The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-08-06
SUNDAY LAW.

'''' -
fofccmcnt of the SUNDAY law III their
midst. 1t first went into practical
operation on the 18th ult., when all
the saloons, bccr-houScs. storc-r0Oms.
barber shops,-and in fact every Spc-
c;cS of business hOuscs,-Wcrc closed
Oh that day, and thc effort is to be
made to keep them closed. OF course,
itmects with much opposition-such
IS generally the casc-cspecially from
saloon keepers and their ~sympathiz-
crS.
We believe the law is right and
proper III itsclf-that it has for its
foundation the highest good of socic-
". We hope the law will be thor
oughly and impartiaIIy executed. 1t
should be upheld and endorsed by the
good moral sense and christian patri-
OtiSm of every enlightened commune
ty. II has created considerable dis
cussion for and against, and we find
the following comments upon the
justice Oft in the ''Iicportcr,' new
paper just started in st. Joseph.
TIE SUNDAY LAW One would
think, to read the morning papers of
ST. Joseph and hear the clamor OK
cited by an attempt to enforce the
proper observance Of the Sabbath.
that it Was al entirely new thing for
a community to deccmtlv observe the
day Of rest. Not only is the proper
observance of one day in seven as a
day of rest from secular pmployments
founded upon the law of God. but it
IS we'll known 10 he necessary to the
physical Wcll-bcin~ of man and beast.
When intidcl France proclaimed there
was no Sabbath. and that the wheels
of labor should forever %rcvolvc. it
was not long before it became ncces-
Sary rs 4 sanitary regulation to res
tore 4 day of rest. The wheels and
C0gS Of mans mental and physical
machinery require relaxation, or they
viii Wear out and offended nature
will carry them toa premature grave.
We can imagine no greater pandC-
mOnlum. no llOrr terrible hell, than
the spectacle of a world where there
is no rest for tired nature; where
unceaSing toll chains its slaves: where
from day TO day and week to week
and month to month, and year to
year, there comes 10 day when the
artisan can close his shop, the mer-
chant his store. the professional man
his office. the labOrer cease from his
work, and all enjoy that blessed re-
pose which Is a type of mans intend
cd destiny hereafter. We are no
S~traight-laced Stirkler for the enforce
lnent of the 'blue laws of COnnecti-
cut. But what rye do contend for is
q cessation from manual and mental
labor II day in seven--nOt only be-
cause it is 4 law of God, but because
At Is an absolutely necessary moral
and sanitary law. We do not believe
i'll Singing out One particular class on
which to enforce this law, but let
erery place of business be closed on
the Sabbath, with the understanding
that in cases of absolute necessity
food or medicine may be procured,
and let this day be observed as God
intended it should. Should this uni
ycrsal observance be enforced. no one
would be harmed by it-no particu-
lar business would be Disseminated
against, and people would sOor1 learn
to procure all that was needed on
Saturday, and there would exist no
necessity for opening store, shop or
office on Sunday. The great gain
that would result to morals. health
and the general Well-being of the en-
tire community would soon be appa- |
rent. and we do not believe there
would be a murmur Oh the subject.
We are pronounced and decided, and
so will every mar who cOntcmplates
the question from the standpoint we
have presented. Furthermore, this
Is not a question to he regulated by |
this or that city government, but the |
general statutes of the State recOg-
nize the breaking Of the Sabbath as |
an offence against public morals. In
Chap. 40, Art. VII, Secs. 80 and &c |
OF Wagner's Statutes, the law is stat
ed plainly and clearly. and anv per-
son who labOrs, or permits his serv-
ant or apprentice to labor, and who
exposes for sale IN understandable |
article: or keeps open shop, store or
saloon, is guilty of a misdemeanor
against the State, and is liable to pros
ecution and fine. 1t is to be hoped
that the moral sense of this cOmmu-
nifty will sustain the officials in their
discharge of duty, and that st. Jo-
seph will not be disgraced by the re-
peal OF a law which is SO plainly in
the interests of morals and good Or
der.