The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-20
GRACE CHURCH.

SUNDAY OBSERVANCE BIZ REV. DIR.
POTTER
Tho Rev. Dr.. Potter, OF Grace Church, Tenth street
day question. taking his text from st. Paul to tho
Romans, fourteenth chapter, Nth and sixth verses
After stating that tho words of ST. Paul were often
quoted by those who were opposed to tho OBJ
OF sunday, he said they remember that
ST. Paul at that time addressing Jews who had
become Christians, and some OF whom s.iu observed
the Jewish Sabbath, seventh day, instead OF tho
Christian, 1rst day OF the week. Tho converts
Christianity who had not been Jews. observed the
first day and st. Paul's wore meant to convey
the idea that as matter OF principle there was
nothing to choose between tho nrst and the
seventh days. These differences existed at that time
but doubted the propriety OF observing of
the two days BY the END of the first century OF tho
Christian Church tho observance of the seventh day
day had ceased. They wore not called upon to at
once give up the observance OF the seventh day and
the other obsorvanccs OF Jewish customs prevailing
before the coming of Christ, but they wero led to
grow out OF them. Although the words OF the text
wore often brought forward argument in favor
OF tho abolition OF the observance OF the Christian
sunday the words certainly did not give authority for
the sccuarzing oil all days Tho quiet observance Of
one day Of the week antedates the religion OF CHRIST
or OF Moses, and IS physical necessity.
+ The speaker then referred at some length to tho
American SUNDAY, ana said that its observance had
been custom with the Anglosaxon race and by them
HANDED down through generation and generation to
us. Although there were tho descendants OF many
Dutch families aud families of other nations in this
country, yet these Territories originally poopled
was named aftei York, Pennsylvania after Penn the
English Quaker; Maryland after Queen Mary Virginia
after the virgin Queen Elizabeth, Tho Carolnas alter
Queen Caroline aud Georgia after King George. The
Anglo-Saxon observed Sunday as sacred day. BY a
common consent Sunday is followed day and is up
held by the AngIo-Saxon Laws. contract made
with shopkeeper on Sunday would DO invalid,
would also be business contract made with any
There has always been immense pouring of foreign
upon our shores and Americans welcomed all
foreign elements with cordially. There nave come
Irish, French, German, swedish, Chinese, Italian,
swiss, Russians and tho representatives of other
nations, all of them having their own ideas
ing the observance OF the Christian Sunday. During
the past 6fty years. aud particularly the last twenty
years, thcro has been growing feeling Tor change
Of our customs and this feeling has been looked upon
too often with indifference by Christians
BEER GARDENS.
It has occurred that the services being held In
OF beer glasses ana the coarse shouts Of people
bocr garden or concert room. These matters
parties in this country in the Sunday matter; ono
party who favored the old Puritan laws ana would
another who believed IN perfect freedom and laugh
ing all tho time. The result was two extre les.
Tue foreign s snnaa no 1nt 70 demand
country rs thiss' said the preacher .'whnt
language do we speaka whence como
laws, our faith and our Christian institutionsY
Call II intolerance or what you will, while We
tho foreigner to shores, he be ruled BY
our traditions, not his America Is Tor Amerlcans.n
IL would he an mpcrtinancc 10 ask us TO change
customs, quito as much as to ask us to change our
language or adopt tho domestic arrangements OF the
Sultan. Tho governments OF France, Switzer-
land and Germany arc now endcavoring
90 re-establish a Christian observance OF sun
day, and ut the same time people
in America are agttatinc tho question OF secular
The governments of those countries have discovered
that the day observed there not OF rest tho
workinrman, and that he is often more fatigucd on
Sunday night than he would be tho evening Of any
secular day. II, say many OF them. the workngman
can tire himself sunday, he might just well do
1t In labor IL Is, then, Tor his interest to
demand sacred observance OF the day.
The remedy tor this growing tendency to sccularize
much toward warding or tho evils aud creating a
congregation that they should walk to church on
Sunday and give their man servant and cattle an op
rortunity for rest They should not give dinncr par
ties on Sunday aud give their maid servant
an equal opportunity. They should strive to indi-
cate difference between Sunday and other days
In tho minas of children. The preacher then
referred to the "Ncw York Sabbath Commttec,, who
have done great deal toward preventing growth of
the secular sunday movement and asked his congre-
CATION 10 support them morally aud financially. Or.
Potter said that no trials of IL ITS had
the world stern lesson but That alter ali IL
much question OF property or person as OF soul
The Americans should be tuankf ul Tor their great
Christian country and Its observances and should
strive TO hand II down sacredlv TO their sons from
generation to generation.