Rules for Sabbath Observance.
By C. H. Bliss
If you wish the Sabbath to be a blessing to your soul, a day of joy and gladness, and not only the most pleasant, but the most profitable, day of the week to you; you must observe it according to the teachings of its Author, which, I think, may be found in the following rules: 1. Attend to all your duties upon the preparation day; which may be named in three things; First, your temporal affairs, such as preparing food for the Sabbath, and arranging all your secular affairs in such a manner as will cause you no uneasiness during the sacred hours of the Sabbath; Secondly, your physical duties. If we wish the blessing of the Lord upon us during the Sabbath, we must not come before him physically polluted. We want our bodies washed with pure water, and our garments cleansed from filth. Thirdly, your spiritual duties. Our minds should be prepared for the Sabbath, by freeing them from all burdens, and thus preparing them for the worship of God. See Ex. 16: 23, and Luke 23: 56. 2. Always begin the Sabbath with prayer. 3. During these sacred hours we should keep our minds in a devotional frame. To do this, we must keep our hearts uplifted to God continually in prayer, 4. Let this be a day in which we may especially enjoy the presence of God, and draw spiritual strength for the coming week. That this may be the case we must watch and pray. 5. It should be a day of activity. It never was intended that this day should be spent in idleness. It is a day for the worship of God. Some, however, object to this, claiming that the fourth commandment forbids all kinds of labor. But when we examine Num. 28: 9, 10; Eze. 46: 4; Matt. 12: 12, it becomes evident that there are some kinds of labor, not only lawful, but even commanded, to be done upon the Sabbath-day. From this we conclude that the labor referred to in the fourth commandment is our work; while that referred to in the above scripture, is the Lord’s work. 6. We should especially upon this day be temperate in our eating and drinking. The result of surfeiting, is drowsiness, and inactivity of both body and mind. Its evil effects are especially seen during religious services; when some, to the annoyance of both the minister and the congregation, will partly close their eyes, and move their heads rapidly in different directions as if their necks were made of rubber. Such receive but little benefit from going to meeting; and they certainly do not benefit any one else. May the Lord arouse these sleepy souls, who delight more in eating and drinking than in worshiping God. Luke 21: 34, 37. 7. If during the Sabbath we have brethren or friends near us, who need our encouragement, let us assist them by prayer and exhortation. This is the Lord’s work. 8. We learn that the Saviour healed upon the Sabbath. Matt. 12. Are there not those around us who are morally diseased, and need the healing balm to be applied? If so, and we can assist in causing them to be healed, will it not be a good work to engage in upon the Sabbath? 9. If there are religious meetings upon the Sabbath, we should attend them, as was the custom of the Saviour. Luke 4: 16. 10. When not otherwise engaged, we may spend our time in reading, meditation, and prayer. 11. The Sabbath should be closed with prayer. If we spend the day thus, the Sabbath will be a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and on the next returning Sabbath we may sing, “Welcome, welcome, day of rest,
To the world in kindness given;
Welcome to this humble breast,
As the beaming light from Heaven.”