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Max Online: 30 @ Tuesday, September 8, 2009 12:23 AM
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It must be confessed that the Christian world now presents an anomalous condition touching the Sabbath. Strict Protestants usually profess in theory the views once peculiar to Presbyterians, and admit that the proper observance of the Sabbath is a bulwark of practical Christianity. But their practice does not always correspond with their theory. In actual life there is, among good people, a great uncertainty, with a corresponding confusion of usages, from great laxity up to the sacred strictness of our pious forefathers. It is greatly to be feared that those in the church who tolerate this laxity are increasing in numbers and influence. The civil law, which guarantees the Sabbath rest to all as a secular benefit and right, is enforced with more and more difficulty, especially in populous places; and this law is disregarded with increasing boldness by powerful corporations and by those who offer amusements and sensual enjoyments to the public. Hence the wisest friends of truth and good have taken the alarm. The aim of this treatise is to give some humble help in this good cause by proving the divine and perpetual authority of God's holy day.
Isn't it amazing that this introductory remark, written by Robert L. Dabney in the mid 1800's, is so relevant to us today? It is our prayer that the Lord will use the wisdom and spiritual insight given to men in the past, such as Dabney, to bring many to a biblical and God-honoring view of the Sabbath in our present day.
You can read this article here: The Christian Sabbath: Its Nature, Design and Proper Observance or HERE.
In His service and grace,
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I thought of asking this question on the other Netherlands thread; however I thought it might be a little off topic.
I have been told by a few people that much of what is known as 'Dutch Reformed' is hyper-Calvinism.
I also know a few Arminians of Dutch descent, who speak as though the Dutch Reformed denomination is poison.
I have a few questions related to this.
1. Is the Dutch Reformed denomination hyper-Calvinist?
2. Could the reaction by the people I know of Dutch descent be a by-product of hyper-Calvinism?
I got the feeling that I had better not bring up the fact that I was a Calvinist to these people. 
Tom
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From a site called "Confessional Lutherans", some good insight as to how contemporary "conservatives" are not conservatives at all, and how to spot them.
http://www.confessionallutherans.org/papers/ToddW.htm#_ftnref36
exerpt:
"Meet the Bible-believing liberals. While they believe that the culture needs to return to its historic traditions, they think the Church needs to abandon hers. While maintaining that the Flag should be proudly displayed, they fear that a cross in Church might offend seekers. While they believe men and women have defined roles in marriage and family, they don’t see why a woman can’t replace a man in the pulpit. While outraged that our schools cater to the lowest-common denominator, they think our churches need to be geared toward the unchurched. They believe that public policy should be based on objective facts, but preaching should be based on felt needs. They want “under God” in Pledge of Allegiance, but omit the Apostles’ Creed from the Sunday service. They want the Ten Commandments in the public square, but are unconcerned when those commandments are replaced with “principles for living” in the pulpit. To the Bible-believing liberal, the ceremonies of a presidential inauguration are meaningful and inspiring, but the Sunday morning liturgy is boring. For the Bible-believing liberal, the differences between political parties are serious, but the differences between Christian denominations are petty. While they insist on a strict literal interpretation of the US Constitution, they play fast and loose with the Bible and its theology, even while maintaining its inerrancy and inspiration. These are the Bible-believing liberals."
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For those of you who haven't read the article recently posted by Pilgrim, it is a must.
Time and again I am just surprised by the clear mindedness of these old writers.
As Pilgrim says, this article will not be very popular in some modern circles. One of the arguments of egalatarians and evangelical feminists in favour of the ordination of women in church offices is that women were oppressed in the past etc etc. Steel's 17th century explanation of what the husband's love towards his wife should be like, does not sounds like oppression to me. And in 1 Samuel 1:5 we read about Elkanah: But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the Lord had closed her womb.
Johan
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A friend of my who toured the Netherlands recently bemoaned the current state of godlessness found there despite its rich Christian past. So I am wondering what brought that on?
Can anyone explain or point to articles or analysis of what led to Holland spurning its Christian heritage? It might have just been the reasons for the rest of western Europe, but the Netherlands seem to have fallen further. It was just the beginning of the last century when they elected Abraham Kuyper as PM. He was an acclaimed calvinist theologian who emphasized the 'sphere sovereignty' in that God is ruling in all parts of a person's life. He must have faced bitter opposition, but was there any part of his teaching or civil ruling that may have precipitated the eventual downfall.
Maybe another element in this was the migration of so many dutch to North America. What were the reasons for that - Christian persecution or just economic with the loss of farm land?
Finally, since the Netherlands was seen as mostly calvinism in its Christianity, did the falling away affected Christianity in general in dismissing calvinism from mainstream christian teaching?
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