Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-11-19

REV. Dr. Dashlolls, from the committee op
pointed to prepare report a. te nov 10 secure
better observance Of tho SaDDalh Jay, toPotteh
SOW TO OBSERVE THE SABBATH.
The committee appointed gy the Pastors
the services OF Christian ciliEeus Tor Indicating
and promoting civil profession OF tile Sabbalh
day, respectfully report
The civil law rccOgniEes the Sabbath. NO
legal business can be transacted within It's hours.
special ennctments have been made TO secure
civil quiet during it, Observance BY the CHRIS.
tian community. These enactments, II must 20
confessed are often eyaded by various pursuits
Of gain, a fockless love Of pleasure aud pa
Eeantry. Violations OF existing laws, which
we're desiEned to &c stringent 6 s s,Sli ave We
thorities In good faith for the promotion OF
order and the apprehension OF vice, occur
sometimes by the connlvance Of eltIena o. re.
pute whose signatures secure too many haunts
Of sin In their Vicinity. Christian men not only
tolerate, but encourage the multiplication OF
these places In the squares on which they trans,
act business. Possibly imperfect knowledge Of
civil safeguards OF sunday quiet and mere
police neglect may account for many Violations.
The rsOt OF the matter lies deeper than this.
Protesting Christians aud upright citizens
must learn to decline these appeals for recon.
mendatiOn for license aud must demand and
sustain the faithful enforcement Of existing
laws on tho subject. II II is Compatible WITH
the dIstinctlyeness Of civil and religious affairs
to intorpose the shield OF state between tho
Christian claiming the privilege Of worship un-
interrupted by those VINO 10 NOT lttl US uNllAh
tlOn aud II tho policy OF our Government, inunl.
eipal, state and Federal, has been TO guard the
welfare Of the whole community, not by enlore'
ing religious prccepis or establishing religious
institutOns, but by protecting those who cherish
them, we may demand that those advantages
may not DO destroyed BY the eagerness Of
trade or
THE sHAMELEssNEss or VICE.
ITit IL right TO suppress abuses VI lawful pur.
suits II Is a higher duty 10 put down the eiirun-
terry Of Sin, which dares 10 defy all Law. The
facts, which are the proofs OF these conclusions,
must be obtained, N the opinion Of your com.
| mittee, by indeponflnt citizens, who, by their
prudence and energy, will pa iently observe
and iearlessly report them Ihe n l !li.,
avenues Of crime TO the inspection VI the clergy
| Their duty lies mainly 10 public address aud
teaching. Their calling makes them visitors OF
/ the outcast for reformation Of personal ehaTao.
ter rather than inspectors OF legal wrong The
community expect from Christian pastors con-
ciliation and tenderness. Ministers Of the
| gospel do not, II Is true, iUregO the rights and
immunlties Of eitlzenship. Their hostages OF
| household and property are pledged TO society
and demand It's projections yet their Oihelal
duties require such careiuluessO OF life and avoid.
ancs OF offence, even against ignorance and
prejudice, that TO appear rs CensOrs OF civil mat
| ieTs and eNactOTs OF penalties would DO TO risk
much Of their usefulness to some classes VI the
community.
we therefore respectfully suggest that citl.
| Ieus who are exempt IRON professional 70.
straints, and whose occupations bring 70 their
| to the public teachers OF religion, should ex.
anime and cOllute the iac's OF civil and criminal
oibOOTs which impair the sauetity aud useful.
ness OF one day OF rest. The ministry ought "a
awake the attention Of their lay brethren to the
danger Of tOlerating abuses until those commit
ting them assume the sanction Of law, or under
cover Of alleged public opinion claim its prOtec
ton. Indifference assures wrOng-doeIs Of the
want Of strong conviction and easy compliance
In their opponents. The attention Of Christian
citizens ought to be directed to the necessity Of
Sabbath for the due observance o. reliSioul
worship, and to the relation which the WrAdI
and number Of crimes hold to the
NEGLECT or SUNDAY LAWS.
