application to the times in which we live—no voice of warning for our guidance? On the contrary, is it not clear that the fourth commandment in the moral law is what the keystone is to the arch—what the heart is to the bodily frame—what the foundation is to the building, that the observance of this commandment lies at the very basis of national morality and national greatness? And if it be wickedly violated, systematically, deliberately violated under the sanction of human authority, in direct defiance of Divine law, by any people, utter and irretrievable ruin must fall on that guilty nation; the Lord of Hosts will “break the pride of its power,” and bring a sword that shall “avenge the quarrel of his covenant!” III. Closely connected with the profanation of this day by Israel was _apostasy in religion_. They departed from the cardinal truth of God’s unity to the worship of the “gods many and lords many” of the heathen nations around them. Thus, the sanctuary being forsaken and the Sabbath violated, they gave heed to the instruction of lying and wicked prophets, and a flood of ungodliness was poured all over the land. And even after their return from bondage, the leaven of their wickedness remained—idolatrous alliances, intermarriages with heathen nations, and other crimes, are connected in the sacred history with Sabbath profanation. Hence, Nehemiah, the bold Reformer, records how he contended with the people and even with the nobles of Judah, and how, testifying against their sin, he said unto them, “What evil thing is this ye do and profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this city? Yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”