New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-09-14
THE SUNDAY QUESTION.


SIR: Apropos to the present agitation of the Sun.
day question, w. A. Townsend & Co. have issued a
neat pamphlet under the title of Stone Him to
Dsa.h!" which contains two articles originally pub
lished in The Westminster Review, namely: "Sep-
tenary Institutions and Sunday in Great Britain"
These papers are among the ablest and most elab-
crate ever written On either side of this vexed
question; but hitherto, owing to the limited
circulation Of the British periodicals. in the
United States, they cannot have been read by our
citizens generally. In their present form they will
doubtless find much greater number of readers and
unless their facts and arguments be refuted they
will far to get the question at rest The preface to
the pamphlet rays:
at believed that the rproducon'o these articles partially
condensed and in cheap form will tend to enshen those who
desire information this subject and help TO settle qsesi)r
which must or iste be brought 20 an end On all dis
sca. permanent good to civilized by its
This is undoubtedly sound doctrine No harm can
come from dissemination of Bible truth, while much
bar, may come, and often has come, from an attempt
to perveIl it.
The Committee for enforcing a more strict observ-
ance Of the Sabbath have, in their publications., as;
the assumption that the sailing of steamboats,, the
runnir fralroad trains, and the pursuit of any recre-
aticn whatever Sunday, are drecs violations OF the
Cod and they to noun many things
because they are forbidden in the Fourth Command
ment. But they have not taken one step in the
way of proving that these things are thus
forbidden. They simply cite the Fourth Com
mandment as a universal prohibition for all men
through all time; aud then, on their own responsibility,
designate what acts are included IN the prohibition.
No doubt, if the Fourth Commandment to be accepted
literally 10 its present English version, and its pre-.
cepts are applicable 10 the first day OF the week and
10 the present inhabitants of the EARTH the ans
have the best of the argument But the dficultyis,
that their entire premises are assumed AMI that
method Of argument is adapted to the present day.
And additionally to the iaacy Of that method OF rea-
soniDg, this evil apperains to IT, namely thai an az
tempt to establish by Biblical authority what the ~
BILE does not in fact eDjon tends rapidly to weaken the
force of what the Bible does epjon. The Bible must
be accepted as Isl and those who seek to strain II or
improve it for the purpose of enforcing any peculiar
theological dogmas will at last nd that tney arc us
organizers and not reformers.
Mans physical necessity for rest one day In seven;
his necessity for recreation some day. or part OF aay
within the seven; and the kind OF recreation w1cn
men in their various positions in life severay requires
these are matters apart from the techncates OF the
commandment Yet they are matters OF capitsi I'M,
pOrtsnce to man; and they well deserve the careiul
consideration of every man. high or low theooglen or
philarthropst But the question Immediately IN hand
Il "a to the duty of man keep holy the first day OF
tbe week If the Bible clearly ncucates TINS duty,
there is end of the discussion. But II Inc bi1e
does not inculcate this duty aud any one will take he
Mains to show that it does not then mere is tue emu Vi
the discussion; and tue advocates for strict oosefV
ance of the day must found their claims on soma ohef
authority than the Bible.
The articles in The Westminster Review certainly
seem TO be conclusive against the position taken by
the Sabbatarians. AT least, they have been sewers
vesrs before the world and far e we know are botn
nrrefuted and unanswered. Ii anYreualion has Deen
written or can be produced, now Is the time Tor IL.
These articles temperate, analytical convincing:
in their present form they Will rseoh thousands OF
Tcaders who are yet unacquained with tier startling
facts and if they cannot be reuted the Sab6asrsns
must be overthrOwn by them.
The advocates of strict Sunday observances may de-
precate this view Of the case. They may venture 10
denoupce those who entertain it. They may even pro-
scribe this brief reference to their actual position as an
attack on the stronghold of the Christian faith. But 10
40 doing they must boldly assume what remains to be
proved namely that the kind OF Sabbath they INSIST Oh
r. stronghold of the Christian faith, a11 ls IN any way
Sanctioned by the Scriptures. On the other hand, il
the Pulitans of past age, under smisappehensOh OF
Biblical precepts, in warton disregard OF man
rsonirements aud weaknesses, and led oy zeaI
not according to knowledge have imposed on past AID
present Christian communities " S06e ra'ch ReH"e'
our fathers nor zee able 10 bear let their suoces
sora IN the imposition beware how they complain OF
those who have the coursge 10 throw the yoke OIL
the Puritans erected and their successors have sT
tanned n Sabbatcai institution of their own on founda
lions that the Bible does not supply 1t would oeuer
become them to confess their trespss than 70 suSms
tze those who expose IT, They who take The sword
"shall perish by the sword" and they who take the
Scriptures shall perish by the Scrp,ures-urless they
can prevail with them; and the Sabbstarans OF the
United States snd Great Britain would DO well 10 count
the cost before saying to the res OF the world we
are hoer than thou, because we keep holy the hrs'
"dsy in the week"
The truth Of the question at whether there is
any Scripture warrant for the Paritans Sabbath-wil
probably be reached ii the end Of this dlscusslon;
and the reproduction of the argument of The Westmn-
ster Review in popuarform, will promote and hasten
that II suit. ,.,..,.
S,p,en ber Il, 1859.