Journal of the Central Texas Conference, Fifth Annual Session, Methodist Episcopal Church, South Page: 71
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71
CENTRAL TEXAS CONFERENCE JOURNAL
Standing and Special Committees.
SABBATH OBSERVANCE.
The importance of a more complete and conscientious Sabbath
observance upon the part of all people and more especially upon
the part of Ministers of the Gospel, has been from time to time
called to our attention. Again we point, with alarm, to the con-
tinued desecration of the Lord's Day and sound the note of warn-
ing to the church of God, that this continued and flagrant vio-
lation of God's Holy Law, will inevitably lead to the undermin-
ing of the spiritual life of the church and to the destruction of
the Sabbath as a day of rest as was intended by its institution.
With the International Lord's day Congress, "We hold the Sab-
bath or weekly day of rest to have been founded by our Crea-
tor in the beginning: embodied in a commandment of the Deca-
logue; confirmed by the Lord Jesus Christ, by Him dedicated
to the welfare of mankind; and finally to have appeared in the
Lord's day of the Christian Church, all whose great, historic
branches, however otherwise divided, are united in the observ-
ance of Sunday, as the Day of Rest and worship."
The many ways in which the Sabbath is desecrated are too
numerous to mention. But we call especial attention to the
opening of the gates of Fairs, Sunday Excursions, riding on
trains, ball games of all descriptions and buying and selling.
We regret to say that many church members, and even some
ministers are numbered among the transgressors, in riding on
Sunday trains when it could be avoided, and in buying of meats,
ice and cold drinks and cigars on Sunday.
We hold that it is the duty of every minister of our church
to teach both by precept and example the importance of Sabbath
observance, and that owing to the imperative need of a greater
sentiment against Sabbath desecration, we appeal to every min-
ister and church paper of our great church to wage an aggres-
sive war along this line, and especially our own Texas organ,
The Texas Christian Advocate to open its great batteries in this
fight.
And, whereas, the Sabbath Associations have joined to de-
velop a world congress in connection with the Panama-Pacific
Exposition to convene sometime in the month of July, 1915,
and, whereas, we are entitled to two delegates to this congress,
now, therefore, we your committee recommend and nominate,
Rev. R. C. Armstrong, and W. T. Singley as delegates and M. S.
Hotchkiss and Jno. R. Nelson as alternate delegates to this
congress.
We most heartily endorse the faithful work done by Rev.
R. C. Armstrong, as Secretary of the Sunday League in Amer-
ica, throughout the bounds of our Texas Methodism. We are
pleased to note that wherever he has been, his messages have
been felt and a growing sentiment against Sabbath desecra-
tion is seen. And we commend and recommend to the Bishop
his re-appoinment as such Secretary.
J. A. RUFFNER, Pres.
B. H. OXFORD, Sec.
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Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Journal of the Central Texas Conference, Fifth Annual Session, Methodist Episcopal Church, South, periodical, November 1914; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth49828/m1/71/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Archives of the Central Texas Conference United Methodist Church.