The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1874-12-16
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE SABBATH.


in sympathy with those who would relax tn
views of the Sabbath, which are regarded a
too strict by some, and would lower the stan
dsrd of Sabbath observance by faVoring tn
Continental ideas in regard to this day
Coming from journal of influence, and on,
which so many of US read with pleasure, anC
which is ordinarily conservative of gooC
morals, the article excited surprise and re
gret. 1t admitted, however. a manly note
from DR.. Hoge, and the reply most admira.
bly, presented, not only his own views, but
those of thousands throughout the land
1t is in vain to disguise the truth that we are
to have a conflict between those who favor
the old fashioned notions of the sanctity OF
the Sabbath, aud the so called philosophers
of the period, and the men of advanced
thought" who would make this day one,
not only of rest, but day Of amusement aud
frolic. The "Sunday.excursiong," encour.
aged by precept and example, to and from
the metropolis of the State of Virginia, and
the appropriation of the day, by professors
of religion, to travel on our Sunday trains,
are evidences of The increasing tendency to
desecrate the day. Thanking DR.. Hoge for
his defence of the Sabbath, we respectfully
submit that it becomes every friend of this
sacred day to unite with him in his efforts
to resist the modern ideas and practices in
reference to its observance.
To this end the enclosed extract from a
recent editorial in the Ndw York Tribune is
submitted to the Central Presbyterian for re-
production. The occasion of the Tribune's
article was the presentation of petition to
the city authorities to enforce the law which
forbids Sunday theatricals. W.
THE DEGRADATION OF SUNDAY.
Goa Saturday we printed a protest ad.
dressed to the Police Board against the in
creasing violations of the Sunday law in this
city. The very remarkable list of signatures
embraced the best representatives of almost
every calling and every condition of life in
New York, and included so well-known
theatrical manager as Lester Wallack, and
so accomplished an actor and dramatist as
Dion Boucicault. In adding to this protest
our very hearty Endorsement, we propose to
leave the discussion of the question Of the
sacredness of Sunday to the Sabbatarians
and their opponents The divine sanction
of the Sabbath is not matter which we de-
sire at present to consider. 1t is not to be
fippantly disposed of by sneer on the one
side or by the quotation of one or two texts
on the other. But the question of the pre-.
servation of the Christian weekly day of rest,
as it has existed for centuries among us and
our forefsthers,, is Que of great Importance
to the public morals, the public health, and
the general welfare. A few years ago such
discussion would have seemed absurd. It
did not come within the range Of our ideas
to imagine that the observance of Sunday
was ever to be called in question in this COM
munity. To religious people the sanctity of
the day seemed beyond possible dispute, and
those who made no profession of faith never
dreamed of opposing the universal sentiment
of their neighbors that this one day should
be set apart for church going and absolute
rest from the ordinary ayocations of the
week. But we live at rapid rate nowadays,
and great change is threatened in this re.
spect The wedge was driven in few days
ago and the big end is now sinking out of
sight. The invasion of the historic Sunday
began with what used to be called "Sacred
Concerts, y in which serious music was some
times really given. But the solemn strains
of the 0ratorio rapidly degenerated into the
Lydian measures of the Opera Bouffe, and
now nothing is left of the sacred concert but
the name. On the East side of the city
"Jack Sheppard" is given under that title,
and in the great Erie palace on the West
side the last pretense of disguise is dropped
and the classic Italian opera has been played
to larger houses than assemble on week days
in the Academy of Music. Business houses
and beer-shops naturally follow the impulse
given to Sabbath breaking by houses of
amusement, and if We may judge by the
symptoms visible in the Bowery, New York
promises soon to be buster town on Sunday
than any capital on the Continent of Europe.
Now, without bringing into play any theo-
logical considerations whatever, we hold that
it is against the public interests that the dis
tinctions between Sunday and the other days
Of the week should be abolished. Rest on
one day in seven is absolutely necessary for
the mental and bodily health of all who la
Dor, and it is not worth while to take into
account the infinitely small number of those
who do not work. 1t is only vicious va
grants and rich iders who would suffer from
the cessation of everyday life on Sundays,
and their distress should call for no sympa-
thy. For all others Sunday is q most valu-
able and sautary institution. 1t causes a
break in the wearing and destructive pursuits
of life. Il changes those currents of busy
thought which seem to have something cor
roding in them. It gives one day for the
recuperation of the vital forces wasted in the
preceding six. These are it's obvious physi,
cal advantages, but incalculably greater are
its moral. Despite the sneerS of little wits
and the more redoubtable assaults of icono.
elastic thinkers, the good which is done by
regular church-goin is beyond computation
The preachers are not always wise or elo
quent-they are sometimes even offensive tc
taste and repulsive to sound reason. Bu
the vast majority are good and earnest men
who deliver not merely their own thoughts
but the messages of an army of witnesses
of transcendent power and purity, on sub
iects of the most momentous Importance
For an hour or two at least in every weel
the church-goer is brought face to face will
great and lofty thoughts, is forced to con
template series of images and symbol