, 1876-12-30
Sunday.
FrOm Me l nRtr.

There is every now and then renewed
evidence brought to the snrfuce of the
continual survival of Puritanism in New
England. This has been conspicuously
Illustrated in Western Massachusetts,,
within the past few months, in several
instances, with respect to the observance
OF Sunday. A short time since, a Jew,
having Jailed to remember the Sabbath
day to Keep it holy, by going a.fshng,
was summoned before the Court in West
ileId to answer for his impiety There
was no intention on the part of the Of
render, it appeared, to slight the observ.
ance. Indeed, it was shown that he vas
exceedingly conscientious in this partic-
uIar. 1t was a simple question between
nm and his accuSers in respect to which
dry is entitled to the prescribed distinct.
ion.
According to the scriptures of his faith
Cand the Christian prosecutors also), from
which he argued his case, it Is the spv.
enth rather than the first day OF the
week. six days shalt thou labor, and
do all thy work but the seventh day is
the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it
thou shalt not do any work, thou nor
thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man ser.
want, nor thy maid.servant, nor thy cat.
tie, nor thy stranger that is within thy
gates; for in six days the Lord made
heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in
them is, and rested the seventh day
whereof the Lord blessed the Sabbath
day and hallowed it,"
1t was maintained that this command
had never been abrogated that even
Christ declared that he came not to de.
stroy, but to fulfill what had gone before.
1t would seem that such a plea, before
those who claim that "the Bible is the
authority for all law"--and are just now
making strenuous exertions to have that
statement incorporated into our National
Constitution should have been suffic.
lent to procure an acquittal. But Chris.
tians have never been pre-emincnt for
acuteness Of logical power or consistency.
The Judge was inexorable. 1t was de.
vided that law of the ancient and hon.
ored Commonwealth had been broken,
and fine was imposed on the culprit as
penalty.
Still later, in the same town, several
BARRIERS were indicted because they had
enabled some of their customers to appear
with shaven, rather than hnshayen faces,
by plting their art on Sunday. At
Springfield an cstimable and capable
gentleman, in the newspaper line, the
editor ana proprietor of very reputable
sheet, the Sunday Telegram, has been
brought to answer similar charge, on
account Of the issue Of his paper on this
day, and has experienced much embar-
rasment Of his business in consequence.
Proceeding still further Bostonward-
toward the boasted etfulgent centre
whence religious freedom and intelligence
radiates over all this continent, at Wor-
cester, the newspaper boys of the city
found themselves, one fine morning this
summer, in the church of the constables,
because they had profaned the Sabbath
by pcrversely endeavOring to turn what
they deemed, doubtless, an honest penny
as dispensers OF intelligence and some
fourteen young men were also arrested
tor preferriug game Of ball to divine
service.
As one reads these accounts, and such
as these, it is natural to feel prompted TO
exclaim, in the familiar words Of custom
ary pulpit prayer, Let us thank God
that We live in Christian land, whore
each can sit under his own vine and 6g-
tree, with none to mo!cst or make him
afraid"
But, irony aside, I DO no. pretend to
render critical Judgment in respect to