
some fatigue Sabbath morning; some poison has been
thrown back into the S3rstem; some damages have not
been restored. The Sabbath, with its quiet of rest and
Physical Results of Seven-Day Labor 51
spiritual refreshment, is necessary for making repairs.
Sunday rest and worship permit the nerve cells, which
serve as a storage battery for the body, to store away a
supply of nervous energy required for the trying condi-
tions of toil and exposure during the coming week. The
day oi rest in seven gives the lungs, kidneys and liver a
chance to clear away the rubbish that has accumulated
during the week of labor. If the Sabbath is not ob-
served the rubbish continues to increase and the body
declines as indicated by the curved lines. But by the re-
storing rest and quiet of the Sabbath the body is re-
stored back to the level of the preceding week.
We can see how the Dean of the New England
medical colleges can say, ''The Sabbath is a hygenic
necessity.'' Dr. Calmers said, ''I never knew the man
who worked seven days in the week without becoming
soon a wreck in health or in fortune or both." The
celebrated physician. Dr. Messier, said, ''The proper
rest of one day in seven will increase by seven years, the
duration of a life of fifty years." We should not ques-
tion why God has placed the fourth commandment in
the decalogue, "Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy
work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath, in it thou
shalt not do any work," but from these facts, all of
which are from careful demonstrations, we can see the
reason.
One can work eight hours a day with no extraordin-
ary waste of vital force. But one hour of labor when
5^ Obligations to the Day of Rest and fForskip
weariness sets in wastes the vital energies a certain per
cent. Two hours of labor continued under fatigue ex-
hausts the vital forces more than twice as much as one
hour of labor in fatigue, and more than eight hours
labor without fatigue; and the prq;>ortion of waste
multiplies with the time of labor spent in weariness.
The Sabbath of rest is essential to prevent the condition
of fatigue.
One example might be referred to, which represents
thousands of others, who have suffered from seven
day labor. He was for a number of years a merchant
in Colorado. He kept his store open every day of the
week. For years he had not Sunday rest When about
forty years of age he began to break in health; when
fifty he was pained much, and during the later years of
his life he has suffered much, and walked about with
difficulty. He has been compelled to give up his busi-
ness, and pay the penalty for his thoughtless violation
of the Creator's law, "Six days shalt thou labor and do
all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the
Lord thy God." When anyone is so thoughtless as to
violate that law his health will give away somewhere.
The weakest point of the phsrsical system will grow
weary and poison and destroy the healthy repair until
the transgressor is compelled to cease from work, not
only on the Sabbath, but during the seven days of the
week, or make but feeble effort at any time.
Tests have shown that seven-day labor damage both
Physical kesutts of Seven-Day Labor 53
physical and mental powers, and prevents successful
effort. We give but one well authenticated example
here. A man, who has since become a successful busi-
ness man, in his early manhood, was asked to work on
Sunday, when he was applying for a position. The
work was driving piles for the construction of railway
bridges. The young man said that he would like to
have the position, but he could not labor on the Sab-
bath day; he was not brought up that way and could
not conscientiously do it. The employer said, "Do you
think we could let you off when all the others work on
Sunday?" The young man replied that he had a per-
fect right not to employ him, but he would like to try
the position and put to the test the value of Sunday
rest. And if his company of men did not do as much
for him, without Sunday work as they did who labored
seven days a week, then he could discharge him. He
allowed him to try the work, with a company of men,
with no Sunday labor. He and his men worked under
exactly the same conditions as others who labored Sun-
day and every day, but did no Sunday work. The re-
sult was, in six months, by actual count, the company
of men who worked six days and rested on the Sab-
bath, drove one hundred and fourteen more posts than
the other company that labored seven days each week.
Proving, as it has often been proved, that "The Sab-
bath was made for man."
CHAPTER V
ECONOMIC BENEFITS FROM SUNDAY REST
"If thou shalt harken diligently unto the voice of the
Lord thy God, to do all His commandments, • • •
Blessed shalt be thy basket and thy store. • • •
But, if thou wilt not observe to do all His command-
ments and His statutes, . . . thou shalt not pros-
per in thy ways!* — Deut. 28.
"A Sabbath well spent brings a week of content.
And strength for the toils of tomorrow;
But a Sabbath profaned, whatever is gained.
Is a certain forerunner of sorrow!'
"Seven day workers are positively poor workers, lack-
ing the vigor, stamina and character so necessary to the
maintenance of a sterling manhood and womanhood/*
— Samuel Gompers, Pres, American Federation of
Labor,
THERE is every reason to believe that indi-
viduals or corporations will declare larger
dividends and build up better conditions,
by the policy of a day of rest in seven than
by constructing their plans for Sunday and seven day
labor. A certain amount of Sunday work is necessary,
which is used as an excuse for large amounts of unjus-
54
Economic Benefits from Sunday Rest 55
tifiable Sunday work. Sunday and seven day work
reduced to the minimum, as honestly and diligently as
any other of the ten commandments shoidd be observed,
is the most profitable policy. The following facts and
principles operate in making it the only safe policy.
God created man for six days for labor and a day for
rest and worship each week.
The nervous system cannot maintain its normal con-
dition of freedom from weariness, or its most produc-
tive condition of activity with Sunday and seven day
labor.
More and better woric can be done with six days
labor and a day for rest and worship, than by seven
days of consecutive toil.
Accidents increase with Sunday work, and accidents
are expensive.
Contagious disease is more liable, and breaking of
health increases with Sunday work.
Seven day labor reduces strength and efficiency. Any-
one can think more clearly, act more pleasantly, strike
harder and more accurately when he has Sunday rest.
To these another must be taken into consideration,
which is not in the line of natural law but enters into
the problem; and that is, Providence honors them
that honor Him. The blessing of the Divine hand is
for those who "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it
holy."
The working of these principles are invisible; so that
S6 Obligations to the Day of kest and tf^orship
those who disregard the law of Sunday rest do not see
how far they have fallen behind by so doing. They
attribute the losses therefrom, to other causes, and pro-
ceed to explain how it would be impossible to conduct
their business with success without Sunday labor. They
often are not convinced of the losses of seven day work.
We find many are not succeeding well and make an
effort to explain how they could not succeed at all if
they would give up Sunday labor, while others are suc-
ceeding better who actually employ no Sunday labor
in the same kind of business.
An example of this is in the Jefferson Furnace Com-
pany, which was owned and managed, principally, for
a number of years by Mr. Hughes, a man who had
high respect for the ten commandments. With an
increasing business he did not employ men to work on
the Sabbath day. He arranged the materials and fur-
naces with reference to six day turns, with no labor on
the Sabbath. Others in the same business in the same
locality employed Sunday and seven day labor, and con-
tended that it was necessary for success in their busi-
ness. The Jefferson Furnace Company, with no Sun-
day labor, declared as large or larger dividends as any
other furnace company in the vicinity or in the state.
More than that, the other companies in that locality,
whose managers explained how it would be impossible
to succeed without Sunday labor, have gone out of bus-
inesSj when Jefferson, with no Sunday labor, won the
Economic Benefits from Sunday Rest 57
business and succeeded. If the names of the firms that
keep the Sabbath be placed on one page, and those
which do not, on the opposite page, the contrast would
prove the merit of the fourth commandment.
The comparative profits from six and seven day
labor needs careful consideration. It has not had ade-
quate attention. The public have not been convinced
that seven day labor is not profitable. Reducing Sun-
day work to the minimum has not been studied. The
average business manager has not thought any more
of the subject than that he can see work progressing
on Sunday, and therefore, they are gaining just that
much. The invisible losses he has not investigated;
neither is he convinced of the wrong that is done against
God and his fellowmen, thereby. There are some,
however, who have been persuaded to investigate. The
manager of one of the departments in a large industry,
employing over 4,000 persons decided to investigate
how much loss, as he supposed it would be a loss, that
would result from no Sunday work. He let off the
employees on Sunday, figuring in detail the expense
and profits, compared them with the seven day labor,
and found greater profits with no Sunday labor than
with seven day work. He thought it might be because
of other conditions that the better profits resulted, and
he tried it again, carefully figuring to know the profits,
both by employing labor seven days and by the plan of
no Sunday labor. The second experiment resulted
58 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
with financial advantage by the Sunday rest plan. He
has given strict orders, that no labor shall be done in
his department on the Sabbath. It remains for the
factory managers and mill managers and railway super-
intendents who require their employees to make weather
reports, car reports on Sunday and ship lumber, stone
and every kind of imperishable materials, telegraph
and telephone managers, those engaged in mercantile
pursuits and many others, to calculate the loss they are
suffering from inefficiency and accidents caused by
keeping men at their posts of duty seven days in the
week.
The Post Office Department of our government made
an effort by the petition of good people throughout the
country, to reduce Sunday labor. Thirty-five thou-
sand persons were given freedom from Sunday labor and
about seventy thousand more had their Sunday labor
reduced. Some, who had not investigated the material
losses from seven day labor, thought the change would
increase the indebtedness of the Post Office Depart-
ment. But instead of increase of indebtedness, in less
than two years after the thousands had been released
from Sunday labor, the former indebtedness of seven-
teen and one-half millions of dollars was entirely elim-
inated. There was a statement from the Department
that they had increased efficiency and economy, "because
the men had a better mind to work." The federal re-
ports show that in Belgium there were less accidents
Economic Benefits from Sunday Rest 59
and fatalities on the railways of that country after their
national law requiring fifty-two rest days each year for
employees went into effect.
The ministers of Cripple Creek gold mining district
presented the following petition to the mine owners as-
sociation : ''Gentlemen, we the undersigned respectfully
and earnestly urge you to close your mines on Sunday,
except such work as may be absolutely necessary
for conserving the properties. And we beg leave to sub-
mit for your consideration the following reasons: I. It
is a fact established by the widest experience and by
eveiy possible experiment, that men need rest from toil
one day in seven. 2. It is also a fact established by ex-
perience, that in the long run, month in and month
out, man will do as much or more work by laboring six
days a week as working seven. 3. Many work in the
mines who are entitled to and desire the rest of the Sab-
bath that they may enjoy, unwearied, the privilege of
divine worship in the church, and many have homes and
families who desire and ought to have the Sabbath for
rest and the culture of home life. 4. Sunday rest is
sanctioned by the best American traditions, by the laws
of the nation and of the commonwealth of Colorado,
and by the Word and commandment of Almighty Gk>d.
5. Sunday rest is needful for building up the moral
tone of all classes of society and of the workmen no
less than of other classes. If workmen are to render
faithful service they must be built up in moral charac-
6o Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
tcr by every helpful influence. Among these helpful
influences none is greater than the rest of the Sabbath,
with the opportunity it brings to inculcate honesty of
conduct and nobility of character. But, on the other
hand, Sunday labor is an entering wedge which finally
unsettles all regard for both God and man." In re-
sponse to this petition the mines generally closed on Sun-
day for awhile at least. One of the mines which closed
on Sunday went back to the plan of seven day labor.
The secretary of that mine looked over the books some
months after the mine was again working on Sundays,
and summed up the amount of ore that was shipped per
month while the mine was closed on Sundays, and com-
pared the amounts with what was shipped during the
month of seven day work. He found that more ore
was shipped when the mines were closed on Sunday than
while engaged in seven day work. He reported to the
manager of the mine the result of his investigation. But
the men continue to toil seven days in the week, spend-
ing the day in the damp mine and the evenings in the
foul air of the drinking and gaming places.
Years ago, when the street cars were drawn by horses,
experience proved the wisdom of giving every horse a
day of rest in seven. The street car company of Lon-
don found that they could get more service from the
horses and the animal would serve them longer by the
divine law of rest. But employers of humanity seem to
be slow to learn the financial benefits in observing that
Economic Benefits from Sunday Rest 6 1
law. A street car conductor in Chicago was gruff with
the passengers. His surly spirit brought one of the
passengers to remark in a kind way, ''Your work does
not seem to go well, today." "No," he replied, "I am
worn out. I have not had a day of rest for months."
He pointed to the car bams where the horses of the
company were kept, and said, "I know that the two
hundred and fifty horses that are kept in that barn have
one day of rest each week; for the company have found
out that the horse will last longer and be more profit-
able to them when they give them a day of rest each
week; but we men — " He shook his head, and con-
tinued, "We men are expected to work Sunday and
every day. It costs money to buy a horse. But when
we men play out they turn us off and hire another
man." But losses occur from wearing out the man by
seven day toil as well as from wearing out the horses.