| The Lords day Is one Of the strongest barrier
TO public disorder. II Il y safe defence Of bOcia
morality, II Is tho most Effective external safe
guard Of spiritual religion. II men In thi
| community will violate tins day let the author
tiles see that this neglect does not invade thu
public and private rights OF those who wish h
observe II. This would cOnstrain no conscience
y would only require that others shall not, D!
attention, make our convictions Of sunday dut!
imprnctlcable. 10 n word, our claim Is simpl!
opportunity Of quiet worship In public or privat
on this day. AS 1t Is a day OF legal rest, VI
wish tho full benefit Of the law that We ms!
make II day OF religious rest In order, there
fore, to surrender, with our earnest prayer lUl
their highest spiritual and eternal welfare, TIT
subject TO the laymen and citizens around us
we submit the following recommendations:
l. A conference OF lnymen aud ministers. On
| layman from each Of our congregations and 81
ministers OF this union To be elected by ballot.
q The aupOlniment by this conference OF
committee d iaymon, TO whom shall be cntrusts,
| the management OF questions pertaining TO tn
| enforcement or moderation OF Sunday law.
| 8. Sermons and addresses by the members O
this pastors union, cooperative with the plan
: Of this committee Of laymen.
On motion Of Rev. DR.. Sunderland, after
slight alteration, the report was adopted.
The CHAIR announced that the noIt bushes
in order was the election Of tho six minister
| rom Ihe n.stoTsi Association TO confer with IN
laymen,
The following were then chosen Rev. Drl
DashIsIls. Sunderland. RANKIN. Juttsn. Wat
kins and SeatOB.
| nr Sunderland moved that thu membeFs a
the pastoral union take steps to have a iSyma
| aDp6Inted fFum their respectIye churches Al a
eaily day as possible, and that tho name VI III
app6Intss DO transmitted 10 DR. DashlellS. Tn
motion was amended that DR.. Dashlells oUmmu
nicats with the congregations OF the respective
| churches on the subject, ut his earliest cOnye
nIence, and then passed.
Rev. j, q, Butler, from the conference CON
| mittee on the sunday evening meetings held a
| Lincoln hall, submitted the following:
mi, rt,.,s,r,,-,, ,.soc,, mo-, ,,,vr,,,s
W.ss1sn7,,s n a Naysmb.r 10 Ina
DEAR SIN: In Response TO the request OF Ii
Young Men! Christian A,SoeLs!l91, that tn
| ieT with tbe s1rIsfy an IN work. a meetinV va
held this day at The rooms OF tho ass1oiation
There were present on the part Of tho pastor
| Rev MessrE ButIgr RnnkIn Parker DashIelIl
Sunderland and SeatOn, and on the part Of III,
association MessTs. +. ii. smith, Hall, Foster
/ | Richards and NsTWin
| Rev Or Parker was calIed To the chair An,
O. ii. MerWin elected secretary.
| After discussion. the following resolutions, Of
feTed by Rev, j. III. DlsbieIls were adopted
Rsloipsd, That alter careful examination q
the subject Of the Y, NJ. q. A. public services o
the Lords day, we respectfully recommend /
| the association TO RTraDEe their services II not
sibls, 60 as not 10 conflict with public service
In the surrounding churches,
Rrs0IVfd, That this advice Is not designed /
be applied to meetings held at night speoiaIl
| for the class of persons who do not attend III
churches, II In the Judgment Of the young me
II shall not conn Ct with tho spirit of the mrs
| resolution.
The following resolution, offered by O., II
| MeTyIn was also adOpted
RftOIped, That We recommend TO tho pastor
Of this city that they take such action 10y an
| nnIniinV a n0mmittsS nT ntheTHiseI a. NAV seeG
Viss viii tbe Ynnnr MANI CbIisiian Gssncis
tion. w. PARKRR, ChaiTman,
| q. IL. MEkwIs. Secretary
| ma aUNpRnLAND MAS ATIAFTED
| DR. Sunderland Wished 10 saw thai there ba,
been some addition 10 The rs10rt sInce il WA
| read IN him a. a membeT az ths cnfn mIttee nm,
| il was his oniDion Thai the whole matter ha,
halter he IndshnifCiI nostnoned. IL anDeaTe,
| l'NNlNf-N'-f