New-York tribune., 1872-04-23

large audience the great hall 0f the Cooper Institute
last evening, the question: "Ts the Opening OF our
Public Libraries Sunday consistent with Christian
uses OF the Lords "" A. g Hewitt Secretary OF the
Cooper Union presided and introduced Mr. Beecher who
said:
am child of Puritan ancestors and my associations
VIE "ih the strctst observance OF me Chrisuan el
haib love the day and desire 20 see 70 maintained aud
believe that it Is capable Of larger use-not les5
moral not IN tie spirit of desecaon, not by breaking
lt doWn hut by giving 20 1t larger ilt iner scope
am are that tIcre many who bold that TINS Is
day prescribed by direct divine authority, that Its
Observance Il obligatory IN the sense OF an express
command, aud thai the mode OF Observance Is snbsan-
italy settled respect these mep iloqgn do not en-;
;sriain such views 20 the sa6e * ent that they do hnd
o-er against these q large number many OF
whom no; born m this country, who have brought
the customs and usages OF heir own hnds 10 our shores
and with them are mingled Large NUMBERS OF
men having various degrees OF ln5eH Hgence, who
belieVe that the SaDpatn IS mercy bonuay,
IN the ordinary Of that ter and that IL Onght 10
be day for mere social enjoyment RESPECT their ND
menls. bur stand somewhere between these two cx-
trenes, attempting, If possible. 90 fnd ground on
witch both OF them may stand mat there may not De
conflict but afher cooperation the part OF Intelligent
Although did not keep tn lords Day according to
the eateeheteal Instructions reeeiyed & 6.t ndni M gea
moral senshility, certain poetical element,
derived by from Puritanical observance
II thought that any steps take in advance would
take from men tine thought that on that day
the Lord more especially near 10 men
In their thoughts though not In fact II
thought II would subtract one particle from the stmu
atiOn of the nOblcst and best parts of nature
would never utter word. nor by means Whatever
endeayor 20 abate the rSor VIA which our Puritan
day, and say that there must be not less hut more
made OF the - abbath; not there be less of
sanctity but that the sanctty, taking to ITSELF humanity
must be broader and deeper.
do not believe we have received tho Sabbath
count OF the Lords absolute command. Certainly the
jewish sabbath IS not ours IL only dav OF rest
joyful dav OF the Jews TIE only thing hat was
forbid was work II was forbidden man 10
walk the grass with heavy nails in his shoes
lest he might thresh ont some OF the seed, and
that would be equivalent 10 tlreshins; and
many other such nice distinctions were made.
IL was not dstlnctiYey rellsous dav Dui SIMPLY DAY
OF seem lrrest. We have No command IN he Srw Fest
10 the manner in which the day should be- OBJ
served We have derived our sabbath from our Puritan
ancestors who made 10 exclusively "A day OF moral
teaching and elirest-int that comes down TO Us with
bars aud bolts ana reOrs mat dd NOT Deong 10 the
primitive Lors Day. and which reason does not IN our
, g a, e & 9b9| 19n pi fb. no " be oi LTd'
day; who is the Lordf IL is that Jesus who
thought u wa. professional woTk and rebuhed h!l
for IT. Christ declared that II was lawful to do good
for sabbath. Wherever the sabbath day IS
so administered mat any part OF tho community .
through tt Observance because tie Sabbath was not
made to Keep down nunanity-t was made 10
circi,m-crTe mans thoncht feeling or condncf bnt
10 Augment them. In snort, the LORDS day day for
chi dren With snci noros of the sauctity OF tbe s
with - gentle restraints nus feel Slat ~ is terror
80 Le ma ;, fecI IL r. sh9nli be a INV
0 phv seal rest af0rdng opportunity Tor mental and
moral Improvement. /; is good thing 10 attend Sab
which religion should be he pei by the social element
dO not believe IN sodrness religion. There
thousands Young men who come 10 Nev-fOIk
from warn-heartcd home circles. Here they are
among strangers they are worked hare during the day
and tney either sleep a. the stone roost IN boarding
house. GaugAtor The may Dc. men the sabbath
special church 0f which they know anything II hey
20 into church they met with stare. much a.
o say what under heaven are you here Tor ~ !
