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Testimonies for the Church Volume 6
the beginning of the Sabbath. Give them time for preparation, that
they may welcome the Lord’s day with quietness of mind. By such a
course you will suffer no loss even in temporal things.
There is another work that should receive attention on the prepa-
ration day. On this day all differences between brethren, whether in
the family or in the church, should be put away. Let all bitterness
and wrath and malice be expelled from the soul. In a humble spirit,
“confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye
may be healed.”
James 5:16
.
Before the Sabbath begins, the mind as well as the body should
be withdrawn from worldly business. God has set His Sabbath at the
end of the six working days, that men may stop and consider what
they have gained during the week in preparation for the pure kingdom
which admits no transgressor. We should each Sabbath reckon with
our souls to see whether the week that has ended has brought spiritual
gain or loss.
It means eternal salvation to keep the Sabbath holy unto the Lord.
God says: “Them that honor Me I will honor.”
1 Samuel 2:30
.
The Sabbath in the Home
Before the setting of the sun let the members of the family assemble
to read God’s word, to sing and pray. There is need of reform here,
for many have been remiss. We need to confess to God and to one
another. We should begin anew to make special arrangements that
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every member of the family may be prepared to honor the day which
God has blessed and sanctified.
Let not the precious hours of the Sabbath be wasted in bed. On
Sabbath morning the family should be astir early. If they rise late,
there is confusion and bustle in preparing for breakfast and Sabbath
school. There is hurrying, jostling, and impatience. Thus unholy
feelings come into the home. The Sabbath, thus desecrated, becomes
a weariness, and its coming is dreaded rather than loved.
We should not provide for the Sabbath a more liberal supply or a
greater variety of food than for other days. Instead of this the food
should be more simple, and less should be eaten, in order that the mind
may be clear and vigorous to comprehend spiritual things. Overeating
befogs the brain. The most precious words may be heard and not