The lack of power in the wearied man to attend to de-
tail, and lack of good will causied by compelling him
or allowing him to disobey the Sabbath law renders him
an unprofitable servant.
Accidents and losses from carelessness figure prom-
inently in causing Sabbath breaking firms to fall be-
hind Sabbath keeping firms in material success. Acci-
dents are the result of carelessness somewhere. They
may be from neglecting complete attention to orders;
or from failure to give orders distinctly in some detail;
or failure to estimate the full importance of some con-
62 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
ditions, and to provide adequately for what may occur;
or from lack of moral concern, such as over-cagemcss
to make money, too low estimate of the value of human
life, or too low estimate of the value of property of
another, or unfaithful service. Disobedience of the Di-
vine law of the Sabbath enters prominently into all
causes of accidents that may be named. Losses result
not so much from unwillingness to do as from lack of
alertness. Fatigue which is caused from disobedience
to the fourth commandment brings lack of acutencss
of attention. Moral qualities which only can give prop-
er estimate of the value of life and property of another
and faithfulness in service, are dependent upon sacred
uses of the Sabbath. We need not wonder that follow-
ing a national law in Belgium requiring one day of rest
in seven, seventeen of the rest days to be on the Sabbath,
each year, there were 54 per cent, less accidents caus-
ing loss of life from thoughtlessness of the workmen.
Mr. Divan, who for a number of years was Vice
President of the Erie Railway Company, and has occu-
pied many positions from the lower to the higher of-
fices, said before the committee when the Blair Sunday
rest bill was before Congress, that he believed an en-
gineer could conduct his engine more safely when he
had his Sunday rest, that he could give more accurate
attention for safe service. An engineer who was held
responsible for causing an accident on the Denver and
Jlio Grand railway, because he was running the train
Economic Benefits from Sunday Rest 63
a few minutes ahead of time, said to his friend that he
did not know why he was disregarding orders. He was
not himself aware of the effect of his seven day labor.
We may imprison employees who have been kept at
work in violation to the Divine law of rest for their
consequent errors and loss of life, but who is respon-
sible?
One thoughtless act in an employee caused a railway
company a loss of $100,000. If that amount was spent
in permitting the employees to have a day of rest in
seven, or in eliminating Sunday labor, accidents would
not cause these losses, as they now do. Expensive
equipment for preventing accidents is provided, but
that will never take the place of repairing the man by
the Sabbath of rest.
The economic benefit from the divine law of weekly
rest may be read from one of many similar incidents in
travelers crossing the plains with teams. This incident
was given by Mr. Majors, who observed the Sabbath
in his business in freighting with ox teams between
Santa Fe and the Missouri river. Another in similar
business, asked Mr. Major at Santa Fe, as they were
together there, how he could afford to lose one day
each week. Mr. Major replied, "I gain more by
observing the Sabbath than you do by disregarding it."
The other disputed with him; but they both started
with their ox teams next morning. They kept together
until Sabbath morning, when Mr. Major's teams
64 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
camped for the Sabbath, and the oxen were turned
out to graze over the Sabbath. The others drove on
Sabbath morning. Before they reached the Missouri
river Mr. Major's teams passed the Sunday travelers,
and were loaded and returning for Santa Fe when they
met them, with jaded teams and drivers. Many days
after Mr. Major and his company arrived at Santa Fe
the seven day drivers who started with them a few
weeks before, drove in with their teams fagged out,
requiring many weeks of rest and recuperation before
they could be used for the journey again. "The Sab-
bath was made for man," for his spiritual and physical
refreshment, and the beasts of burden come under the
same law of physical benefits.
CHAPTER VI
THE RELATION OF SABBATH OBSERVANCE TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF CHRISTIAN LIFE AND CHARACTER
"The profanation of the Sabbath is usually followed
by a flood of immorality/' — Blackstone.
"In vain may we hope to maintain the moral char-
acter of a people without religion/' — ^Washington.
"There is no hope of destroying the Christian re-
ligion so long as the Christian Sabbath is acknowledged
and kept by men as a sacred day/* — ^Voltaire.
WHATEVER may be said of the physical
and economic benefits from observance
of the divine law of the Sabbath, another
and a greater reward is certain, and that
is grown in moral and religious qualities. Material
interests are important, but the salvation of the soul
must always be the foremost necessity. The life is
more than meat; the soul is more than the body; char-
acter is more than reputation ; repentance, love to God,
willing obedience of His commandments, Faith in
Christ for forgiveness and peace with God are ends to
be sought before large dividends.
The Sabbath observed is essential to the develop-
ment of moral and Christian character. When the
65
66 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
proper observance of the Sabbath is left out religion
declines, crime and immorality increases and manifold
distresses follow. No one can maintain a Christian
life with the Sabbath left out any more than he can live
a Christian life with the habitual use of profane
language, or in persistent violation of any other of
the ten commandments. The Holy Spirit is quenched
by Sabbath desecration just as He is quenched by any
other disobedience. Christ said, "If ye love me keep
my commandments, and I will pray the Father and He
will give you another Comforter, that He may abide
with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the
world cannot leceive, neither knoweth Him." It is
not, Give us the Comforter then we will keep the com-
mandments, but first keep the commandments, and the
Holy Spirit will do His work; that is the plan, often
violated, of building Christian life. Jesus commanded
the lepers to go and show themselves to the priest, and
as they went, after they obeyed, not before, they were
healed. We are prone to say. Heal me, and I will go
to the priest; or give me conversion and I will obey.
But the Divine plan is to bring up the children to keep
the commandments; place the emphasis on obedience
to God's commandments, then the Holy Spirit will not
fail to do His work. It is by Faith in His power.
We cannot emphasize too much, that when God gave
the commandments he said, "Thou shalt teach them
diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them
Relation of Sabbath Observance 67
when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walk-
est by the way, and when thou liest down, and when
thou risest up. Thou shalt write them upon the posts
of thy house and on thy gates." This places the em-
phasis upon keeping the commandments, an emphasis
which we are leaving out, so largely, in plans of build-
ing the Kingdom.
Proper uses of the Day of rest and worship means
time for religion. We under estimate the effort neces-
sary to keep up Christian life in a people. More than
half the world today do not know their Creator, and
more than half of those in the midst of Bible teaching
know not of the secret things of peace with God. All
this because some persons at some time have neglected
the Sabbath; they have not given time to stop from
pleasure and again to turn aside one day in seven, to
sacredly reflect upon the things of the higher duties of
life. They have not taught the commandments to their
children on the Sabbath day nor on any day ; and when
the things of religion are left out on the Sabbath, it is
not long until they are left out every day of the week.
Children under the care of the Sabbath desecrator
grow up without religious training; and their children
grow worse than their parents. Soon a generation rises
that know not God.
Proper Sabbath observance means religious training
of the children and religion in the home. When the
Sabbath is crowded out it means that the children are
68 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
not trained, and that there is not to be a religions life
in four-fifths of the children. When the Sabbath is
crowded out, Bible reading is neglected, and prayer
and religious instruction. When the Sabbath is crowd- .
ed out the boy grows up following the ways of the
world, and the daughter seeking the vanities and follies
of thoughtless society, neglecting the development of
the moral and spiritual life. The keeping of the Sab-
bath solves the boy problem, the problem of home relig-
ious training and family religion, Bible study and num-
erous other essentials that expensive efforts are made
in vain to mend. Sabbath keeping is God's way. Man
has devised many substitutes for the obedience of the
fourth commandment, but there are no substitutes.
Nothing in this world can take, the place of one day
in seven sacredly observed for the quiet of rest and
religious life. A triumphant church with a desecrated
Sabbath is impossible. If the church cannot save the
Sabbath, it cannot save the world, nor itself. The arm
of the church becomes paralyzed as the sacred uses of
the day vanish; and the safety and integrity of the
nation diminishes.
Some one writes of the branches of a peach tree dying
at the top. He cut off the dead branches, hoping, there-
by, to save the tree. But the branches at the top of the
tree died again, and again, when the dead branches were
cut off. He thought a more serious weakness caused
the limbs to die at the top. He dug about the root
Relation of Sabbath Observance 69
of the tree, and found that worms were eating into the
main roots of the tree beneath the ground. This illus-
trates how spiritual life, the highest qualities in man, die
out first, because insufficient time is given to thought
and devotion to the things of God — ^just the duties
that fail to receive attention when the sacred day is
neglected. Then the moral qualities follow next in
decline, after religion is neglected. We try to remedy
these defects by some man made theories, likely, without
going to the root of the matter, without using the reme-
dy which God has devised, which is the fourth com-
mandment.
God has given three things for preserving the moral
and spiritual qualities in the human race. These are the
Bible, the Church and the Sabbath. These three main-
tain the Christian character of the people. When one
foot of a tripod is taken the other two topple over. So
it is when the Bible is absent from a people, the church
and the Sabbath are lost. When the Church vanishes
the Sabbath and the Bible disappear. When the Sab-
bath fails to be observed, then the Bible is not followed
as a guide and the church is not honored or attended.
To get a wider and more correct knowledge of im-
portant phases of the Sabbath question, the writer in
the past weeks sent out letters to persons in different
parts of the United States, asking statement of their
observation in answer to the six questions which follow.
Those published here withhold no phase of the ques-
^o Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
tion as answered in the replies, and are from persons
who, because of their positions in life, should have
made observations on the Sunday subject.
First question, Do you believe the fourth command-
ment to be binding upon us? "The fourth command-
ment is as binding as the rest and all are as binding as
God can make them." "Yes." "Most emphatically,
yes. There is no Scripture authority for its abroga-
tion. Only for quibblers does this raise any problem
as to which day in the seven is to be kept as the Sab-
bath." "I believe the fourth commandment is binding
on us in so far as Jesus Christ accepted it and practiced
it." "Yes." "Yes — in the larger and grander sense
interpreted by our Master. I think we must follow
the teachings of Jesus Christ who made very clear His
position on this great question. The Christian Sabbath,
the new day, the beginning of new things, to my jnind
is most sacred of all days, and I would not give up the
quiet, the rest, the worship, the memory and the pro-
phecy of the Sabbath for much else."
Second question, How should the Sabbath be observ-
ed? "The Sabbath should be observed by abstaining
from all labor and all pleasure and making use of the
day in such a way as to give rest to the body and exer-
cise to the spirit. Any recreation which broadens and
deepens the soul-life of the individual may be indulged
in, and no other." "Religiously in attending the ordin-
ances of the Lord's house." "It should be kept free
Retaiion of Sabhath Observance 11
from all business or pleasure which interferes with
one's growth in the Christian life. Positively by a
faithful use of all means for growth in grace." "The
Lord's Day should be set apart for worship and rest."
"In worship, rest and charity." "A fine answer is,
'The Sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all
that day, even from such worldly employments and
recreations as are lawful on other days; and spending
the whole time in the public and private exercises of
God's worship, except so much as is to be taken up in
the works of necessity and mercy. Only in our day, wc
have to add to it, not merely do we need a rest on that
day from such worldly employments and recreations
as are necessary on other days, and not only should we
spend time in public and private exercises of worship,
but also in the works of necessity and mercy. I have
two ideas on the Sabbath. One is worship, rest, medi-
tation on things divine ; the other is service ; it is a day
peculiarly set apart for deeds Christlike and godly.' "
Third question. Is it your observation that people
develop in the Christian life when they use the day in
labor for pay, as a visiting day or as a holiday? "My
observation has been that a partial nonobservance of
the Sabbath results in spiritual decline and, afterwards,
in spiritual indifference and overthrow." "No."
"NO." "All of these things stultify and stifle any real
development in the Christian life, according to my
observation." "People in the church, and out, do not
72 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
develop in the Christian life who are compelled to
work for pay by corporations. I urge my flock to in-
form people who call on them for visiting purposes on
the Lord's Day, that they have important engagements
at church and then kindly invite them to attend with
them."
