The Sabbath at HomeAndrews, Silas M. (Silas Milton)
Religion
The Sabbath at Home
Andrews, Silas M. (Silas Milton)
Sabbath; Sunday
To secure the same desirable end, it is no less necessary that all the
_children_ spend the day in the bosom of the family. If they are not
present, and put themselves in the way of instruction, they cannot be
taught. For all the family to be at home on the Sabbath, is one of the
best preservatives against temptation. Is it possible for young people
of different households, to associate on the Lord's day, and not be led
into the sin of light and vain conversation? Can the world be shut out
of such company, no matter how strict the injunctions of parents, and
sincere the resolutions of those going from home?
This leads us to speak of another matter, which ought not to be passed
over, because it unavoidably, and to a degree of which many are not
aware, interferes with the profitable sanctification of the Sabbath. I
refer to _Sunday visiting_;--not that which commonly passes under the
name, when several members of one family go and spend the day with
their friends, as they would any afternoon in the week. Surely, none
calling themselves Christians, and acknowledging that we have a
Christian Sabbath at all, can approve of such a manner of spending the
day. Nor is allusion made to visits to the sick, put off from day to
day, that they may be paid without loss of time on the Sabbath,
crowding the room of the patient, and instead of conferring a kindness,
often inflicting an injury of many days' continuance.
The custom to which I refer is different in character from both of
these, but perhaps not less hurtful. It is the _connecting of visits
with an attendance upon public worship_. I should be exceedingly sorry
to wound the feelings of any one, whose age, or distance from meeting,
may render it difficult both to go and return home the same day,
without rest or refreshment. The duty of such is to accept of the
kindness of their friends, either on Saturday night or after sermon on
the Sabbath. Religion requires us to afford such entertainment to those
who labour under disadvantages that do not lie upon us. But is it not
very common for Christian families to form their plan for visiting
their friends, not during the week, but on Saturday evening, to
accompany them to meeting in the morning; or to go with them from
public worship and spend the afternoon in their family? How many such
visits are made profitable? In whose family does not the conversation
become worldly and of little worth? In what visiting circle are the
nature of religion, and the experience of the heart, the subjects upon
which all unite profitably to pass the time? The difficulty with us
all, of answering such questions without confusion, ought to lead us to
ask, Is there not something wrong in such visits? When we engage in
them, we are from our families. But home is our place on the Sabbath.
We put ourselves in the way of temptation, before which, repeated
trials have shown that we must fall. The family that receives the visit
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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