On Keeping the Sabbath.
By A. A. Marks
God says, Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Ex. xx, 8. But an individual offers to pay some indebtedness on the Sabbath, and I, for fear that I may be troubled to get my pay at any other time, consent to take it. A very small act to take some money and put in my pocket; but there are those that are ever ready to doubt the sincerity of Sabbath-keepers, and get something to tell against them. That man, say they, will take money on his Sabbath, if he is so very strict otherwise; and so we furnish them with something to talk about and thus bring the truth into disrepute. Have we avoided the appearance of evil? Have we remembered to keep the Sabbath holy? Perhaps some one calls on us to receive a little money on the Sabbath, and surely it will be a very small act to count out the amount. But I think we should be apt to use some words, either in paying out or receiving money on the Sabbath, and Isaiah condemns our speaking our own words on that holy day. Isa. lviii, 13. The Lord rested on the seventh day from all his work. Again the neighbor of a Sabbath-keeper wishes to borrow some tools on the Sabbath. The commandment does not say that we shall not let our tools be used; we wish to accommodate; or perhaps it will offend some one to refuse. But think a moment. Will you help your neighbor to do that which you will not do yourself on the Sabbath? Would you lend a weapon of death to a murderer? You would not find tools for him to break the sixth commandment; but in lending on the Sabbath, you are finding tools for your neighbor to break the fourth commandment; and not only so, you encourage him in the practice of disturbing you on the Sabbath. Let us let our neighbors know that there is a separating line between us. and like David say, "Depart from me ye evil doers, for I will keep the commandments of my God."