Show THE LORDS DAY A an instructive correspondence Correspond enco by S W B R the brief history that we have of the creation ot of the earth the heavens that surround it and all that in them are gives us to understand that the labor was berf performed ormed entirely by days work lud and that days were reckoned after them the periods of ef the revolution of that world which was the dwelling place of the creator the earth placed in position and its relation to other created worlds definitely determined and we flad find that days were reckoned to it according to te the period of its revolutions lut ions and thus days were numbered unto manthai man that his bis labors might be per pel formed thereon in the likeness of and in conformity with those principles and laws which governed the creator in his labors all this illustrates Wu strates the fact that things earthly are in the likeness of things heavenly the division of time to man in days corresponding to that of years as to the duration of wf the earth being seven thousand thon sand years onedas with god answering to a thousand years of time to man with whom a thousand years is as one day there evidently was some very special object in view in thus carefully and minutely measuring time to man and that 0 object was unmistakably defined by the law of the lord as given in an early day to his people israel six days shall thou labor and do all thy work the seventh is the sabbath the lord thy god in it thou shall nut to any work 19 this law was obligatory not only upon every man woman and child but all animals used need to work on that day this law preserved a uniformity of conduct in mans labor abor with that of the creator who rested from iii ilia labors on that day and sanctified and made it holy haying having thus made the day holy he reserved it unto onto himself and ha has never yet transferred his rights of that day to the children of men it is to all intents and purposes still the lords day and so mo one has any right to use it only by his permission and under his df direction to do so is not only a theft chef t of time but a FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF LAW a wanton desecration of that which idas been made holy and thereby placing man in direct antagonism with his maker makek vast importance must be attached to this law when we consider the fact that it constitutes a prominent pr orni nent feature in all the dealings of god not dot only with the children of men but with the earth on which they dwell every seventh year the earth was entitled to rest and man was to refrain arop till ano it to meet this e emergency erg ncy so that neither man nor hast is we should want for sustenance the lord ord pledged himself to those who would observe the law that he would cause the earth to yield every sixth year sufficiently for three years that there might be no scarcity in the land until t the ft e fruits of the second year should be garnered laws were given to the people di reeling how bow this seventh year should be observed it was to be a year of great favor and blessing to the poor a year in which those who were not able to redeem their posses possessions signs which were encumbered were to have them rr restored stored 1 a year of release to those who were bound of freedom to the captive and liberty to the oppressed these seven years seven times repeated brought a year of jubilee a fitting reminder of that day sanctified and made noly holy by the author of days clays symbolical also was it of that seventh thousand years which is to be the sabbath of the worlds temporal existence when all shall rest from sio sin pain and sorro rowand sor when man maa will be subject not even to temptation but will be released from satans gatans power and from death that israel should have no possible excuse for violating this law 11 ef f rest miraculous manifestations of gods power occurred while they were being fed with manna from heaven af affording afford fordin inK a striking illustration of divine wisdom and an power in conforming all things to this sabbath day rule they were required to gather their food every day tor for six days to fulfil fulfill the law of labor and the food gathered each day clay be to next until on the sixth day when they were required to gather lor ane seventh then it wis was preserves preserved in good condition for food to the next day so go that no labor should be necessary on that day that which was not possible for the six days baysin in which man was REQUIRED TO LABOR became possible on the seventh that he might rest thus god and man worked in unison to f alfil fulfil the law and preserve the sabbath holy it is evidently of importance import aneg to man that he be should duly appreciate the he fact that this law relating to time secures only six days 0 out ut of seven 19 man the seventh remaining to the theford lord that the saints may mo boully mor eully ully appreciate preci ate their relation tonais tojais to hals 0 order of things as revealed tor for t IAb servance through the prophet 1 joseph doseph in our own dayi will here quote from efrom a revelation given august fth 1831 1891 in answer to h his i 8 inquiry concerning the keeping of the sabbath day to those ebos feet stand upon the land of zion and have obeyed his gospel it is written alou thank the lord