The Sabbath and Its Observance

THE SABBATH AND ITS OBSERVANCE. BY JOSEPH E. TAYLOR, OF THE PRESIDENCY OF THE SALT LAKE STAKE OF ZION.

It is not our purpose in this article to wander through the field of adverse opinions of theological and other writers in regard to the Decalogue, as to its spiritual, moral, or natural phases; or of its perpetual obligation, or otherwise. We simply wish to recog- nize it, in its entirety, as God's law to ancient Israel, and that the keeping of the fourth commandment is God's revealed will to us. Neither is it our purpose to enter into a discussion, at this time, as to whether the Jewish Saturday, or the Christian Sunday, should be observed by us as the Sabbath. For, as President Brigham Young, in one of his discources said, "It is not so much which par- ticular day we keep; but, under the New Covenant, we should re- member to preserve holy one day, as a day of rest; as a memor- ial of the rest of the Lord and the rest of the Saints: also for our temporal advantage, for it is instituted for the express purpose of benefitting man." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, page 277.) The Lord, in revealing his will to us concerning the Sabbath, undoubtedly recognized the day which was then observed, for he has at no time designated any other day. According to Bible his- tory, also the visions of Moses and the Book of Abraham (Pearl of Great Price), our Father sanctified the seventh day, and blessed it a3 a day of rest. Abraham makes this record: "And the Gods said among themselves; on the seventh time (day) we will end our work which we have counseled, and we will rest on the seventh time from all our work which we have counseled. And the Gods concluded upon the seventh time because, that on the seventh

THE SABBATH AND ITS OBSERVANCE. 529

time they would rest from all their works which they (the Gods) counseled among themselves to form; and sanctified it. And thus were their decisions, at the time that they counseled among them- selves to form the heavens and the earth." We gather from this statement that there was an exact time decided upon, in a sacred council, for the organization of this earth, and every necessary thing pertaining to it. Also, that the various works would be fully completed on the several days as predetermined. And further, that the seventh day, or seventh time, was to be sacredly observed as a period of rest from labor. We may also reasonably conclude that instead of entire inactivity on that day, it was contemplated that the seventh time would be devoted to the worship of God, and adoration and praise for an organized earth; which worship the spirits in the eternal world would undoubtedly reciprocate by a rejoicing altogether in excess of that which took place among them when the corner stone of this earth was laid, and "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." For was there not consummated a work of such magnitude as can only be equalled, and perchance excelled, when the earth shall pass to its glory and exaltation through the power of redemp- tion? Is there any wonder that our Father should demand of us a strict observance of a day commemorative of so important an event, and one upon which he himself has placed the stamp of holiness? The Decalogue consists of ten commandments, five of which are given without any explanation. The one concerning the Sab- bath day is explicitly set forth: the reason assigned for the com- mandment is this, "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it."

According to Bible chronology, he gave, about the same time, a commandment that the land should rest at the end of every sixth year, and the seventh should be a Sabbath unto the Lord, during which the field should not be sown nor the vineyard pruned. Israel was further commanded to number seven times seven years, or the space of seven Sabbaths of years, making forty-nine; the year fol- lowing —the fiftieth year —was the year of Jubilee, during which

530 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

they were forbidden to sow, or to gather anything that grew of itself. If the question should be asked: what shall we do for food, seeing we neither sow nor gather? The Lord says, "I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years. And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat of the old store." (Leviticus xxv: 21, 22) Thus we see that in this instance, the Lord bestowed blessings in keeping with the law which he commanded his people to observe. Israel had guaranteed to them ample provision in the abundant yield of the cereals and fruits of the earth to last them three years instead of one year. We might make mention also of the manna which the Lord provided for food for his people while in the wilderness; giving them enough on the sixth day to last them over the seventh or Sabbath. (Exodus xvi: 22-30.) — The Lord affixed the highest penalty that of death upon — the Sabbath-breaker, and added to the law already given, "Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the Sabbath day." (Exodus xxxv : 2, 3.) Consequently, the man who was found, shortly afterwards, gathering sticks for this purpose, on the Sabbath day, was stoned to death. (Numbers xv: 32-36.) Ezekiel, r in his twentieth chapter in answering the enquiries of the elders of Israel, reminded them that the Sabbath was given for a sign, and stated that it was given by the Lord to sanctify them; but they were rebellious. We will quote the prophet's words: "Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness; they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments. My Sabbaths they greatly polluted: Then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them." How different the word of the Lord to Israel when they ob- served the Sabbath: "If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it'" (Isaiah lviii: 13, 14.)

