OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH. 413 
The scrupulous attention to the outward obser¬ 
vance of the Sabbath, may perhaps in some degree 
be the result of the impression left on the minds of 
the people by the distinguishing features of their 
former system, in which all the efficacy of their 
services consisted in the rigid exactness with which 
sacred days were kept, and religious ceremonies 
performed, without the least regard to the motives 
and dispositions of the devotees. To have kindled 
a fire, or to have failed in the observance of any 
rite enjoined, or restriction imposed, during their 
tabu , or sacred seasons, would have been sufficient, 
not only to have neutralized all the advantages 
expected from the most costly offerings or tedious 
services, but would have exposed the offenders to 
the anger of the god, and perhaps to death, as its 
consequence. 
With many, the influence of a system so in¬ 
flexible has probably operated powerfully in pro¬ 
ducing this uniform attention, at least to the 
outward duties of the Sabbath, the only sacred 
day now recognized amongst them; with others, 
there is reason to believe it arises from the in¬ 
fluence of example, and the respectability it was 
at this time supposed to impart to individual cha¬ 
racter ; but with many it originates in far higher 
motives, and is the result of Christian principle in 
regard to what they consider a duty. 
A number of instances, strikingly illustrative of 
this fact, might be adduced : I will, however, only 
refer to one. A man came to the Monday even¬ 
ing meeting on one occasion, and said his mind 
was troubled, as he feared he had done wrong. 
He was asked in what respect; when he answered, 
that, on the preceding day, which was the Sab¬ 
bath, when returning from public worship, he ob- 
