The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-13

The MEETING THIS EVENING AGAINST SABBATH
RlAN DFsPcrIsM.-Th evening will be held, at
halfpast seven o'clock, at Nolks Garden, OPP
posite the Bowery theatre, public meeting of
citizens of all classes without distinction,
against the Sabbath despotism which handful
of fanatics and political traders desire to exer-
else over the people. We have no doubt the
attendance will be large and the proceedings
be marked by the determination Of ''men who
know their rights and knowing dare maintain"
There is no authority whatever in the New
Testament for the Sabbath superstition which
it is attempted to fasten forever as chain
upon the minds and bodies of American citi-
zens. The Jewish Sabbath was abolished, and
there is no command to keep holy any other
day. If taking recreation on the Sabbath or
on Sunday regarded q sin NY Christ
his Apostles, would they not have mentioned
ii in those long catalogues of sins which they
enumerate? We never find misunderstanding
mentioned by them, while our modern Phari-
sees can hardly think Of any other sin. The
denunciation of Christ was not "Woe unto you
who break the Sabbath but 'Woe unto you
hypocrites! who pretend to keep il better
than other men, and say to your neghbor
stand by thyself. am holier than thou"
The fact of the Disciples coming together
on the first day Of the week to break bread
is held to be an evidence Of the practice
of keeping Sunday as a Sabbath. This isa
lame and impotcnt conclusion, for in the same
text we are told the reason why they came to-
gcther was that Paul was about TO leave next
day. and they assembled to hear him preach.
Besides. we know that the early Disciples
were in the habit Of meeting every day
in the week to break bread. The next
mention we find of the first day OF the
week is in First Corinthians, chapter xvi:
Upon the first day Of the week let every
one of you lay by him in store" &c. This
proves nothing except laying by money.
The only other trace of it we find, il indeed
it be referred TO at all. is in Apocalypse, chap
ter l.: 81 was in the spirit on the Lords day."
Perhaps this does refer to the day of the week
on which Christ rose from the dead: but where
is the command to keep it as Sabbath. or the
evidence that st. John so kept It! None what
ever. See Galatians chapters iv. and V. So
in Colossians: ''Let no man therefore judge
you in meat or in drink, or in respect Of an
holy day or of the new moon, or Of the Sab
bath days. which are a shadow Of things to
come
Thus. the Holy Scriptures give the slavish
superstition no countenance. The constitution
of the United States forbids any coercive law
respecting religious obsefvances, and the con-
stitution Of the State of New York prohibits
any preference to be given by law to the opin-
ions Of one religious sect over another. All
Sabbath laws are therefore in opposition
to he State constitution, and the people ought
to insist upon having them wiped forever away
from the statute book. We trust the meeting
this evening at Volks Garden will take most
decided step toward that most desirable con-
summation. The time is gone by when people
can be compelled to follow the religious obser-
vanccs of any sect by Legislative enactment,
and when men can be made pious by the law
of the land.