Article January 15, 1910 Issue

THE SABBATH DAY

HELEN L. YOUNG.

The revelation of the Sabbath as a day of rest seems to be the first law of conduct unfolded to human thought, for in the second chapter of Genesis we read that "God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it;" showing that the consecration of the Sabbath seems to go back to the dawn of human consciousness, for when the Bible was written men were already observing the Sabbath, and it was not a new institution. Noah observed an interval of seven days when sending the birds out of the ark. When the commandments were written "with the finger of God," the fourth commandment read: "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy," which implies a recalling of what had already been established.

The Sabbath was intended to be a period of joyful rest and recreation in communion with God, who Himself, according to Scripture, rested on the seventh day. There were several festivals connected with the Sabbath during the early history of the Hebrew people. The seventh day was to be observed not only in the sanctuary, but in all their dwellings. The seventh or Sabbatic month was ushered in by the blowing of trumpets, and was called the feast of trumpets. The seventh day was holy, the seventh month was holy, and the seventh or Sabbatical year was one of rest. The people were taught that the land belonged to God, and it kept its Sabbath to Him, when it was not planted or sown. During the Sabbatical year creditors were bound to release poor debtors, and the Hebrew slaves were freed. The non-observance of the Sabbatical year was one of the sins which caused the Jews to be taken captive by Babylon.

Every seven times seven or forty-nine or fifty years was a year of jubilee. It began on the day of atonement, and was kept for seven days. The trumpet of jubilee proclaimed "liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." It was believed that God had granted to each family a portion of land; and owners who had been compelled to part with any of their possessions had them restored this year. The design was to prevent such unjust social conditions as produce arrogant wealth and squalid poverty. This benevolent tendency of the Mosaic law is worthy of a divine origin. The children of Israel were forbidden to gather manna on the Sabbath, because it was already known as a day of rest; but its observance had perhaps been neglected during the sojourn in Egypt. The people were doubtless especially joyous on the Sabbath, because it was to them a memorial of their deliverance from Egypt. The prophets always recognized the Sabbath as a vital feature of their religion, and after the Babylonian captivity it was more firmly established.

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