Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-11-23


of tho Christian Sabbath is little perplcxed |
to my mind. | 1st. All that our Lord says
on it Is pri,na .facie on the side of relaxation.
I'd. The APOSTLES who enforce, and, as it |
were, re-cnact every other commandment of
the ten, never advert to this. 3D.. Even to
Gentle converts they lay no stress on this,
which might be expected to come first
among externalst 4th. According to the
letter Paul teaches the Colossians Q1 l6)
not to be scrupulous about Sabbaths. am
not, therefore, surprised Calvin had doubts
on the subject. Unjust wait for more light"
In A. ID. 321 the Emperor Constantine the
Great, in the exercise of his civil authority,
ordained as follows: "Let all judges, and
people of the town rest, and all the various
trades be suspended, on tho venerable day OF
the sun (renoaJW die solis). Those who
live in the country, however, may freely and
without fault attend to the cultivation OF
their fields, (since it often happens, that no
other day may be so suitable for sowing
grain and planting the vinc); lest, with the
loss of favorable opportunity, the commodi-
ties offered By Divine Providence should be
destroyed"
Judge Bell, in Specht vs. Com. e Barr,
$3.50, puts the Sunday law on its true basis.
"Its sole mission is to inculcatc temporary
weekly cessation from labor, but 1t adds not
to this requirement any religious obliga-
ton"
l shall therefore treat the case before us
rs one within the exceptions of necessity
and charity. Before doing so it will be pro
per to consider the history of this prohibi
tory law. With us it binds all persons,
whether Israelites or seventh day Christians.
In Maine, Massachusetts,, Connecticut, New
York, and Ohio, persons who conscicntiously
believe and Keep the seventh-day as holy
time, may do secular work and labor on
Sunday, provided they disturb no other per-
sons and in Connecticut the prohibition to
do any work is limited to that portion of
of the day between the rising of the sun and
the setting of the same. Our very illiber-
alty should make us more dcsirous to cX-
tend the limits of necessity and charity and
not to confne them within narrow boun-
darics in this age Of improvement.
In England the railroads are MT compelled
to run on Sundays, but whenever they do,
they are obliged to provide cheap train
also, which shall stop at all the usual sta
tions, so as to accommodate poor persons.
! Some sixteen years ago, the directors of the
railway between Glasgow and Edinburgh
stopped the Sunday train, except the mail
| the mail. This road has been lately purchas-
Ell by the North British Railway Company
who have resumed the Sunday trains, much
to the comfort Of the people 1t is not as
tonishing that the Scottish clergy, who arc
all of one denomination, should be very
strict in their Sunday obscrvanccs, when il
was thought improper to walk on Sunday
afternoon, after divine service, for recreation
and when in some parts of Scotland clergy
man cannot shave himself on Sunday morn
ing, because it is an infraction of the fourth
commandment, 'ln it thou shalt do no man
ncr of works.
There are now four passenger railways il
Pittsburg, operating seventeen miles Of ROAD
and passing in front of churches of every
sect and denomination, and ali running OF
Sunday, and used and patronized by divine'
judges, and all the religious persons in the
community. They have met with universe
appreciation, and the Sunday cars have be
come matter of absolute necessity in taking
persons to and from church, and have con
duced greatly to the peace and quiet of the
city and suburbs.
This is the universal belief, and know il
to be correct, having frequently ridden il
them on Sunday.
But we should not oblige the working
man to contine himself to his own narrow
sitting room, and forbid him to enjoy til,
fresh air of heaven. We have three long
months of summer which the laboring man
cannot escape. Merchants, manufacturers
lawyers, judges, and physicians run away
from them, and even clergymen leave theiI
churches, and so to the sea,shore or to the
mountains to avoid the torIid months %
July and August. Shall not the operative
have the poor privilege allowed him of {
passenger car on Sunday!
am deeply impressed with the necessit!
Of proper observance of Sunday as a day
OF worship and prayer, and of rest from la
Dor; but living under the new dispensation
and not under the old dispensa.ion, fee
no inclination to turn the Lords day into
Jc~iSh SdbJath.
SIN 1853, the Presbytcry of Strathbogie condemn
ed an offender accused Of Sabbath breaking for say
| ing the life of a sheep.
- 40 s.