Evening star., 1869-06-10
SUNDAY RECREATIONs. -

an article on SUNDAY Recreations," YOU saw
ihst you nnd hostng In your exchanges the
CIatiOE of Milwaukee, al a recent meeting,
voted. BY large naloriiy, to keep open their
library on sunday Allow M to say that IT
was not the Young Mems Christian Assoc alton
that passed such u vote but the u oung Mems
Association, that IL was not to open the library
for the drawing of books on Sunday at all,
which IL not allowed, nor 10 open the rooms
during any hours of Sunday except between
about two ana six O'Clock an the afternoon.
while the churches are not open for religious
s~ryiCes. Furthermore, IL should be said, that
the rev measure was gensT0iiy opposed by
the Cburch-gOing portion OF the ASSOCIATION
and even Dv most OF is officers, ana tnai It was
earned mainly through a large German ele-
ment. tnat regards the first day OF the week rs
ioliiOy, and not day appointed of God for
religious services and sacred rest only Men,
hers CT the assoCia iation. who patrOuiZs Beer
Gardens, and Ic-Gardens, and German
Tneaters on Sunday, voted to open the library
some others Joined them with the hope that II
might keep them away from Beer Saloons, Il ?,
&c Thus far, as q result no ripple on the cur
Tent CT noisy, dIssipating Sunday amusement
- SEyWheTe seen. and only q few avail them
S-lyes OF entering the library. There are some
al Milwaukee, W no believe that the openinr of
tee library on Sunday is one of a series of acts
designed by portion to break down the
sanctiiy OF that day, and that II Is we'll tiled to
shSi result, and finally to deprive the masses
entirely of the Sabbath rest by the Introduction
of secular business and labor In its stead.
A MnwAUKEBAN.
Our correspondent is quite evidently a sim
cere believer in what we may term for conye.
nience,and in no depreeiatory sense the Puri-
tanic Observance of the Sabbath. Doubtless
be holds conscientiously tnat Sunday as the
Sabbath should be given exclusively to reii.
gious purposes-prayer, attendance at church
three tunes IN the day. the study of religious
hooks, and conversation on religious subjects
There are many who hold with him that this
Is the only manner in which Christians can
properly spend the day. Opposed to this idea
are the large body of foreign born citizens, who
Complain OF the restrictions put upon them by
our Sunday usages, and ask that they may be
permitted to enjoy their Sundays-especially
Sunday afternoons-after the manner they
have been used to at home. in what they clam
10 be innocent and healthful recreation no.
where interdicted in the Divine law. They
are reinforced by great numbers of native-born
citizens. who cnafe under what they term the
grim blue-law Observance Of Sunday, and
which they insist makes the first day OF the
week intended by our Creator 10 be day of
rest and benificent, cheerful relaxation, really
day Of punishment and gloom. That keen
observer, Mrs. Frsnces Trollope, in her 80 Do
mestic Manners of the Americana written
many years ago, notced the fact that the women
OF America do the church going. The men
shirk Il systematically. Some Of them may
shuttle out of n on the Ingenious as
sumption we have heard one invetera,e
church -shirker advance, that as woman
broueh ht sin into the world she should do the
church-going to get il out; but IN Whatever way
they may excuse themselves il is certain that
An increasingly large proportion of the male
population Of the country spend their Sundays
elsewhere than at church. The attempt to
bring them to the Puritanic observance of the
day is q failure. This being the case the ques-
tion arises whether they shall be gwen over to
tDe Enemy altogether, or whether the Sunday
ooseryaness cannot be amsiiorated for the ben
nj OF weak flesh. The number of services
might be reduced, and above all q little atten-
tion might be paid to the ventilation of churches
so that men can enter without being asphyxi-
ated. Women are salananders, and can breathe
all day upon pint OF air-they never want a
window opened or ventilator raised. but men
with larger lung-power find the sense of
drovsy oppression from bad air settling do wn
upon them with irresistible effect the moment
they enter q modern aIr-tignt church.
Prayers and sermons can be iudiciously short.
ened. The Lords Prayer, in Its simplicity
and point, affords hint to those who imagine
that our Creator needs TO have all our possible
wants minutely itemized. Tne Bible censure
of the much praying Pharisees supplies an
other hint. But no inconsiderable portion O.
the day should be spent in Gods own temple,
rooted in by the blue sky, worsnipping Him
through His great and wonderful works. This
is worship. rest, and recreation in the true
SsbbatIc sense.
heopening of public libraries on the SUNDAY.
we hold, Is a move In the same right direction,
OF giving to the people a healthy, eIevating
substitute for the present modes OF "kiIling
lime on that day. Ii the German element of
The Milwaukee Library Association thar pat
TonIze beer gardens, music gardens, and thea
tiers on Sunday, favor sitting down to quiet
reading as su bstitute for their Sunday dissi-
pahons. we should hail II as a disposition on
their part for something better; a desire sedu.
ously TO be encouraged.