**It is not an easy question to answer. As to work for
pay, it is not possible 'for some people to refuse to work
for pay on that day. Each case must stand on its own
showing. You cannot lay down any rule in the com-
plex civilization in which we are placed. I believe
that every man should have one rest day in seven, it can-
not always be on Sunday in view of the complex civiliza-
tion in which we live. A man must have vision in
these things. As to visiting on that day, while I draw
a strong line for myself, it would depend on what kind
of visiting, before I would condemn it in, others. If
you mean by visiting, social parties and the like, that is
a different thing. But I would not lay down a law
and state that there should be no visiting on the Lord's
Day. As to using the Sabbath as a holiday, unequivo-
cally — in no sense would I regard it as a holiday."
Fourth question. Are children trained in Christian
ways, and do they embrace the Christian life, when the
parents use the Sabbath as a holiday or as a work day?
"Not to any alarming extent." "No, not often." "Like
parents like children. Very rarely do children cm-
brace the Christian life whose parents use the Lord's
Relation of Sabbath Observance 73
Day for work or holiday, and I have had 30 years per-
sonal knowledge as a downtown pastor of these condi-
tions." "Children from such homes, as a rule, become
Christians and develop in the Christian life, only in
spite of the home influence and because of outside in-
fluences." "No doubt where parents use the Sabbath
entirely as a holiday the influence is bad on the child."
Fifth question. Is the Lord's Day declining in its
religious uses? "Everything indicates a decline. De-
sire for worship has given place to a desire to be enter-
tained. The home is where the danger lies. Children
must not only be taught that the observance of the Sab-
bath is right and in harmony with God's laws and the
teachings of sociology, but it must be enforced by
precept and example. It is senseless to say that during
the formative period the child must be allowed to
choose for itself. Children must be made to observe
the Sabbath in such a way as will draw a well-marked
cleavage between the Sabbath and all the other days of
the week." "Yes, where there is a large foreign pop-
ulation. "No." "Not so much by Christians as out-
siders and those who drift away from church on re-
moval to new towns or cities. I am in position to
know that actors, baseball players, barbers and packing
house workers do not wish to be white slaves to cor-
porations, and for physical reasons, if for no other, they
are anxious for one day in seven for rest, and some of
them for divine worship." "I fear the highest ideals of
74 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
its observance are passing away ; yet in a modified form
it is more generally observed than ever before." "Have
not data sufficient to answer. In some places, yes; in
others, no. In my journeyings over the country through-
out the year I stayed in many homes. So far as my
observations go, I should say that the Lord's Day was
as carefully and as religiously mapped out as it was in
my childhood."
Sixth question. What methods, in your judgment,
should be used to bring better uses of the day? "Church
members must sacrifice the pleasure of a long ride in a
car for the benefits of worship in God's house. The
ministry must refrain from the appearance of evil in
this matter and set a worthy example." (The follow-
ing answer was by a superintendent of public schools).
"Use Bibles in all schools, both public and private; pro-
hibit baseball and moving picture shows on Sunday;
close all saloons when and where possible; and live
more consecrated lives ourselves." "Place emphasis on
the fourth commandment ; keep churches open ; let wor-
ship of God be the keynote in church services ; less dry-
bone, conceited, human preaching, and a better spirit of
contrition, humility and love in our services." "The
church should create moral sentiment in favor of one
day for rest and worship; pastors should ring the
changes from their pulpits; line up the laboring man
along this line. This is a good opportunity to show
that the church is doing all possible to bring about one-
Relation of Sabbath Observance 75
day-in-seven to break the yoke of bondage by greedy cor-
porations which compel them to work on the Lord's
Day. Our legislators and congressmen should pass
laws fordng all theaters, motion picture shows and
such, to close shop, so to speak, on the Lord's Day, on
physical grounds, of course." "I believe one helpful
method, if it could be financed, would be a series of
conferences or institutes in all our cities and towns on
the Sabbath. This would educate and help create pub-
lic sentiment and conscience." "This is a large ques-
tion, I can only give brief answers. Christian people
should make the Sabbath bright, winsome, cheery, hope-
ful, beautiful. Christians should engage in service for
things worth while. Careful attention should be given
to legislation. Any legislative act that makes more work
is detrimental to the best interest of the community at
large. I oppose all laws looking to extra work on Sun-
day. I would oppose baseball games, excursion trains
and everything which puts on the poor man the obliga-
tion to work. All Christians should endeavor to urge
legislation with restrictions to the minimum of Sunday
labor. Finally, Christians should refuse to go to Art
Exhibitions, galleries and any places of worldly amuse-
ment on the Lord's Day. The Christian is a great sin-
ner in this matter."
A wide survey of the results from disregard for the
sacred uses of the day of rest and worship, make cer-
tain facts evident It is evident that those who use the
76 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
Sabbath as a holiday, or in reading baser fiction, or in
social gatherings, or in the pursuit of pleasure, fashion,
or politics, are not developing in the Christian life.
Another fact most evident is that those who use the
Sabbath in pursuit of worldly gain, pleasure or society,
do not train their children in Christian habits or bring
them up with Christian belief.
Another fundamental truth becomes evident, that the
Holy Spirit is quenched from the life by Sabbath trans-
gression, just as His indwelling presence vanishes from
any other life of transgression. We do not ask if the
profane man is an example of Christian Faith and life;
we know he is not because his wrong quenches the Holy
Spirit from his life. When we see a person reckless
in Sabbath desecration we do not ask if that person is a
Christian ; we know that his wrong has a demoralizing
effect upon his heart and conscience.
Do we realize the full import of these facts? Wc
stand in awe as we face the fact that between 4,ocx>,ocx>
and 5,000,000 of the citizens of our land, who arc or
who will become the fathers and mothers of the next
generation, are compelled to labor on the Sabbath, and
it is bringing the mass of them into spiritual degen-
eracy and their children into unbelief, with its conse-
quent large portion of crime. More than that, and per-
haps worse, millions more are squandering the sacred
day, needful to them for spiritual enrichment, in trifling
fascinations of amusement, fashion and worldly pur-
Relation of Sabbath Observance 77
suits. Multitudes are going away from godliness, des«
pising the church and making excuses for their failures
to serve in the Master's kingdom, as a consequence.
If we take this to heart enough to realize the meaning
of it, we cannot be indifferent to the Sunday question.
Exclamations of distress that cry out of this awful
condition are heard on all sides. A father wept, as he
felt the disgrace upon himself and son, when the son
was sentenced to the reform school. He said, why
should we suffer for the wrongs which others have
caused? During all the life time of this boy I have
had to work on Sundays ; and when I should have been
at home on the Sabbath days developing my own Chris-
tian life, setting before him a godly example and train-
ing him in Christian ways, I have been compelled to la-
bor on that day. Now we must sufiEer for it. His
lament is only that which is echoed throughout our
land because of the transgression of the Sabbath law.
A man engaged in the government mail service, car-
rying the mail pouches between the post office and train
in one of our cities, said that for years he was required
by the duties of his labor, to work at all the hours of
church services, laboring on Sabbath as well as on other
days of the week. He was asked about maintaining
his Christian life under those conditions. He spumed
the thought of religion. But he said he used to think
of those things. But years ago he made up his mind
he would have to do one of two things; he must
78 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
give up religion or yield his position in the mail service ;
and he concluded to continue to dravir his monthly check
from Uncle Sam in the mail service and let religion go.
And he represents thousands of others who are abandon-
ing the ways of the Christian life because of Sabbath
desecration.
A young man in the street car service said he was
brought up in a Christian home. His father and his
mother were in the church. And they were anxious
about his Christian life. He accepted a position in the
street car service, and he soon was asked to work on the
Sabbath day, which he did. He said he soon ceased to
go to church as his Sunday work began. His religious
interest died out; he had not attended church for years
and bad habits were overcoming him. His father would
be much surprised if he knew how he had lost out in
religion, he said. He was asked if there was not some-
thing wrong about a condition that required a person
to so labor on the Sabbath day that he could not take
care of his soul's salvation. He said I know it is wrong
and feel it, but what can we do? He speaks for tens
of thousands of young men and women in this country
today.
There are more boys selling papers on the streets of
American cities Sabbath days, drifting away from the
Christian life, thereby than are found in attendance upon
all our preaching services. More children are taken
joy riding on Sabbath days than the number that are
Relation of Sabbath Observance 79
taught anything of the religious life in the homes of our
land. More young men and women spend Sabbath
days at amusement resorts than engage in the various
forms of Christian work on that day. These condi-
tions enter into the problem of whether those who do
not enter more decidedly into Christian service and the
Christian life, can put Christian character into the next
generation. What will the harvest be ?
In the amusement resorts in the cities on Sabbath
evenings thousands of young men and young women
are found dancing, playing cards, engaged in the vari-
ous amusements provided in these places. These things
of course, are out of harmony with the sacred character
of the Sabbath. No one can claim that such practices
"Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." From
a Saturday issue of a city daily paper the announce-
ments for the amusements for the next day, Sabbath,
are found: "The dude detective at the Empress. An
alvalanche of Popular fun. Just one scream after an-
other." "At the Clubhouse and ballroom; dancing —
hesitate — tango — one step; Saturday and Sunday."
"At the Walnut ; a laugh romance of quick fire action ;
first time at popular prices. Matinee and night, Sun-
day." "All-Star vaudeville: Sunday matinee; The
Green Beetle; the hurrahs; they do tango and hesitate
waltz on skates ; 25 cents." "Burlesque at the Olymp-
ic; Sunday; Paquita, Spanish dancer." "At the Gay-
ety; Simday matinee; Louis Robie's beauty show;
8o Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
burlesque sensation, 'Oh, Oh, Josephine;' screamingly
funny comedians, bountiful bevies of bewitching beau-
ties/* "Five river rides, Sunday; music for every new
dance; moonlight dance cruise; round trip 25 cents."
These with other allurements are advertised in one
daily paper to attract the unwary youth in one of our
American cities on a Sabbath day. These attractions
appeal to the baser nature of the youth, and dwarf
the moral and spiritual life by spending the Sabbath in
their attendance. Other attractions, such as baseball
games, races and shows, all of which appeal to the baser
natures and have nothing for the sacred uses of the
Sabbath day. They contain nothing for moral or relig-
ous upbuilding. Other practices that turn the heart
away from seeking spiritual upbuilding is the automo^
bile joy riding on the Sabbath. There is usually the
defense that we can worship God in nature. Those
who go on an auto trip on the Sabbath day and wor-
ship God by doing so are not violating the command,
"Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy," but there
are convincing indications that the Sunday automobile
ride, in nine cases out of ten, is nothing but a holiday
outing like any other Sunday excursion. All these
things cause some people to labor on the day of rest
and worship. Those who patronize them are not devd-
oping in the religious and moral life; but are growing
indifferent to the claims of religion. They are not
reading the Scriptures sufficiently to know the way of
Relation of Sabbath Observance 8 1
salvation or to turn their thoughts to those essential
truths. The claims of Christ has no response in their
souls. They know so little of the Bible that they are
ashamed to go where they might expose their ignorance
of these things. And the longer they spend their Sab-
baths in pursuing such trifling attractions the more
deeply they become intrenched in the ways of godless-
ness. When the fourth commandment is violated by
such holiday pastimes, the Holy Spirit is quenched
from the life, interest in religious things dies out, objec-
tions are made against all efforts to lead them to salva-
tion and excuses are offered for not attending to the
development of Christian character. We do not won-
der that the unanimous testimony, in the observation
of those consulted, has been that they who use the
Sabbath as a holiday do not develop in the Christian
life.
More than half of the people of the world do not
know their Creator. They have not had instruction
and training enough in spiritual things to keep them in
harmony with God. 380,000,000 in China, 300,000,000
in India and 170^000,000 in Africa are living without
a knowledge of the true God, and are groping in their
blindness in the baseness of superstition and idolatry.
Why have they been brought to this unfortunate con-
dition of godlessness? It is because they have not been
trained or instructed in the teachings of the Bible.
Long ago their fathers and mothers failed to come to
82 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
sincere obedience of the Sabbath, and they heeded not
the things of religion week after week and month after
month, until they lost heart in the worship of God.
They brought up their children without a Sabbath, to
bring themselves to humble worship and prayer to
know the truth. We cannot imagine a people who keep
the Sabbath in seeking to know their Creator and Sa-
vior to lose out in religious truth. On the other hand,
we cannot imagine a people to maintain the worship
of God or to keep up in the moral life who do not
seek God and spiritual enlightenment one day in seven.
