Morning journal and courier., 1881-04-16

 demand-these facilities, and the church of Christ in that it does not utter it's protest in tones so emphatic as to compel attention and secure compliance. Dr. Schaf said truly in '63 that 'the desecration of the Sabbath, after the outbreak of the war, threatened the people with greater danger than the rebellion itself"
 The great Sabbath breaking corporations are those that control the railroads and steamboats. But the managers of the lead ing lines of railway know that Sunday traffic uniformly involves pecuniary loss, and lay the responsibility upon the people. 1.-The greatest obstacle to Sabbath observance to- day. saws one who can speak with authority on the subject, lis the thoughtless habits of Christian people themselves" New York can stop the newsboys from crying their wares before the homes and sanctuaries of the people New Haven, apparently, cannot In London, we are told, no letters are deliv- cred from the postofhce on the Lords day nor collected The same is true of 120 other towns in the kingdom. Thus 1000 men are ican enterprise or irreverence that insists up- on Sunday delivery? Don't you think it is rather poor plan to go from the church directly into the reading-room, and take your letters and turn your mind so suddenly from subjects peculiar to the Lords day ?'' The young merchant whom a good deacon thus accosted reflected and decided that it was not right, and never went again for his letters on Sunday. If that good deacon still lives and holds the same views, he might fnd mission in this latitude now, as then in Boston. We need more men like David Hope, of whom Car lyle tells us in his lately published reminis- cences. Living by Galway shore, where pro- longed rains, alternating with roaring winds and days of drought, made the harvesting of crops matter of difficulty. and sometimes called for prompt action, this man had learn ed how to use the sovoring hour, but had not lost meantime, the sense of Gods control. l Having breakfasted on the day set for gath ering in his grain, he was about to conduct | the family devotions, when one rushed in | with the words: ''Such raging wind has | risen as will drive the shucks into the sea, if | let alone" t'Wind' replied David, ''wind | canna get straw that has been appointed | mine. Sit down and let worship God" | What think you such 8 man would say to l Sunday mails, Sunday trains or other forms | thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy | pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sab l bath delight, the holy of the Lord. honora- 1 ble; and shalt honor him, not doing thine l own ways, nor finding thine own pleasures, 1 nor speaking thine own words, then shalt 1 thou delight myself in the Lord and I will l cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth and feed thee with the heritage of | Jacob, thy father for the mouth of the Lord | hath spoken it.'
 Intemperance is another of the ''faults' we have to remember-the sins we need to con- 1 fess to-day-intemperance among persons of | each sex and varying in age and social posi- | ion-intemperance,w which expends in gratify. | ing thirst in Connecticut alone m1llions-in- 1 temperance, which causes four-ffths of all l the poverty and crime under which the na- | ton groans-intemperance, which sends | three victims to the drunkard's grave every | acknowledgements which is sapping the | strength of our churches and doing more | than aught else to hinder the progress of | Christ's cause at home. I know it is not the l province of the pulpit to frame the civil stat utes. It is it's prerogative, however, to | state the principles of scripture, on which all | right legislation is based. The minister of | the gospel may hold up to the victim of in- temperance the picture which inspiration has painted of him who tarries long at the cup. He may and should remind the vender of this | liquid poison of the ''golden rule,'' and pro- nounce the woe of scripture upon him who -''putteth the bottle to his neighbours lip" whether at the table, in the drawing room or at the bar of the saloon. envy not that man or woman who at the judgment shall be con fronted by those whom they first be- l guiled into this snare or encouraged to con- tinue the habit. Neither would wish to meet | the reckoning of those who, having sworn to legislate justly and impartially for the in- terests of the State, shape their legislation in compliance with party dictation, personal ap-
 
 poration,' we are told by an English writer, ''has become the most formidable interest in Great Britain. Legislation is paralyzed. Statesmen dare not touch the question. :" Have you detected any influence akin to this operating on this side of the sea :? '"This na- tion," :" 1t is said, 'tis spending more money 1 for intoxicating drink than for all the bread it eats and all the clothes it wears, all the | books it's reads and all the churches it has ever built.'
 God, in answer to his peoples prayer, en- abled them to break the letters of the slave l and relieve the nation of that foul blot. Yesterday was memorable to many as the an- niversary of his martyrdom whose honorable | distinction it was to set his signature to the | emancipation proclamation. May we not to- day fitly implore release from this other 10 on- dage and curse through him, the | divine deliverer from every yoke, l whose death on Calvary so many are 1 now commemorating will detain you only | to mention, without discussion, as another | ''fault' calling for remembrance to-day, the | lax views entertained of the sacredness of the marriage tie. You who heard the impressive, not to say appalling, statements and statis- tics contained in Mir. Dike's address last Sun day evening will require no unfolding of the thought, but will understand that raise no idle query when I ask whether it is so i'm probable that after all that MT. Hepworth Dixon's pictures of American life will yet be- come faithful delineations of the social life of the future-even in Constituencies the people return to the scriptural idea of mar riage. Let all seek to improve this day by penltent confession of sin, sincere humllla- ton before God and earnest supplication So may we hope for a blessing, for Jehovah has declared: If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, l and seek my face, and turn from their wick ed ways, then will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land"
 At Dwight Place church yesterday morn ing the pastor, Rev. T. R. Bacon, preached discourse on materialism in politics It was | heard with close attention and deep interest, l and was specially thoughtful and suggestive sermon.
 Rev. H. c. Hovey preached an excellent and able discourse at the First Congregation al church, Fair Haven, yesterday morning, at a union service of the First and Second Con- gregational, the Baptist and the Methodist churches.
 First M. E. Church.
 Rev. pr. Adams occupied the pulpit at the First M. E. church yesterday morning and preached a very able discourse, passing his re- marks on the sufferings and death of Christ. Rev. Mir. Adams will preach his first sermon to his new charge in Meriden on next Sunday morning The best wishes of many friends for success in his new field of labor will fol- low him.
 Fine Groceries, Fruits, Etc.
 George B. Somers, the popular and suc- cessful grocer, has at his store, situated at 1O4 Church street, very choice selection of fine groceries and fruits. His goods are al- ways of uniform quality and his prices req sonably low. Extend your patronage.
 Book Heer.
 A. Lenhart of S5 Court street will be pre- pared to furnish George Ehrett's book beer to his customers ou Saturday. There is no