The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-05-24 00:00:00

THE SUNDAY SOCIETY.

A meeting of the above suctety, the object of whieli is to
obtain the opening of museums, art galleries, libraries, rad
gardens on Sundays, was held In London last Saturday, at
the "Freemasons' Tavern," Sir Henry Thompson, the pre-
sident, in the chair All the seats in the great hallsppeared
to be filled. Among those on the platform were the Earl
of Dunraven, K.P., Lord Dorchester, the Hon, J. C. Dundas,
Sir Arthur H.bhouse, K.C.S. L, Mr. George Godwin,
Mr. J _ ames Heywood, and the Rev. H. R Haweis.

A short statement of the work accomplished by the
society since the last general meeting was read by the
hon. secretary, Mr. Mark H. Judge.
The chairman, in his address, said that, although for
nearly twenty years past he had been a silent supporter
of the society,this was the first occasion on which he had
ventured to advocate their views of Sunday observance
in a public manner. He claimed for tho views put for.
w,:.ro by this society that they were not only religious,
but esseutially Chnstiau •' and he would go further and
assert, at all events for himself, that if he believ,d
the freedom of action which they desired to enjoy
on Sunday was prejelicial to the religious and
moral progms of the people, and conduced only to
their physical well•being, he should not have been pie-
sent on that occasion. In the first place, then, they
desired that Sunday in this country should preserve its
grand and distinguishing characteristic as a day, of
rest; and they sought to preserve this national institu-
tion, to establish it on a surer basis, by increasing its
utility and adapting it more fully to the wants of a
changing society. Proceeding to define what he
understood by rest, be said that for workers of every
kind the rest needed was in no single instance to be
obtained by devoting an entire day in seven to
attempts to concentrate the mental faculties on reli-
gious subjects, or to arouse the religious senti.
ments by special exercises. To the majority
he did not hesitate to affirm, whatever they might
dare either to say to others or confess to themselves,
that it was a tedious and wearisome day, the close of
which was welcomed as a relief. Secondly, they
desired that the people of this country should on
Sunday possess the means of increasing their intel-
ligence and obtaining topics of interest and thought
at present beyond their reach, He next adduced
arguments to reassuie the minds of those who feared
the introduction of the "Continental Sunday," point.
lug out that there had been a great change within the
last thirty-five years in the mode of passing Sunday
in France, Belgium, and Italy, although museums
and art galleries were opened in those countries
on that day. The first resolution, among other things,
expressed satisfaction with the large amount of
support given in the House of Lords on the sth inst.
to a proposal for opening certain museums, ito., on
Sunday.

In supporting the resolution, Lord Dunraven
said that of the majority of eight who votesi against
Lord Thurlow's motion four were bishops, who might
possibly be somewhat prejudiced on the question. It
was said that some of the working class did not wish
to go to the British Museum on Sunday; but that
was surely no reason why those who did wish to enter
should be kept out. The society wished to see a day of
rest, not a day of absolute idleness and drunken-
ness. With regard to another argumeit brought
against them, he would remark that there did
not seem to be the least danger that the
British forking man would want to work on Sun-
day, for there seemed to be great difficulty to get him
to work on week days. With reference to the labour
toat would be caused by the opening of the galleries he
would only say that there were more persons employed
on Sunday in bringing out one newspaper for Monday
morning than would be required to attend all the gal-
leries in the metropolis.

The Rev. H. R. Haweis and others spoke in favour
of the resolution, which was carried without dissent, as
was another proposed by the Hon. J. C. Pandas,
M. P., in the following words

" That this meeting mlintains that the Prime Minister is
not justified in assuming that it would be in opposition to
the wishes of the people to extend to the metropolis those
opportunities for instruction and recreation which can now
be enjoyed in the suburbs; this meeting, therefore, calls
upon the members of mechanics' institutes, workmen's
clubs, trade societies, and other organizAtions to appoint
deiegates to represent them on the rational Council now in
course of formation by_the Sunday Soot, ty, in oraer that it
may be demonstrated beyond all ipestion that public
opinion demands the opening of the national collections in
the metropolis on Sundays; and this meeting-calls upon the
electors throughout the country to give due prominence to
the question in selecting candidates for the coming
general election."