JANUARY 1, 1018 



81 



Our Homes 



A. I. ROOT 



The sabbath was made for man, and not man for 

 the sabbath. Therefore the Son of man is Lord 

 also of the sabbath. — Mark 2:27, 28. 



WHAT SHALL WE DO ON SUNDAY? 



The first thing I read in your journal is Our 

 Homes, therefore I value it most. I wish Mr. A. 

 I. Root would some time give us a talk on what 

 we should do on the sabbath, as he often tells of 

 what we should not do. As I am a beginner in 

 Christian Endeavor work I am looking for informa- 

 tion to help the society here. 



Lakeside, Cal. G. E. Philbeook. 



My good friend, the Bible enjoins us to 

 remember the sabbath day to keep it holy, 

 and therefore the first thing to consider is 

 the word holy — what does it mean? How 

 did the Savior spend his sabbaths? For one 

 thing, he went to church. We read in the 

 fourth chapter of Luke, sixth verse, "And 

 as his custom tvas, he went into the syna- 

 gogue on the sabbath." Again, we are told, 

 I think repeatedly, that he healed the sick 

 on the sabbath, and so we are told two 

 things — he attended church without fail, 

 and he also ministered to those who were 

 sick and suffering on the sabbath as well as 

 on week days. When the Pharisees com- 

 plained about his manner of keeping the 

 sabbath, he asked who it was who would 

 not go to the rescue of a sheep or an ox 

 that had fallen into a pit on the sabbath. 

 If I did not attend regularly the preach- 

 ing on the sabbath, and also Sunday-school, 

 I should feel guilty; and I do not see how 

 any follower of the Lord Jesus Christ can 

 be excused for absenting himself from some 

 place of worship on Sunday unless it is 

 next to impossible to get there; and I 

 should not be particular what church it 

 was. You are pretty sure to hear a good 

 sermon in any of the evangelical churches, 

 and you are pretty sure to be among a lot 

 of good people who love the Lord when- 

 ever you go into any Sunday-school. 



While I do not believe in promiscuous 

 visits on Sunday, I think it is right and 

 proper that you should do what you can 

 to help or relieve sickness among the rela- 

 tives or immediate neighbors. If you know 

 of any thing you can take them that will 

 cheer them up, say fruit or flowers, by all 

 means do it, even though it is Sunday. If 

 you have reason to think that the sunshine 

 of your presence will do them good, do 

 that. Carry something to read to those 

 who are unable to read ; and if opportunity 

 offers, read the Bible ; and it is a nice thing 

 also to sing a hymn to those who are lonely 

 and are glad to see you. If you can not 

 sing a hymn, get right at it and learn son-.e 

 simple hymn. The Sunday-school is a 



splendid i^lace to learn such hymns. Our 

 recent hymn-books contain gems of thought 

 as well as music, and are wonderfully 

 cheering to one who is sick and discour- 

 aged. 



Now, there are some people I know who 

 think they must sit at home and read when 

 not at church. I do not agree with this. 

 One of the most important things in order 

 to feel well, and especially if I want to 

 keep well, is to have exercise in the open 

 air, even if it is Sunday. If I were a 

 farmer, and had live stock and crops, I 

 would go out over the farm and "count 

 my blessings," see how much I have to 

 thank God for, which I did not think of 

 during the week. Give the domestic ani- 

 mals something they are fond of — a lump 

 of sugar or an apple to the horses and 

 colts. Make them feel, as well as every- 

 body else, that Sunday is the day to have 

 a good time. Get acquainted with your 

 domestic animals. I need not tell you, for 

 I have said it so many times, that a hen 

 lays more eggs when she gets well ac- 

 quainted with you, and feels happy every 

 time you come around. Sunday is a good 

 day, too, to encourage a closer acquaint- 

 ance. Above all things, look at the flow- 

 ers; and do not forget to raise your 

 thoughts to the gxeat Giver of all things 

 in thanksgi\dng and jiraise. Like the ani- 

 mal that has fallen into a pit, as men- 

 tioned by our Savior, there is almost al- 

 ways something to be done for the relief 

 of suffering in your community or neigh- 

 borhood among the people or among the 

 domestic animals. 



Of course, Sunday is a time when you 

 have more leisure to read. On Saturday I 

 usually have a great mass of periodicals- 

 journals given to farming, gardening, poul- 

 try, and many other things; but these are 

 all put away just before I go to bed Sat- 

 urday night; and Sunday morning, when 

 I fii'st get up, I go for the Sunday School 

 Times. Several years ago I said if you can 

 afford only one periodical besides your 

 town paper, let it be the Sunday School 

 Times; and I have no reason to change my 

 mind in regard to it. It is the best re- 

 ligious periodical I know of — at least of iis 

 kind. After the Sunday School Times 1 

 would suggest periodicals published by 

 your own denomination. We take the 

 Chicago Advance, which is a CongTega- 

 tional organ; but I do not feel as free to 

 read it on Sundaj^, every bit of it, stories 

 and all, as I do the Sunday School Times. 