Per lps an usher ttAes them aiouhb 10 the
minutes. looking at each othef ana hrn get up ana bo
OK II tcy rcBan. they are tod mat the ministry mas
een handed down from the Apostles They glad 90
learn rhg u u 90 5nt there s no specal nourlsent
iu IL In another cnu ch They are informed that !
uo, % I',. ..,.f M ~ ~ ,r ,'ssIhly
Dee accumHodated in all the churches heeatomDs OF
yoGa- men are destroyed ia s city without mourners
q ID lsaA!s are going the way oil delth anu NOBODY
the young men. rleclan.cs, clerks. anu labor
Ing men Of New-IOrA, ought 10 have something !
Mace of resort for them our Christianity hls !
done much there are noble ana seli-denylns laoor
of churches, 6dt there ae things tlat
W. % oi"es w or,r-d on sunday which snail make "A vonng
man without excuse waGders INTO IolbdoeA paths
Under fhe crruli5tance. say that II there be well
cutpd reading rooms. cOmeY nails and libraries, gal
elics where ccnUus art soIcs. but where there l.
az appeal ID te o. beauty, where there IS liberty
u the 81 that Master whose resurrection or rehirh
" cumuenr that day N the spirit Of that Master
I say tIy try II. Applause D'serch az tA'oe con
c.,tipls men who are opposed marepr sent the |
intent OF those VINO seek 10 open I'D Sc rtadn,
ana ubrIc-, who they 40 not care anything ior /
,.nlay, AID ole going 10 uioaA d""A "a D' ana &c
sts0y ire sabbath We are stepping IN 20 eA'eiFoI 10 /
supplement noble work OF tuc churches 10 40 some
things that the cAulcAes Here not iAaue 10 DO; |
hundr ]. of thousands IN the cry oi New-YOrk who on
SUNDAY. something done for them than
is done. They have no homes tAey cahhQt unuer
the tircums stanccs attend the cAIcrcS we'll IL Is /
said they viii 20 to readin ,rOous." Some VII.
nJr but u VIII be worth opeins the room
Their, snail 10 attend II. some say, HOu nave nn
right TO Sse 5Ae LORDS u1 eAcep' bt oI tt pa the
religion say We nave a l--1' " ,o,i.' - .'-o
Lords day tor every purpose OF hunmunY' !
religious mora or sociai. II l. oe, ea MI II VI RsgI
", arr competent for sefsOye,nmcn we are Try iug 20
mean s1Od We mean Nlituc anu l a4-
lie experiment. Is iauy uc4 II 10 found th4t ~ |
rather than beneficial 1 pledge myself ana these |
gentlemen Joined with me that the door snail |
T. those say, II YOU begin 70 yOu cannot stop It,
say -tOp 10. An ineligelt community can 20 o
iefr 10 be beneficial. Il is SAID that yCIns M VIII
withdraw from the churches and reading ana iAieiI
II will withdraw from the street 20 every one with
drawn from the Churches ana Dy sIinnauAE ait
Will DO likely send many more young |
men 10 the CHURCHES than are now dI%h & 10 10 Ile H
fies no one viii 20" Very we'll goes there Is
no harm doie. say, IL l. very ris&y ana per
ous thing You have tried Il, and 40 not know
what the re AIT VIII be-" The thing has been Tried
fNr Beecher then read letter from A. {. Halo
iScl OF PhAadel pnl, stating that the Mercantile
Library Of that city Lad yeen open 10 tie public |
IN SUNDAYS for two years and the average attendance
mad Tlren steadily from 200 per day during the !
iirst year 10 200. nearly all OF whom were young men,
and that both The President AID Librarian expressed
Themselves entirely satisfied WITH the WORKING Oi the
arran cement Dir. Beeoher con.nnedI Ihey should ne
ot-ueq think on sunday. noon iii al least 10
o'clock at u. .bt. LIT the rooms be wei HEhted ana
made attractive ana believe tna experience @iil SHOW
after a few wears, that Aew-IOTk never dd wiser
thing in her Christianity than 10 provide these BONES
and places OF resort for the young men o s great clJ
A resolution then adopted requesting the mana
gers of the Cooper Union. the Mercantile and Astor Ii
raries and AL the great libraries not only OF New
York but in every large city II the country, ~ open
their reading rooms upon sunday under such
regulartous a. tuey may deem advisable M