Long-Distance Backpacking and the Sabbath

[smhbbag]

Our family has been getting into the great outdoors, and we have some big plans about future trips. My question arises from some of the truly epic things to see/do in our massive national parks and our long trails. There are plenty of amazing backpacking trips that can range from a hundred to a few thousand miles. We're looking mainly at trips that span 1-3 weeks.

For some excursions, it is easy to find towns next to the trail where one could worship morning/evening on the Lord's Day, and simply take a one day break from the trail while camping nearby. For many others, though, there are stretches of more than a week between resupply points, and no towns to speak of for much longer than that. The United States has some awfully remote and beautiful areas.

Should I limit our options to those that allow for church attendance? What about those where the pace and progress on the trail are so variable (due to conditions) as to put church attendance in doubt? Broadly, what should my guidelines be for picking destinations in light of the Lord's Day?

 

[Peairtach]

Ideally you might want to avoid backpacking on the Lord's Day if it causes you difficulties with the observance of the day, but, since backpacking for many days or weeks isn't a wrong in itself, if you are on one of these type of holidays/excursions try to keep your hiking/walking to a minimum on the Sabbath. The day isn't for excessive travel that doesn't take you to and from church or distracts you from the purpose of the day. The day isn't for sports or, unecessary excessive exertion, either. It's for worship, meditation, prayer, praise, rest, works of necessity and mercy. Short nature rambles or walking to church with spiritual converse on the way, is another thing. Try and attend a good church if you can. If you're hiking, or otherwise on holiday, there have never been so many opportunities to turn the day into one of worship and meditation on the Word. In the old days when occasionally we were on holiday in a place where we couldn't get to a good Church we would take some sermon tapes and a cassette player with us. Take good books. Try and buy your necessities and food during the week.
Sometimes the Christian finds himself on a long hike, a long boat journey or a long cruise that involves the Lord's Day. He should seek to follow the Lord's Day principle within that situation.

Ideally you don't want to leave or return on the Lord's Day because it will probably involve a lot of travel that will break up the day and it may encourage some Christians to have little regard for the day and be a poor witness to non- Christians.

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[smhbbag]

All of that sounds very sensible and it's pretty much what I've been thinking.

But then I think about the case against any such trips (ones that would have it built-in to miss the Lord's Day gathering and such work), and it seems pretty strong. I'm not forging a new homestead on the frontier, or fleeing persecution or anything that could be called necessity. That would leave works of mercy, which this clearly is not.

These trips are purely for pleasure, rest, and adventure. On any normal vacation, it's natural for us to plan as you say for the Lord's Day - minimize travel, forget the sports or heavy exertion, avoid commerce, and ensure we worship corporately and privately. But, in effect, I'd be removing much (or all) of my ability to do those things by going on the trip at all.

I could easily see a case that if a trip can't be done lawfully, then it shouldn't be done at all. But then that would put me in the position of saying that no believer could go see X landmark for pleasure, because getting there and back takes more than a week away from civilization. That's awkward to say as well.

It feels fine and good, until I think about the counter-argument, and I'm not sure how to process that.

 

[Toasty]

Our family has been getting into the great outdoors, and we have some big plans about future trips. My question arises from some of the truly epic things to see/do in our massive national parks and our long trails. There are plenty of amazing backpacking trips that can range from a hundred to a few thousand miles. We're looking mainly at trips that span 1-3 weeks.

For some excursions, it is easy to find towns next to the trail where one could worship morning/evening on the Lord's Day, and simply take a one day break from the trail while camping nearby. For many others, though, there are stretches of more than a week between resupply points, and no towns to speak of for much longer than that. The United States has some awfully remote and beautiful areas.

Should I limit our options to those that allow for church attendance? What about those where the pace and progress on the trail are so variable (due to conditions) as to put church attendance in doubt? Broadly, what should my guidelines be for picking destinations in light of the Lord's Day?

I think it would be best to limit your options to those that allow for church attendance.

If you have a preacher with you, why not have an outdoor service?

 

[smhbbag]

I think it would be best to limit your options to those that allow for church attendance.

If you have a preacher with you, why not have an outdoor service?

Incidentally, the John Muir Trail is right near you, and is one of the trails in question (it has a 7-10 day very remote section). The whole thing goes from Half-Dome in Yosemite to Mount Whitney. It is almost always ranked as the most beautiful trail in the United States, and near the top for any worldwide list.

Having a preacher with us or doing special family worship may be better than nothing, but I'm not sure that by itself gets rid of the argument against it.

 

[smhbbag]

I do believe your souls are better served by attendance upon the Lord's ordinances, and communion with the Lord's people, on the Lord's Day. It would be better to miss the greatest perceived "natural" wonder in all the world than to -barring true lawful providential hindrance- neglect the great privilege of being in the King's court, partaking of His dainties, by special invitation and command on His day, and in the way He has commanded it. Foretastes of that heavenly country are better than the greatest natural things this vale of tears can offer, and who knows what we miss each time we unnecessarily absent ourselves from it? Let us say with the Psalmist (85.10), "For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand [elsewhere]." If Moses would prefer the reproaches of Christ more than all the treasures of Egypt, how much more so ought we prefer the Sabbath-treasures of the Creator above any of His creation?

