The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-05-09
THE PACIFIC
Commercial A0brrttser.
SATERDAY. 4 9.

OUR STATUTE against violating the Sabbath,
(or, as it should more properly be called, Sun
day,-because the Sabbath pertains to the old
Jewish dispensarion) is not infrequentIy the sub
jcct Of adverse criticism, more especially by
Europeans. Those who originally framed our
laws and educated the nation were Of the Puritan
race Of New England, and they strOve to intro
duce here the Puritan Sabbath, as it was under
stood and enforced in the days Of Cotton Mather
in Massachusetts,, and the reign Of the - Blue
Laws " in Connecticut, when 4 man was fined
for running after a doctor Or worse,-for kiss
ing bis wife, on the Sabbath day. No question
but that the extreme Sabbatarians were sincere
and conscientious in their views equally blame
less must we hold those who, protesting the same
OF almost identical religious tenets with the Puri-
tans, nevertheless regard and keep the first day
Of the week as not only a day Of rest from toll,
but n day Of recreation as well. In Germany,
the birthplace Of Luther and MeIanctbon, the
great Protestant relormers, their Sunday is a
vastly different day from that Of New England.
The majority Of the populace goes to church IN
the morning, but the remainder of the day is
generally devoted to recreation and innocent
amusement. The mechanic and laboring man,
who works from Monday morning till Sat
urday night, when Sunday comes puts on his
best coat and with his family repairs to the pub
lie gardens, provided for that purpose by the
state, and enjoys a holiday. Who shall say, that
while he sits thus inhaling the pure air Of heaven
and the breath Of flowers and watches the gam
bols Of his children on the green, his religion
may not be as pure in heart and as acceptable to
his Maker as that Of the ascetic who dare not
put his foot outside the dOor-except to visit the
church-for fear Of prOianing the holy Sabbath?
We cannot but believe that the cause of pure re-
ligion is much retarded and outraged by the
gloomy, constrained life and doctrines Of many
of its professors as to the observance of Sunday.
If Christmas is a season of rejoicing because it
commentaries the birth of the Saviour, surely
the first day of the week should be no less a day
of joy, for it was the day of the resurrection
from the dead-the enunciation of a doctrine that
is the corner stone of the Christian religion, ac-
cording to the Apostle Paul when he says
"And if Christ be not risen, then is our preach
ing vain, and your faith is also vain"
Let us however be understood not as advocat-
ing a general license for theatres, sports and
games on the Sunday, but as pleading for a more
rational and natural enjoyment of life and the
beauties Of nature for ourselves and our families
than was allowable in the days of our Puritan
ancestors.
To return to our statute. The second section
of our Sabbath law begins thus 1.-The Lords
day is taboo: All worldly business, amusements
and recreation are forbidden on that day" And
the fine for doing any worldly business, or taking
part in or being present at any sports, amuse-
ments or recreation, is a sum not to exceed ten
dollars. And " all m~arshals, sherifs, constables
and other public officers, shall inquire into, and
inform of all ofienses in violation of the proyi-
sions of this chapter, and shall cause the came to
be carried into effect"
1t will readily be understood that so strict a
law fails almost entirely Of being executed. In
deed, it is safe to say that it is scarcely ever at
tempted to be executed, except at the instance of
the few who hold extreme Sabbatarian views. OF.
and which Is ofteBSst thN NaaA To CRAFTY nriuata
spite. But in truth, public opinion here being
decidedly against Sunday work, no one willingly
attempts to carry on any sort of labor or employ
ment on that day. And so we may say, that no
one is disObliged, either way-except, perhaps,
the unfortunate rice-planter of Punaluu or else
where, who is liable to n fine of ten dollars if on
Sunday ne fires a gun at the birds that are steal
ing one hall ms crop. Let us suppose, however
that we haye-and the supposition is likely to
prove a reality erelOng-several lines of ocean
steamers touching here on their various routes
across the Pacific. They cannot, If they would,
invariably time their voyages so that they will
OF sometimes arrive ut our port on Sunday. 4
few hours delay IN their long journey of half
way round the globe is a serious matter to them.
VIII the great corporations that conduct the
worlds traffic and travel consent to allow Hawai-
ian Sabbath laws to make them a day behind
time? We doubt it.
In all probability the present year will see a
line of steamers between San Francisco and
China, making Honolulu their port of call, to be
followed before long by the San Diego line. VIII
the Honolulu "'marshals, sherifs, constables and
other public oficers,'' strictly enforce the Sab
bath law, should these ships happen to arrive or
depart on Sunday? Such a course would soon
reduce US to keeping Sunday in solitude.