The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-11-13

From sermon preached recently in Philadelphia by
Mr.. Cathcart pastor Of the Second Baptist church
If il is right to punish the Dissertation of the Lords
day it must be scrpural 10 punish the breach Of every
divine command; and hence what harvest of persecu-
tons this principle will summon up and whiten. a
harvest more extensive than the which Nero
presided or than whose fires the nquision kndled
Jesus repeats no Injunction frequently than the
one presented in these words, 6 Love your
mics bless them that curse you do good them that
you, and pray for them that desptefuy and perse
cute you The Apostles catch his spirit and repeat his
command in every variety of method. Neither He nor
they say: Remember the Sabbath day to keep il
holy' and If il be right on Chrsts authority to punish
Sabbath breaking, then it must be right seize every
vndlotive man, and. instead OF permitting him 60 with
out Judicial frown 10 compel him to visit the seats of
justice and the cells Of confinement Then what shall we
DO with the un!versast who repudiaes pardon through
the blood OF Christ the Unitarian who rejects his divinity
and aionement; the Roman Catholic, who worshps the
bread of the and the wood OF the true Cross the
Dest, who rejects the whole of Christianity; and the
Atheist. who laughs with scorn at the very thought
Of living Goos Surely il the Sabbath breaker
ought to be punished by secular law these gigantic
rebels against .Jehovahs Gospel and existence
ought to have an appropriate doom melted out to them
Thus Christians to be turned into famiars Of the In
question: our courts OF Justice into nqusoria tribunals
cities Go'gothas filled with the slain bodies of the
unbeiieving. and country into vast Ace!darna
Overlooking with the blood OF impentent If it is
right TO punish Sabbath desecraton by legal penalties it
would be right to dig the bones OF the Sage Mon
cello and burn them with every mark Of ignomuy,
were the bones Of Wckfie. Nay it would be right TO
shape legislation so that PAIN unto DEATH should
reach every man of kindred sentiments. Thus this prn
cpe would revive the blazing scenes Of Romsh perse
con rend into ribbons and shrcds the glorious robe OF
freedom, and plant within the servants Of the loving
Jesus thirst for suffering aud the spirit of cruelty Such
principle could never come from the author of my text
sSlf my kingdom of this world, then would my SER
wants deht This principle would justify every idola
trous government in furnishing Christians for not
forming to its practices Let pous Philadephian who
has faith in Good Friday determine TO travel extern
siyey and soon he finds himself in the Eternal CITY and
Good Friday be acts as he would any other Friday
insults the preudces the people and quickly dragged
before magistrate, and told his offence and the
penalty 1.-THE preacher merely supposes the existence Of
such laws.l ~ have committed no offence he replies;
'Good Friday Is no more 10 me than any other days
sr, says the magistrate, your opinion Of the day of
no consequence Our law rrescrioes penalty for the
offence you have committed, and We care not what you
believe in reference to the day" What unjust law.'
says fellow citizen. 81 do not believe in Good Friday,
and yet am to be fined for not keeping t "Have not
read says the magistrate, 'o your Puritan Sabbath in
AMERICA Yes responds our Pbadelphian. I'VE
have sabbath i'll old Pennsylvania and protected by
in your Sabbath?n Eyes" replies our friend tthe
Seventh Day Baptiss, Jews, and others" "when one
OF those not believing in your Sabbath breaks the
oapDatn iaW, 90 you punish him just the same
as If he thought ii right observe the SabbathY''
Certainly, answers neighbor: "our law has nothing
DO with the convictions Of men he who breaks il must
BE- punished stThen Z, says the magistrate svou do
the very thing there which you excan against as unjust
here. You punish men for breaking day which they do
not feel called upon to observe pay your ne sir and be-
gone; your own practice jusies me In furnishing Won
Next day our Philadelphia meets procession of priests
and monks, and men and women, carrying the Ghost -
and as he sees it, the blood of his Protestant fathers leaps
to his temples Indignation against Romanism cherished
through several generations, and like some old auor
maddening grasps all his soul he stands erect his face is
stern his body unyieding to the pressing crowd he
does not his head do the least obesance TO the
passing god he is noticed and quickly dragged before
the same magistrate, and charged with blaspheming the
body Of Christ and asked IL he has any offer
Why in obedience TO the law, he should lie six months
In prison "Reason,' responds neighbor "I don I
believe in your wafer gods 1t Is niqutous 10 punish
man for doing what he believes to be crmer 'sSr'
saws the magistrate, you told that your law pu-
nshed jews and Seventh Day Bapsts, FOR breaking a
saobasa IN which they did not believe and you broadly