THE heading of this article is an expression used in some quarters to describe the type of Sabbath which has been recommended by the Church and Nation Committee of the Church of Scotland in its Report to be submitted to the General Assembly of that Church at the time of writing. The Assembly’s debate and decision on the deplorable and irreligious recommendations of this Committee will be known long before this article appears. But we would, nevertheless, make some observations upon the subject at this stage.
This responsible Committee have reviewed the practice of many in their denomination and outwith it during the hours of the Lord’s Day in these days of inordinate worldliness. It is said of many of the young people that they aver they have nothing to occupy them during a great part of the Lord’s Day, and that others already indulge in all kinds of worldly recreations on this day and that there are demands for the provision of all kinds of entertainments to assist in relieving boredom. And of course this is the sad situation which obtains all over the land and which has confronted the Church of Scotland, as it has other churches.
In brief, the Church and Nation Committee recommended that if people attended a religious service on Sabbath, then thereafter they might indulge in all manner of recreation, even to the extent of having church halls made available to them for dancing and such-like activities. This is the nature of “the Lord’s half-day,” referred to already, which description aptly describes to a certain extent the kind of Sabbath envisaged by men who are indeed “blind leaders of the blind.” Of course there can be no “Lord’s half-day,” according to the requirements of the Fourth Commandment—”Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.” It is one day or none according to God’s law and in His sight.
The Synod of our Church at its meeting in May, issued a Declaration dealing with the evil and God-dishonouring views on the Sabbath question expressed by the aforementioned Committee; and on the solid basis of the Word of God, condemned them in a solemn and dignified manner. This Declaration will later appear in the Synod Proceedings. It appeals to the people of Scotland to have regard to God’s most solemn claims in respect of His holy day.
The religious leaders of the Church of Scotland are continually urging their ministers and congregations to be assiduous in organising Sabbath schools and Bible classes and such-like activities; and thus profess at any rate to be concerned for the religious welfare of their young people. And then there has been the Tell Scotland Movement going on for years, to enliven the Church and bring outsiders into it. Youth organisations such as the Boys’ Brigade, Girl Guides, etc., are all favoured and encouraged. Why all this? Well, the general public are led to understand that the Church of Scotland has in view the religious and moral good of the young and those who are no longer young. And large sums of money are being gathered and expended on new church buildings in many new housing areas throughout the land to bring professedly the Church and the Christian religion to the people. Further, missionaries and mission stations are being sustained in India and Africa and other parts of the world, to bring Christianity to the heathen, from Scotland. And so we could go on as to Church activities. And then at the heart of the Church in Scotland, ministers and laymen in committee deliberate on the Sabbath question involving the moral law and one of the divine foundations of Christianity, and bow before the ungodly and worldly pressures of an irreligious and pleasure-loving generation. They are prepared to concede to such a generation what has been called “The Lord’s half-day,” religion in the forenoon and dancing later in the day. The Lord will have none of this. This is a betrayal of Christian and Presbyterian doctrine and practice.
Men cannot divide the Lord’s Day between the Church and the World. The Lord declares that we cannot serve God and Mammon. Men may try to do this and commend this irresponsible line of conduct to their fellows, but they are in the process of trampling the claims and honour of God under their feet. Can these Church leaders commend a partial and limited obedience to other parts of the decalogue? Although today the masses with Church connections and those outwith the Churches are devoid of any respect for the Lord’s Day, this cannot surely constitute a situation wherein any who fear God and seek to keep His Commandments can even think of compromising with the backsliding and guilty world. The regenerated and believing members of Christ’s true witnessing Church in the world, although surrounded by and in the midst of the Bible neglecting and Sabbath hating generation, cannot trifle with God’s Law, but must faithfully stand against and protest against public and widespread evil such as transgression of the Fourth Commandment. This the Church and Nation Committee miserably failed to do. They were completely unaware of the obligation upon such as fear and serve the Lord, to scripturally, clearly and lovingly warn the young and old of Scotland of the sin and danger of Sabbath desecration and doing one’s own worldly and carnal pleasure on God’s holy day.
Then again, surely it is the high duty of Christ’s servants and followers in the light of His Word and Gospel and by His strength and help, to commend the Lord Jesus Christ to the ungodly and deluded false professors of religion, as He who is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him. That is, to save them from the guilt, curse, power and love of sin, sin which is the transgression of the law of God. Spirit taught and faithful witnesses for Christ must needs be concerned with being instrumental in influencing their fellow men to avoid and turn from sin and wickedness such as breaking the Fourth Commandment or any other Commandment—it may be by preaching, counsel, example or written statement. Truly there is no perfection here in the world among the Lord’s people themselves and they will be the first to confess this; but it is their heart’s desire and prayer to God that they themselves and their fellow sinners would be delivered from robbing God of His Day and His glory in any manner or measure. And so men who can cast away the Lord’s Day to keep on good terms with an evil generation and to satisfy an irreligious and restless age declare plainly that they know not the fear of God and that God says “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.”
Ministers and office-bearers in a Scottish Presbyterian Church with an open Bible in their hand, the Ten Commandments before them, and the past history of Scotland relating to Sabbath-keeping in mind, and can recommend the permission of vain and worldly activities on that Day, are utterly unworthy of the name Christian and the place they occupy as religious leaders. The unconverted people of Scotland, as elsewhere, need no encouragement to run on in sin, down the broadway to destruction. And what a scandal and disgrace to religion that such encouragement should come from Churchmen!
Another aspect of this matter is that there never was a day when all classes, and young and old, had more leisure time than now. Is it not a fact that multitudes have attained to a five-day working week, and that many more will come to enjoy this? Is less and less time to be given to God, His worship and His ways, in the home, in the life of the individual, in the house of God and on the Lord’s Day? Surely we are becoming increasingly pagan and lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity cannot but grieve over this apostacy and be filled with apprehension as to where all this is to end. Scotland has been exalted to heaven with great gospel and Christian privileges, but “God is not mocked.” If we as a people, in practice and by evil counsel and example, sow to the flesh, then we shall reap judgments from the hand of the most High in His sore displeasure. May Churchmen and people in Scotland be brought to hear, in a day of divine grace and power, the words of the Lord: “Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”