Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-03-12
MEHPHIS APPEAL
sUXDIT, MARCH ls, 1876.
THE SABBATH.

We have published q number Of COM
munies,ions In regard to the Observance,
and what some term the "deeeeration,"
Of the Sabbath, which hsve attracted
very general attention. In most Of
them thslons Efsnd underlying princi-
pie and purpose Of our system Of gov.
eminent seems to have been lost sight Of
by the writer's. That purpose is, as We
understand il, 10 administer justice, to
mount guard over every mans rights,
AID to prevent sggresslons by any. AS
Spencer Gays, "this is simply to render
society possible, and TO enable men to
live together" With this cardinal Dur.
pose before Us, we see but little ground
for complaint. We have here 10 Mem.
phis, for instance, very large Jewish
population, who observe Saturday as
their sabbath, and make no ado that
christians do not agree with them.
They are citizsns Of the United States,
Of Tennessee, and Of Memphis, psy
taxes and share in all the burdens Of gov
eminent, and should not, It seems
70 us-no matter what our re-
Hgious convictions be forced to
conform 10 them, even in the matter Of
closing their club-Tooms or concert.
rooms on Sunday night. They have
rights We are bound TO respect, and we
should not seek to impose upon them
what We would not have them, had they
the power 20, impose upon US. It should
be enough for religious people that the
Law protects them from disturbance in |
the observance or practice Of their re-
IgiOus duties; that il does not force |
them TO conform TO the set views Of any |
dOmineering faith, setting itself up IS
par excellence the faith and demanding |
uniformity. The liberty thus secured
under the law to the believing christian,
OF whatever name or faith, he should
cEeerfully accord to the non-beIiever,
especially in view Of the fact
Il at even according to their faith chris
uans are not at tie last to be held re-
spOnsible for others than themselves.
Men may and do have as solemn con-
vietions opposed to what is termed re.
vesl6d religion as those who "profess
the faith once delivered to the saints"
These convictions should be respected.
And il those holding them choose to
attend s Victoria Woodruff lecture, q
sacred concert, or even q secular concert
on Sunday night, there should be no
barriers interposed against them. A law.
which eEforcss religion makes hypo.
critics, and never viii make anything
else; and the religion thst needs forcing
by Law, even In the least degree, must
be inherently weak and unworthy Of
protection or perpetustion. The world
n this regard is becoming wiser every
lay. People are beginning to under
stand that the "earth and the fullness
hereof" was not made FOR a particular
'et, resting their claims upon q peculiar
dogma, and that since there
Ire many men OF different minds, so
here are many different roads to con.
fiction and many differing convictions,
eaching Us that il we would preserve {
liberty for ourselves, we must willingly q
oncede it to all Others. Whatever is q
ad on Sunday, would be equally SO on J
ny other day, and, being so, should be r
nd is prohibited by Law. Public de- C
ency and morality demands that it L
hould, and every good citizen, whether a
theist, deist, Jew, christian or heather, d
lay be relied upon with certainty to P
anything and every s.
ling that looks to infringing upon the n
,W &