, 1874-04-12
0l1e Gbm<tpn Gfibu9se.
Sunday Morning, April IL, 1874


TIE SUNDAY QUESTION.
The sunday-Afternoon Lecture Course has
revived, on smaller scale and IN better sone'
the discussion Of the supposed obligation 1es11ne
IN tho human race to observe the first day OF
the week as day OF religious devotion. The
PRESBYTERIAN clorgymen have had one meeting
on the subject, and are to hayo another. 1hus
far they have treated it in becoming
spirit, and, while. it is very Likely tneg
will "bear their testimony" IN accord
anco with the prevailing New England
idea it is also likely that it will beless denuncla-
tory than it would have been ten or fifteen years
aco. There has been great deal Of ''saboath-
breaking in this interval, but religion has not
been perceptibly harmed thereby, and, indeed, 1t
IL coming to bo understood that gloom is not the
beet promoter OF religion after all
The Puritan Sabbath, to which many OF us
look back with fondness, albeit irksome enough
when We we're young, exists only in quiet New
England towns. Everywhere else, communities
are drifting, as whole, towards the theory that
the first day Of the week should be q day OF en-
toyment rather than Of penance-and this too,
upou Bible grounds. The tendency Is very
marked one. It is worth the while OF the friends
of the old system to consider whether their r1gld
theorv is founded in fact, and whether ls ngldity
1,ns not something to do with the tendency afore-
said. The old idea isthatno play, no amusement no
reading Of uon-religious books or papers, s,-noth-
ing, in short, sere attending and performing re-
ticious e1ercses,-is allowable from midnight OF
gaturday to midnight Of Sunday. At 11:59 Sat-
urdav night you may read Burns. Ono minute
later you must exchange it for Baxter: This Is
the extreme view. Comparatively few people
ca17y this theory to it's logical ontcome'
but it lies at the base of the belief
that Sunday has been made sacred by
Gods direct command. Curious1T enough, this
command says not word about not playing or
noteujoying ourselves, and not a word about the
first day Of the week. 1t is an order that the
Jews should not work on the seventh day, and
should keep it holy. Because the Ne" Testa-
ment casually mentions two or three meetings
Of Christians On the first day Of the week, which
happened to be the day Of the Resurrection, it
fs assumed that ne arc all dirlnely conf
mandod to observe Sunday in par
ticnlar manner On the other hand,
pau1 repudiatcs the obligation Of excepting
Sunday" in two noted passages. BE makes
each mans conscience the sole guide. The
early Church knew nothing Of the Puritan Sun
day. Labor was permitted on the first day Of
the week for centuries after Christ. The day
Eas observed With no more respect than we're all
the Saints festivals. When an edict Of the En-
peror Constantine Qli1nsclf m uncertain con-
vcrt) finally set it apart, and forbade work
during the sacred hours, agricultural labor
was especially exempted from the interdict.
Calvin is said to have played bowls after morn
ing-church during the height OF his spiritual
rule in Geneva. Luther visited, entertained,
played his flute, and othorwiRo enjoyed himself
on Sunday. It is only in Scotland, England,
and America that tho opposite rule prevails. On
the Continent the day is a festival Germany
observes it in 3 most Joyous fashion The shops
are shut. Everybody has q holiday. In the morn
ing the family got church. In the afternoon and
evening they 60 to q beer-gardon, theatre,
or All opeId-uOuSo 44ey uect al BULL t4a1Gee
all their friends, including the minister who
preached 10 them in the morning. Thus the day
goes By, giving everybody rest and pleasure, and
II he chooses to take it, religious instruction.
Tho world must have day Of rest. It is &
physical necessity. The weekly division Of time
makes it vol to take ono day in each week fo1
this purpose, and custom makes Sunday the beg
lay to take. Persona who wish to devote all O.
any part Of it to prayer and praise should
OF course, be protected from disturbance
while doing go. Persons who do no
wish to spend the day thus should also be pro
tected from disturbance. It is 3. 1eas.. incum
bent upon those who wish to forbid al1 non-re
1igious enjoyment on that day to bring forward
Cne or two reasonable arguments in support o
their assertion that God has commanded US t
devote those especial twenty-four hours who'll
to religious decda. What Is really needed i
more religion on weekdays. II our "walk an
conversation " were more thoroughly patterned
after the spirit Of Jesus Christ on Monday ant
Tuesday, We could afford to dispense wholly Wit
the supposed commands OF Noses relative t
Sunday.
Dancing is rapidly going out Of fashion i
Europe, because it has become no longer An NJ,
but means Of flirting, and men aud vome
find they can dirt Just as conveniently and pleal
ansly in other ways In England only youneste,
continue to dance, except On certain formal n,