Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-02-07

On the general theory of Sunday uses
which permits picnics and professions, the
running of freight trains and riding on ex-
cursion steamers, the writing of business
letters and the selling OF cigars and beer,
the dickering Of watches or colts under the
Westinghouse shed during ''intermission,
or the figuring of interest by mental arith-
metic during the sermon, little can be said
against the Sunday daily. Nevertheless,
even the secularist who values Sunday only
as a est-day from work finds sound objec-
ton to it. 1t is not the weightiest argument
against it, but it is a good one, that it In
wolves so much Sunday labor that it makes
all days alike to the editor, the reporter, the
proof-reader, the compositor, the office clerk
the pressman, the newsboy. The pressman
ought to have Sunday morning with his
chlldren-the only one he can have with
them during the week. The editor and re-
porter are pumping from their reserve of
vitality fast enough in six days, without
doubling the revolutions of the engine on the
one day when it shonld be at rest. And good
and great as we know editors are, they never
theless need Sunday opportunities and in
SEPARATIONS as well as the rest of us. 1t does
not answer the purpose that some effort is
made to so arrange the working force that
each man shall have part of Sunday for
rest. The fact remains that after the hours
absolutely necessary for sleep are deducted
from this Sunday recess, that which remains
is poor pretence for weekly rest-day. 1t
is pettifogging the case to answer that it is
not the Sunday but the Monday paper that
involves the most Sunday labor. Every
newspaper man knows that it need not be.
Our Monday dailies would answer every pur-
pose If every man but the Waterman left the
building at midnight on Saturday, not to re-
turn for twenty-four hours.
All history and statistics are on the side of
those who ask that Sunday shall be day of
rest TO say the least.
Saying nothing, still, about the reli-
gious uses of the day, for purely pru-
dental reasons that sort of rest-day is
needed which shall lift the politician out of
his politics, the belle out of her social frivoIi-
ties, the merchant out of his traffic, the law
yer out of the courtroom, the farmer out Of
his harvest field. 1t is not small thing that
the daily paper, for the sake of swelling
little tie profits of its counting-room takes
the wrong side in this matter, and tempts
men to keep grinding, in thought and talk
through the Sunday hours at the wheel of
weekday occupation. The result is the
worse since We, as people, SO far as we
make any difference in week days, crowd
Saturday fuller of work and care than any
other, instead of following the wholesome
custom of English and German life in MAX
ing it chiefly holiday. We are the last
people in the world who can afford to secu-
larize their Sundays.
But the Christian man who weighs the
matter well finds much graver objection to
the Sunday daily. His notions OF Sunday
observance may be strict or liberal-fash-
Toned by the legislation of Moses or the |
example of Christ. He may think it wrong |
to patronize a street-car in going to church, |
or he may think it better that dozen fam
lilies take one car and thus relieve the drivers |
of dozen private carriages from SO much |
Sunday labor. In their opinions on hum
dred minor matters concerning the right |
observance of the day Christian people diff |
fer But on this underlying principle all |
are agreed-that it is a day divnely set |
apart to rest from worldly work and care, a |
day specially reserved for spiritual uses. |
The atmosphere OF the daily paper. laden |
with the calculations of the police court, the |
ball ground, the caucus and the stock ex-
change, is rot the atmosphere of that better
life to which our Sundays rightfully belong |
II is bad enough to be Obliged to breathe it |
SO constantly six days ont OF the seven.
1t would be a strange thing to make this
necessary immersion in it reason why We
should not try while We can to get for a few |
hours upon a purer height. Not that Chris
unconcerned with the police court and the
auction room. The trouble is that the daily
paper does not approach these secular affairs
from that direction. An editorial or two |
in semi-religious vein, story of Roodish |
flavor, the review of a new volume of SER
mons, column or two of religious intelli-
Gence cannot leaven such 4 lump. 1t is
the weekday, worldly minded, pleasure
seeking taste for which the Sunday daily
mainly caters. Leave out the dime-novelish
details OF accident and crime, the fashion
letters, the petty social gossip, the sporting
news, the business intelligence, the tele-
grams and contributions and editorials OF
purely secular sort, and it could not live
70 say that it meets demand
which it finds or makes proves nothing
The same logic would fling open and multi
ply beergardens, and circuses and gambling
saloons, for Sunday resorts.
The Sabbath strictness OF hundred years
ago can never come back again. But every |
phllanthropist as well as every Chris
tian soul, should be profoundly concerned 10
save our country from drifting into what, for
want ola better term, We call the Continental
Sunday, with its merry-making and thought
Iessness, its lack of spirituality and high
purpose. We want Sunday that shall not
be day Of bondage or sluggish endurance
we Will ono tnht snhll DC u Jay OF lnsplra-
ton, calling men to higher themes, holitr
resolves and !nrger views ,ust such busy.
Iuickening cheerful day as it was to those
who had the high privilege of sharing with
the Master the Sabbaths He spent on earth
over eighteen hundred years ago. 1t is no
libel on the daily paper to say that it does
not, and cannot be expected to help US make
Sunday such an uplifting. s1ul-strengthening
day We are not likely 20 be sweeter in
spirit, higher in purpose, larger in spiritual
on Monday morning for its en-
trance into our Sabbaths. 1t is the ally, con-
sciously or not, of the Continental Sunday.
Its own interests push it Into that position.
It is doubtful whether there is any other i'll
huence at work that Is dong so much to
bring that calamity upon us.