Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-26
THE CINCINNATI SUNDAY CONTEST


Rest from labor on the Sunday is custom
whose value is best known 10 those whose
| occupations deny them the repose of that
day. 1t is one of the most valuable of our
social institutions-one of the most excel
lent OF our salutary habits. Think what it
would be to be tied to the toll, hustle, worry,
care, and wear of our everyday life, our
! struggle 10 obtain the means of living. cease
lessly and unrestiDgly. No day in which to
repose, no space sacred from the racket, and
noise, and rush of business, would be bor-
rible inhiction. Mems necessities, the need
to stop at intervals from the painting, ex-
hausting, mouotonous life of the shop,
the store, the Office, and the market,
make intervals of rest from our ordinary
occupations requisite and necessary. On
these, and other equally weighty foupda-
tions, the Sunday observance stands safe.
1t has its existence imperishab founded
on The irrepressibe needs OF human life
under The system which progress and civii-
cation has brought into existence. Mis-
trusting the strength of the foundations on
which the custom of Sunday rest stands Sc
cure, departing from the practice of The
early church, that custom is claimed 10
stand on the basis of positive law, and
authority is claimed for its existence
that il never given is the source
OF communistic Christian legislation.
This erroneous claim has aroused opposi.
ton, and its enforcement SO as to make what
was intended for relaxation from care and
hustle and toll, yoke, deprivation, dry,
hard, restrictive observance 10 be enforced
even upon associations and races that take
their weekly day of rest upon some other
day oil the week than Sunday, has aroused
reaction from the harsh rigor OF puritan
exactingness. A. this time great struggle
is going on in the city sf Cincinnati upon
the Sunday subject. Iuns cent and healthful
on the Sunday being prohibited
or discountenanced, demands are made for
indulgences which, in cities, fills the police
courts on Monday morning with more
offenders than on any day of the week. In |
Cincinnati the theaters were opened on the |
rest-dly. The authorities opposed the prac-
tice, but did not find all the support they |
expected in the law, and after brief closure |
The theaters were opened again last Sunday. |
An arrest was made, and prosecution be-
gun which is to be made a test case as to the
power that exists 10 force people to keep
he Sunday observance, as the law at
'ne time forced citizens to attend
church. How The contest will end
We cannot tell, but we have little faith
n the enforcement that is made not on real
'ut on false grounds. Sunday is necessary
or health and comfort, and its rest is an en-.
oyable relaxation from toll. For these rea-
Ons Sunday would be loved and valued, bat
mingled up with belief respecting its au-
hority which many Intelligent and con-
cientious persons do not entertain, opposi.
ion arises. Under the excitement of that
ppositioD, the real grounds for keeping the
est-day, and its extreme value, are lost sight
I. The greatest enemy 10 the delightful
nd precious boon of the Sunday cessation
'om toll is the enforcement of a Mosaical.
r rather pharisaical, Sabbath, such as
neither we nor our fathers could bear"