It is the fourth commandment that is lost first in the
downward course from God. When the Sabbath is
lost, religion is perverted. Peculiar beliefs are sure
to follow. When a people fail to sincerely and rever-
ently seek God one day in seven, they then fail in spir-
itual perception of religious truths, because these things
are spiritually discerned. They are certain to evolve
their religion out of their intellectual reasoning instead
of out of their hearts, from communion with the Holy
Spirit, and are always led astray thereby. "The world
by wisdom knoweth not God." The Holy Spirit is
the author of the life of Faith in the soul, and we
know the Creator and Savior by the revelation of the
Holy Spirit in the soul. And when the Holy Spirit is
quenched from the life, as He is, by Sabbath desecra-
tion, it is impossible to know Him. In this way the
peoples have brought up their children in heathen dark-
Relation of Sabbath Observance 83
ness, until the vast populations worship by the vain
speculations of philosophy. Confucius, Buddha and oth-
ers who have led the pagan world in their idolatrous re-
ligions have not given forth their philosophy from hearts
enlightened by communion with God, but from noble
minds. The same is true of the thousands of others who
have, in every age, defined some philosophy that has
appealed to the public mind. Some have been ''false
prophets,'' and some have been sincere in their blind
delusion. But all of them have been inconsistent in Sab-
bath keeping and plain teachings of the Scriptures. The
individual drifts away by slack Sabbath keeping; and
the communities drift away from sincere religious life
by allowing the stores to be open on the Sabbath, and
sports to be engaged in, until the atmosphere of the
places, on the Sabbath days, is permeated with the spirit
of traffic, travel, fashion and society instead of the spirit
of quiet worship. Nations drift away from God in a
similar manner. Customs become popular that are out
of harmony with Christianity; men without religion
are placed in public office; public affairs are without
regard for the Sabbath ; rulers set the example of pub-
lic appearances and travel on the Sabbath; laws are de-
nied which are necessary to protect the true spirit of
worship; laws are made which conflict with the laws
of God. Solomon married the princess of Egypt, a wise
worldly policy, to secure the influence of Eg3n;)t; and
proceeded to marry other wives, and then to build places
$4 Obligations to the Day of Rest and ff^orship
of worship, not in complete harmony with God's com-
mandments, but to meet seemingly necessary conditions.
Then Jeroboam thought it was necessary to set up gold-
en calves in Dan and Bethel to meet a condition, and
to be popular with many. So it was not long until
the nation is found worshipping with idols, as the sur-
rounding heathen people. It is not a long step between
the sincere worship of Israel in the days of David
and the idol worship of Jeroboam and Ahab. Ezekiel
tells us that the degeneracy of Israel was "Because they
despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes,
but polluted my Sabbaths.'' Any individual, family,
community or nation will become degenerate that does
not keep the Sabbath. If we ask why the half of the
world is in heathen darkness today, the answer is, they
did not keep the Sabbath. The same is true of the
multiude that are in Christian nations, in the midst
of church privileges; they are not Christian and have
lost the Christian habits and Faith because they or their
parents have not kept the Sabbath.
A criminal drew a rude sketch on the walls of the
prison, showing the steps that led to his criminal careen
Four steps were drawn; on the first step he wrote
Disobedience to parents; on the second step he placed
Sabbath desecration; on the third, Intemperance and
gambling; on the fourth, Crime. Over these, on the
platform, the gallows. One who has given special study
to the subject of crime and criminals said that his ob^
Relation of Sabbath Observance 85
servation has been that nearly every criminal career,
if not everyone has been caused by Sabbath desecra-
tion.
As we look about us, and see the number who have
lost out in the worship and Faith of God, we see that
there is a proneness to underestimate the amount of time
and effort necessary to maintain proper moral and
Christian life and service. God requires of us to take
time for religion. We owe it to him to cease from
secular pursuits and pleasures one day in seven and give
Him thanks and seek the true way of worship and
moral living. We cannot learn music without taking
time for it, nor the arts, neither can we develop Chris-
tian character without taking time for it. For this rea-
son God, who knows the needs of man, has made one
day in seven sacred for rest and worship. A noted
musician said, if I neglect the piano a week I notice it.
If I neglect to practice for two weeks my friends no-^
tice it. If I fail to practice for three weeks the public
notices it. So it is, if we fail to keep the Sabbath
for religious purposes one week God notices it; we
have not the quickened conscience, the communion with
God, the concern for right living that we would have
had if we had taken the Sabbath for religious reflec-
tion. If we neglect the Sabbath for two weeks we no-
tice it; we do not feel a vital interest in the Christian
life as we would if we had kept the two Sabbaths. If
we neglect the Sabbath for three weeks our friends no-
86 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
tice it; there is not the outward evidence of an in-
ward spiritual interest. If a generation grows up with-
out the Sabbath the next generation feels the iron heel
of corruption, crime and unbelief. Three generations
Sabbathless will bring paganism as complete as we find
it in pagan countries; but the superstition and baseness
in the lower castes, as we find in India and other gpd-
less countries come to the people as the generations
sweep on without a Sacred Sabbath unto the Lord.
Chief Justice Hale said, "Nine-tenths of those con-
victed before me for high crime said they started in the
road to crime by Sabbath desecration." Justice Strong
gives similar testimony, "The common lament of crim-
inals is, I started down by Sabbath desecration." Mr.
D. J. Star, who has given the subject of crime and
criminals much study, and who was chaplain of the
Ohio state penitentiary for a number of years said,
"My observation is, that nearly every criminal career,
if not everyone, is brought about by Sabbath desecra-
tion." The Massachusetts prison chaplain said, "The
overwhelming majority of criminals hereabouts are
those who had a holiday Sunday, at least after church."
S. Cutler, agent of the New York Prison Association,
said, "Sabbath desecration is almost always the fore-
runner of crime." The superintendent of the Martha
Washington Home, whose work for many years was to
care for wayward and unfortunate girls, said, "Fifty
per cent, of these girls between fourteen and eighteen
Relation of Sabbath Observance 87
are led into wrong doing through lack of restraint
from Sunday sports." A New York business firm in-
vited any desiring a $3,000 clerkship to call Saturday.
Two of the number were asked to return Monday for
the answer for the position. Monday the employer
said, ''You have just the mental qualifications and ex-
perience our business needs; but you spent yesterday,
the Sabbath, at Coney Island amusement resort. I am
not a member of a church, but as a business man, have
learned that it is not safe to trust anyone with large
financial responsibility who spends Sunday in sport."
The other applicant for the position had been at
Church the Sabbath before, and he was accepted. When
this event was related in a Sabbath-school the superin-
tendent, who had large business experience, said, ''I
have heard several business men in this city say the
same thing."
A careful record was made of six families who kept
not the Sabbath, and five families with equal religious
advantages, who kept the Sabbath. The record of the
families was traced to the third generation. The rec-
ord shows that, of the fifty descendants of the non-Sab-
bath keeping families, 50 per cent, of those who arrived
to mature years were drunkards and gamblers and dis-
solute; 10 per cent, of them have been in prison; five
families were broken by divorce, and another by the
father being sent to the penitentiary for theft; eight
parents became drunkarks; one committed suicide; all
88 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
came to poverty; one was killed in a fight; and only
one became a Christian. The descendants of the Sab-
bath keeping families showed 20 per cent, consistent
Christians; many filled important positions of useful-
ness; none were convicted of crime; none came to
poverty.
Anyone can take a survey of the situation and see
the relation of Sabbath keeping to the development of
Christian character. And he will find the events re-
ported correspond with the facts that everyday experi-
ences are bringing out. The central and largest com-
mand of the decalogue is necessary to maintain all the
other nine commands; as the keystone of the arch
is required for the support of the arch.
The rows of corn in a garden in an irrigating dis-
trict, showed large, thrifty corn in one end of the gar-
den, but small stalks, but a few inches high, without
vitality enough to yield anything, at the other end. The
owner said that the ground was just as fertile and
had as much irrigation in one end as the other; but, as
he had thought of the reason for the stunted growth
at the one end, he said the tree kept out the sunshine
from the end of the garden where the com was so
small, while the other end of the garden had the morn-
ing sunshine. Is that not the way it is in spiritual
growth in the hearts of people? Those who do not
spend the Sabbath in communion with God, have not
the vitalizing forces in the soul that brings spiritual
Relation of Sabbath Observance 89
growth. While the Sabbath in communion with God
gives spiritual vitality and fruits abound in the life.
That explains the record of crime in families where
there is no Sabbath and the presence of the fruits of the
Christian life in families and countries where they keep
the Sabbath sacred for rest and religon.
CHAPTER VII
METHODS OF SECURING A DAY OF REST EACH WEEK
IN CONTINUOUS INDUSTRY
"Laws setting aside Sunday as a day of rest are up-
held, not from any right of the Government to legis-
late for the promotion of religious observances, but
from its right to protect all persons from the physical
and moral debasement that comes from uninterrupted
labor. Such laws have always been deemed beneficial
and merciful laws, especially to the poor and dependent,
to the laborers in our factories and workshops and in
the heated rooms of our cities; and their validity has
been sustained by the highest courts of the states'* —
Supreme Court of the U. S. Unanimous decision,
March i6, 1885.
"Give the world one-half of Sunday and you will
soon find that religion has no strong hold on the other
half," — Sir Walter Scott.
"While industry is suspended, while the plough lies
in the furrow, while the exchange is silent, while no
smoke ascends from the factory, a process is going on
quite as important to the wealth of the nation as any
process which is performed on more busy days, Man,
the machine of machines, is repairing and winding up
so that he returns to his labor on Monday with clearer
intellect, with livelier spirit, with renewed corporal
vigor," — Macaulay.
90
Methods of Securing A Day of Rest 91
THE conditions that constitute the need of
a day of rest for each in a week, furnish
proper grounds for a law for a day of rest
for all. Nine persons out of ten agree that
all persons should have a day of rest each week, but it
is not brought about. We have been content to study
conditions and philosophize on the wrong of Sunday
and seven-day labor, and not do the things that bring
to pass the will of the people, or that which is neces-
sary to reduce Sunday labor to the minimum and secure
a day of rest in seven. It can be done. How we may
bring it about is an important inquiry. For, while
churches, labor unions, political parties, religious con-
ferences and assemblies of citizens are passing strong
recommendations against Sunday and seven-day labor
and Sabbath desecration, violation of the Sabbath is on
the increase. More persons are being employed for
seven-day labor, more plans for toil on that day, and
more Sabbath desecration are boldly arranged for, than
ever. The fourth commandment is being crowded out
in every phase of the problem. The habits of the
people are more and more for using the day as a holi-
day; the doctrine of the people is for excusing them-
selves for their misconduct; "necessity and mercy," is
given a broader interpretation, until all kinds of busi-
ness, traffic and recreation are placed into that conven-
ient category. It is now due to the American people
to be true to their convictions and bring to pass the
92 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
observance of the day of rest which we know is required
of us for the physical, moral and spiritual well being
of the people.
A crisis in this movement was in 1888, when the
Blair Sunday Rest Bill came before Congress. On the
one hand, the material prosperity, modern inventions
and concentrating industries began seriously to crowd
out the sacred day of rest and worship. On the other
hand, the conscience and sentiment of this Christian
nation demanded that the Sabbath be preserved. The
Bill was presented by Senator Blair, and forbid "any
secular work, labor or business, works of necessity,
mercy and religion excepted; nor shall any person
engage in any public play, game or amusement, or rec-
reation to the disturbance of others, on the first day of
the week, commonly known as the Lx)rd*s Day. . .
. Nor shall it be legal to require those engaged in
works permitted on the Sabbath to follow their usual
avocations on more than six days per week, except in
household service, the care of stock, and care of the
sick. That no mails or mail matter shall be trans-
ported in time of peace over any land postal route, nor
shall any mail matter be collected, assorted, handled
or delivered during any part of the first day of the
week. . . . That all military and naval drills,
musters and parades, not in time of active service or
immediate preparation therefore. ... on the first
day of the week, except assemblies for the due and
Methods of Securing A Day of Rest 93
orderly observance of religious worship ^are hereby pro-
hibited."
