Politics.

WOULD PARLIAMENT BE JUSTIFIED IN SANCTIONING THE OPENING OF THE CRYSTAL PALACE ON SUNDAY?

NEGATIVE ARTICLE.-I.

SUCH is the innate depravity of man, that he cannot receive Christ's religion unaltered. He either takes from or adds to it; the limit of the former being infidelity, of the latter Romanism. The two classes were personified in the Lord's time by the Sadducees and Pharisees; and their existence in this age is patent to all, there being in our land those who observe gospel institutions with most superstitious reverence, and those who regard them with no reverence at all.

He who would bear himself worthily in the present debate, must strive to attain the golden mean of these extremes, exploring the Divine will with an intelligent belief in the Father's continual carefulness for man's well-being, and an unflinching allegiance to the teachings of his word; but also, as knowing he will find opposed to him, not only the devout, but, as he believes, misguided Christian, but also the Neologian and the infidel, he will be prepared to combat the latter upon their own ground, arguing independently of the Bible: for, blessed be God! that which he ordains is always the most reasonable, the most plausible, and productive of the happiest results.

It will have to be proved that the holy observance of the sabbath is universally and perpetually binding; that the legalized opening of the Crystal Palace on that day will prevent its holy observance, and, without conferring any benefit, will be a source of vast evil to our land; and therefore, parliament would not be justified in allowing its opening on the Lord's day.

That the holy observance of the sabbath is universally binding, is evident from its original institution, from the fourth commandment, and the example and precepts of Christ and his apostles.

The sabbath was originally instituted immediately after the creation. This is evident from the words of the Spirit, penned by Moses, Gen. ii. 2, 3. This history is mostly consecutive, and events are mentioned in the order of time. Instituted in the beginning, it was instituted for all the posterity of Adam alike. Its end was twofold-to commemorate God's glory displayed in creation, and to give man the opportunity of attaining and increasing holiness-an end interesting all men alike, and

therefore the obligation to observe the sabbath rests alike on all peoples and all ages.

This passage shows that its institution was anterior to the Levitical dispensation, which fact is evident from many other considerations. The period of seven days is frequently mentioned before the promulgation of the Mosaic law. If there were no stated periods of seven days, how do we account for the fact that that period was so uniformly chosen? For, be it remembered, that the division into weeks is not natural, as is that into months or years. Why, if there were no division of time into weeks, did God declare to Noah that the flood should come in seven days (Gen. vii. 4)? or Noah twice wait seven days exactly before he sent out the exploring dove (Gen. viii. 10, 12)? or the Israelites eat unleavened bread for seven days (Exod. xii. 15)? And why do we hear of the "sixth day" (Exod. xvi. 22), when it is certain, from what is contained in the first verse of the same chapter, that the day of the month is not referred to? And why did the Israelites, without command (for it is plain from the succeeding verses, 23-26, that Moses had not yet told the people what God had told him, ver. 5), gather double on the sixth day? Did they not know the morrow was God's sabbath?

The sacred record does not inform us whether or no the patriarchs observed the sabbath. But this fact can give rise to no argument hostile to us, since it was more than 700 years after the Mosaic law was given before there is mention made of any great departure from the sabbath. The notices respecting the sabbath in Jewish history are few and far between, but they do not go to prove that in the intervening epochs it was unob

served.

By the wording of the fourth commandment, God declared that he had instituted, blessed, and sanctified the sabbath some time previously to the giving of the moral law. It is therefore plain that the sabbath was not a mere Jewish institution, abrogated together with the ceremonial law, but one affecting all mankind, as universal as the institution of marriage.

That the sabbath was instituted in the beginning is also evident from the fact that other nations, who could not have received the practice from the laws, regarded each seventh day as holy. The testimony of Hesiod is-Eßdopov ispov nuas-the seventh day is holy. Homer says the same. Theophilus of Antioch called it "The day which all men celebrate." Philo declares that "the seventh day is a festival to every nation." Like statements are made by Callimachus, Porphyry, Linus, Lucian, Eusebius, Tibullus, Josephus. It is impossible that this practice was universally fallen into by chance; it could not have come from the Jews, and the conclusion is that they had it from tradition from Noah and his sons. For, what reason could there

be for choosing the period of seven days? As has been said, it is not a natural division of time. "For other divisions of time we can find reasons-obvious, necessary, and natural. The daily rotation of the earth on its axis; the completed cycle of lunar phases; the sun imparting to the revolving worlds the blessings of cold and heat, summer and winter, seed-time and harvest, are phenomena quite adequate to explain why we should break up our life into days, and months, and years; but for weeks we have no such reason, nor, indeed, any reason to give, except that it is one of the original appointments and laws of God. It is an arbitrary period, the recurrence of which neither nature nor reason seems in any way to have marked out for us, but which, on the all-commanding authority of revelation, men have been taught to set apart to sacred remembrances."*

The fourth commandment is part of the moral law, which is generally acknowledged to be universally binding. It was given in the like impressive manner, engraved on stone, which typified endurance, promulgated with the same awful accompaniments, and couched in the same absolute phraseology with the other precepts. Unlike the ceremonial observances of the Jews, it was not merely recorded in a book, but was kept in the ark: it was twice written by the finger of God himself. Must it not, then, together with the other nine precepts, be of preeminent importance? And is it consistent with common sense to say, that nine of the commandments are to be observed, and one not? For the fourth commandment is of an equally moral character with the other nine, being universally applicable; for the ends of its institution were-"to give the laborious classes of mankind an opportunity of resting from toil-to be a commemoration of the wisdom, power, and goodness of God in the creation of the universe-to furnish an opportunity to man of acquiring holiness, and of obtaining salvation"+-ends affecting all men alike. All need a periodic rest, as has been indisputably proved by Professor Miller, in his excellent little book, Physiology in Harmony with the Bible." All have souls to save. And all are bound to admire and adore the power, wisdom, and love of God, as displayed in the creation of the material universe-a duty for which God appoints a time and a method, thus enabling us to perform it in the best manner. From these considerations, it is plain that the fourth commandment is as much a moral precept as the other nine.

