Wabash express., 1859-05-25

~ 10 more u has turned hss aNeuttou 20 the
teachings Of the Bible. True. bis relersnre Is
designed To convince ms of the necessity of re
Numbering the aimonlioD OF "the Preacher,
hat We should "be not righteous over much,
neither make thyself over wise" ] thank
him for the reference aud will try aud turn IL to
good account, Bat lie will permit me To re-
eiProcate the favor by commanding To has spe
eIal attention the fss,heT advice of the same
sagaeious author. ia the verse immediately
following his own quotation; ''i'c not over
much wicked. neither be thou foolish" Ii
can thus impress his mind a. he has mine, We
may prove Of mutual service TO each other;
for there Is no man either wise pure but
that he may learn both wisdom and virtue
from this exhaustiess and instructive source
lie calls me the doughty champion Of Sun
day ansfrties. Temperance. Maine Law. dc
Passing 10y the rather sorry attempt at irony
evidently designed here. as "sygumenfam aa
homine'H, and Of no sort Of consequences, be
will permit me To say that he has shot wide
OF the mark as IL regards my views Of the
proper observance Of the Sabbath day. lie
-~N 'o't dtoieitta its W ~ bc dtus may
have regarded IL one Of those harmless per.
versions which are sometimes INDUCED ia as
The only means OF escape IRON an indefensibe
position. Ii, doubtless, results from that hab
Il Of thought into which all assailants Of the
Christian Sabbath are apt TO fall; that Of run
nlng into The extreme OF opposition TO it, and
then into the error Of supposing that lis de-
lenders are as extreme as themselves. Some
times this springs from opposition to Christi
anity IN general, aud a. others from q disincl-
nation to have the full idulgence Of their pas
sions at all restrained. Whether from the one
or other Of these causes, they arc continually
frightening themselves, and trying to frighten
others, with ideas of Sunday austerifes, F"
Connecticut Blue Lars," the burning Of "un
offending Quakers," aud all that sort OF thing
Let me assure him that he wholly miscon-
ceives the idea of Christian Sabbath as IL is
designed 10 be observed in this country. 1t
has compulsory "austerities" about it.
There is nothing 10 the practice of its obser-
vance, or in the sentiment which cherishcs il
as hallowed day, which requires Of any man
that he shall put on the monastic habi, or az.
iiict himself with harsh aud mortifying dis
cipline. or in any other way All these things
are left TO the individual aud he can do just a.
he peases about them The rigid laws which
once prevailed amongst the Puritans cf New
England; the ghosts Of which now in goblin
form, rise up before hm-have long since
been swept away from American statute
Books never to be revised They were enact
ed by race OF men who had suffered from the
expressions Of the Old World, and who were
led into these excuses by yielding too far to
the influences of European education. A.
their minds, however, expanded under the
combined influences Of free government and
religious toleration. and they became Ameri.
eani,ed in feeling, they readily threw of their
old prelud:ces and aided in the establishment
Of those liberal and charitable sentiments
which have become universally cherished
through )ut this couRtry. These sentiments
are reasonable and full Of liberation No man
need mistake them, unless, from mere wanton
me say, in all kindness, to "H H. B." and
those whom he represents. that these senti
ments cannot and onght not to be outraged
with impunity. They are an essential part Of
those Christian teachings which came TO ms
from the trainers OF our institutions: and if
there are those amongst Us who deiermn
ed upon assaulting ,hem-whelhert they lie ma
tive adopted citizens-they should not be
surprised to meet with a stern and decided re
sistance. We cannot MAINTAIN our institu- /
tions without Christianity. and we cannot pre-. +
serve Christianity without Sa5b nh day
And it is high time that every man who cher +
Ishes these sentiments was becoming awaken
ed TO the necessity Of something more than
mere negative and theoretical support of them
They desere an active aud manly defense when
ever and by whomsoevtr assailcd.
There Is no sentiiscnt more thorougblv
prevalent amongst all classes of American
some exceptions, Of course
than that of respect for the Sabbath day -
They do NOT regard ii simply as day Of rest
from labor. bus as Il holy dsy-sanciiiied by be-
ing commemorative Of the resurrection of the
Savior do not intend now to enter upon its
defense; my present purpose is answered by
stating its existence Bot there have come
amongst 70 from abroad a class Of German Re.
ormers who. instead OF studying to learn and
understand cur institutions as they are, have
scarcely learned to speak our language. before
hey enter upon the attempt TO eradicate this
sentiment by bidding il defiance. and demand.
ng. in the name Of unlicensed and unresirain-
d liberty. that fhey shall be permitted to do as
hey Piease with the Sabbath -dav. They take no
esson from the almost universal quiet which
vas prevailing amongst US. upea this day
hen they came. bu, insist that they shall be
prisiledged class in our midst, and keep
pen their drinking saloons. and their thea q
crs. aud have their pic mic gatherings, and .
ther amusements. TO disturb this quiet and !
utrage the Christian sentiment Of our people
md this they call res, aud recreation" F" con- :
istent with Natures first law of ofder'i-
nd. then, IL pe. Who happen to enjoy thi : I
uist as birth right. think proper to renon. a
trate with them in the spirit Of kindness. and 4
D beg Of them 10 respect our American ideas Of '
be Sabbath. the turn upon us with saeer d
nd tell 10 that they intend 60 act and cot, 80 o
Aas their sentim-n, shall take the place n b
srs. aud that when their ~ sdel rhilosoph, c
hall supplsnt our religion they viii "anral. .
amate" With aud become part Of Us. let n
,em reeolleot that "multa aos usiat lex our n
'msn tacs.a damnat." n
j