The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1874-12-20
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lsl, laais Republican,
Tho discussion Of tho Sunday
question has been reopened- This
time II has taken an pnantlpipaled
course, Ia tho pending debate tho
lheologlans are loft out, The issue
Ia not whether man Is commanded
10 abstain from labor on tho seventh
day by q divine iaw'glyer but
whether no Ia not required 10 do 80
by an imperative law Of His physical
nature, Tho proportions TO DO dis
cussod partake more Of tho social
than tho ethical oharaoter-are
moro scientific than moral, OF
course tho old issues between tho
SabbatharIans aud tho liberals arc
not disposed Of by this diversion In
tho treatmunt OF the subject, but
thoy are not 10 BIO presented, The
Immediate proyoeaton for tho re'
commencement OF this lntermInnhle
contention was the inauguration Of
Sunday operate entertainments In
New York by Mr., Strakosch, The
police commissioners 6ot their faces
against the innovation, and carried
the matter into tho courts, But the
whole matter IL now being argued
before u court that will not DO likely
TO agree In rendering u Judgment
the tribunal Of public opinion, The
Journals Of the country are the
plcadors, pro and con, before this
court Ablo advocates are con.
structlng arguments on both sidos,
AT present IL seems IN IL the rest,
day party had the advantage, both
w TO the facts and the law.
In tho discussion Of this subIcct
thorc are u few considerations Of too
much Importance TO DO neglected or
overlooked. A few years ago IN
eminent American writer gave II ~
his opinion that the European race
was burning out" on this CONT
mont, The cause assigned for this
supposed deterioration was tho rcst.
less activity Of tho people, tho effort
10 master too much in too short u
time, Thorough in fow things, the
Americans are smatterors in many
sciences. But this was not all. The
mcntal and physical forces are con.
tinuously occupied There is no
halt, no rest, no repose In all tho
pursuits Of life this same condition
Of Ego ahead" is apparent, 1t is
sapping the vitality of tho people.
The physical powers are taxed be.
yond capacity; muscular develop.
ment dwarfod, and even the capacity
to think calmly and correctly
greatly weakened. "Wcro it not, "
says this writer, "ior the fact TINT
M are constantly receiving from IN
most muscular elements Of the old
world fresh additions to physical
manhood to be incorporated in our
population, in few years the ma.
ton would become pigmics in body
and monkeys in mind" This IN
surely u dreary enough outlook for
the generations to come, But this
is not the only writer who has
borne testimony to the evident
waste of life currents by the Amer
lean people. Others have repeatedly
called attention TO the decline of
our countrymen in muscular power,
and seek cause for it in the cease.
less efforts, the upreposing energy
of the people.
But what has all this to do with
the question of seventh day absti
hence from labor2 Much, very
much. 1t shows the absolute neces
sity Tor some sort of check upon
the unceasng activity of the peo-
pie. Americans are always in a
very great hurry" is what a dis
tinguished European who had visit
ed this continent wrote returning
to his own country. Precisely
And this everlasting rush is the
bane of the country But sitting
in an opera house surely cannot be
classed as labor Of course not.
Those who constitute the audience
do not work But it requires labor
on the stage or there can be no
Aamuscment or enjoyment to those
Who occupy the auditorium. 1t
Nay be objected that even in the
churches great labor is required ot
the minister and the choir to engage
the interest of the congregation.
Granted that this is true and yet
we can readily see that there is little
in common in the two cases upon
which to institute Il parallel. The
labor is different in kind and in
tended for Il different object, prompt.
ed by u different motive. Good
deeds may rightiuIly be performed
at'an, time There comes in an
ethical distinction which we will
not now enter upon. Nevertheless
it cannot be separated from the
discussion.
The main question is practical
one. Having once assented TO the
proposition that the physical system
of man needs repose at frequent in
tervas, the next question is How
shall this rest BIZ secured to the
masses? By making it lawful for
all manner OF business TRANSACTIONS
to he carried on every day in the
wear? Surely in this way it cannot
be guaranteed. But it may be OBJ
iected that Sunday theatricals anc
operate performances are designed
/ ID f,,t IN,