This measure was urged by the largest petition that
had ever been presented to our national Congress. The
petition was over half a mile long, representing the
desire of over ten million people. In addition to this
a Cardinal of the Catholic church presented a state-
ment for its passage, representing tens of thousands
more. The public hearing for and against it was one
of the most widely circulated reports sent out by Con-
gress. The measure was not passed. As a result tens
of thousands of our f ellowmen have gone down in phys-
ical and moral ruin. They have been compelled to
labor Sunday and seven days in the week, managers
have thought about business to the exclusion of relig-
ious life, and the Sabbath has been crowded out of a
large portion of the homes and out of the life of our
fellow citizens, with all the dreadful consequences.
Our nation has gone backward instead of forward in
consequence, in interests worth while. And today,
there is a problem upon us that we must solve, namely :
to turn back the tide of Sabbath desecration, to bring
the employers of labor to reconstruct their plans of
business for a day of rest in seven, to educate the public
mind and conscience in the observance of the fourth
commandment.
For the accomplishment of this important work,
three things are plainly required: an organized effort;
94 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
agitation and education of the public mind and con-
science; and legislation.
The first of these is all important There must be a
combined and organized effort. This is a special
work. The church cannot do this worL Of course
the church must give its support, but it requires all
denominations and all organizations looking to the
welfare of humanity, including the labor unions, re-
ligious organizations and legislative associations. Field
workers are necessary, who can present the facts, make
plans which will bring results, concentrate the senti-
ment of the people upon the required effort, visit and
urge employers of labor, legislative committees and
move the people to give and live for a better use of
the Sabbath all along the line. Organizations that send
out circulars, only, and talk about conditions, accom-
plish but little. The work that has been done has been
done by field workers who have gone about with a
message and a plan, securing recommendations and
sending them where they will move people to act. Money
spent in this kind of work always bring results.
The second need of this work is agitation and edu-
cation. A series of sermons on the Sunday question from
every pulpit would bring a harvest. Sermons should be
preached on what the Bible teaches about the Sabbath ;
the history of the sacred day of the week; physical
requirements of a day of rest in seven; the economic
benefits of a day of rest for the employee; eco-
Methods of Securing A Day of Rest 95
nomic conditions in respect to continuous labor; moral
and spiritual necessity of a people requirinjg; the Sab-
bath ; Sabbath observance in the develc^ment of Chris-
tian character; how to keep the Sabbath; Sabbath ob-
servance and home religion. This subject should have
a prominent place in religious conferences, instead of
being crowded out. It should be on the program of
Sunday-school conventions, for there is nothing so much
against the work of the Sunday-school as Sabbath dese-
cration. The people, by every means possible, should
be brought to think. There is need of instruction. Most
of the youth, today, are brought up in homes where they
see and hear more against proper Sabbath observance
than for it. On all sides they see, through the forma-
tive period of life, labor and holiday pastimes out of
harmony with the sacred day; and as they grow they
form the impression that the commandment is not to be
observed. They read the fourth commandment, "Re-
member the Sabbath day to keep it holy," and they won-
der what it means. They would be surprised to realize
that it means what it says, so far are many from obedi-
ence to one of the fundamental principles of the de-
velopment of Christian life and character. There is
dire need of instruction about the fourth command-
ment How could they know what it means who have
come up through the formative period of life where
members of the family went to labor as usual on the
Sabbath, or who through their youth have been employed
96 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
selling papers, gathering golf balls or some other form
of work for pay? Or how could they know of the
sacred character of the day who have been brought up
through their childhood using the Sabbath as a holi-
day?
The third essential in solving the problem of the
day of rest and worship is legislation. It is impossible
to find valid reasons against making Sunday laws. Every
state, about, in the United States, and every civilized
country in the world have Sunday laws, and these laws
have been sustained by the courts throughout the coun-
try and the world. All regulations must be outlined
and enforced by law, without which there would be the
same confusion and riot in the violation of the Sab-
bath, as there would be without law for the support of
the command, "Thou shalt not steal," or any other of
the decalogue. The objection that Sunday laws are
religious laws is without foundation. There is religion
in the command, "Thou shalt not steal," and there is
civil protection, both physical and moral, in Sunday
laws just as there is in laws regulating honest practices.
Sunday laws are among the most beneficent statutes
ever pased. Where Sunday laws have not protected the
quiet of worship on the Sabbath, or humane hours of
labor, or secured freedom from labor so as to attend
religious duties on the Sabbath, the health and morals
of the people have suffered. Eight hours for labor in
twenty-four, cannot be secured without regulation by
Methods of Securing A Day of Rest 97
statute of some kind, no more can Sunday rest.
One day of rest in seven, is the regulation neces-
sary. This will reduce Sunday labor to the minimum,
for when one day is required it will be chosen on the
Lord's day, especially with the Sunday laws now on the
statute books. All kinds of regulations have been
thought out and tried on this subject, but that which
is efficient and practical must be summed up in the fol-
lowing statement :
"When, by reason of necessity or charity, an employee
is required or permitted to work on Sunday he shall
have twenty-four consecutive hours free from labor
from one of the next succeeding six days of the week."
Regulations for compensatory time off from one of
the next succeeding six days for work done on Sunday,
is an important arrangement, often. The half holiday
on Saturday is important, and should be arranged where
possible. Limiting hours for labor to eight hours in
twenty-four is important; but it is not supported by
the same divine principles that one day's rest in seven
has. Eight hours of well directed labor will preserve
the toiler, and fit him for doing more work and better
service, than longer hours. Eight hours for work, eight
hours for sleep and eight hours for recreation and self
improvement, is a wise regulation. In the wording
of Sunday laws exceptions must, sometimes be inserted.
These exceptions, which are made because of necessi-
ties, are not pronounced class legislation by the courts.
98 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
Two countries have made notable progress in secur-
ing laws for a day of rest, as national regulations. These
countries are France and Italy. By their laws Sunday
is protected as a day of rest. Also a day of rest each
week is required, allowing time off from one of the six
days when work is necessary on Sunday. Many coun-
tries have adopted laws embodying these points; some
of which are Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Denmark,
Germany, Rumania, Austria, Bosnia, Hergovinia, Bel-
gium, Canada, British India, Cape of Good Hope, Chili,
Argentine.
Continuous industries must be recognized in one day-
in-seven rest laws.
Blast furnaces in modem steel plants are constructed
for continuous labor. Society has come to require extra
labor on Sunday in hotel, and often in household, ser-
vice. Transportation is demanded more and more as a
continuous industry. Electric light, rapid transmission
of messages and many other forms of secular affairs, are
required by the public, to be continuous. A strict and
sane law permitting and requiring a day of rest in seven
for those employed in these continuous industries is es-
sential to the physical and moral well being of the mil-
lions who must carry on this work. For a nation to
compel so large a portion of their fellows to engage in
seven day toil, with its disastrous consequences which
are unquestionable, is inexcusably heartless. It is below
Christian civilization. It is wrong. More than that,
Methods of Securing A Day of Rest 99
it can be regulated. It can be regulated without serious
loss to any, and with positive benefits to all concerned.
The call is for the people to rally to the leadership of
the Lord's Day Alliance or whatever management will
make and prosecute plans to bring the law to pass. The
managers in these industries say they do not wish to
continue employing persons to labor seven days a week,
but the people require it. The people say it is wrong
in the managers and employers to so require seven-
day toil. All must help the movement toward an or-
ganized effort to secure a day of rest and reduce Sun-
day labor to the minimum. Proper support of a lead-
ership, agitation, education and law enactment will
easily bring the desired results. Persons in authority
must be interviewed often, urging plans for reducing
Sunday work, which makes essential the emplo3rment of
persons for leading on this special work. The workers
must be supported, which means that the people must
give and co-operate with their plans.
One of the obstacles in reducing Sunday work to the
minimum is the plea which is commonly made that
Sunday labor has been reduced to the minimum, in
their particular line of work, already. That plea was
made by the Grovernment managers of the post office
department when the movement was first urged for
better Sunday rest for the postmen. Nevertheless,
since that plea was made 35,000 postmen have been
given freedom from Sunday labor and nearly 70,000
»7'4764^
ICX) Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
have had their Sunday labor greatly reduced. It could
be reduced further by the habits of the people reducing
the demands for Sunday mail service. The first post-
master interviewed in this movement insisted that Sun-
day labor had been reduced by him to the very mini-
mum. But every carrier and clerk on regular duty was
required to work part of each Sunday. When the
Sunday closing plan was ordered, by petition from the
people, nearly all the carriers were released from Sun-
day labor and the clerks were allowed a reduction of
labor on that day. Yet it had been, in the opinion of
the postmaster, reduced to the very minimum before
this sweeping reduction of labor on the Sabbath. Even
the managers of railways are accustomed to claim that
Sunday labor has been reduced to the minimum in rail-
way service. But they haul empty cars, stone, lumber
and all kinds of imperishable freight and require station
agents to remain in their offices to report weather con-
ditions, car reports and many details which could be, as
a rule, dispensed with on the Sabbath, allowing the
employees freedom for church services and private re-
laxation and devotions. As thousands of persons have
been released from Sunday labor, even after the work
was thought to have been reduced to the minimum, so
we believe, in all kinds of continuous industry, great
reduction could be made in labor performed on the
Sabbath, with no loss.
To show that seven-day labor is not desired or ap-
Methods of Securing A Day of Rest lOl
proved we quote from those who are in pQsition to aid
in its reduction. At a meeting of the Iron and Steel
Institute in New York, Mr. W. B. Dickson, Vice
President of the United Steel Corporation, advocated
adjustment of the working schedule in blast furnaces so
as to allow every man off one day in each week. Mr.
Schwab, President of the Steel Corporation, also advo-
cated it. Samuel Gompers, President of the American
Federation of Labor wrote, "The workers — that is, the
organized workers — are constantly engaged in the
movement to reduce the hours of labor, and that also
implies the movement to limit the labor of workers to
six days per week, in other words — Sunday rest. We
have sought this by legislative enactments, and by pri-
vate agreements with employers." The American Fed-
eration of Labor passed the following resolution at
their Convention : "Whereas the American Federation
of Labor is unqualifiedly on record for a day of rest in
seven, and has been efficiently working to that end;
therefore, be it Resolved, That we heartily appreciate
the co-operation of the Commission on the Church and
Social Service to the end of securing one day's rest in
seven, and pledge to them and to all others who may
assist in this work, our hearty and earnest assistance."
The National Association of Druggists, passed the fol-
lowing resolution at their annual meeting in Philadel-
phia, August, 1914: "Whereas, the druggists of the
United States fully recognize the need of a weekly
102 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
rest for themselves and their employees; Therefore be
it Tesolved, that The National Association of Retail
Druggists reaffirms its previous declarations fraternally
requesting all druggists to limit their Sunday business
to work of necessity and mercy. In this movement the
druggists welcome the assistance of the press and churdi
organizations of every name, and hope, by combining
in this good work, to bring about better conditions for
the individual, the state and the nation/'
The American Telephone Company has eliminated
the seven day labor. An official of the company ex-
pressed satisfaction with the result, and stated that
increased efficiency of the employees because they have
a day of rest each week has far exceeded expectations.
Reference has been made to the increased efficienqr and
economy in the post office department of our govern-
ment because of reducing Sunday labor, and securing
the benefit of freedom from labor in whole or in part
to 100,000 postmen. The postmen, who have been
benefitted thereby, have expressed themselves in these
words, "We cannot find words which will adequately
express our thanks for our Sunday rest." An organ-
ized effort secured a weekly rest day for all employees
in the engineering department of the Federal buildings
of the port of New York, and Hon. William G.
McAdoo, Secretary of the Treasury of the United
States, pronounced it a "desirable reform." The super-
vising engineer in 191 5 publicly thanked the Lord's
Methods of Securing A Day of Rest 103
Day Alliance of the United States for bringing it about
and said it was !'a benefit both to the employees and to
his department. A dty of 30,ocx) population voted on
an ordinance for a day of rest in seven for employees
within the city, which resulted in a vote of 3,654 for
to 1,581 against the measure, which is about two and
one-third for such a measure, in an average city, to one
against its adoption.