thy god in ill all things offer a sacrifice unto the lord loid thy god in in righteousness even that oi a broken heart and a contrite spirit and that thou more inore fully folly keep thyself unspotted from the world thou them shall go to the house of 0 prayer and offer up thy ha sacraments laments upon my holy day for ft 01 verily venly this iq 19 a day ao pointed unto N ott on ter ta rest from your labors and to pay thy devotions to the most if high agh nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteous righteousness hess on all days and at all unies but remember lemei aber that on this the lordt lords day thou shall offer thine oblations and thy unto the most high confessing thy sins unto thy brethren and before the lord and on this day thou go do none other thing only let left thy food be pre prepared pared with singie singleness ness of heart that thy fasting may be berf bet or in in other 1 words that thy joy may ue oc tull 11 there is no ao vague uncertainty in the foregoing quotation the language is plain and positive and as comman batory as possible T this is must be accepted as the law to all those whose feet stan dupon the land of zion who have obeyed the gospel this law too 1 is perfectly in with that given give toli to his aple people in former dispensations s not only through brough moses to israel but in the dispensation of christs day when he to in person gave the law not only to the jews jessir ia tapir land out to the Neph itea and dwellers upon this landwe land we toe land of zion this being the recognized law to saints in our day and dispensation they must not fail to beep the law to 0 owahee uby the ao A 0 from this thia duty it is obligatory upon all who have obeyed the me gospel thou rhon somo siwu go to td the bouse of pa prayer er on the lords lorda day and there offer up thy sacraments and qyla COO con sins onn one to another and thou malt do none other only let thy foed be prepared with singleness of heart he or she that does not keep the law on the lords day which ksevery is every seventh day is 19 a transgressor and by transgressing affe LAW 2 becomes a pinner such is the displeasure of god towards all sach that it la is written rhe fhe soul that sin linneth sinne neth tb it shall die of ancient israel it was written cursed be every one that contin coutin not in all things ao the book of the law to do them As rigid obedience to law was required then so it now sin the transgression of odthe the law be looked upon with the tae least degree y him who made tile the sabbi sabbath day nor by bim whose eye is single to the hiie glory of god who then shall see to it that this law of the sabbath is honored by the saints the tb administrators of the law jaw must feel the weight of their responsibility those who preside in the midst of 0 the people must see that their skirts are clear of the blood of those committed to imir carettie caie car eTlie ane law of god is perfect hut if that law is not in the hands of efficient and faithful administrators istra tors the people are left so 0 perish and sin to abound kohout reproof the best laws 0 of government that can be found on earth or in heaven in the hands of imbecile and corrupt administrators are full fall of f immorality in and become a curse to the people this fact Is as applicable and truthful in relation to presidents and bishops among the saints as to prep presidents I 1 rulers and judges of the land integrity earnestness and watchful care are traits oi character essential to those as s shepherds to watch over the flock of christ that character is truthfully portrayed in the parable og of the man who had bad an hundred sheep I 1 and w when en t the e flock ock were gathered ainslie vl he 1 fold one was sr then aig htway leaves the ninety and n to seek the one that had bad gone astray and when found there was great rejoicing over that one sheep even so it is not the will of our heavenly father that one of his children should perish let the spirit of this parable be applied to every president of a branch ind and bishop of a ward throughout the land of bibb saints congregate and all ail shail shall come into the fold as commanded on ab lords day do they know where their flock is ofa ft that day all out one and do they their make earnest effort to learn where that one is when from the fold the house of prayer to learn whether it is straying and its liability to be lost or peradventure at the time appoint ed for the sheep to be fed not one half of them aro are present in the fold does the anxiety increase proportionately with the number ab the part of 0 the part of the good shepherd or bishop or is lie he quite unconcerned as with ahe shepp sheep so si gitil with the shepherd cl perfectly indifferent to the loss and ruin so sure to follow it is not to be presumed at least that such is the case in this dispensation above all others with FAITHFUL AND WISE STEWARDS to whom this sacred trust is committed those these are sheep who listen to the voice of the good shepherd and come into thead every seventh day to be fed at the lords table by eating and drinking there saints testily testify of their fellowship and love one for another and evidence to god and the heavens that they do for jve each other all trespasses and claim a forgiveness of them the pledge on this point is of