SABBATH

a Hebrew word, Meaning rather a day of ce ation than of pleasure or repose. It has always been observed by Jews, and at the time of Christ was hedged about with a large number of regulations. All work was strictly forbidden, even the plucking of ears of corn; only the saving of life was allowed. Though its observation sometimes developed into mere formalism it was dearly loved by many pious Jews. Still, Christ had to declare, ‘The S. was made for man, and not man for the 8.’ In the Christian Church the idea of a sacred day was taken over from Judaism, but the day was not Saturday (the Jewish S.) but Sunday, when Christ rose from the dead. Hence the strict application of Jewish precedent about the S. to the Christian Sunday which some Christians have insisted on is based on a mistaken identity. The origin of the S. is lost, but as a similar observance of one day in seven is found elsewhere it is probably connected with the four quarters of the moon.