These are but a few, of many that might be selected,
of the views of employers of labor as well as the desire
of the laborer and of the people generally, for reducing
Sunday labor, and for a day of rest each week in con-
tinuous industries. Employers of labor in all kinds of
industry have found a day of rest in seven both practi-
cal and profitable; laboring people have strongly urged
it ; the mass of the people say it is right and seven-day
labor is wrong; men become demoralized in character
when Sunday labor is placed upon them; why, then,
are the millions kept at Sunday and seven-day toil?
Why does the noise of business and traffic not quiet
on the Lord's Day? It is because the good people have
not yet combined their efforts in the special work of
bringing about the desired result. Those \rfio work
for bringing about Sabbath rest and worship must labor
without support and their plans are not supported by
those who say they believe in a day of rest. The excuse
is made continually, that there are so many other things
that this cause must be passed by. There is not senti-
T04 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
ment. "The whole land is made desolate, because no
man layeth it to heart." There is not sufficient action
because there is not sentiment; and sentiment is not
awakened because the means of awakening sentiment
are ruled out, because there is not interest to support
the means for making sentiment. And we travel in the
rut which leads onward in the downward course of
destruction of the physical, moral and spiritual qual-
ities of the nation. "There is a withholding more than
is meet and it tendeth to poverty." This was never
more true than in the withholding from the Sabbath
cause. Efforts put forth for the defense of the day of
rest and worship have accomplished the greatest of re-
sults. The famine has been sore upon us, but a cloud
is in the sky the size of a man's hand. Faithful people
are praying that the people may take this to heart and
act. What has been accomplished has proved what can
be done; but it is not yet done. Who will lend a hand?
Now is the time to act. Things are in shape to push.
Never before has the American people and all the world
faced a situation that so demanded definite measure for
defending the day of rest, as now, in this commercial
age. Never before have the facts been at hand to
demonstrate and convince the public mind of the in-
creased efficiency and economy and the moral require-
ments of the Sabbath. We must act now. We are at
the point of moving one way or the other; it is either
downward or upward. The mad rush of commercial-
Methods of Securing A Day of Rest 105
ism and pleasure seeking will demonstrate the need of a
Sabbath and bring the salvation required, or the poison
of selfish greed and passion will blind and demoralize
until we sink into paganism, as most of the world has
done. Where the Sabbath declines religion declines;
where religion declines the power to know and keep the
truths of the Bible fade away. The Sabbath is funda-
mental.
The steps downward are easily taken. People en-
gage in careless uses of the Sabbath; then follows a
more open disregard for the Sabbath; thoughtless as-
sociations increase with every transgression; Sabbath
breaking associates and the force of conditions seem to
make Sunday visiting, holiday outings and Sunday la-
bor necessary; conscience declines; the Sabbath is ex-
plained away ; to excuse the thoughtless transgressions it
is said to be puritanical, not practical, it has passed
away, the fourth commandment has passed out of the
decalogue and many other excuses that might justify
the transgressions. These tendencies, so natural in man,
require an organized effort to repair.
CHAPTER VIII
HOW TO KEEP THE SABBATH
"If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from
doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sab-
bath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and
shalt honor Him, not doing thine own ways, nor find-
ing thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will
cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth,
and feed thee with heritage of Jacob thy father i for
the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." — IsA. 58, 13,
14.
"Hallow ye the Sabbath Day, as I commanded your
fathers" — ^Jer. 22:17.
"A holiday Sabbath is the ally of despotism, a Chris-
tian Sabbath is the Holy Day of freedom" — Hallam.
"The Sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all
that day, even from such wordly employments and rec-
reations as are lawful on other days; and spending the
whole time in the public and private exercises of God's
worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the
work of necessity and mercy" — Shorter Catechism.
THE first requirement in the fourth omi-
mandment is for the observance of the sa-
cred duties for maintaining and promoting
religious life, and the second requirement is
rest. It is not, first rest, then second religion. First,
it is "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy"
106
How to Keep the Sabbath ityj
Next to that is, ''Six days shalt thou labor and do all
thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the
Lord thy God, in it thou shalt not do any work." As
the soul is superior to the body ; as duties to God are be-
fore any other; as building character is before physical
gratification, so the requirements of the Sabbath for
spiritual refreshment take precedence to the require-
ments of physical rest. Both are required and both are
possible at the same time. The first purpose of the
Sabbath is to worship God as our Creator, to Honor
Him as our Savior, to keep in us a proper knowledge
and Faith for our salvation, to refresh our spiritual life,
to commune with our Lord. The work of the six days
for making a living forbid this necessary communion
and spiritual refreshment. By setting aside these duties
we both have freedom of mind and release from annoy-
ance, allowing us to rest and develop Christian life
and character. There is rest in worship. When weary
in body we attend to religious thoughts or a religious
service we are refreshed in body. There is more rest
in religious exercises than in dissipation, to the person
in his normal condition.
When we consider how to keep the Sabbath, there
are many problems of conscience which each must solve
for himself. There are "works of necessity," there are
conditions and associations which enter in. These make
the problem vtipre difficult, but do not nullify the com-
mand. The one essential to keep before us in defining
lo8 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
what IS permissible is its sacred character, which con-
stitutes the Sabbath. "He blessed the Sabbath day and
hallowed it." The only difference that distinguishes it
from other days is that it is sacred time. It was made
sacred for the purpose of protecting time for religious
and moral development and rest. Jesus said, "The
Sabbath was made for man." What made the Sab-
bath? It was its sacred character. That is the char-
acteristic which makes the name of Jehovah different
from other persons, and which makes profane the care-
less use of His name. There are sacred places and
sacred sacraments and sacred book, the Bible. So the
Sabbath differs from other days by reason of its sacred
character. We are to "Remember the Sabbath day to
keep it holy." "Hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be
a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am
the Lord your God." "I will teach you the differ-
ence between the holy and profane." The Sabbath can-
not be a holy day and a holiday.
Learning to recognize the quality of sacredness in
the Sabbath is the greater part of the solution of the
question, how to keep the Sabbath ? Children should be
brought up through the formative period of life recog-
nizing the sacredness of the day, thus making it differ-
ent from the other six days of the week.
It was no breach of sacredness of the day for Jesus
to heal on the Sabbath those who were placed before
Him. He taught on the Sabbath. There is both sacred
How to Keep the Sabbath 109
service, for promoting the Kingdom and rest belonging
to the day. When deeds are done to make money, as
the aim of study or labor, the sacred purposes of the
day are set aside. So it is if any would seek amuse-
ment, for that is out of harmony with the sacred char-
acter that distinguishes it from other days.
The questions that belong to our observance of the
day are, where we go ? What we read and think about?
What we do ? When we decide where we go we have
done much toward deciding how to keep the Sabbath.
We can go to the house of God, or we can go to the
place of amusement, or to places of society, or to the
office or store for transaction of business or for carry-
ing on secular affairs, or we can remain in our homes.
We remember the Sabbath and keep it by deciding
where we go; and into what kind of surroundings we
place ourselves. We have moral and spiritual uplift, or
we have none of this according to whether we place
ourselves where religious thoughts come or where world-
ly, trivial reflections are forced upon us. If we go to
the sporting place we have no thought of engaging in
religious devotion.
What we read has much to do with Sabbath keeping.
There are books and papers which are not in harmony
with the sacred character of the day. But we are for-
tunate in having a literature rich in elevating thought.
The best book is the Bible. There are no stories for
children so attractive or so well adapted for them as
no Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
the stories of the Bible, and they are true, and develop
in the lives of youthful readers the noble qualities of
heart and conscience. The best history, the choicest
poems, the most inspiring songs are religious. If we
do not read the Bible on the Sabbath we are too busy
with secular affairs to read it on Monday or Tuesday
or any day of the week. On the other hand the world
is full of trivial literature. Never before was there so
much trifling reading flaunting their pages before us in
such a way on Sabbath days as to crowd out sacred,
devotional reading. The Sunday newspaper on the one
hand, and, on the other, pages that will enrich the soul,
that will abide and build noble qualities. These are
before us; what we choose to read will determine
how we observe the Sabbath. We should choose our
reading in keeping with the sacred character of the day.
We cannot keep a holy Sabbath by reading unholy lit-
erature.
In many homes it is the custom for the parents and
children on Sabbath afternoons to read the Bible verse
about, or some other religious reading. Those who
have tried it would not exchange this valuable help in
Christian nurture and pleasant Sabbath associations
fpr all the base ball games and shows and holiday out-
ings that could be provided. In this way the men and
women who have enriched the world have been brought
up. They who do not keep the Sabbath as a sacred
day, not those who do, say that the day spent in the
How to Keep the Sabbath ill
quiet of rest and religious reflection would be tiresome.
We need to take time for meditation on the higher
sentiments of life on the Sabbath. The most inspiring
thoughts of which we are capable are not thoughts of
pleasure and fashion and worldly pursuits; the most
inspiring reflections of which we are capable are
thoughts of our responsibility to God, of our relations
with God our Father and Savior, of the plan of salva-
tion, of Faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sin, of
our adoption and inheritance because of what Jesus
Christ has purchased for us, of earthly peace and heav-
enly joy that has been prepared for them that love Him.
The Sunday newspaper or love stories have nothing to
be compared with the reflections on these subjects. The
one makes the soul rich in Faith, love and repentance;
the other impoverishes the soul. The one creates a
hungering and thirsting after righteousness; the other
unfits the spiritual nature, by quenching the Holy
Spirit, from responding to impressions belonging to the
higher motives of life.
A man had a garden in which the growth of vege-
tables was large and productive. Close by another
garden produced dwindling stalks of corn a few inches
high, without vitality sufficient to yield anything. The
owner of the gardens said one of the gardens is as fer-
tile and as well irrigated as the other. But weeds over-
shadowed the plants in one and prevented the soil and
sunshine from giving! it the vitalizing growth. This
112 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
illustrates how some have a flourishing spiritual life,
while others have not spiritual vitality sufficient to pro-
duce fruits for the kingdom. It is because one places
himself where the sacred reflections of the divine Spirit
enrich the soul, while the other person, by trifling
thoughts and worldly surroundings in which he places
himself, prevents the nobler thoughts from reaching
and vitalizing his spiritual nature. There is no growth
in spiritual life where there is no Sabbath that brings
the mind and heart to reflect upon the sacred truths
of Scripture. God gave us the Sabbath because we
needed release from the duties of earning a living, to
be free to reflect upon the higher truths of religion.
That is "remembering the Sabbath day to keep it holy."
Human nature is prone to follow the baser thoughts
and motives even on the Sabbath day. "Not finding
our own pleasure, nor speaking our own words," refer-
red to in Isaiah 58:13, means that on His holy day we
are to turn aside from the pleasures that the carnal
nature prefers, and from the conversation we would
naturally choose, to the thoughts and conversation
proper for the sacred Sabbath. If we talk about pleas-
ure and fashion and business and society we cannot
reflect upon the sacred truths intended for the Sabbath,
If we engage in conversation, reading or employments
which violate the fourth commandment, we quench the
Holy Spirit from our lives. On the other hand, those
who engage in reading, thought and religious service
How to Keep the Sabbath 113
in keeping with the sacred day, are built up in Faith,
love and obedience. That is the reason all have re-
ported that, in their observation, those who use the Sab-
bath as a holiday or work day do not grow in the
Christian life, while Sabbath keepers resist unbelief and
godlessness.
Some ask if it is not proper to go on joy rides or visit
on the Siabbath when they work during the six days of
the week, and Sunday is the only time they have for
such pastimes. Each one should carefuly weigh his
own motives and consult his needs with a good con-
science, on this subject. Some facts bear upon this sub-
ject which we should keep in mind. The salvation of
the soul is the highest necessity. The health of the
moral and spiritual life is more important than the
health of the body. Duties intended for the Sabbath are
as important as the duties of any other day of the week.
We may need rest and relaxation, but we may need
spiritual refreshment more. Our preference is no more
the safe law in this than in any other duty that calls
for our time and effort. "What will it profit a man if
he gain the whole world and lose his soul ?" If employ-
ing men to labor on the Sabbath increases dividends but
causes the men to become demoralized in character it is
wrong. When Sunday outings give physical satisfac-
tion but weakens Christian character they are wrong;
for character is more important than our pleasure. But
pleasure is not necessarily against character building. If
CHAPTER IX
CHANGE OF THE SABBATH FROM THE SEVENTH TO
THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK.
