The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-26
FRIDAY, JANUARY rs, 1866.
The Sunday Question.


tend to attack par cuar abuses Of it, whether
now pract sed or only proposed 1t is already
profaned sufficiently, even in This blessed
land, which God has so conspicuously distin
guished by His favor and mercy, to cause
every good and truly LOYAL citizen to dopre-
cate, most earnestly, any increased desacra-
tion of the Sabbath. Any movement, especi-
ally any popular or political movement in re-
spect to this subject, should, in order to be
regarded as one Of sound moral and social re-
form, tend in a direction quite opposite to
that advocated by those who would totally
change the character of the day which was hal
lowed and set apart for mans benefit and
Gods honor by express commandment. And
it is most fo tunate for our people that their
whole civil system IS originally so decidedly
and radically founded in sound religious prin-
ciples, that their legislatures, however
humanity sovereign, are yet so limited IN their
power, that any statute enacted by them in
plain violation OF Divine law is essentially
unconstitutional, and Of no binding force or
validity whatever 1t is true that the legisa-
ture of State may pass an act irrelig GUS in
to the letter or obvious meaning of GODS law
as to be judlcially declared, for that reason
alone, absolutely null and void. And it is pre-
cisely this sort of legislation that should be
vigilantly guarded against, since il is the
means by which wicked men, on virtuous pre-
lenses, seek to iasidiously undermine the very
foundations of public morality and social
order. They are afraid to attack the citadel
of a nations peace, happiness, and true glory,
by bold and open assaults on the institutions
and ordinances Of God, because they know
they would be overwhelmed and utterly
routed in any such attempt. They therefore
begin by slow and hidden approaches, de-
signed to deceive the garrison; and they are
not unfrequently so hard pushed and base, as
to use false flag in order to take the fortress
which they are net brave or powerful enough
to carry by mai strength.
We are told that Sunday travel else
where is allowed, and has not been
injurious. The latter part of the assertion,
however, is not proved, nor is it possible
always to witness, at once. in visible demon
stratons, to what real, and probably great
extent, particu ar invasion of The law Of
God and the religious habits and convictions
of society, has actually, though secretly. been
productive OF serious evil, There are some
so-called social reforms, claiming the sanction
Of benevolence and patriotism and piety,
which take long time to betray their hurt
full influence, though they act in the mean
while like crank corruption" which, thinning
all within. infects unseen"
For example, those who advocate the run
ming of the city passenger railway cars on
Sunday, actually urge the measure on reli-
gious grounds They contend that all per-
sons should have free conveyance to church,
and that cheap vehicular travel on the Sab
bath would, in every way, promote the spirit
ual as well as physical health Of the masses.
But unless this result could be absolutely
guaranteed, which it cannot be, neither the
people nor their representatives. should try the
experiment In affairs of such vital social
moment, the mere conceit or speculation ol
bad or visionary men should not be trusted
No Christian community can safely take it for
granted that any encroachment on the esta-
bIished sanctity of the Sabbath, for secular
use and sensual pleasure, will not be posi-
lively pernicious in its operation and
effect.
1t is also complained that the Law
which allows the use of private
equipages on the Sabbath, denies
public conveyance to the great multitude
who cannot afford like luxury; that the
laws OF the State should be equal, and all per
sons equal before them, and that what Is tole
rated in the country should be tolerated il
the town. But these complaints are more
specious than just. The argument amounts
substantially to this, that because we have no
perfect laws, we should have none at all
because mans laws are not entirely what they
ought to be, Co.'s laws should be altogethe
set aside; because one part OF the community
is permitted to do some things on tn
Sabbath that is not strictly right tn
whole population, everywhere, must b.
allowed to do everything that is wrong. Sucl
logic as this, ii carried out to its legitimat
consequences, would utterly sdbVert civ
society and create hell on earth. 1t is sim
ply amazing that men who lay claim to ord
nary virtue and Intelligence can argue thai
because legislation does not fully NEE
case, it should, therefore, not try to NEE
it at all. But, as has been well said euus
neglect is not impartial kind2ess. The specie
of benevolence which arises from contempt {
all justice and pIopriety is no true charit,
Rattar auffer that which partlV Drotects n >,