, 1879-08-21
SUNDAY pICNICS.

WIN are plcdscl W oCOu aIIu sHCcI uL
everything OF moral or religious nature,
by trying to raise an issue ON the subject
of picnics, baseball games, &c, on Sum
day. One ground Of Its defense is that
the excursionists from Victoria ''lelt about
$400 in town." Now, we are willing to
admit that some would regard this as q
very potent argument; that they would
be willing to have almost anything done
ifit would bring MONEY into the town.
To such persons among whom is the sap
lent (?) editor of the "Press) We would
deem it waste Of time to address an ar
gument, for the simple reason that the
question Of RIGHT or WRONG in any par
ticular action matters nothing to them
the only question of Importance being,
show much can we MAKE by it?" How
ever. thanks to Christian teachings, there
ARE those in the land, and in Port Town
send, too, who take higher view ofpass-
ing events; and such persons, we are
pleased to know, understood perfectly well
that the ARGUS was simply combating
the PRINCIPLE Of Sunday excursions when
it disa2proved of the recent one, instead
Of ''insulting" the 25O excursionists who
visited our town. Myers evidently thought
he was making a big point when he
penned the ''insulting" assertion referred
to; and no doubt its fallacious reasoning
WAS about as high as his mighty (?l intel
lect could reach, but to the average reader
it seemed simply on a par with much OF
the other puerile productions emanating
from the same source. Another logical
and trumped up reason tor the defense
was given in the statement that "a large
number of clerks and laborers could not
have chosen any other day tor their excur-
sion without mourning n loss OF wages
and probably their situations" To call
this statement simply erroneous would te
but half telling the truth about it, l. 'ar
its writer knew full we'll that there Is not
IN employee, clerk or laborer OF any kind
in the country who cannot easily get a
days leave Of absence occasionally with
out endangeriag the 'loss OF bis situation.
Any statement to the contrary, on the part
Of Il person OF common sense, Is nothing
short OF q willtul falsehood-so We must
either be charitable enough to suppose
that Myers is an idiot, or, we must hold
him accountable, according to the actur :
position in which he has placed himself.
So much for that. We affirmed our pleas
lire in meeting our Victoria friends, at
any time, but suggested that they could
just as well come on q week day as to des-
ecrate the Sabbath. That suggestion, we
still adhere to-because there is no good
reason why an excursion must take place,
if at all, OH Sunday. Wewill not endorse,
or even excuse, anything Of which our
conscience does not approve, even though
the overwhelming argument should
be adduced that so august q parsonage as
Capt. L. M. Starr originated 1t, or because
as many IS $50 " persons participated.
Capt. Starr, though most estimable man,
is but human after all, and we do not re-
gard 1t as any phase Of the "unparlonable
sin" to question the propriety of his ac-
tions; and besides this, there are doubtless
many IN Victoria who would participate
in Sunday excursion II they saw no pros
pect Of any other than Sunday excursions
being gotten up.
Christianity Is widespread, in fact al
most universal, in its Influences. The
lowest ''scrub" who writes against it
even the local scribbler, for noticing
whom we are almest tempted to apolog'.,
is indebted to Christian civilization, for
everything which affords him an opportu.
nifty to rise above the barbarians who orig
iaally populated our country. The Sal
bath day is essentially Christian institu-
ton, as far as the command to keep it
holy" is concerned. Any willful violation
Of its sanctity Is, therefore, violation OF
the principles embodied In this very civil
izatlon which has done so much for the
world. BY history we are abundantly
justified in asserting that Christianity lo1.
sens crime in the exact proportion to Its
adoption by the masses; anything, there.
fore, which opposes Christianity or its
institutions, tends to increase crime and
panders to the lowest instincts of Man.
Start the present younger generation out
into the world without respect for the
Christian Sabbath, without respect for
morality and Christianity, and you have
IL. K,,. III, G,4,,..., ......A