The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-12-07
GheG1teIEtgturrr:
OFFICE. 25 & 81 Fourteenth Et.
MONDAY, DECEMBER7, 1874.
q INC Dcgradatlon OF sunday."

Under this heading the New York
Tribune has an editorial, in which 1t pro.
tests against the increasing violations Of
the Sunday law in that City. The article
treats the matter from the standpoint Of
"the public morals, the public health, and
the general welfare" mainly Ignoring the
religious aide Of the question. It says,
"a few years ago such discussion would
have seemed absurd. 1t did not come
within tho range Of our ideas to imagine
that the observance Of Sunday was ever
to DO called in question in this COM
munity." The change IS thus explained
The invasion Of the historic Sunday
began with what used 10 BIO called "Sa'
cred Concerts" in which serious music
was sometimes really given. But the
solemn strains Of tho Oratorio rapidly de.
generated into the Lydian measures Of
the Opera BOudc, and now nothing is left
OF the sacred concert but the name. On
the Eastside OF the city Jack Sheppard
Is given under that tile, and In the great
Erie palace on the West side the last pre-.
tense OF disguise Is dropped, and the elias
sic Italian opera is played 10 larger houses
than assemble on week days in the Acad.
envy OF Music. Business houses and
beer.shops naturally follow tho impulse
given to Sabbath breaking by houses oil
amusement, and II we may judge by the
symptoms visible in the Bowery, New
York promises soon TO be q buster town
on Sunday than any capital on the CONT
renl o! Europe,
Following the above, the Tribune has
the following comment on the benefits Of
Sunday Observance:
The good resolutions formed, the evil
purpose relinquished, the hearts quicken
I'd 10 higher ends and soLtenGd to works
of charity and kindness, on every Sunday
in this country, are simply past our iDsg
niug. Tho music OF the thousands o.
bells that flli=thC dir OF the morning is az
audible and evident expression Of com
mon sentiment as sweet as 1t is ennObliDg
but there is far deeper harmony In the
millions OF prayers ascending at the same
moment from the earth bearing the IN
uttcrable SORROWS and aspirations Of men
OF the tendency Of the present course
OF things, the Tribune says:
1t may he said that Sunday amuse-
. mCn's will not interfere with the rest anC
the worship to which the day has beer
hitherto devoted. But 1t Is q sufficient
answer to this, first, that the prevalence
OF such amusGments has direct tend
rncy to diminish Church.going, especial
ly among the young, who could hardly
be expected 10 resist the temptations held
gu! 10 them by pleasures which appeal
TO their strongest inClinations. And
secondly, il such amusements become
general they will employ vast number
OF pGrsons, to whom Sunday will cease a
once and finally to be day Of rest. The
Just instinct oil irreligious people leads
lhem 10 allow q degree ofrepose on Sun
days 10 those whom they employ. Tho
community ought to allow to its servants
who furnish Its diversions, the same OPP
pOTtu1ity Tor rest and recreation. The
Little additional money they would carr
by playing every night in the week woult
be but q poor compensation for what they
would lose: In their interest, as well OF
in that Of the public good, We hope ths
the attempt 10 secularize our Sunday
may not succeed. 1t is hostile to all oul
traditions. The Christian Sunday is al
much an Anglo-Saxon possession os tria
by jury. Itwould be q National CALAMITY
to see tive will not say decorated bu
degraded.
We have given the TribunOS view o
this matter, as that Of leading public
journal not much influenced by the reli-
gous estimate Of the Sabbath. Its view
isone that may be considered by oil class
es Of people. The good growing out o
the observance Of one day in seven as {
day Of rest, is too frequently estimated
from the standpoint Of the sacredness o
the Sabbath as q religious institution, ant
we have often thought its real merit
were not appreciated by many who view
it solely in that light.