only infallible standard, and by them are to judge of the preaching which they hear, and receive or reject it, as it agrees with, or is opposed to, the word of God. This is a reason why they are, on the Sabbath, to study the Scriptures, and become acquainted with their contents, that by them they may be able to judge correctly of what they hear, to prove rightly all things, and hold fast only that which is good.

For, should an apostle, or an angel from heaven, preach any doctrine opposed to those contained in the word of God, every man who should know this would be bound to reject it. To the law and to the testimony: if men speak not according to these, there is no light in them. And if the blind lead the blind, both will be in danger of perishing. But let all be taught to read, own a Bible, and every day read a portion of it as the word of God, seeking for the teaching of his Holy Spirit, in dependence on the Savior, and for the purpose of knowing and doing his will; let them spend a portion of every Sabbath in studying it, and in hearing the gospel preached by his ministers, calling no man master, because one is their Master, even Christ, and receiving his truth, not as the word of man, but as the word of God, and they will become wise unto salvation. They will know the truth, and the truth, so far as they are governed by it, will make them free from complacency in and dependence upon themselves, from subjection to human authority, from the fear of man, from the love of the world, and the power of sin.

The acquisition and communication of biblical knowledge is an appropriate employment for the proper and most useful observance of the Christian Sabbath. This may be done in the family, in the Sabbath school, in the Bible class, and in all those places and forms which will be most interesting and efficacious; due regard being had to the ages and characters, conditions, capacities, and wants of

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all concerned. With the young and inexperienced a different course, in many respects, may to advantage be adopted, from what would be most suitable to those of more advanced knowledge and years. lively interest in the exercises of the day is exceedingly desirable, especially in the young, and, if practicable, should be secured. The mind should not be overtaxed as to amount or time, on this day of holy rest; nor should it, on the other hand, be given up to idleness and sloth, much less to lightness and frivolity. Nothing should be done which tends to obliterate the impression that it is the day of the Lord, an emblem of the rest of heaven, and, by God's appointment, a season of special efforts to be prepared to be partakers of its joys. The end for which the day was made and given to men should be kept in view, and such a course be pursued by all classes of people as is best adapted to accomplish it.

With reference to this, it is not wise to have a great pressure of worldly business and cares on Saturday, or to carry them up to the last moment of secular time. Such a course tends to unfit the mind and the body for the duties of the Sabbath. Not a few, in this way, to a great extent, deprive themselves of its benefits. Let men work, or journey, or write, or sit in legislative or judicial halls, till twelve o'clock on Saturday night, and they will be very likely to have, in spiritual things, a comparatively profitless Sabbath. On the contrary, let them remember in season that the day is coming, and regularly close their business, and they will find it highly conducive to the best observance and greatest usefulness of the day.

Ministers of the gospel who close their preparation for the pulpit at twelve o'clock on Saturday noon, will be much more likely rightly to keep the Sabbath than those who continue their labors till twelve o'clock on Saturday night. And they who close their prepara

tion for the pulpit on Friday evening, and have Saturday for a day of rest, will be able to perform more ministerial labor, and in a better manner, than those who have no day of rest.

A distinguished divine, who has lately, as is believed, gone to the rest which remains for the people of God, but a short time before his departure told the writer that he had tried effectually both ways. He had, for a number of years, finished his preparation on Saturday night. He had then preached and performed the other duties of the Sabbath, and been diligently employed during the following six days of the week. He had afterwards, as exhausted nature began to cry out for help, changed his course. For a number of years he had made it a matter of conscience to finish his preparation for the pulpit on Friday evening, and to have Saturday as a day of rest. He then came to the duties of the Sabbath invigorated and refreshed. Instead of being, as before, in feverish excitement, under the exhaustion of previous labors, he could preach with greater vigor and effect. He escaped the subsequent annihilating depression of which his brethren, who have no day of rest, complain, and of which he formerly complained. enjoyed more uniform and vigorous health, and, in the course of the year, could accomplish more business, and in a better manner.

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Such, it is believed, in the pursuance of a similar course, with proper training and habits, would be the experience of others. Preachers can no more work with diligence seven days in a week without injury than other men. Annihilation on Monday, ennui on Tuesday, dyspepsia on Wednesday, bronchitis on Thursday, feverish, apprehensive excitement about the Sabbath on Friday, and unhealthy, nervous irritation and effort on Saturday, to be followed by unnatural, and well-nigh supernatural exhibitions on the Sabbath, and ills like the above on the follow

ing week, resulting, not unfrequently, in abandonment of the ministry, or loss of health, or premature death, echo the voice of God, "Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work."

As the appropriate duties of the Sabbath call ministers of the gospel to exhausting labors on that day, they must have another day for rest. Saturday, if practicable, is the best day, for various reasons. If they cannot have that, let them take Monday. But it is said, there are sick to be visited, and various imperious duties, which must occupy Monday. Then let them take Tuesday. One day in a week they must have, if, with proper diligence, they obey the command, "Six days shalt thou labor," or they must eat the fruit of their own labor, and be filled with their devices.

But a man asks, "Would you have ministers of the gospel do less work?" No, I would have them do more; and more than they can do by working seven days in a week; and I would have them do it in a better way. I would also have them set a better example to their people. Instead of opposing their wisdom to the wisdom of God, I would have them, in the duties of their calling, six days in a week, give themselves to reading, to meditation and to prayer, to the ministry of the word and the administration of the ordinances of God's appointment, stirring up the gift of God that is in them, and what their hands find to do, doing it with their might; and one day in a week I would have them, in accordance with the nature which God has given them, and the obligations thence arising, cease from their labors, as God did from his, and, like him, be thereby refreshed.

"But the custom is such that this cannot be done." Then let the custom be changed, and the sooner the better; and you may be instrumental, under God, in changing it. Be not conformed, in this respect, to the world; but be ye transformed by the renew

ing of your mind and the changing of your conduct, that ye may thus prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

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"But I," says one, "am a private Christian. have to work all the week in a laborious employment, in order to support my family. On Saturday night I feel exhausted and in need of repose. On Sabbath morning I have to rise early, attend to personal and family duties, then go to Sabbath school, which is held before meeting, and at the intermission. have three public services, or two and a prayer-meeting in the evening. The Sabbath is to me as exhausting, physically, as any day of the week." But this, in a free country, is a matter, not of coercion, but of choice. It is not required by the nature of man, or by the command of God. No man who labors all the week is called to exhaust himself physically on the Sabbath, but so to employ it in such holy rest and duties as to be refreshed. This the command of God requires, and a sound Christian discretion dictates. By excess in amount of labor on a week day, a man may so exhaust himself that he will be obliged to lie by the next day. But his constitution does not require this, neither does the law of God or the good of men. They do not permit it. A

wise man will not do it. If an unwise man does it, he must reap the fruit of his folly. If he errs in excess of bodily or mental effort on the Sabbath, he will suffer as really as on a week day. The laws of nature, which are the laws of God, are too good to permit a man to violate them with impunity even in religious efforts. He must, to obey God,-and if he feel and act rightly he will, strive to enter in at the strait gate, and to walk in the narrow way, and also have others do the same; yet he will suffer even in this, unless he strive lawfully, according to the laws of God. He must take the Lord's way in preference to his own, or the way of others, even though they