Your ShelfYour Projects

THE SABBATH

10%

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 19, 1861

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 18, No. 25.

Read the full edition

THE SABBATH.

By Editor

Recently there have been many inquiries relative to the proper observance of the Sabbath. And as these questions evidently arise from a conscientious desire to keep the Sabbath holy, it is a pleasure to notice them. In looking over this subject we find the following excellent remarks from the pen of Bro. Smith, REVIEW, Vol. xvii, No. 7:
"The fourth commandment is very definite. It gives direction to the man concerning his son, his daughter, his man-servant, and maid-servant, and it places the stranger, while within his gates, on the same footing, and under his control. But what are his 'gates?' and who is the 'stranger?' Ans. We understand by 'thy gates,' any real estate under the control of the individual, and by 'thy stranger,' any person who does not sustain to that individual the relation of son or daughter, man-servant or maid-servant. Does an individual call upon a Sabbath-keeper on the Sabbath? He is not to do any work while within his gates or on his premises. Should he presume to (other of course than works of necessity and mercy), it would be the Sabbath-keeper's duty to make known his wishes for him to desist. If a Sabbath-keeper has a piece of land or a farm, it is his gates while he holds personal possession. And if he suffers on such farm or land labor to be done on the Sabbath, we cannot see how he lives up to the commandment which makes it incumbent on him to see that all within his gates, son, daughter, man-servant, maid-servant, cattle and stranger refrain from labor."
The design of the fourth commandment is to secure to the people of God rest and freedom from worldly care upon the seventh day. Any arrangement of secular matters which would endanger the quiet of the Sabbath, and be liable to take the mind from sacred subjects, is not in harmony with the great object of the Sabbath. Hence all within our gates should yield to the claims of the Sabbath law.
With this view of the subject, we do not see how those who conscientiously reverence the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, can take those into their houses as boarders who labor on the seventh day. In most cases boarders coming in for their meals, would require that attention upon the Sabbath which would disturb the quiet upon that day which was designed to be secured to the people of God.
Again, if a brother rents a shop to a Sabbath-breaker which is on the same village or city lot on which he lives, he and his family may often have their minds called from the sacredness of the Sabbath by circumstances connected with the business of that shop. Hence all within his gates should rest. Or if he rents the home farm, or any part of it, to a Sabbath-breaker, those within his gates are liable to have their minds caught away from the heavenly to the earthly by the usual stir of ploughing and sowing, driving and carting, reaping and threshing. If a special contract be made not to have labor performed on the home premises on the seventh day, then in most cases Sabbath disturbances are prevented. The following questions are from Bro. B. F. Snook:
"If a brother rents a farm and receives one-third of the grain, and the farm is worked on the Sabbath, does he not share in Sabbath-breaking profits? Again, suppose that instead of grain rent he receives cash rent, does that lessen the crime?"
We think the kind of rent can make no difference in this case. The great principle of the Sabbatic institution must govern us. Its design was to call the people of God from worldly labor and worldly thoughts upon the seventh day, and bring them into close communion with God; hence all within their gates should rest according to the commandment.
In answer to the question relating to sharing in Sabbath-breaking profits, we say, he does. But suppose this farm is five miles from the brother's home place, and he rents it for one year, and thus puts it from his control, and is in no way disturbed by the labor that is done on the farm during that time, how does he violate the great principle of the Sabbatic institution by sharing the profits of labor done on that farm upon the seventh day?
As we wish more time to think upon this subject, and more space to express our thoughts than can be spared this week, we close by requesting from Bro. S. and others an answer to our interrogation.