The Onset Against the Sabbath

ANYONE who gives any attention to the drift of events since the War began must have been impressed with the tremendous onset there has been against the observance of the Sabbath if he is interested in such matters at all. The battle for the Sabbath, though in the eyes of many not worthy of serious consideration, is of much more vital interest than the fight of the democratic nations against Nazism—important though that battle may be in the interests of freedom. God has given men six days out of seven to be used for their own interests. He has reserved one day for Himself. He has not given up His sovereignty over this day—He is Lord of the Sabbath. This day was also given to man for his highest interests, not to be used for his own selfish ends but in the interests of the high law of heaven. Yet when we look around we see a number of forces at work from different directions but with a common objective operating for the overthrow of the Fourth Commandment.

1. There is the spirit of lawlessness which sets at nought divine authority and law. Sin is lawlessness personified. It aims its dart at the very heart of everything that pertains to heaven. It is strongly entrenched in the human heart and though it may so far be held in check by restraining grace, the conventions of men or the influence of vital religion it is always awaiting an opportunity to cast off the bonds of divine law. When this spirit breaks out among a people it requires more than human power to quell it and bring it into subjection. We have reached a stage in the history of our so-called refined Christian civilisation when the mere mention of subjection to divine law is repellent. This spirit shows itself, it is true, against all the divine commandments but the spear-point of the attack is the Sabbath. It is a battle between the rights of God and the rights of man and the spirit of lawlessness asserts that God’s rights must be ignored as man’s are more important. This is only one, however, of the powerful forces that are operating for the overthrow of the Sabbath.

2. Another is the claim that men, women and children in a time of great stress must have entertainment. Hence the theatre, the cinema, and the dancing hall are all putting in their claims for doing what they unblushingly say is such noble work. People, however, are not so stupid or blind as not to see that behind all this is the desire to fill the financial exchequers of the entertainment fraternity. But these entertainers are not only content with the week days; they commandeered the Sabbath, and cinema entertainments, dances, etc., are given. One chief transgressor in this direction is the B.B.C. One has only to read its “Sunday” programme in the daily press to see what an incaleulable mischief this Corporation is doing to the minds of those who listen in on the Lord’s Day. As we have advised already, let our readers who have wireless sets give them a full day rest on Sabbath.

3. Games on the Lord’s Day are getting very common. Tennis, golf, etc., are now played in places where a few years ago the Sabbatarian spirit would not tolerate them. Our soldiers on active service engage in football contests and cinema stars and comedians entertain men who, within a few weeks or months, may be standing before God. It is a cruel kind of kindness that is thus handed out to our noble defenders. We would like them to have the best of treatment but not these fleeting vanities of time as set before them on the Lord’s Day by these entertainers.

4. The War, at least those who are controlling it, have much to answer for the reckless breach of divine law. We fully recognise that in War circumstances arise where the law regarding works of necessity comes into operation at once, but unfortunately this law in thousands of cases is pleaded where there is no necessity at all. The result of all this is that our fighting forces are becoming so accustomed to disregard of the Sabbath that when they return to civilian life even those who prior to their army experience respected the Lord’s Day will be in danger of sitting very loose to the claims of its divine observance.

5. The demands of the great commercial interests is another avenue through which the Sabbath is being attacked. The great industrial combines and the transport companies are out to make money, to give dividends to their shareholders. Steamers, buses and trains therefore must be run on the Lord’s Day and to make sure that they will get the public to patronise their services they offer cheap fares to tempt them. Again, in order to get men to work on the Lord’s Day the railway companies give the men extra pay to work on the Lord’s Day.

Other powers working in the same direction might be mentioned but enough has been brought before our readers to show how great is the onset against the Sabbath. For though these are operating from different directions their common objective is the overthrow of the Lord’s Day. A generation is rising who have not seen the Sabbath observed as we older people have seen it and they are in danger of being carried away with the spirit of the age. We need to pray that God would arise and plead the cause that is His own. We feel for our young men who will be confronted with a condition of things in regard to the Sabbath in the army with which they were never accustomed. We also feel for many of our working people who have to give up their jobs rather than hurt their conscience. They will not, it is true, be the losers in the end but we know many of them have to fight a hard battle.

Take heed that you overlook not the many precious mercies which the people of God enjoy amidst all their troubles.—John Flavel.