TEE SABB ATE AND ITS OBSERVANCE. 531

Amos, Hosea and other prophets make prominent mention of the Sabbath, bewailing, at times, its non-observance which was

followed by God's marked displeasure. When it was strictly ob- served, there was a marked feature accompanying, —which was a disposition to observe other laws also, which resulted in every in- stance in heaven's favor being bestowed. Although the Latter-day Saints are not living under the Mosaic law, but under the law of the gospel, yet we find that there are many things which the ancient law contained that are incorporated in the gospel law, prominent among which is the keeping of the Sabbath, as the following language plainly sets forth: "And the inhabitants of Zion shall, also, observe the Sabbath day to keep it

holy." (Doc. and Cov. lxviii: 29.) The Lord has told us, also, in what way he expects us to observe the Sabbath. We here quote: "And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sac- raments upon my holy day; for verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High; nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteous- ness on all days and at all times; but remember that on this the Lord's day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord, "And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full." (Doc. and Cov. lix: 9-13.) This language is most emphatic; there is noth-

ing left to our discretion. The command is positive; the words, "thou shalt," and "shall", occur four times in the verses I have quoted. It is true, as the Savior said, "that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." It is also true, that the Savior declared that he was "the Lord also of the Sabbath;" but the word comes to us now from this same authority; and as if what he had already said needed to be further substantiated and confirmed, the revelation closes with these words: "I, the Lord, have spoken it, and the Spirit beareth record. Amen." The blessings promised are conditioned upon our obedience, for the Lord says, "Verily I

say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fullness of the earth is

532 IMPROVEMENT ERAl

yours," etc. He also says, "In nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments." We, there- fore, justly conclude that those who violate the Sabbath with im- punity are left without excuse, and may expect to meet with divine displeasure. In the month of January, 1847, when prepar- ations were being made in the camp at Winter Quarters to journey to theRocky Mountains, a manifesto was issued by President Brigham Young, called "the word and will of the Lord." The sec- ond paragraph of this reads as follows: "Let all the people of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and those who journey with them, be organized into companies, with a covenant and prom- ise to keep all the commandments and statutes of the Lord our

God." The fourth paragraph reads, "And this shall be our covenant, that we will walk in all the ordinances of the Lord." If there ever was a time when any class of people would seemingly have been justified in disregarding the Sabbath day, it was when the Pioneers of 1847 were journeying westward. Hav- ing been stripped of nearly all their possessions, with only a scanty supply of provisions, it was almost imperative that they should arrive at their destination —the valley of the Great Salt Lake soon enough to sow and plant a few things, at least, for their sus- tenance, and the sustenance of those who were immediately to follow them, for they were equally scantily provided. Yet it

stands recorded to the honor of that band of noble Pioneers, —num- bering in all one hundred and forty-seven —that the Sabbath was sacredly observed during that memorable journey, which occupied in round numbers, one hundred days. On the night of the day — — upon which they arrived in the valley July 24th a few acres of land had been plowed and some potatoes planted. The following — — day the 25th was the Sabbath. Everything in the shape of labor was laid aside, and they assembled at ten in the morning to worship God. In the afternoon, the sacrament was administered; five of the brethren spoke upon that occasion, after which Presi- dent Young, although in a feeble condition, caused by what was termed mountain fever, and while sitting down, addressed the assembly. We are indebted to our late President Wilford Wood- ruff for a synopsis of hi3 (President Young's) remarks upon that

THE SABBATH AND ITS OBSERVANCE. 533

occasion. In regard to the Sabbath he said, "No work was to be done on that day; those who did, would lose five times as much as they would gain." Let me ask if that was true then, —which no one will question, — is it not true nearly fifty- four years later; and will it not always remain true? He further said, "None were to hunt or fish on that day, and there should not any man dwell among us who would not observe these rule?. They might go and dwell where they pleased, but should not dwell with us." Had this counsel, so emphatically delivered upon that occa- sion, been scrupulously observed, and the example then set, been faithfully followed, there would not be any need of this article appearing in the Improvement Era. That many of the members of our Church have sadly neglected to observe the rule established when this valley was first settled, and have also neglected to observe the direct command of God which we have quoted, viz., "The inhabitants of Zion shall, also, observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy," is only too true. What justifiable reasons can be given for such neglect? I will answer the question, and say, there are none. If we would obtain favor with our Father —unless we are prevented by causes beyond our control — we should be found our in

places of worship upon the Sabbath day, offering our oblations and sacraments to the Most High, as the Lord has commanded. The field, as well as the workshop, should be let alone, on that day. Junketing and pleasure- seeking should be abandoned entirely; vis-

iting friends on the Sabbath day, and expecting to be entertained by them, thus depriving them of the privileges of the gospel as well as ourselves, should not be thought of for one moment. As a result of such a faithful observance of the Sabbath, our meeting houses would be filled to overflowing; the spirit of testimony would be abundantly manifest. Instead of the meetings being dry, as some complain they are, a true spirit of inspiration would rest upon the speakers, the hearers would be edified, instructed, blessed and comforted. To the extent that the Sabbath is dishonored, and the sacred duties of that day neglected, we may surely look for the displeasure of our Father, and a proportionate loss of that Spirit which can only be possessed and enjoyed through obedience to the command-

534 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

ments and laws of God. May the time never come when, through a persistent violation of that sacred day, earth will again have to listen to the voice of the Eternal One repeating in louder tones than the thunders of Mount Sinai: "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy;" for, be it remembered, God will not be mocked.