The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-02-04
THE WAR ON THE SABB4TH

eNacOhlehG Whlch Will destroy the value
OF the Sabbath as a day of rest in Vir-
glnla' ard of course as a day for religious
observance. A bill has been introduced
INTO the Senate by prominent senator
which is understood to be the legislation
asked for by what is known as The Git
liens Association of this city. which
fixes the fine for the violation of the Sab
bath at sum not exceeding ten dollars
and exempts from the penalty prescribed
those who sell perishable articles bv the
authority of city councils or county su-
pervisors, keepers of ordinaries restau-
rants, and livery stables, printers en-
ployed on newspapers, and persons en-
gagged In any professional employment.
not incompatible with public decorum.
The bill also provides that no city ordi-
nance shall prescribe different penalty
for the violation of the Sabbath.
1t will be readily seen that under this
bill, if it becomes a law, the old-fashioned
Sabbath of our fathers will be abolished.
Not only are the classes exempted from
the penalty for the violation of the Sab
bath very large, but the penalty imposed
on persons not exempt is so very small,
that it will be readily paid by those who
deem 1T to their interest to violate the
Sabbath. Our city authorities will be
powerless to enforce the Observance of the
law, as they will be restricted to the
penalty imposed in the act, which expe-
rence has proven to be entirely made
quate in our cities, where keepers Of
drinking saloons find it to their pecuniary
advantage to violate the law and paw the
fine. AS the law now stands, LIQUOR
dealers are liable to fine for the viola
ton of the Sabbath, of not less than ten
nor more than five hundred dollars. By
a strict enforcement of This law, our Hus-
tings Judge has pretty well broken up
the liquor traffic on the Sabbath in this
city, and has greatly reduced the number
of Sunday arrests
The liquor dealers are very FESTIVE un-
der the fines imposed by the Hastings
Court, and hence the application to the
Legislature, which is also intended to de-
prive the Hastings Court of its iurisdic-
ton in the premises.
The reasons urged for the passage Of
this bill will strike our readers as very
remarkable. 1t is claimed to be a meas
ure demanded by the honest dealers, to
protect them from the dishonest ones. 1t
would seem to an outsider that the higher
the fines and the stricter their enforce
ment, the better protection will be af-
forded to honest dealers, who of course
do not violate the law
1t is claimed that men will drink. and
to shut up the drinking saloons on the
streets will drive them to worse places
This argument seems to strike at all laws
for the prevention or punishment of crime
for men will do wrong in this world, and
If the attempt to prevent them makes men
do worse, we had better repeal all laws
looking to the suppression of evil.
Another argument earnestly urged
is that the law as it now stands is intend
ed to be in the interest of religion. AS
morality is a constituent part of religion,
this objection would at once prevent all
legislation for the encouragement of NOR
atty or the punishment of immortality.
1t is to be hoped that the good people
Of our State are not yet ready to abolish
the Sabbath the strictness of the observ-
ance of which has always measured the
morality of every Christian community.
Not only does the bill before the Leg
islature reduce the maximum fine for sell
ing liquor on Sunday in the cities and
towns to $40; but it provides that out
side Of such chartered cities and towns
no penalty shall be incurred therefor by
keepers of restaurants or ordinaries.
We sincerely trust that the Christian
sentiment Of the State will arrest this
movement, and we hope that the Chris
tan voters of the Commonwealth will
note with care the yotjng in the two
houses of the General Assembly on the
subject. The law may be popular with
the Sabbath-breaking portion of the com
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