"On the first day of the week {Greek, First of the
Sabbaths) cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was
yet dark, unto the sepulchre/' — John 20:1.
'^fFe keep the first day of the week as the Sabbath,
instead of the seventh, because our Lord arose from the
dead on that day,'* — ^Tertullian about 195 A. D.
THE first day of the week has been observed
as the Sabbath since the resurrection of
Christ, by the Christian people generally.
Some have questioned the Divine sanction
and authority for this change, from the seventh to the
first day of the week. The belief generally is, thai
man*s redemption and salvation from sin, completed
at the resurrection of Christ, is now the foremost theme
in our worship and religious service, as the work of
creation was the theme that called for man's devotion
chiefly in the former dispensation; "a new heaven and
a new earth,*' ushered in by the resurrection of Christ
on the first day of the week, which we celebrate; and
that this was appointed to us by Divine authority.
The Bible authority for the Sabbath on the first day
116
Change of the Sabbath 117
of the week, from the resurrection of Christ, is distinct.
The Holy Spirit has called the first day of the week
"the Sabbath" each time it is referred to in the Scrip-
tures since the resurrection of Christ. This fact is not
generally known or recognized. But the first day of
the week is called "Sabbath," in the Scriptures, by the
same Greek word which refers to the seventh day of the
week before the resurrection. The reading in Matt.
28:1 is "In the end of the Sabbath (the Old Testa-
ment Sabbath) as it began to dawn toward the first of
the Sabbaths, (translated, first day of the week, but
the word is the same as was used for the day before,)
came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to the
sepulchre."
The first day of the week is called the Sabbath, also,
by the Gospel of Mark. In Mark 16:1, 2 we read,
"When the Sabbath (Old Testament Sabbath) was past
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, and
Salome, had brought sweet spices, that they might
come and annoint Him. And very early in the morn-
ing the first day of the week (the first of the Sabbaths,
it is in the Greek,) they come to the tomb." In the
ninth verse of the same chapter Mark again calls the
first day of the week Sabbath. "When Jesus was risen
early the first day of the week (Sabbath, it is in the
Greek.) He appeared first to Mary Magdalene."
The words here are "prote sabbatou," meaning, the
very first Sabbath. Luke calls the first day of the week
Ii8 Ohligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
the Sabbath in the similar account in Luke 24:1, and
John 20:1. Also in the same chapter 19th verse we
read, "The same day at evening, being the first of the
Sabbaths, (translated, 'first day of the week,'), .came
Jesus and stood in the midst.*'
The Christians with Paul worshiped at Troas on the
Sabbath, the first day of the week. Acts 20:7. The
Christians at Gallatia and Corinth observed the first day
of the week as the Sabbath according to i Cor. 16:1, 2.
"As I have given order to the churches of Gallatia, even
so do ye. Upon the first day of the week (Greek Sab-
baton) let every one of you lay in store as God hath
prospered him."
John about the year 96 A. D. wrote Rev. i :io, "I
was in the spirit on the Lord's Day," which evidently
refers to the Christian Sabbath. Jesus met with His dis-
ciples and others on the Christian Sabbath, the first day
of the week. "After eight days His disciples were
within, and Thomas with them; then came Jesus, the
doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said,
Peace be unto you." On the day of Pentecost, fifty
days after the resurrection, being another Christian Sab-
bath, the apostles were assembled. "All with one ac-
cord in one place" the Holy Ghost was given to them
in power. Acts 2:1. Jesus met with His apostles
after His resurrection forty days, "And speaking of the
things pertaining to the kingdom of God." It is not
improbable that then and there He established with
Change of the Sabbath 1 19
them the poliqr that henceforth they should use the day
which memorialized the work of finished redemption,
the first day of the week, as their Sabbath, and the day
on which He met with them, not the Jewish Sabbath,
and the day which celebrated a new theme of worship,
our salvation through the crucified and resurrected
Lord. For we find the early Christians referring to
that day. Through the history of the church from that
time reference is made to the first day of the week as
the Sabbath. Today we find it almost universally ob-
served. Where did it come from? There would be
no motive in changing it without Divine authority. It
is not a matter of any consequence, only, that all should
observe the same day. And the Christian dispensation
should honor the work of Christ, who was both Creator
and Savior.
Ignatius, who was bom about A. D. 30 and died
about 100 A. D., and who lived with the Apostle John
many years, wrote of 'Xiving in the observance of the
Lord's Day, on which our life has sprung up again by
Him."
Barnabas, the Alexandrian Jew, wrote about the year
100 A. D. in the fifteenth chapter of his epistle, "Where-
fore we keep the ei^th day with joyfulness of heart,
the day on which Jesus rose again from the dead."
Justin Martyr, a thoroughly Christian authority,
flourished about 140 A. D., born no A. D., wrote in
First Apology, Chap. 67, on "Weekly Worship of
I20 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
Christians." "On the day called Sunday all who live in
the cities or in the country gather together to one place,
and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the
prophets are read as long as time permits." Then he
describes their religious services in observing the Lord's
Supper, "offerings were made for the poor, the sick, the
stranger, Christians were directed what to do upon
the first day of the week, the Christian Sabbath," i Cor.
16:2. He afterwards assigns reasons why it is on Sun-
day. "Sunday is the day on which we all hold our
common assembly. For it is the first day, on which
God dispelled the darkness and the original state of
things and formed the world, and because Jesus Christ
our Savior rose from the dead upon it . . Having
appeared to His apostles and disciples. He taught them
these things, which we have submitted to you also for
your consideration." Since he taught them of the
weekly day of rest and worship on the first day of the
week for on that day "Jesus Christ our Savior rose
from the dead," it is a strong intimation that Jesus
taught His disciples that the first day of the week is
the Sabbath when He met with them after the resur-
rection.
The Bryennios manuscript written about 120 A. D.,
entitled "The Lord*s Teachings through the Twelve
Apostles to the Nations," Chapter 14 says, "But every
Lord's Day, do ye gather yourselves together, and break
bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed
Change of the Sabbath I2l
your transgressions."
Origen, who was born i86 A. D., writes that it is
one of the marks of a perfect Christian to keep the
Lord's Day. He adds, "Let us see what ought to be
for a Christian in the observance of the Sabbath. On
the Sabbath day, nothing of all the actions of the
world ought to be wrought. If, then, you cease from
all secular works and carry on nothing worldly, but oc-
cupy yourself with spiritual works, go to church, lend
your ear to the Divine lessons and homilies, and think
of heavenly things, exercise care for the future life, have
before your eyes the judgment to come, look not to the
present and visible things, but to the invisible future —
this is the observance of Christian Sabbath." Homily
23 on Numbers.
The Christian Sabbath on the first day of the week,
or the Lord's Day has been referred to in the writ-
ings, also, of Tertullian in the 2nd century; Felix A.
D. 210; Cyprian A. D. 253; Commodian 290 A. D. ;
Peter, Bishop of Alexandria A. D. 300, wrote "We
keep the Lord's Day as a day of joy, because of Him
who rose thereon." These, it will be observed, lived
before Constantine became a Christian Emperor and
made Sunday laws. It has been advocated that the
Sabbath was changed by Constantine making Sunday
laws just before 325 A. D. But these show that the
Sunday laws enacted by the first Christian Emperor,
were only in harmony with what the Christian people
122 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
were observing, already. He would have no motive for
changing the day out of the time observed by the Chris-
tian people. The Coimdl of Nicea, A. D. 325, refer
to Sunday as the day for Christian worship as a settled
fact
It should be observed that the Jews kept the seventh
day as their Sabbath. The apostles, in going about en-
tered into their synagogues and many references are
extant of their Sabbath after the resurrection of Christ.
These references have, no doubt, led many to believe
that the Christians observed that day, as their Sabbath.
The time in which the seventh of rest is sacredly ob-
served as a time for rest and worship is not important
enough for this much space, was it not that many are
unsettled in their convictions on this subject. Christian
people in distant parts of the world are keeping both
Saturday and Sabbath day, and the Lord honors all of
them. When the Christian people of Australia are en-
gaged in their public worship at 11 o'clock Sabbath
morning, the Christian people of California are enter-
ing upon their secular pursuits on Monday morning.
And when the Christians of Alaska are in the midst of
their public worship from eleven to twelve o'clock Sab-
bath, the Christian people of Japan and the Philippines
are purchasing their supplies for Sabbath on Saturday
afternoon at four or five o'clock. To say that a certain
period of timie has been made sacred by the Almighty,
which must be ''the seventh day," when Christians must
Change of the Sabbath 123
observe their seventh of rest and worship, is unreason-
able. The first day of the week comes every seventh
day. The Divine appointment carries a sacred time
and that time one seventh of the time. Fair minds and
Christian charity should make it the same time, in each
community, for all.
We are assured by those who have studied the sub-
ject carefully, that the day of the 'week for observing
the Sabbath has been changed different times. Each
year the people of God were required by Divine ap-
pointment, to observe the Sabbath at the time appointed
for the annual feasts, which were definitely fixed by the
day of the month, and the month by the new moon.
This would require the shifting of the Sabbath one day,
or two Sabbaths in succession at times, in the observance
of these feasts as God appointed. All the people of God
observed and recognized the set time of these feasts of
the Passover, on the fourteenth day of the first month;
the feast of Pentecost with its sacred Sabbath just
seven weeks after Passover. The seventh new moon,
or feast of Trumpets had to be observed on the fixed
date of the eighth and fifteenth of the seventh month,
and *'the first day shall be a Sabbath and the eighth
day shall be a Sabbath." The fifteenth of Abib, the
day on which the Israelites went out of Egypt, was to
be a Sabbath and was prominently recognized, so that
the Sabbath could universally be made to conform to
that date.
r
124 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
During these feasts seven Sabbaths were to be ob-
served — ^two at Passover, one at Pentecost, one at the
feast of Trumpets, one on the day of Atonement and
two at the feast of Tabernacles.
The Sabbaths fixe<^ as above named, would require
change of the day of the week to conform with the new
moon or unmovable day of the month. The phases of
the moon defined the months, in those da3rs. The
month has varied with peoples and times. The time
of the feasts was fixed with the new and full moon,
which does not conform with the time of the seven days
of the week. Some of the passages of Scripture which
bring out these facts follow:
Lev. 23:34, 39. "Speak unto the children of Israel,
saying, the fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be
the feast of Tabernacles for seven A^cys unto the Lord.
Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when
ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep
a feast unto the Lord seven dizys; on the first day shall
be a Sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a Sab-
bath." Lev. 23:5-8. "In the fourteenth day of the
first month at even is the Lord's Passover. And on
the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of un-
leavened bread. In the first day ye shall have a holy
convocation ; ye shall do no servile work therein. But
ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord
seven days ; in the seventh day is an holy convovation ;
ye shall do no servile work therein." Lev. 16:29-31.
Change of the Sabbath 125
''This shall be a statute forever unto you; that in the
seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall
afflict your souls and do no work at all, for on that
day the priest shall make an atonement for you. It
shall be a Sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict
your souls, by a statute forever." Ps. 81 :3. "Blow up
the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on
our solemn feast day."
If the day for observing the Sabbath has been
changed, it is vain to say that the observance of Satur-
day or what we now call the seventh day of the week
is more acceptable than the first day, only because the
commandment sa]^, "six da]^ shalt thou labor and do
all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath." The
first day of the week is as much the "seventh day," of
the commandment as the day now called Saturday.
The observance of one day in seven, as a Sabbath is the
requirement, and the Lord has honored the people who
have used the first day of the week, the day which is
commonly observed by Christian people, and which rep-
resents the resurrected Lord, the completed work of
salvation as well as the work of creation, as much or
more than He has honored those who oppose their day
of worship and contend that those who are so observing
the first day of the week are doing wrong. The chief
virtue is to observe the custom of the people and unite
in observing the same dsy as the day of rest and wor-
ship.
r
CHAPTER X
PLANS OF WORK
'^Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.** —
Jambs 1:23.
