Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-08-11
JEFFERSON AND SUNDAY.

eeSdui anu saiilng vessels,
JEFFERSON AND SUNDAY.
What the Father Of Democracy Believed
Physical Demands for Gay of Rest.
EDS. RacoRD-UNIoN In an open letter
addressed to General Stoneman by William
Alexander, published in your issue of July
29sh, reference is made to the opinions of
Jefferson and jackson, the two great lights
OF the Democratic party, relative to the
Sunday question. And as Democrats pro-
fess such desire to be guided by the real
sentiments of that revered statesman,
Thomas Jefferson, l wish to call their atten.
ton to his expressed views in an interview
with Daniel Webster. quote from let.
ter written by Daniel Webster to Pro.
lessor Pease, of New York city, dated
June Is, 1852, and published in the Bos.
ton Traveller of June IL, 1869. In this
letter Mr.. Webster said
MANY years ago spent a Sabbath with
Thomas Jefferson at his residence in Vir.
ginia. 1t was in the month of June, and
the weather was delightful. While en-.
gagged in discussing the beauties of the
/ Bible, the sound Of bell broke upon our
ears, when turning to the Sage of Month
cello l remarked: How sweetly, how
very sweetly, sounds that Sabbath bell.
The distinguished statesman for moment
seemed lost in thought, and then replied :
Yes, my dear Webster. Yes, it melts
the heart, it calms our passions, and makes
US boys again Here / observed that man
was only an animal formed for religious
worship, and that notwithstanding all the
sophistry of Epicurus, Lucretius and Vol.
taire, the Scriptures stood upon rock as
| firm, as unmoyable as truth itself; that
| man in his purer, loftier breathings turned
the mental eyes toward immortality, and
that the poet only echoed the general senti-
| ment of our nature in saying that the
soul secure in her existence, smiles at the
drawn dagger, and defies its point. Mr..
Jefferson fully concurred in this opinion,
and observed that the tendency of the
American mind was in different direc.
ton, and that Sunday. schools presented
the only legitimate means under the Con.
stitution of avoiding the rock on which the
French Republic was wrecked. Burke,
said he, never uttered more
important truth than when he
exclaimed that "a religious educa.
ton was the cheap defense of na-
tions." 'Raikes', said Mr.. Jefferson, has
done more for our country than the pres
ent generation will acknowledge perhaps,
when / am cold he will obtain his reward (;
| hope SO, earnestly hope so. am con.
sidered by many, Mr.. Webster, to have
little religion, but now is not the time to
correct errors of this sort. ! have always
said, and always viii say, that the studious
perusal Of the sacred volume will make
better citizens, better fathers and better
husbands. OF the distinguished Raikes,
he was ctarum ct venerable nomen'"
In the same letter Mr.. Webster said :
"The Sabbath-school is one of the greatest
institutions of the day. 1t leads our youth
in the path of truth and morality, and
makes them good men and useful citizens.
As school of religious instruction it is
of inestimable value; as civil institution
| 1t is priceless, and has done more to preserve
our liberties than grave statesmen and
armed soldiers. Let it then be fostered
and preserved until the end of time"
| Mr.. Webster further said 81 once de-
Tended man charged with the awful crime
of murder. At the conclusion of the trial
| asked him what could induce him to
stain his hand with the blood of fellow
being Turning his bloodshot eyes full
upon me, he replied In voice of despair
MIR. Webster, in my youth 1 spent the
| holy Sabbath in evil amusements instead
of frequenting the house of prayer and
praise Could we go back to the early
years of all hardened criminals, l believe,
| yes, firmly believe, that their frat depart
ure from the path of morality was when
they abandoned the Sabbath.school. And
their subsequent crimes might thus be
traced back to the neglect Of youthful re.
| Ggious instruction"
Now, if such were the views of the
| two most eminent statesmen Amer.
lea ever produced, as to the value of the
Sabbath school, would it be wise for the
voters in this State to cast their ballots at
the coming election for those who are
pledged by their party platform to abolish
if possible the Sabbath school day? MAY
l add to this by quoting from report
had occasion to make on the Sunday ques.
ton to the Grand Lodge California
l. o. o. F. in 1870, found in vol. 4, page
PA. of the Journal of proceedings of that
body: Next to the family the Sabbath is
the first institution of God on earth. The
word and example of God have sanctified
it from the dawn of time. The day of holy
rest to land bearing the Christian name,
and to republic based on equal rights, has
| the highest civil worth it is Indispensable
to the purity and stability of a popular
government. The State needs it as a
safeguard of the public order, quiet and
virtue. Human laws, however wise
in form, become effete in practice, except
they are based upon conscience and upon
the sanctions of eternity, as recognized vol.
UNFAIRLY by an intelligent people. And
Gods day cultivates the one, and reminds
US of the other. Man needs the Sabbath
physically. Its law of rest is enstamped
upon the physical organization of all beings
capable of labor. He needs it morally to
rise out of engrossing seculsrities and ma.
terialism to the remembrance of his spir.
itual interests. 1t blends the social and re.
| hgicus nature of man, and fits him for a
social heaven.
The Sabbath was recognized and hon.
ored by the founders of our Government.
1t was adopted by this nation with the
common law of England recognized again
and again by our legislation throughout
the land as peculiar and sacred time, day
shut out from the range of secular bust
Mesa non-legal day-and cherished, too
by the people as the mother of many rich
| and rare social blessings.
The eminent historian, Macaulav. said
If Sunday had not been observed as a
day OF rest during the last three centuries,
l have not the smallest doubt that we
should have been at this moment poorer
and less civilized people than we are.h Six
hundred and forty.one medical men of Lon.
don subscribed a petition to Parliament
relative to this question, in which they
said :: Your petitioners, from their &C.
qnaintance with the laboring classes, and
with the laws which regulate the human
economy, are convinced that seventh dsy
of rest, instituted by God, and coeval with
the existence of man, is essential to the
bodily health and mental vigor of men in
every station in life"
DIR. Mussey, of the Ohio Medical Col.
lege, said Under the due observance of
the Sabbath, life would, on the average, be
prolonged more than one.seyenth Of it's
whole period; that is, more than seven
years in fifty" From third of csntu.
rvs experience and observation am fully
convinced that laboripg men will perform
more work in six days in the week than
they can by working seven, if the practice
IS continued, and that much more time will
be lost In year on account of sickness
than would be lost by resting one day in
seven, as general rule. did not intend
to spin this out so long, but it is nothing
to what might be said in favor of preserv.
ing oar Sabbath day from the assaults of
California Democracy. Ii. A.
Mendon GAL, Aug. 2, 1882.
AN INTELLIGENT ToAp.-Chas, White.
OF Newcastle, has brood of chickens
which have q run of portion of the ward