Mexico weekly ledger., 1881-04-28
THURSDAY, P R 2s, 1881.

THE LEDGER is entered at the postofice at
! Mexico. Mo-, and admitted for transportation
through the mails at second-class rates.
Correspondence OF the Mexico Ledger.
SUNDAY LEGISLATION.
The formation of associations in
this country to obtain more stringent
Sunday laws, suppress ~postoffice de-
liveries and the conveyance of pas
sengers and mails, and abolish popu-
lar ~recreations on that day, on the
one hand; and the organization of
societies, OIL the other, to provide in
lieu of ordinary labor. such cheerful
and rational aInusements, as will
promote health and contribute to
moral and intellectual advancement
and lessen such frivolous and vicious
conduct on the Lords day, as the
churches have failed to overcome by
their attractions and teachings, have
created desire for full discussion of
what sort of legislation, if any, is
demanded for the proper observance
of Sunday, and to meet that wish is
the object of this communication.
1t is admitted on all hands that ces.
sation from hard labor during one
day in seven is necessary for the de-
velopment and maintenance of hui
man constitutions and that therefore
it ought to provided for in civil
codes. The matter disputed about
is as to fixing by law the most suita-
BILE method of spending the appoint
ed time o frest. No objection is made
in any quarter to allowing all that
may desire to do so to spend Sunday
in worhsip, pious meditation and
reading and appropriate charities
and mercies. Another aspect of the
question is, have reiigionists the
right to demand that the State shall
make their time and mode of wor-
ship of universal obligation? In 9TH
err words must the majority of socie-
ty submit to the dictation of the
minority in regard to religious OBJ
seryances and thus be made to aban-
don what it considers conducive to
the general health and progress of
communities.
Without haggliug as to what day
constitutes the proper time for wor-
ship, since the same day cannot be
simultaneously observed all around
nv SoIillliShSC DN lhIulI1hS
whether any appointment of such a
time was made by divine command
ment in the New Testament? Christ
indeed often spoke of the old Sab
bath as pertaining To the Jewish dis
pensation, but almost, if not always,
in condemnation of pharisaical de-
mands for its observance, teaching
at the same time that trivial acts re-
quiring little or no exertion were not
to be COMPOUNDED with the real and
exhausting labor forbidden on it.
Mat. IL, Ia; Mark 8, 1-6. For several
years after the Savior's death and
while his church was mainly compos-
ed of Jews, the old Sabbath with
other Mosaic rites was observed by
it, but when A. d. Al, the Gospel
was preached to the Gentiles, the
Apostles and Elders ordained that
no Mosaic burden should be laid ON
them beyond abstinence from meats
offered to Idols and from blood and
from things strangled, and from for
nication- Acts Is, 90. OF course it
was as proper to appoint a time for
worship different from that of the
Jews, as it was to establish a differ
ent form of worship This was
done by practice and not
through ordinance of any sort
that is recorded, and if the early
church refrained from work
during the whole of the first day of
the week, as well as that of the sew
enth, either among the Christian
Jews, who with Paul, (Acts II, 12.)
continued to observe the seventh, as
as we'll as the first day of the week,
or among the Gentiles who had no
appointed day of rest, is it not a lit
tie singular there is not the
slightest allusion to hat fact in the
New Testament OF the writings of
the Fathers. And if Paul conceived
that the establishment or Confirmation
OF a proper time, or the appointment
of a suitable form worship fell
within civil Jurisdiction, is it not
passing strange that he made no al>
fusion to that right, in his allusiOn to
the Second Table OF the Command
ments, upon the occasion of his eX-
h%ortation to all to submit to
the higher powers as ordained of
God. from. 49,
In Justin apology to the Emperor
AntOninus, A. ID. $50, there is a full
account of existing Sunday observ-
ances without allusion of any sort to
rest from labor. In the Eastern
churches, where the proportion of
Jews was greater than in the West
ern, the old Sabbath was observed
until the fifth century, and it is kept
Jews in our midst until the present
time, as can be seen any where in
their synagogues. In the second
century Tertulliou mentions the vol
untary putting off of worldly BUSH
ness to another day in the Western
churches; but it was not until a. ID.
321, that Constantine passed the fol-
lowing edict, which was the usurpa-
ton of civil right to control the
church: "Let all judges, inhabitants
of cities, ana artificers rest on the
venerable Sunday. But in the coun-
try, husbandmen may freely and le-
gally apply to the business of agri-
culture, since it often happens that
the sowing of corn and planting of
vines cannot be so advantageously
performed ON any other day, lest by
n.glecting the opportunity they
should lose the benefits which divine
bounty bestOws on u.s." In A D.,
538, the church attempted to regain
its lost power by enjoining or rather
recommending abstinence from agri-
cultural labor, at the third counail at
Orleans; and in the ninth century
Pope Leo subordinating the State to
the Church, repealed the exemption
enjoyed by the farmers, that they
might have more time to count their
beads, say their prayers and attend
mass. The Reformers recoguize ed
Sunday as a day of rest, worship and
rational enjoyment. 1t was not until
the seventeenth century, that the
opinions of to observe Sunday,
that have descended 20 the Puritans
of our times originated, which are
common in New England ana among
the Puritans wherever they go, and
especially in Connecticut, where
stated attendance upon the sanctua-
ry was ono enforced by fines and
imprisonments. In the days of
Charles I, the Puritans gave a lar
rover and more ascetic construction
to the proper observance of Sunday
than did st. Paul and the Reformers
and being wrought up to a high pitch
of indignation by that princes re-
newal of his fathers edict s~ignifying
that it was his royal pleasure that
Nan Cuuday after carvico no Iauful