TOO much stress can not be placed on doing
those things that bring results. We have
been content to talk about what ou^t to be
done instead of doing the work requisite for
repairing the evident wrong. If half the effort which
has been made in studying conditions and passing reso-
lutions on existing wrongs, had been used in wisely di-
rected plans for overcoming the evils, the Sabbath would
not be on the decline. Resolutions against Sabbath
desecration accomplish nothing unless they are sent
where they aid in carrying out a plan for protecting the
Sabbath. We know better than we do. Those who
are employing Sunday labor would like to have the pub-
lic help them to give the employees their Sunday rest;
the Sunday toilers would like to have a plan brought
about for their rest on that day; the Christian people
regret to see the Sabbath so desecrated; but all the
while conditions are growing worse because necessary
actions are not put into operation to stop the Sunday
126
Plans of fFori 127
labor. We have not studied that phase of the work
sufficiently. This is one place where actions speak
louder than words.
An important part of the work, in bringing results,
is interviewing employers of Sunday labor and others
in position to act. It is in the power of one man, often,
to release hundreds of persons from Sunday work. He
usually needs a leader in Sabbath observance work to
prepare public sentiment and to carry throu^ the plan.
Managers nearly always say that Sunday work and
business have been reduced to the minimum. But this is
no evidence, as facts have proved, that much can not be
done. When the people are ready to act the manager
will be willing to adopt a new policy and make a
sweeping reduction in Sunday business.
Public Utilities Commissions, whose office is located
at the state capitols, The Federal Conunission on In-
dustrial Relations, committees in legislatures and Con-
gress, have in their power to establish measures for re-
ducing or increasing Simday labor and traffic Recom-
mendations, resolutions and petitions secured in public
meetings, by any kind of vote, raising the hand, ''Aye"
or "No" vote or signatures and sent to them will mean
much. Following is a copy of a recommendation to the
Public Utilities Commission of a state, which would be
effectual:
"To the Public Utilities Commission, Dear Sir — Be-
lieving that Sunday labor should not be required be-
ia8 Obligations ta the Day of Rest and Worship
yond that which is absolutely necessary; that each per-
son is entitled to a day of rest each week, and an op-
portunity for religious services on the Sabbath; that
railway and many other forms of public service is
transacted on Sunday far beyond that which is neces-
sary, to the certain physical, moral and spiritual detri-
ment of those employed; that it is breaking down
proper uses of the Sabbath, and, in turn is operating
against the welfare of the people. We respectfully
urge you to give most favorable consideration and action
toward eliminating Sunday and seven-day labor, so far
as possible, in all forms of public service."
Utilities Commissions have required railway com-
panies to put on Sunday trains against the will of the
companies, because they were not aware that public sen-
timent did not require it ; and they have power to re-
duce Sunday labor and traffic, if the sentiment of the
people will so indicate.
The public telephone is one form of Sunday labor
that can be greatly reduced. Many towns have the
service for certain hours, only on the Lord's Day, while
other towns, with no more need, have the service con-
tinued throughout the day. Necessary calls can be
taken care of the same as emergency calls at night, if
such emergencies should arise. Ample opportunity for
ordinary needs if Sunday service on the telephone can
be had from an hour in the forenoon and an hour in
the afternoon. For the same h^ been done by is in-
Plans of Work lag
dustrious people as any that may call for it throughout
the Sabbath. The public Sunday telephone is a Sab-
bath breaker. It promotes godless uses of the Sabbath,
requires people to labor so that they can not attend to
religious duties, it disturbs the quiet of those who would
keep the Sabbath, it educates the public, old and young,
to disregard the day of rest. The excuse that the doctor
might be needed on the Sabbath is only a pretense.
Emergency calls can be arranged for.
Sunday mail is likewise, the occasion of much need-
less labor on that day. Before the post offices were
closed in cities of the the first and second class on the
Sabbath day, children crowded into the post offices
throughout the country, after Sunday-school. Three
and four or more members of a family often called at
the carriers' windows for mail. The youth were edu-
cated, thereby, to disregard the Sabbath. And when
business letters and packages were received it promoted
secular affairs on the Lord's Day. It was breaking
down the day of rest. Even yet, in towns of the sec-
ond and third class, in many places, the same downward
drift continues. The facts have shown that better
moral conditions prevail with a closed post office on the
day of rest, and it gives many freedom from labor on
that day. A petition signed by some of the people, with
a conference with the postmaster, and sent to the Post
Office Department at Washington, will remedy this
evil. For the Department are desirous of abandoning
I30 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
the pnurdce of keeping their places of business open on
the Sabbath wherever possible. The form of petition
which has been used for Sunday closing of post offices
is like the following:
"To the Post Office Department, Washington, D. C.
Dear Sirs: — ^Whereas Sunday closing of post offices has
proved a satisfactory method of handling of the mails,
in many places ; that no conditions seem to require Sun-
day mail service here more than elsewhere; that visit-
ing the post office on Sunday is from habit, largely, not
from necessity. Therefore, we respectfully petition for
Sunday closing of the post office of "
The opening of stores on the Sabbath is a practice
that is needless, and is breaking down the day of rest
and worship in many places. Most families do not
patronize stores for anything on the Sabbath, and those
that do not, flourish as well as those who do. The Sun-
day store is not a necessity, and its patronage breaks
down the Christian life, both of the customer and the
merchant Drug stores are among the number that
transgress. Scarcely any of the sales of a drug store
on the Sabbath are for necessary medicines. Many ar-
rangements can be made for securing what any may
regard as necessary without keeping the store open
through the Sabbath. It may, if necessary, be open
for a short time. Druggists' clerks work from eight
o'clock in the morning till ten in the evening^ often,
seven days in the week. Druggists, themselves, know
Plans of Work 131
the wrongs of a Sunday drug store, and passed resolu-
tions against it at their national convention.
The facts have shown that those who engage in Sun-
day baseball do not develop in the Christian life. It
is worth a consideration as to whether those who are in
any way participating in that and similar sports on the
Lord's Day, are active in the work of the church. The
most practical way of overcoming Sunday sports is by
organizing teams with Christian young men in them,
and with rules that no playing shall be engaged in on
Sunday. This subject needs careful study, for many
have not observed its relation to the proper use of the
Sabbath nor the tendencies that Sunday sports have in
leading into bad associations and demoralized life.
The closing of public gaming rooms has saved many
young men from a worthless life, and their continuance,
especially on the Sabbath, is a menace to the youth in
any city or town. Their suppression may be easily
brought about by a careful effort. An ordinance is
the remedy. Almost any council can be persuaded to
adopt such an ordinance if a proper effort is made for
securing a petition. Following is a form for such an
ordinance :
"An ordinance forbidding keeping open to the pub-
lic on Sunday for playing games with admission fee or
wager. Be it enacted by the council of the city . .
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or association
to require or permit any person in his or its employ, to
132 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
keep open any room, hall or tent, on Sunday between
the hours of twelve o'clock Saturday night and twelve
o'clock Sunday night for the playing of billiards,
pool, cards or any game of chance, where admission fee
is charged thereto or any fee or wager is to be paid in
connection with such games, within the incorporated
limits of this city. Any person violating the provisions
of this act shall be fined, upon conviction, in any sum,
not less than ten dollars nor more than one hundred
dollars for each offense." A similar form may be used
for preventing Sunday shows of any kind. The title
should include in its statement all that is included in
the ordinance.
All this requires a special work and special workers
to bring results. And that means that support of Sab-
bath defense is essential. Public meetings on this sub-
ject must be held. Agitation and education is needed.
We can never save the Sabbath by preaching the Gospel,
only. This work must go with the Gospel, and must
be done by special workers. The obedience or dis-
obedience of the Sabbath has become a very light mat-
ter with many. The fact that when our population
has increased 27 per cent, in the last decade Sunday
labor has increased 58 per cent bids us consider if this
work is well done. And while our population and
Sunday labor have increased so rapidly, Sunday sports
have increased more rapidly.
Petition and recommendation properly used is the
Plans of Work 133
remedy. By this method we let our light shine.
Greedy and unscrupulous persons petition strongly for
measures to Utilities Commissions and legislative comr
mittees, but the good people remain silent, and the
measures are adopted which break down the Sabbath.
One petition with a clear statement of moral worth in
it will have more weight than many petitions for a
Sabbath desecrating measure. But, too often, the one
petition for moral defense is not presented, and the
legislators feel that they are compelled to grant the
measure. There is no person who feels it his duty and
knows how to present the measure for righteousness,
while many are employed for personal gain and pleasure
seeking to urge unjust measures.
The petition of four hundred and fifty locomotive
engineers of the New York Central Railway to Mr.
W. H. Vanderbilt, some years ago, asking for Sunday
rest, is worthy of study. "We have borne this griev-
ance of Sunday labor patiently, hoping that every suc-
ceeding year it would decrease. But after long and
weary service we do not see any signs of relief, and we
are forced to come to you with our trouble, and most
respectfully ask you to relieve us. Our objections to
Sunday labor are these: First — ^This never-ending
labor ruins our health and prematurely makes us feel
worn out, like old men, and we are sensible of oiir in-
ability to perform our duty as well. Second — ^The
custom of all civilized countries, as well as laws, human
134 Obligations to the Day of Rest and ff^orship
and Divine, recognize Sunday as a day of rest and re-
cuperation; and, notwithstanding intervals of rest
might be arranged for us on other days than Sunday,
we feel that by so doing we would be forced to ex-
clude ourselves from all church, family and social priv-
ileges that other citizens enjoy. Third — Nearly all
of the undersigned have children that they desire to
have education in everything that will tend to make
them good men and women, and we can not help but
see that our example in ignoring the Sabbath day has a
very demoralizing influence upon them. Fourth — ^We
believe the best interests of the company we serve, as
well as ours, will be promoted thereby. We have
watched this matter for the past twenty years. We
have seen it grow from its infancy until it has arrived
at its present gigantic proportions, from one train on the
Sabbath until now we have about thirty each way; and
we do not hesitate in saying that we can do as much
work in six days, with the seventh for rest, as is now
done. The question might arise, if traffic is suspended
twenty-four hours will not the company lose one-seventh
of its profits? In answer, we pledge our experience,
health and strength that at the end of the year our em-
ployers will not lose one cent. But on the contrary,
will be gainers financially. Our reasons are these; at
present, the duties of your locomotive engineers are in-
cessant, day after day, night succeeding night, Sunday
and all, rain or shine, with all the fearful inclemencies
Plans of Work 135
of a rigorous winter to contend with. The great strain
of both mental and physical faculties thus constantly
employed, has a tendency in time to impair the requisites
so necessary to make a good engineer. Troubled in
mind, jaded and worn out in body, the engineer can
not give his duties the attention they should have in
order to best advantage his employers' interests. We
venture to say that nowhere on this broad continent,
in any branch of business or traffic, can be found any
class in the same position as railroad men. They are
severed from associations that all hold most dear, de-
barred from the opportunity of worship, that tribute
man owes to his God; witnessing all those pleasures
accorded to others, which are the only oases in the
deserts of this life, and with no prospect of relief. We
ask you to aid us. Give us the Sabbath for rest after
our week of laborious duties, and we pledge you that
with a system invigorated by a season of repose and a
brain eased and cleared by hours of relaxation, we can
go to work with more energy, more vital and physical
force, and can and will accomplish more work, and do
it better, if possible, in six days than we do now in
seven. We can give you ten days in six if you require
it, if we can only look forward to a certain period of
rest. In conclusion, we hope and trust that in conjunc-
tion with other gentlemen of trunk lines leading to the
seaboard, you will be able to accomplish something that
will ameliorate our condition."
136 Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship
Organizations in the United States which have been
fonned for Sabbath defense exclusively, are: The
Lord's Day Alliance of the United States, with its
auxiliaries; Lord's Day League of New England; The
New York Sabbath Committee; The Woman's Na-
tional Sabbath Alliance; The New York State Sab-
bath Association; Wisconsin Sunday Rest Day A^o-
ciation ; Northwest Sabbath Association. Many have
been rescued from the demoralization of Sunday work
and Sabbath desecration and are in the Christian life
and service today, by these organizations. No other
efforts have brought more into the Christian life, from
what has been put into them, than these organizations,
which the Head of the Church has greatly honored by
the seal of His power. Scattered throughout this coun-
try are workers in the church, who have been rescued
from Sunday labor and Sabbath desecration by the field
workers in these organizations. There are no better
missionary enterprises for the saving of souls, as well as
bodies, for the home life and good citizenship, than
these Sabbath organizations.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC UBRARY
RBFBRBNCB DBPARTMBNT
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