temperate, nor, continuing such, can he escape the drunkard's grave. Notorious rebels against earthly parents will look in vain for those smiles of Providence which fall upon filial virtue. "The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it." And he that contemneth his Father in heaven, and openly trampleth on that institution which he hath appointed for giving efficacy to his moral government among men, and diffusing the blessings of his parental love over the great human family, will find that, though his long-suffering is amazing, while his sun rises on the evil and the good, and his rain descends on the just and the unjust, judgment, in due time, lingereth not, and damnation slumbereth not. In many cases, before it comes, there are indications of violated laws, by attendant retributions. Every intemperate man is an evidence of this truth. A man of remarkable talents for business, and good opportunities for the acquisition of property, was confident that he could succeed, and keep what he gained, without regarding the Sabbath, or obeying the natural and moral laws of God. He had no idea of being confined in his efforts to six days in a week. He would take all the days, and employ them as he pleased. For a time he succeeded. Property flowed in upon him, and he grew increasingly confident that the idea of the necessity or utility of keeping the Sabbath, in order to permanent prosperity, was delusion. The last year his property was sold for the benefit of his creditors by the sheriff; and he now seems farther than ever from being able to prove that ungodliness is profitable even for this life. It sometimes, for a season, appears, to superficial observers, to be so. But the end corrects the mistake; and sometimes the retribution which follows convinces the transgressor himself that it comes from God, and leads him to abandon his violations of the Sabbath. A man who ridiculed the idea that God makes a difference in his providence between those who yield visible obedience to his laws and those who do not, had been engaged, on a certain Sabbath, in gathering his crops into his barn. The next week, He he had occasion to take fire out into his field in order to burn some brush. He left it, as he supposed, safely, and went in to dinner. The wind took the fire, and carried it into his barn-yard, which was filled with combustibles, and, before he was aware of it, the flames were bursting out of his barn. arose in amazement, saw that all was lost, and, fixing his eye on the curling flames, stood speechless. Then, raising his finger, and pointing to the rising column of fire, he said, with solemn emphasis, "That is the finger of God." Do you say, Barns sometimes are burnt whose owners do not break the Sabbath; buildings are struck with lightning while their owners are engaged in public worship; steamboats take fire, and good men are burnt up in them; or their property takes wings and flies away, as well as the property of notoriously wicked men? That is sometimes the case. Calamities in this world come, to some extent, upon all. But do they come as often, and to as great an extent, upon those who obey the natural and moral laws of God, as upon those who openly and habitually violate them? Do the intemperate, the thief, and the murderer ordinarily secure and retain as many blessings in this world, as the temperate, the honest, and the pious? Do notorious and habitual Sabbath-breakers, who devote the day to worldly business, travelling, and amusement, acquire as much property, keep it as long, and as often transmit it, as a blessing, to their children, as those who conscientiously abstain from those practices, and regularly attend the public worship of God, on the Lord's day? Let the Bible, and facts determine. Look at the men who, for the last forty years, have disregarded the Sabbath, and pursued their course of business or amusement seven days in a week; look at their children and children's children, and compare them, as a body, with those who kept the Sabbath, and trained up their children. in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and let the convictions of every sober, candid, and reflecting man determine. Aged men, in great numbers, after extensive observation, through a long course of years, have expressed a strong conviction that facts. echo the declarations, "Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work; but remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy." Any man may die suddenly by fire or water, lightning or disease. It is not a part of the Savior's promise, even to his friends, that they shall not die suddenly. He evidently teaches that they may, and, in view of it, says, "Watch therefore, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man com eth.' "And what I say unto you, I say unto all. Watch!" No man, whatever his character, can bʊ sure that he will not, the next hour, be in eternity. That is a reason why no man should break the Sab bath, or in any way knowingly disobey God. He may die while doing it. That is a reason why every man should, at all times, be found doing the will of his Father in heaven, in dependence on his grace, for the purpose of promoting his glory, and the good of men. "Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. If he shall come in the second watch, or in the third watch, blessed is that servant." While "the wicked is driven away in his wickedness," "the righteous hath hope in his death." However suddenly, in whatever way, he is removed from earth, though to live were Christ, through him that loved him and gave himself for him, to die shall be gain. Let each one, then, in every condition, fear God and keep his commands; for this is the duty, the right, the privilege, the wisdom, the safety, the excellence, and the blessedness, of man. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY NUMEROUS BODIES OF MEN IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES. 1. Resolved, That, as but six days in a week have been made for secular business, and no more have ever been given to men for that purpose, if they take more, it is without right, in opposition to the revealed will of God, and in violation of his law, the penalty of which will show that "the way of transgressors is hard." 2. Resolved, That, as the Sabbath was made for man, and the observance of it is essential to the highest social, civil, and religious interests of men, it is not only the duty, but the right and the privilege of all men to remember it and keep it holy. 3. Resolved, That the loading and unloading of vessels, the sailing of vessels from the harbor, the running of stage-coaches, rail-cars, and canal-boats, and the travelling in them, the visiting of postoffices, reading-rooms, and other places for secular reading, business, or amusement, are not only unnecessary, but are violations of the law of God, and ought to be abandoned throughout the community. 4. Resolved, That it be recommended to all families to supply themselves with some good Sabbath Manual, that the rising generation may all understand the reasons for the universal and perpetual observance of the Christian Sabbath. 5. Resolved, That all persons who are acquainted with facts which illustrate the duty and utility of observing the Sabbath, and the evils of violating it, are requested to cause them to be published and circulated as extensively as possible, that the voice of God in his providence, as well as in his word, with regard to this subject, may be heard by the people. 6. Resolved, That, such is the fundamental importance of the Christian Sabbath, and such its influence upon all the great interests of men, that its due observance ought to receive the earnest attention, the fervent prayers, and the hearty, active, and persevering cooperation of all friends of God and man throughout the world. |