The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-07-18
Sunday Employments.


BY law, every citizen has the privilege
of not doing on Sunday what he is oblig
ed to do on other days The very prac
tical question meets him, what different
things he can do which will make this
Sunday privilege profit or a delight,
Nobody is compelled to 90 to meeting or
to sing psalms, or to learn catechism, or
to read sermons to fill up his time. 1t is
of no use to object to Sunday as Puritan
Sunday, for the law makes it free day,
and forbids work so that it shall be free.
1t is somewhat singular fact, that with
this chance of free day so many can
find nothing better to do than to do bust
ness and work just as on other days, as if
we did not all work hard enough from
Monday morning to Saturday night. 1t
is also something of commentary on the
capacity of many people for Improvement
and enjoyment that after a little extra
scrubbiug and dressing is flushed on
Sunday morning, they don't know to do
with themselves for the rest of the day,
and only consent to go to church because
It's little less stupid than to sit at home
and cape at their Oon dullness instead Of
a preachers. Some try cigar and a
novel, others big dinner and nap,
others sitting around big stove and spit
ting at it. But after all these resources
have failed the only thing left is to wish
for Monday and go to bed very early.
We wish to suggest some things which
can be done, to add interest to the Sun
day of those who find its freedom dull.
Take an hour Sunday moning and sit
down alone, and think what you have
done during the past week, aud affiliate
the question whether you have done just
as you really think is best, and mean to
keep on doing. Have you told any lies the
past week =? Count them on your fingers,
if you can, and seriously consider wheth-
er you always mean to be liar?
Have you abused your neighbor, run
down your competitor in other stores
slandered other politicians, or hurt any.
body's reputation the past week These
things are unspeably mean you know
they are. God be thanked if you haven 7
| done them But somebody does them
ask that somebody whether he always
intended to be mean fellow
Have you cheated anybody in the last
ten days? Have you deceived any EN-
ployer or kept back the just pay of any
workman i? Have you advertised decep
tion of any kind Does any money stick
to you, which belongs to any body else ?
Are you going to make permanent cheat
of yourself?
Are you not smoking too many cigars
running up debts which you dom
know how to pay ; making larger swell
than your copital justifes-and getting
ready for smash and run? We hope
not. But all these things happen, and il
any one is overriding himself in these
days, ought he not to know it, and settle
. whether his course is best?
Take another hour on Sunday to dc
somebody some good for which you
haven't the time on any other day. Write
letter to the mother, or brother, OIL
sister, whom you have forgotten for {
long time. Hunt out a friend who ha:
disappeared from your interest, aud renew
cordial acquaintance. Find out some
body who is suffering, and carry fresl
cheer to him or her. Go to see the folk.
who would be glad to see you, but whom
you are not always glad to see. Help tt
put some kind of home feeling int
everybody who is homeless. There art
plenty of good acts, which are not com
mon-aud on Sundays you want to d'
something uncommon. That is what tn,
day is made for. I'm talking to peopl,
who find Sunday dull aud the church un
meaning, and do not care to pay religion
much attention. | DO not want to driv,
you where you do not want to 60 Blu
we ought all Of US to make of Sunday
finer day than the rest of days, becaus
we have the chance. Our daily toll make
US dull Sunday ought to wake US up
Our daily temptations make us decetfuI
hard aud selfish. Sunday ought to loosel
out the chords of affection and humanit,
and give us hearts of flesh. The dali
life of men is burdened with sin an
ugliness-streaked with deceit, foult
with lust and appetite. 1t deserves to b
improved. Sunday is Improvement time
believe that when any one begins t
improve his time, he will soon find wha
good church Sunday will do, aud tn
value of religion. Friends, try my advic
little while -. A. SmHh.
After all the grumbling, the crops i
| 1