An elderly friend said: "Well! in Palestine they at least _know_ what
the Sabbath is, whilst here in London, unless one keeps it strictly and
remains indoors all day, except to go to synagogue, one never sees any
difference between the Sabbath and any other day of the week."

Mr Jacobs said: "I think what you both say is true, and the only way is
to try to keep our Sabbath in the spirit, as well as in the letter as
much as possible. If each of us tried to do this in his own home, even
in London, gradually a difference would be seen in the neighbourhood in
which we live. A wise man wrote: 'All reforms begin with _man_ and not
with _men_.' The first important step is to think good thoughts; for
'thoughts have wings,' and, when expressed, they are readily impressed
upon the minds of those in sympathy with the thinker."

"True, very true!" exclaimed the others. "Let us each, with God's help,
strive to remember more often those thoughts of our Prophet Isaiah
(chap. 58): 'If thou call the Sabbath a delight, and the holy of the
Lord honourable, and shalt honour it, not doing thy wonted ways, nor
pursuing thy business, nor speaking thereof, then shalt thou delight
thyself in the Lord, and I will make thee to ride upon the high places
of the earth, and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy
father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.'"

By this the Prophet meant that we were to drive all thoughts of business
from our minds on the Sabbath. No thoughts of scandal, evil, or
uncharitableness were to be harboured, but our minds and hearts were to
delight in words of prayer, in the study of the Holy Law. It was to be
truly a day of peace, a day of rest.