COMMON AND SACRED THINGS.
By Jos. Clarke
“And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the clean and the unclean. And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments; and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my Sabbaths.” Eze. xliv, 23, 24. Some principles of action, as explained by the Apostle Paul, have been sadly misunderstood; and none have been more perverted than the principle here brought to view: that of the difference between profane and holy things. In a certain case, he speaks of a class of festivals, and makes the broad assertion, that he that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. Therefore it is inferred that Paul here breaks down the distinction between holy time and common time, as set apart by the Creator at the beginning, and makes every day alike. See Rom. xiv, 5, 6. Paul also speaks of meats and drinks in the same manner. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect to an holyday, &c. Col. ii, 16. It is not my object, here, to enlarge upon what Paul did mean in these texts; but one thing is certain: it is generally taken as evidence that there is no such thing as holy time; that all days are alike in this respect, and all kinds of food are allowable; and that, if you choose to eat turtles, snails, rats, eels, shell fish, or whatever you please, there is no distinction to be made, except as appetite may dictate. Many who do not stop to investigate, suppose that the vision of Peter tends to the same conclusion; when the sheet was let down with all kinds of animals upon it, clean and unclean, that Peter was here instructed to use as food all kinds of unclean animals, as well as those which were called clean. The general tenor of Scripture is forgotten; and conclusions are arrived at, wholly at variance with well-known scriptural principles, contrary to sound reason and philosophy. The sloven justifies his filthy habits from the conversation of our Saviour, respecting eating with unwashed hands. See Matt. xv, 11-20. The filthy tobacco-chewer comes off clear, because the Lord said, Not that which goeth into the mouth, defileth a man, &c. Matt. xv, 11. Important principles lying at the very foundation of morality and holiness, are, by this leveling process, laid even with the ground; and no-law, no-Sabbath principles, and no-law, no-Sabbath men and parties arise, as a matter of course. Men do not arrive at such dreadful positions at a leap; it required about five centuries, to fully develop the Man of Sin, and ten to fill up his measure of iniquity; and it has been a long time since men first attempted to level sacred with common things. The great lesson of the Israelites in the wilderness was to teach them reverence. To do this, cost the lives of all the adults in that proud and numerous host. Those bold and audacious men, who feared not to murmur, and find fault with God and with Moses, fell like trees before the hurricane, and withered like grass, because they would profane the name and authority of God. God commanded that no fire but the holy should be used in burning incense; but the rash, unthinking men, Nadab and Abihu, while heated with wine, used common fire for this purpose, and their untimely end is recorded for our instruction. See Lev. x, 1-11. Here we find Aaron and his sons directed to refrain from strong drink, that they might distinguish between holy and common things. Again, the terrible doom of Korah and his followers was the consequence of their want of reverence for God and his appointments. At the present day, this want of reverence is a thousand fold greater than ever before. Men calling themselves Christians, and even professed ministers of Christ, do not hesitate to ridicule and treat lightly the law of God, and some, yea, many, who take pride in calling themselves the disciples of Jesus, cast aside, practically, the Old Testament as a statute long out of date; and the effect of such a state of things is apparent. The generation now coming upon the stage of action, many of them having no idea of any such thing as a Sabbath of holy time, and uniting in their idea of a Sabbath, that of a religious holiday, and associating with it a form of worship kept in existence by a lifeless church, they imbibe very low ideas of religion and its principles. Under such an influence, the generation now on the stage of action has been educated; in the city and the country, in the church, the school, and the family, this idol has met their eyes; at every turn in life, hypocrisy and dead formality have forced themselves upon their attention; and if, perchance, here and there a sincere, good man or woman has endeavored to show them the way of life, it has been generally under such disadvantages, that truth is shorn of half her power. At this time, the Sabbath reform comes to view. And how many, who outwardly keep the holy day, fail to reverence it as holy to God; yet this is a first and most important step in the path of the true worship of God; for how can he worship God, who does not reverence him? And how can he reverence God, who does not reverence his day? Under existing circumstances, can we wonder that men are irreverent and thoughtless of God and of his requirements? Jos. CLARKE.