38 THE SABBATH. 



of public intelligence the day of such assailants is 

 happily drawing to a close. 



These reflections, which connect themselves with 

 reminiscences outside the Sabbath controversy, have 

 been more immediately prompted by the aspersions 

 cast by certain Sabbatarians upon those who differ from 

 them. Mr. Cox notices and reproves some of these* 

 According to the Scottish Sabbath Alliance, for ex- 

 ample, all who say that the Sabbath was an exclusively 

 Jewish institution, including, be it noted, such men as 

 Jeremy Taylor and Milton, 'clearly prove either their 

 dishonesty or ignorance, or inability to comprehend a 

 very plain and simple subject.' This becomes real 

 humour when we compare the speakers with the per- 

 sons spoken of. A distinguished English dissenter, who 

 deals in a lustrous but rather cloudy logic, declares 

 that whoever asks demonstration of the divine appoint- 

 ment of the Christian Sabbath ' is blinded by a moral 

 cause to those exquisite pencillings, to those unob- 

 truded vestiges which furnish their clearest testimony 

 to this Institute.' A third writer charitably professes 

 his readiness ' to admit, in reference to this and many 

 other duties, that it is quite a possible thing for a mind 

 that is desirous of evading the evidence regarding it to 

 succeed in doing so.' A fourth luminary, whose know- 

 ledge obviously extends to the mind and methods of the 

 Almighty, exclaims, 'Is it not a principle of God's 

 Word in many cases to give enough and no more to 

 satisfy the devout, not to overpower the uncandid ? ' 

 It is, of course, as easy as it is immoral to argue thus ; 

 but the day is fast approaching when the most atra- 

 bilious presbyter will not venture to use such language. 

 Let us contrast with it the utterance of a naturally 

 sweet and wholesome mind. ' Since all Jewish festivals, 

 new moons, and Sabbaths,' says the celebrated Dr. Isaac 



