Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1877-01-14
SUNDAY READING.

We greatly like the explanation
sembly Committee on Public Morals
when in:erroga:ed concerning the na-
ture of,he bill amendatory of the Sun
day Law reported from that Commit
tee on Thursday last. He said that
the proposed modification to the exist
ing Act was made at the suggestion C.:
merchants and their employees who
are soiicitous for enc day Of rest in
seven. Crhe bill provides for the clos
ing of business-houses, other than sa-
looms, ou the Saboash.l 1t is good
sign when such proposition as this
comes from so Influential and intelli-
gent a class as the merchants. It
means that the spirit OF c-der!iness,
sobriety and progress is asserting it.
self; II means that tine better nature of
our people is awakened; and it means
that that which is observed as an
empty and not inspiring form in older
communities, is being Insisted on here
for and because Of the healthfulness
of such an observance. a critical cx-
animation of the his, Dry OF Moses, and
al analysis OF the Mosaic Law, may,
it is likely, make it appear to pro-
fame anG unTegene-ate mind that GER
tain features of lie DecaioSue are
mere sanitary regulations for the re-
stric,ion ard guidance of people
whose natural incl:natiors and instipc.
tive habits were not wholly to be
trusted. Certainly there is no pre-
tense of religious motive prompting
the business men Of Nevada to ask
that themselves. as a class, be re-
s,ricted from doing any work or tran
sacting any business upon the first
day Of the week. They ask for the
enactment indicated in order that they
may have AZ excuse FOR closing their
places of business on Sunday and
spending the day, restfully, at home
with their wives and children. This
incentive may be denounced a,
worldly and as falling short of chris |
t;an-!ike motive. But there must be |
rest before there can be worship; the |
busy cares aud feverish anxieties of |
trade and speculation must be laid !
aside and temporarily forgotten before /
the heart yields Itself 10 the sentler
influences of religion IT, = no
domineering chGrch-crait here to force
upon the public nina a recognition Of
the forms of pious seeming. The sin
Of bypocricy in religious profession
and the pretense of godliness in habit
ual public demeanor, are not abundant
here. The principles Of supply and
demand regulate these as well as
grosser and more material things.
There is but a limited market for the
sale Of sanciimony; The studied as
sumption os pious ways is not pay
ing Investment. On the contrary,
there are not wanting among us men
OF native goodish turn who gain at
tention anu cause themselves TO bs tine {
object of comment by an unnatural |
and strained demonstrativeness in the ,
direction OF total dep.avi:y. Words
worth, coolest Of poets, wished that
his days might be "hound each to %.
each by natural piety; and SO they :
doubtless We're: but it is quite as alb :
surd for a poor actor in the drama of +
lite to cloak his innate devotional ma t
ture in superfluous and iil-fitting a
garment of osten:atious wickedness, t
- g. <,c | a
carnal desires to take upon himself a
the airs Of the eject. And SO We greatly
like this New Departure by the mer- :,
chants. We most heartily commend .
this effort TO reserve to themselves the
one day of rest in seven. The exam
pie will 60 4 great way. Ii is bad not
10 observe the Sabbath day whenso- =
ever our copsciences snlite us for the a
neglect. That which we cannot do Al
without computations and self accus- Z
ngs had better no: De done. The very h
effort at being submissive to the re- a
Iuirements of orr early teachings is a ia
most beneficial eSertion and full OF III
The fact is that we of the e.
earlier Pacific migration, we who have el
broken more Sabhaths than we can y
,ver keep, are in no danger of over g.
Icing our pious enterprises. We can n,
lot deceive anybody ii we would; but fl
We have right to be decorous in our I'll
outward seeming; and as the bounda
les of age heave in sight we may very
begin to accustom our l.
elves to lightly hear the yoke of re- ;
.raint which, in the freedom Of our -.
ariier days of exile we were only too "a
eady 70 throw off. The fact is evident =.
hat our people, untramrieled as no or
ivilized people ever were before by tn
lws Of statute book, church and pub NJ
c exaction, have, out Of the fulness Oh
heir own wisdom and the quiet teach
lgs and guidance of experience, sub -
acted themselves, with a sagacious
1oderation and gradual and quiet ~