The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-12-17

who are set for the defence Of that truth
Perhaps God intends to let still more Of
them drift on the rocks in order to teach
His people that they are only safe when
anchored to His inspired and everlasting
Word.
If any Sabbath of rest and worship is
to be preserved it will be by the power Of
Christian faith and example.
The New York Tribune publishes a
Sunday edition. 1t goes into the bust
ness of buying and selling, Of making
money on the Lords day We feel as
though Malakoff had surrendered
The Government Of France opens the
magnificent Palace of Versailles to Pro
testant Christian worship. France, led
by superstition and scepticism, gave itself
up to pure materialism and put away the
Sabbath and the endeavor to obtain spir-
itual and scriptural graces Indeed in
the deterioration which followed SPIRIT
,tezle came to mean only livehness and
gracefulness. In everything almost the
Grande Nation suffered, and waking up
at last to the sad and general degenera-
ton, France now turns to Protestant
Christianity.
Last week brought this item of news
from Switzerland Four hundred and
seventy shop-keepers of Zprich have pre-
sented petition to the City Council, ask
ing the support of the authorities in an
effort to secure for themselves a cessation
of trade on the Sabbath. They have
agreed amongst themselves to close their
shops, and wish that all stores and shops
may be closed on Sunday, except those
of the bakers and butchers The city
fathers have received the petition with
hearty expressions Of sympathy and ap-
proval, and have transmitted it to the
Police Board for examination A similar
scheme is before the authorities of &C.
neva and st. Gallen.
Germany, led also by scepticism, has
for some time disregarded the law Of the
Sabbath, and to-day patriotic citizens are
appalled, before the increase Of immoral
| ity and crime, and there also it is pro
posed to endeavor to attempt to restore a
proper observance of the Lords day,
under the patronage Of the Imperial Gov
eminent.
In Great Britain and America men are
striving to induce the people to venture
upon the experiment which continental
Europe has tried with such evident dis
astrous results. In this country, where
mere precedent has so little power and
where life moves so swiftly, the end will
probably be reached much sooner than it
has been in Europe. That end is not
doubtful. The neglect of Gods law in
regard to the Sabbath inevitably results
in irrehgion, and the fruit of irrehgion is
vice and crime, and immortality as natu-
rally produces mental deterloraton The
presence Of an eaF151sss ssJs5n 49,
and the example of Christian people in
ceasing from all worldly avocations and
going up to the house Of God to worship
Him on the Lords Day will have a
mighty influence in retarding the decline
and in ameliorating the fatal power Of a
dissertation of the Sabbath, and nothing
else will. This is our only hope. 1t is
more than ever important that the mem
bers of the Christian Church in this land
shall "avoid even the appearance Of evil.
Brethren in Christ, you and we have
no need of Sunday newspaper. Let us
leave it alone for our Lord sake and for
the sake of the most precious human in
terests Christian Lntelhgencer.