a most divine nature and it is not the purpose of him who made it that arty any saint should fail to secure it if ye forgive men their trespasses so BO shall your heavenly father forgive you saints are not only required to KO go to the house of prayer on the lords day but they are taught as well that they should pray tor for a forgiveness of their sins as they forgive those who wha gin aiu against them themi these are the terms and such the promise when the requirements of that day are complied compiled wit band aud the sacra sacrament beut of the lords supper sapper observed to in the spirit thereof the sins of the copl people e are forgiven them and they have ave a rest not only from the burden of sin but frim the labor wid and cares of life the close of every seventh day of life fl finds ads the true saint with his debt of sin cancelled ard ar d he enters upon an other six days of his probation innocent as the child not yet accountable for sin this condition however which secures life to map and immortality to the soul imperatively demands the presence of every man woman and child at the bouse bonse of prayer oh the lords day and that on that day they do no other work than that which the law permits if any person in the community of saints is absent from the appointed place on that day one of two things is ig interred inferred by that absence and aad can alone justi justify fir it either he be is an unbeliever in C christ 1 or if a believer and has bas obeyed the gospel he is NOT KOT IN fellowship with those of like faith in either case be is in danger and needs looking after the unbeliever must be converted and the offender reconciled before they can brigd rightfully trully come to the tae table of the L lords S so erand eat and drink jn in token of fellowship P I 1 I 1 some who are saints a as s to fellowship aud and have their names reported as uch such indulge in such excessive labor during the six days of time allotted to them that they feel unfitted for the duties required of them on the seventy seventh they take their rest at home but it is not the tae rest required theirs is a negative goodness doing dolfie nothing of merit anc and being good for no nott thing the they y have failed to keep the law and their names are actually on the sinners list ast others pursue an opposite course they do so little during daring the six days of their time that they continue engaged in the usual labors ol 01 0 life on the sev anth to recover lost time they g go 0 to or come from the canon with laden teams the hay and harvest field in the season thereof is a favorite resort tor labor and the example of such stich persons is scarcely looked upon as pernicious to society or even as an offense to more devout persons who re regard gard the day dav with sacred reverence this class ot oi persons called saints have like the 0 her class antagonized the law governing the sabbath and have sinned a against aigist him who is th the lord dord of that day the sin sid of omis omila sion has succeeded equally well with that of commission in making both classes offenders in the eyes of the law and it is written woe unto them by whom offe offenses uses come there is another class of the co community m who congregate by thousands on the lords lorda caybut not at the house of prayer they are seekers after pleasure and have their places of resort places where they may be free from any and everything that would remind them that the day is holy and teat mat their thoughts ancl deeds should be holy these are LOVERS OP OF PLEASURE more than lo loverson lover god who go after those pleasures that are worldly sensual gratifying to the passions pleasures by w which ich immorality is encouraged to sow its vicious and corrupting 9 seeds which aich cultivated in growth by every opportunity will grove the destruction truc tion of the soul this tala class are willing to sacrifice lout but not to god they will sacrifice all the surplus products of six days labor to totne ane pleasure they tako take in showing their utter disregard berha perhaps pid contempt for the duties they sho should perform on oa the seventh the lords day chiq is a growing evil and is already of sufficient magnitude to incur the displeasure of him who hat hab said remember the sabbath day to keep it holy for it BIB been sanctified bv god these several classes of trespassers in that which relates to the lords day are with others not named both by precept and example bringing toe the curse of god upon the land and those who inhabit it As they abey disregard god and his hia law so will he disregard them in the day of their suffering and calamity when judgment shall overtake the sinner and the wicked be cut off the many manifestations of disregard for the lords day that ap appear almost constantly with some cabled called saints is a reproach to any people and often they go by those in au authority unrestrained bythe indignation atlon and A d frowns frown sef of those who wAo are to guard and protect the morals of the tae people if of their 0 own W choicer a people will thus place es ier under the bondage of sin they may opt t justly complain of the of oppressor they have listed W bobey obey they who can look upon sin with allowance and ep encourage conrage its growth by Indulgence must so suffer er with the guilty this |