New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-26
LESSONS FROM THE PULPIT
THE Uses OF SUNDAY.


The Pr RYss N Beiiotcs n An Soms church (CnitntdH
A sermon was delivered yesterday morning
by the Rev Russell N Bellows at All Souls tunitaran'
Church, at FJurthave. aud Twenteth-st.. on " Inc
Sunday Question from a Laymans Point OF View He
selected his Marx H.. ~ and -: And He SAID
unto them, The Sabbath made for man, and not
mat for the Sabbath Therefore the SON OF Man Id LORD
also of the Sabbath" The preacher said substance
The occurrence OF tie summer aud the uses to
which Sunday is put in summer, brings up periodically
the question which Is known popularity az the Sunday
question. The question Ia a very large one. and has
many hearings and cannot be thoroughly treated at any
one time I propose 10 discuss 1t rather az layman
than as Clergyman One of the great troubles Of our
time with the pulpit Is that subjects Ike this are con-
sdcred TOO much from professional point OF view. and
conclusions reached which do not answer the ques-
which the people quietly asking In their own
minds As Jesus stated. " the Sabbath was made for
man. and the important matter for us 10 consider Is
how It for our best advantage. We are the
descendants OF Purans and the nhetors Of the Puri-
tans' Sabbath which, however. has been greatly mod
fled by the influx foreigners. the progress OF Ger
man ratlonalism aud the tendency OF philosophy. The
nonchurch-gotng that makes up the majority of
every community the press, professional men gener
ally poets artists and aetors-all entertain liberal
view of the question. The American Sunday mas
come gradually ike most changes and without our
leave The question for to consider is shall we
aid and abet IT, or oppose Shall oppose It alto
gctber or only IN part I
The Puritan VINO should take the old Bible ground
would rather misapprehend the feeling of the Jews IN
regard TO Sunday. The sabbath among the Jews was
never, and IL to-day. what II among puritan
While It had deeo religious Significance
day Of fasting and rejoicing Nothing was 700
JOYOUS or TOO merry PARTICIPATION too hearty 20 ex-
press the gratitude they felt 10 be due 10 Od t3r gu ms
blessings Jesus did not take the Purltanca view or
the sabbath wne Paul's view. know, was lib
eral The rational layman sees that Jesus was
right in His view, and that II accords with reason ana
common sense The main question then, Is no" AR, are
get the most good OF all sorts out OF thls uaY
which Ia not 10 be abused by an unnatural Seriousness
We submit, III tue nrst place, hat II u 70 Dc use 1
every other good thing God mas given u.s. anu no1
rlou- and complex, and may be summed up as
physical, social. intellectual and spiritual
odcay rest-and IL constitutes the strongest pre-
servative OF the sabbath Secondly, we have always
qures expression OF love and friendship denied u In
our everyday lite. sunday. therefore, from human
point OF must be or less social day: linen
we know that man needs change IN ali lnteuectuhI
sense According TO our yarcd tastes our bars M
spiritual consideration The soul yearns 10 i0ok up ana
remember its Maker and what II owes 70 ann, th,s
feeling may scarcely known TO exist but still u Is
The most marked change in the Observance Of Sunday
in America the gradual falling of from the Puritan
habit OF attending church twice q day The morning
worship goes ON very much as usual hut the rest Oh te
@ ~ an ey Thoroughly believe for any one TO
separate himself from influence Of religious instiu-
mons and religious teachings The church has us place
iu human nature. God put II there and am not 90
fearful as some OF the evils that will from the d.
nmshed time spent III church In fact, am inclined
~ think good has come out Of more moderation IN
church going To the majority excessive church going
s not in accordance with their private Judg-
mcnt. and little exercise N faith with a
whole mind is hundred times better than too much re-
sglous observance which is simply periunctOry, and
when puts unnatural strain upon the heart one re-
service something which, believe, every ser
lous man woman, and chill ne taught % ENJOY II
proper means used To make the service what II ought
10 he made Tins is tendency Of the time NOT that
there s any less interest religion There never was
time when there more interest III religion than
there II to-day. The people merely falling off from
churcngOng habit. II this Is question or going
10 charcn three times on Sunday, believe once
is better than either twice or three times II our
churches were arranged thar all classes coud De
brought into closer communion churches would not
be 5 much deserted
Finally believe that the day should be kept sacred
to its uses, that system ~ religious educa
tiou should be modified TO enlist the interest ana
symDathy all classes From actual Observance or
the American Sunday at our places Of public resort
nave sIucR by the general good Order aLd sell
respect which prevail Tfe great thing ana the most
difficult thing cultivate our higher tastes ana racui
ties 50 that shall not for low or mere Idle
pieasures BY giving free rein 10 all our nobler I'm
M will effectuallY aid IN solving OF the
most important problems OF the day.