, 1859-07-23
THE SUNDAY QUESTION.

Will you allow nc short space to reply to
some Of the positions Of your correspondent,
r. r.!
Z. 7. desires that VIC should " avoid the con-
tempt with which the Americans regard the
substitution Of caricature for statement aud
US with the meaning Of this sentence. He de-
sires us to read sundry tracts, one Of them print
ed by the American Tract Society, in order to
get at the true merits Of the Sunday question.
But alas! nc hare long ceased to look in the
creeds or catechisms Of the churches to find
what they believe; why should we look at their
tracts: ! neither know nor care what is stated
in tile printed books Of any denomination. /
speak Of the Sabbath from dbso{ute personal e.
ptrttAce. Enow what is taught and incnlcated
both By oral instruction and public opinion. l
lived in New England till | was twentJ.three
years Of age. l faow that it was there consid-
cred sia, that is the word, a sin, to ride, or
sail, OF enjoy nny sort Of amusement, to work,
or travc1, or perform auy sort Of labor, beyond
what was absolutely necessary, on Sunday.
Those who did not conform TO this rule, il chill!
dren, were severely reprimanded or punished;
and accused Of rowdyisu. Sabbath h-hreaking
WIS one OF the cardinal crimes, and it consisted
ia anythin., other than going to church or Sun
dug School from three 10 Eve times day, eat
ing as little as possible, md laughing not at oil.
This tnoao; SO does every New England man
and woman. Don't talk tracts to us.
Your correspondent will not make much
headwGy in his argument, by trying to shift US
into the positions Of assailers and defenders of
the ruritnn Sabbath. yield to no man in my
love and vcuera.ion for the founders Of New
England civilization, tue highest and uoblest
hut ltopc shall never sink to adu1ation. To
acknowledge that the Puritans were not always
right, but Terc sometimes actually wrong. il
uply to say that they we're human. Is there
sng harm in that? Is there any tract against
~ Ict US not deify our ancestors. Ne ore
not pacaus. Moreover # should set myself
nm to defend St, Paul aud Calvin and Luther
frnm the : sncers' of 2. r bel;pye 7 sbonId
have as n1anv on mT side us he viii pet br de-
Tending the turitans.
Il, f. says, rather inconxistently, that the
only question is "rest or no rest No doubt.
That n,ay he his question. But it is not mine,
nor is it the Sunday question. Tint question is
settled. Every one knows the value OF rest on
the seventh day to both nlan and beast. What
day it shall be is also settled. Sunday is uni.
yersally set apart as the day when al ordinary
business shnll be suspended; all commerce.
law, banking, agriculture, md hard labor
generally. Viii TINT public opinion, which
las sanctioned and passed ten hour laws.
ever permit employers to force their en-
employed to work on Sunday: Never, The
working classes are tie pouer here, not power
merely, and this the most sacred Of their rights
Shall we hare no more confidence in our COM
munity, than to believe, that By the simple re-
1novat of restrictions on amusements. flor TINT
IL all that is asked for) they will sink to the level
| Of subjects Of European despotism: conti-
mental Sunday! THIS is the great bugaboo ai-
ways produced on these occasions. II does not
follow that by modifying our observance Of Sun
day, We fall imnediatciy, or eventually, into the
European fashion of observing that day. It
will take more than that TO debauch the moral
sense Of our people, and never until they are
/ sunk rs low is the Inhabitants Of Europe in ig-
norunce aud superstition, will they be contented
| with their Sunduy, or Monday, or any other day.
Because "there Is no Sabbath in the dominions
| Of despo.ism" does it follow that the Sabbath
has created liberty, or even tends to support it!
| By DO mcans. II is the intellectual develop
ment Of people and that spirit of Christianity
l which teaches that eyery nun is distinct indi
yidual. with rights, powers. duties and future.
equal 10 those Of a1y other man, which creates
! and fosters liberty, The Sabbath must bend to
the development Of this spirit Of individuality,
and not vainly endeayor to crush it.
Again. If the only question is frcst or no
rcst,'' the objection SO commonly made that if
cars and steamboats, are run, portion Of the
population must work, falls 10 tie ground, for
they can take their rest on some other dar.
Clergymen, printers, policemen, hotel.servants,
| worEmen in rus factories md wa1er+vorks. are
Obliged to work On SUNDAY, aud take some other
dav far their recreation. Monday is the minis
tsEs' SUNDAY: SATURDAY is d. nr;nters' Snndsv
Ne1eent in Ch;cago. where the newspaner nrn-
prietors hare done good thing in changing it,
Why should not railroad con3nctora WorE On
Sunday. and plav on some other dayt It is
ca]rulsted tbat tie services Of one person on an
o,nnihus bene6t for+y-two: on raifwar-trains.
flfty.fiye: =: On steamboats,. ninety. five. This
proportion is increased on SUNDAY, and l think
# fair TO aay that on our horse railroads they
would benefit one hundred and inv. Since i
mu.t he Granted tbst There il no dniy deyolying
m Ch1;.ii.nx tn teen SUNDAY ho1T yather thnn
nv o,hsr t1sr IN ,bc xecT tIere 4 ,nnch for~a
~ III III % aIcuren1 ~ - '''~1 ''''e
" Int Int H. rcal question |. not "rcst or no rest
I. il :. NAV or 10 play." ARE sueh Of orr eli.
1sns 4ho bare not carriages Of tbeir own To he
niowed tn r;de in .he cars. either tn thr cturrh
a ~ :" the 6e1as, Ar ,heT n he .1ioTed n,r.n,
of hc.1thfoi recreation md innocent amu.emen,1
IF ~ then are The means tn he cnt nff m Son,
d,ry This - The reaI question 1fthe Cotiare
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