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None will deny that our Saviour was careful to observe the sabbath; not, however, in the superstitious manner of the formalists, but with intelligent reverence. And many years after, St. John speaks of a Lord's day; and history tells us, that when the exile of Patmos penned the Apocalypse, one day out

*Rev. Daniel Moore.

† Dwight's "Theology."

of every seven was observed by the Christians, under the title of the Lord's day, a term which could only be applied to a day consecrated to God, wherein secular affairs were unattended to. If this day were not so consecrated, would the Holy Spirit, through John, have written that word, and given his sanction to a false doctrine, excessively dangerous in its effects? Both in scripture and out of it we have abundant proof that the apostles and early Christians observed a weekly holy day, which, however, was not called sabbath, lest it should cause confusion-the Jewish sabbath not being formally abolished until the fall of Jerusalem. Nor is the obligation to observe the sabbath lessened by the fact that the day has been changed. It was the sabbath God blessed and hallowed, not the particular day. The sabbath is still retained—the day is altered. But the change could only be made by God himself: and so he put it into the minds of his inspired apostles. And how reasonable the change! It is a perpetual lesson to Jew and Gentile. A most reasonable change. The seventh day was chosen as a sabbath, that God's creative love, power, and wisdom might be glorified. Shall not this, as pre-eminently evidenced in redemption, be rather celebrated? The end of a work is more worthy than its commencement; the former creation decays, and it is destined to fiery destructionthe latter grows even more glorious, and eternity alone is its boundary. Shall not the latter have superior glory, as reason urges, and prophets foretold, and God declared it should? And shall not our joy-day be rather that on which the Saviour left the tomb, than that on which he lay within it, in the depth of his humiliation?

That the sabbath was observed on the first day of the week after Christ's resurrection, is apparent to every reader of scripture. On that day twice did Jesus meet his disciples; on that day did they meet together; on that day was the Lord's supper celebrated; on that day those of Galatia and Corinth were admonished to make contributions for the poor; on that day John "was in the Spirit."

It is not strange that this observance of the Lord's day is not enforced in the apostolic epistles, for it was taught in a better way-by example; and, moreover, be it remembered, the apostles avoided offending, unnecessarily, Jewish prejudices. Nor need any surprise be felt that it was not mentioned in St. James's letter to the Gentile converts, for that letter merely treated of the points in dispute. That the Lord's day should be observed, seems to have been considered as much a duty as to abstain from theft and murder, concerning which there is no precept in the letter. Just so, in the Christian church, for eighteen centuries, it has, by the majority, been considered since.

And now, how are we to "keep holy" this sabbath? The day, thus instituted by God-its observance by all commanded,

its neglect, cause of direst penalties, its due appreciation, source of so great blessings-is sanctified to God-is to be a day for his work, not our own-for spiritual employments, not secular-is to be observed as he has appointed-is to be a day for public and private worship-for devout praise to God, and for labouring to make our calling and election sure. Time, thoughts, conversa. tion, actions, all are to be devoted to God. We are not to do our own pleasure on his holy day, but are to call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, and honourable, not walking our own way, finding our own pleasure, speaking our own words (Isa. lviii. 13). And God hath promised with rich blessings to dower those by whom his sabbath is observed, while to him who profanes its sanctity come the fearful tones, "Because thou hast not kept my sabbath from polluting it, but hast followed thy pleasure on my holy day, I will pour out my fury upon thee, I will spew thee out of my mouth.'

"The sabbath was made for man." Glorious truth! The Father, ever mindful of our best interests, hath prepared an ordinance suitable to our nature, and calculated to aid us in our spiritual progress. But this ordinance, to fulfil the ends of its institution, must be observed in accordance with the will of God. To say man is right in otherwise observing it, is as ridiculous as to declare that a newly-wed daughter, receiving from her father a furnished house, as dowry, would be justified in setting it on fire. And this sabbath, if made for man, is made for all. Some have no right to employ others on that day. But if the Crystal Palace be opened on the Lord's day, many must be deprived of their sabbath rest-on the railway-lines, in the palace, at the houses of entertainment around. These shall be pressed into unhallowed toil, and for these shall the sabbath bell toll in vain, and their children grow up into vice for lack of parental care and instruction, and their families almost lose affection for the fathers they seldom see.

And then the religious for miles around shall miss their sabbath sanctity. The erst quiet roads shall resound with the din of vehicles and the roar of holiday voices, and at evening shall arise the discordant noise of senseless shoutings and lewd songs as the intoxicated crowds roll by.

Then, forsooth, the sabbath God has sanctioned is to be spent in the Sydenham Palace, and the Christian of the nineteenth century is to worship God one part of the day, and Belial the other-to attempt to do God's pleasure one half, and his own the other half-to serve God and mammon.

Then shall the sabbath breaker be no longer ashamed. Under the broad protection of a law, legalizing sin, he is to act openly in defiance of Heaven, and (to use the words of an eloquent divine) "with royal countenance on the plea that he wishes to enlarge the powers which God hath given him; nay, it is much if he parrot not, at infidel bidding, the audacious pretence that