aker, to rest from his every-day labors, once in awhile, in order
to learn his full duty, if for nothing else.

Pagans, who never knew the law of Moses, serve neither Saturday nor
Sunday; neither do they give an entire day, at fixed intervals to the
exterior worship of the Deity, as we do. But a case will not be found
where they did not on certain occasions rest from work in order to
offer the homage of their fidelity to their gods, and to listen, to
instruction and exhortation from their holy men. These pagans follow
the natural law written in their souls, and it is there they discover
the obligation they are under to honor God by rest from labor and to
make holy unto Him a certain space of time.

CHAPTER XLIX.
THE DAY OF REST.

THE third article of the Mosaic Code not only enunciates the law of
rest, but says just how much time shall be given to its observance; it
prescribes neither a week nor a few hours, but one day in seven. If you
have a taste for such things and look well, you will find several
reasons put forth as justifying this special designation of one day in
seven. The number seven the Jews regarded as a sacred number; the
Romans, as the symbol of perfection. Students of antiquity have
discovered that among nearly all peoples this number in some way or
other refers to the Deity. Science finds that nature prefers this
number; light under analysis reveals seven colors, and all colors refer
to the seven orders of the solar spectrum; the human voice has seven
tones that constitute the scale of sound; the human body is renewed
every seven years. Authorities on hygiene and physiology teach that one
day in six is too much, one day in eight is too little, but that one
day in seven is sufficient and necessary for the physical needs of man.

These considerations may or may not carry conviction to the average
mind. On the face of it, they confirm rather than prove. They do not
reveal the necessity of a day of rest so much as show its
reasonableness and how it harmonizes with nature in its periodicity,
its symmetry and its exact proportion to the strength of man. As for
real substantial reasons, there is but one,--a good and sufficient,--
and that is the positive will of God. He said: keep this day holy;
such is His command; no man should need a better reason.

The God-given law of Moses says Saturday, Christians say Sunday.
Protestants and Catholics alike say Sunday, and Sunday it is. But this
is not a trifl