Closing on the Sabbath
[
Testimonies for the Church 7:121-123
(1902).]
The question has been asked, “Should our restaurants be opened on
the Sabbath?” My answer is, No, no! The observance of the Sabbath
is our witness to God—the mark, or sign, between Him and us that we
are His people. Never is this mark to be obliterated.
Were the workers in our restaurants to provide meals on the Sab-
bath the same as they do through the week, for the mass of people
who would come, where would be their day of rest? What opportunity
would they have to recruit their physical and spiritual strength?
Not long since, special light was given me on this subject. I was
shown that efforts would be made to break down our standard of
Sabbath observance, that men would plead for the opening of our
restaurants on the Sabbath; but that this must never be done.
A scene passed before me. I was in our restaurant in San Francisco.
It was Friday. Several of the workers were busily engaged in putting
up packages of such foods as could be easily carried by the people to
their homes, and a number were waiting to receive these packages. I
asked the meaning of this, and the workers told me that some among
their patrons were troubled because, on account of the closing of the
restaurant, they could not on the Sabbath obtain food of the same kind
as that which they used during the week. Realizing the value of the
wholesome foods obtained at the restaurant, they protested against
being denied them on the seventh day and pleaded with those in charge
of the restaurant to keep it open every day in the week, pointing out
what they would suffer if this were not done. “What you see today,”
[490]
said the workers, “is our answer to this demand for the health foods
upon the Sabbath. These people take on Friday food that lasts over the
Sabbath, and in this way we avoid condemnation for refusing to open
the restaurant on the Sabbath.”
The line of demarcation between our people and the world must
ever be kept unmistakably plain. Our platform is the law of God, in
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