THE SABBATH

The same kind Father who in his infinite goodness hath given the Sabbath that it may lead us to become recipients of his boundless grace, hath also warned us that the wicked shall be turned into hell and all that forget God. [Ps 9:17] You may profane the holy day now; you may slight all its blessed opportunities; you may rob God of the one day in seven which he has reserved to himself; you may use it for your own purposes, spend its sacred time in your own ways and for your own pleasure, and as you do this, the current of life may seem to flow smoothly on, and yet even if no other enemy appear to mar the even tenor of your way, sooner or later, the fearful chasm of death must confront your path; then as you are taking your leave of this earthly tenement of your soul or as you are making your way through the dark valley of the shadow of death, [Ps 23:4] how will you regard the lost opportunities of these earthly Sabbaths; or when you stand before the Judge of the quick and the dead [2 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5] there to give account of the deeds done in the body, [2 Cor 5:10] what defence can you make when the profanation of its sacred hours are charged upon you? The time is short, these earthly Sabbaths are passing, each returning Lord’s day brings you one week nearer to the period of eternal happiness or eternal woe. Use them while you may. And that your use of them may be wise is the earnest desire of the writer. John Henderson

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