Evening star., 1869-05-31
SUNDAY REIREATIONS

Now that the Young Mems Christian Asso
c atIon Of Washington are about opening their
ire new building for use We call their attep
ton 70 the following paragraph we find afost
il our exchanges, The Young Mems Christian
Association Of Milwaukee 8; recent meeting
voted by large majority TO keep open their
library on sunday"
The question OF the free use OF public read
irg-rocms On Sunday IL now being widely
dg!tated, but Milwaukee Is the first place in the
country. we believe, TO bring it to a practical
test In Boston there has been an animated
contest for year or more between the friends
Ci - nday reading and the stiCxlers for the old
blue-law prohibition OF any thing savorIng of
Sunday relaxation. The latter have tenn
pOTary triumph, the City Council having de-
cIded adversely 10 theiI petition Tor the OPEN
ing OF the City Library on the Sabbath In
New York movement has been started and is
sustained by some of the best men of that CITY
Tor the opening of the Mercantile Library
Reading Room IN Clinton Hall on all hoII-
dave. Including Sundays, from 10 10 D. m
AS the constitution of the Library Association
requires to b. altered TO tnat end, some time Is
requisite TO effect the change, but the belief is
that IT will be made. In the same direction is
the example set by Henry Ward Beecher OF
providing public lectures on secular topics al
his Bethel on Sunday evenings. Washington,
more than any other city In the country, needs
some such bsnefcIrl influence as would be af-
forded by opening a good reading room on the
Sabbath for the free use of the large number of
young men afioat here separated from home
influences; the young men who have their
abiding places at boarding houses and hotels
the clerks, and other Government employees,
and tie apprentices. What tedious day Sun
tsy Is TO a large proportion of our young men
-. l.k
which they endeavor TO kill time, lounglng on
street corners or about hotel halls tramping
long distances under a broiling sun with gun
or fishing rod, or wandering about from one
lsser-beer garden to another in quest of amuse-
ment and Sunday drinKs-what a God send to
these young men, or a large proportion of them
would be an attractive, well-ventilated reading
room. where wholesome reading, but not ex-
ClusIysly religious, should be provided for
eyeTy conner,
Ii may be said thar the Sabbath should be
devoted exclusively to church. gong prayer
and the study OF religious oooEs We see
however. that TINS mode of spending the day
does not attract the class TO be dealt with
Perhaps our hot, badly ventilated churches
may have something TO do WITH it; or our
preachers msy be too didactic: but there can
be 10 doubt of the fact that the young men OF
our cities are very much disposed TO shirk
ehurch-going. The mountain will not come
10 DIahommed, then let Mahommsd go TO the
mou ntaln. II the young men will not attend
the churches, let them De provided with
something of an intermediate character
tina. shall at least keep them out OF harms
way. Let our Young Mems Christian Asso-
cIa'Ion try the experiment of keeping
their rooms open Sundays, ~ any rate
Tor portion OF the day. We should urge the
opening of the Congressional library and its
adjunct the SmithsoEia ian LIBRARY on SUNDAY
for the use of the people, but as Congressional
action would be needed for this purpose II
would be premature now to agItate it,