Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-01-12
TIE suNnRY PRESS.

Sunday papers have been tolerated, ifnot
encouraged, in their violation of the Sab
bath, until from timidity they have adyanc-
ed to aggressiveness. The Philadelphia Press
has essayed to lead their host in the assault
upon religious observances and institutions,
and defiance of the law of the land as well as
the moral and religious sense of the People
Its editor shows his dupicity and incon>is-
tency in style that would be amusing if
the subject were not one too serious for lev
ity Take the following from his defence
"0ur reverend critics should understand
that in a period, when, into single bsu,
are frequently compressed the events OF
years, and when the eyolutions and inyen-
tions fnan are so numerous and rapid as
to battle Imagination and defy parallel, the
people on Sunday morning are just as anx-
ious to know what transpired on Saturday
as those on Monday are to learn what took,
place on Sunday. This is thinking and
reading age, and ours is thinking and a
reading country. Is God better served by
spreading before his creatures good doc
trines, Or by allowing them to peruse what
ever they can seize upon to fill their leisure
Sabbath horrs?"
The same plea, of desire, might be made
an excuse for every violation, of, not only
Sabbath and Sabbath laws, but also, of all
other laws, and in accordance with this
spirit we find in the same number an arti-
Gle of full column in advocacy of running
the city street cars for the aecomoda-
ton of Sunday pleasure parties, quickly
verifying the truth that .facilis desce1slts
AreyHi, But the editor speaks of spread
iHg before MS readers good doctrines for
their perusal during the leisure hours of the
Sabbath, the paper from which this extract
Is made, contains pages or S4 columns of
printed matter, what are the good doctrines
embodied in these pages. About l6 col
umnsar devoted to secular news embracing
court proceedings, police reports, CONNER
cial political and financial news, &C., two
columns are given to church news and sta
tistics, with but little ola religious character
about them, s columns to exclusively busi-
ness advertisements, to amusements, ope-
ras, cireuses, theatres, &C., to tales and
poetry,6 to theatrical and dramatic criticisms,
TO miscellaneous but not religious matter,
to the advocacy of Sunday railroad travel
and Sunday amusements, and theremaining
Al colnmns are devoted to the Sunday ques-
ton and an argument in favor of the abro-
cation Of not only, the Sabbath day, but al
so, of the moral law and the Decalogue.
One of these articles concludes thus. In
the present state each man is entitled to
judge for himself how much, or what part
of the day he viii employ, and in what ay-
ocations, whether useful physical labor, in
social visiting, attention to the sick and af-
hieted, in meetings for religious improve
ment, orin mental culture, literary or scien,
tifc; knowing that in the doing of all right
things he is worshipping God. :"
Weneyer had very high opinion of the
moral integrity Of e'The Press Its toad
yism in politics was absolutely disgusting and
now its practical infdelity in religion, and O.
pen advocacy of the abrogation of all moral
restraints make its very pages loathsome.
Hewho introduces it into his family must
have strong faith in his own restraining
influence. or small regard for the morals Of
his children.