As I mentioned, this is the counterargument that I've not been able to respond to. It's a pretty straightforward case in that framing. But it also has interesting (and far-reaching) consequences. It pretty much makes entire sports or endeavors sinful. One cannot seriously engage in rock climbing, mountain climbing, sailing, or many other activities without spillover onto the Lord's Day, because these things, by nature, take more than a week in many cases. Perhaps there would be limited use of them for research or military purposes or other specialized (and thus truly necessary) applications. That's not an argument against your position, of course, but just a note that its effects are not at all small.

 

[jwithnell]

As a general rule, I don't think it's OK to be in just any church on Sunday, but to be with the congregation you have vowed to support. That said, occasionally, what's wrong with staying in camp for two nights resting on Sunday, and singing and contemplating God's word amidst the grandeur that testifies to His glory? It seems strange that Christians should never do "big things"as long as they are providing for a sabbath on those RARE occasions when away from home

 

[Parakaleo]

I've been thinking about how the following catechism answer applies to the discussion.

Q. 99. What rules are to be observed for the right understanding of the ten commandments?
A. For the right understanding of the ten commandments, these rules are to be observed:
6. That under one sin or duty, all of the same kind are forbidden or commanded; together with all the causes, means, occasions, and appearances thereof, and provocations thereunto.

This would seem to settle the matter neatly. Yet, part of the Fourth Commandment is working six days. We all (I think) acknowledge the validity of vacationing for the believer. It isn't so much of a frivolous waste, but often a very necessary re-set for the working man once or twice a year. If we grant that vacationing can be thought of as a work of necessity, then couldn't adjustments to Lord's Day worship due to vacations also fall under necessity?

Just a thought I had. Feel free to blast holes through it if it doesn't hold up!

 

[NaphtaliPress]

I think 'once in a lifetime' nature of a vacation should be considered as on the other hand along the same lines as above, consider an analogy to working. We should not regularly engage in a profession that makes us work on the Lord's day by choice; neither should we regularly plan recreational activity that spans multiple Lord's days.

 

[Logan]

One thought that crossed my mind was that we really are blessed to be able to cross the globe in a single day and be able to be back in a congregation on the Sabbath. For most of man's history this has not been possible. Think of the puritans who fled to England and were faced with months on the sea. Many took voyages back and forth to visit family. It couldn't strictly be called an act of necessity, but obviously they considered it lawful to make journeys which crossed multiple Sabbaths, though as far as I know, the Sabbath was observed during those journeys even if they couldn't be in a congregation.

 

[alexandermsmith]

Being on holiday over a Sabbath is not in itself wrong. And if inability to attend the means of grace ruled out such holidays, then we couldn't really travel anywhere outwith the English speaking world (and even many places within). I'd agree with Chris: planning regular holidays which go over a Sabbath and deprive attendance at the means of grace isn't a good habit to get into. However, the occasional holiday- whether in remote parts of the country, or in foreign countries- where one can't attend the means of grace seem lawful to me. There is nothing to stop one having morning and evening worship; listening to a sermon.

In terms of activity on the day I would suggest you cease travelling the route completely, i.e. pitch up camp and stay in the camp for the full day. A short walk for exercise (since you're not travelling to church) seems lawful enough, but basically you should stay put. And obviously you'll have all your food beforehand anyway.

 

[Toasty]

One thought that crossed my mind was that we really are blessed to be able to cross the globe in a single day and be able to be back in a congregation on the Sabbath. For most of man's history this has not been possible. Think of the puritans who fled to England and were faced with months on the sea. Many took voyages back and forth to visit family. It couldn't strictly be called an act of necessity, but obviously they considered it lawful to make journeys which crossed multiple Sabbaths, though as far as I know, the Sabbath was observed during those journeys even if they couldn't be in a congregation.

Did they have worship services while they were on the ship?

 

[johnny]

One thought that crossed my mind was that we really are blessed to be able to cross the globe in a single day and be able to be back in a congregation on the Sabbath. For most of man's history this has not been possible. Think of the puritans who fled to England and were faced with months on the sea. Many took voyages back and forth to visit family. It couldn't strictly be called an act of necessity, but obviously they considered it lawful to make journeys which crossed multiple Sabbaths, though as far as I know, the Sabbath was observed during those journeys even if they couldn't be in a congregation.

Did they have worship services while they were on the ship?

I just love this quote from the Journals of Whitefield.
(Any excuse to use it )

QUOTE:
About eleven, went on board the Lightfoot, prayed with a sick man, and preached my sermon on the penitent thief. Afterwards, went on board the Amy, catechised the children, dined on a dolphin, had some useful conversation, preached to the soldiers, returned home about six, read prayers, visited the sick, interceded for friends, and went to bed praising and blessing God.
END QUOTE:

It is difficult to answer your original question, (Should I limit my options ect.) I think only you can.
If a desire comes like this then it may be a learning experience you can utilise later in your walk with God (or it may not be) Whatever occurs, I would be careful to observe the sabbath as a family in whatever place you may find yourself, with or without a church.