“REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY.”
By Edith B. Goodrich
THE word “remember” is used only once in all the Decalogue; we find it in the fourth commandment. This commandment is of great importance, being that particular one which calls to remembrance the only true God, and that which distinguishes Him from all false gods; viz., His creation of the heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is. It is very evident that God had a purpose in commanding us to “remember,”—a reason for laying such stress upon the keeping “holy” of His Sabbath day; for when we forget that day, it naturally follows that we forget its author. We are not told to “remember” only, but to “remember” to “keep holy” that day. I believe that much—most—of the backsliding of God’s people to-day is due to the fact that, while the Sabbath may have been remembered, yet it was not kept “holy.” How are we to “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy?” At the last moment? Half an hour before sundown? If that has been our mode, we can not properly “keep holy” that day which God has so strictly charged us to keep; for so many things will have been prepared that many unholy duties will crowd themselves over onto the day ordered to be kept “holy.” We should “remember” the Sabbath every day. I believe with all my heart that this is the only way to be able to keep it “holy” when it comes; for if we every day put out of the way some duty by doing it, then they will not all crowd themselves together on the day of preparation, thus creating confusion, overwork, and nervous breakdown. In the latter case, how often will absence at Sabbath-school and church follow, and, later on, backsliding, and lukewarmness, coldness, and finally downright apostasy. By adopting a plainer mode of living and dressing, our duties will be lessened so far as regards work. Let us not forget the words of Wisdom, spoken by Wisdom itself: “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things; but one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Let us, in these exceedingly trying last days, be sure that we will not be “cumbered about much serving.” Let us eliminate from our work anything which is stealing our precious time—that talent which God one day will require at our hands. Can we not, by this God-given plan of plain cooking and dressing, so lessen our work as to bring ourselves into a calm and sane condition of body, mind, and spirit, so that we can indeed “remember” to “keep holy” God’s Sabbath day? If we are remembering that day as we should, we will not forget to prepare for it. O let us all take heed to keep indeed holy the Sabbath day, that it may cause God to smile upon us, and that it may bring to us the fulfilment of the promised blessing of Isaiah 58:13,14: “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasures, 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 the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”