The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-07-30
"The Lords Day Is Tabu.,,

1%OIo (st Is tlDus
On our fourth page will be found an abstract
Of a sermon preached by Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher, on the observance of the Sabbath. 1t
seems he had been asked to sign a petition to the
Legislature to pass a law forbidding street cars
running on that day. He declined to do so, and
some of his parishioners wishing to know his rea-
sons, he preached the sermon referred to. In it
he takes broad and liberal ground respecting
the day, that it was designed to be q day of relax
alton and rest, which man might devote to glorify-
ing his Creator, and seeking his spiritual improve
ment. But while man is commanded to rest from
his labors on that day, he is also enjoined : to
keep it holy" In doing so, each one must be
governed by his own belief of what is right and
wrong under the law, amenable of course to his
Maker and the public conscience.
While some may not agree with Mr.. Beecher
that cars or ferry boats should run that the poor
can 60 to church, as well as the rich and feeble
ride in their carriages, yet We think that most
will coincide with him, that it is peculiarly a
day when all may and should be freed from all
unnecessary work. There are certain duties
however, which cannot be avoided. The police
man who guards our homes, the servant who
cooks our food, the sailor whO n~avigates the ship,
must all perform their accustomed service.
The arrival of a ship in port on Sunday necessl-
tates certain labor, which is not required if the
ship is idle in the harbor, as entering port, moor
ing to the wharf and discharging passengers.
But it does not require the discharge Of cargo-this
is unnecessary labor, which can only be performed
by disregarding the public conscience if not the
laws.
There has been much discussion the past week
about the sailing of the steamer on Sunday last,
and there is just Indignation respecting the viola
ton of the law by such departure. We under
stand that natives and draymen were paid double
wages to work on that day. Were this a port of
call there might be some reason for the departure Of
steamers on Sunday, as the time Of their stoppage
in port must be limited toa certainnumber of hours.
But it is not so at present. 1t is the terminus of
the California steamers and the terminus of the
Australian steamers. AT present, there is no
necessity for the departure of steamers from this
port on Sunday.
The Pacific Mail Steamship Company, during
its twenty years service between New York and
San Francisco, has never allowed its steamers to
leave the terminal ports on Sunday. Even when
it had q tri-monthly or ~semi-monthly line, and
the sailing day fell on Sunday. it despatched its
vessels on Saturday. At intermediate ports of
call, however, Its steamers always leave with as
little delay as is required to coal or transfer pas
sengers. Passengers arriving at Panama Sunday
morning would leave Aspinwall the same evening.
A boat arriving at Acapulco on Sunday would
coal up and leave in six hours. This is not the
case here at present, thosgh it may be as soon as
the through line is opened.
The apologists of Sunday steamer traffic argue
that If the departure of steamers on Sunday is
unlawful and must be discontinued, then the post
Office must be closed for the delivery of mails, as
well as all newspaper agencies. This certainly is
sound logic. But custom all over the world re-
quires the delivery of letters and papers on the
arrival of mails on Sundays. IF our law is viola
ted in so doing, then the post-ofice and all news
should be closed by the authorities. We
have never regarded it as a violation of the law
for the post-ofhce to assert mails, or deliver letters
and papers. or take in postage fees on Sunday
Nor for a news dealer to deliver papers to sub
scribers. The selling of papers is somewhat
different, and may be in contravention of the law.
All that is necessary, however, is to have the law
understood, and there will probably be no violation
of 1t, regarding mails or newspaper traffic
The Hawaiians are proverbially a Sunday-keep-
ing and law-abiding people. Fifty years of civil
and religious instruction have taught them to
at least outwardly, this great Christian
institution, which cannot be regarded other than
a blessing to the people that cherishes it. We
trust that the authorities win not allow any par
ties to bride native laborers to violate the law, by
offering double pay for work done on Sunday.
does this is openly defying the law, and
to its penalty. While we will not
any unreasonable regulations or laws
to the Sabbath or its observance, we
would still wish to see the executive officers
against any open violation of our simple
injunction the Lords d0y as tain y
and where parties clearly defy it. test the matter
fairly and firmly in the courts.
FARES AND FREIGHTs.-The fare by rail, says the
Sacramento Bee, between New York and Sacramento,
has been reduced from $40 to $l30-freight has
reduced ten per cent. :