The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-01-19
GOING BACKWARD.

yesterday iuOfHillB our iutai No'uhihS
contained the announcement That IAN or
dinance entitled, An Ordinance Prevent
ing Theatrical Exhibitions and Concerts on
Sunday, passed its several readings before
our City Council and was adopted, being
especially prohbitory of concert or exhi-
bition in saloon or public place on the
Sabbath. We regretted to hear of this &C
ton on the part of the Council, as we feel
that not only needed means of innocent
enjoyment has been prevented, but the in
dvidual and collective privileges of our citi-
zens have been abridged without any moral,
ifindce any legal, right on the part of the
City Fathers to deprive them of the same
We have no opposition to urge against the
observance OF a Sabbath day or precepts
of the Christian religion. In common
with the intelligence OF the land We APP
prcciatc their genuine worth and respect
them both, but we have something to say
as to the manner in which they should be
honored and remembered. We have the
same right to construe the meaning and de-
clare the spirit of Biblical and human
laws that the City Council has and we are
certainly of the opinion that the dryest and
most passive, the solemn and say-nothing,
do-nothing way of celebrating Sunday is
neither the best, morally nor physically, for
the citizen, and is not in compliance with
even the higher religious intelligence or
Biblical authority. We are prepared
to admit that such is the Purtanical
idea of the Sabbath, but it is adopted by no
other people than the descendants of those
fanatics who, unfortunately for MS, gave the
first impress and direction to the Lcgisla-
ton of the United States. And
then again those who ascrlbc
so much sacrednes, to the present
Sabbath, and find so much authority for its
solemn observance in the Mosaical code Of
morals, forget that they are not keeping
the Jewish Sabbath, the legitimate God
appointed Sunday but the first day of the
week, and one simply agreed upon by hui
man governments as Il day of recreation or
rest. The Seventh day OF the Bible
that which should, if any, rec
ommend itself to the religiousy disposed
is Saturday, and save by the Jews is not
regarded anywhere in Christendom MS of
very sacred character and is indeed the
day of all others in the week when humani-
ty holds its'noisicst carnival, The incon-
sistency and absurdity, therefore of the
,c,I
from supposed Christian standpoint to
the present Sunday is at once perccptible,
We are attempting to invest a day of mere
ly human appointment with the soem-
nifty and sacredness of n religious institu-
ton, and consequently start from radi-
cally wrong premise every time a step in
such direction is taken. 1t is almost dis
ceuraging to note the backward ten
denotes and gross preiudiccs of ignc-
rance, when politically or reigiously
applied. 1t is almos impossible to get
people at large r. see IT, the world IL con
stantly moving away from The pur,tanicll
epoch in morals and religion and the patri-
archol regime of politics, away from
that condition of things when
these same Puritans displayed their feel
ings by stabling their horses in churches
and treating the sacred places and symbols
with intentional insult, after the manner of
the French revolutionists, who pulled down
sacristics and altar-tablcs, tearing mass
books into cartridge papers, drinking
brandy out of chalices, eating mackcrel oil
patonas and maxim. mock professions
in their drunken rcvcls in the
church. In nearly all American
communities at the present time
there is large element of Jewish and Ger
man or other foreign elements, to say
nothing Of the strength and Importance of
the Catholic denomination. These classes
of citizens look upon the Sabbath as day
more OF enjoyment socially and intellectu-
ally, than one of fasting and prayer, and it
seems to us that as taX-paying constitu-
cncics of the powers that be-" their opin-
ions and pastimcs, innocent in themselves.
are to be respected. 1t is class
legislation to ignore them. Among
the most popular of such .amusc-
mcnts are the concert and
the ball, the opera or lecture, and il is un-
justly depriving them of what is harmless,
and, indeed, intellectually and socially
beneficial to declare that such means of re-
creation on Sunday are to be prohibited.
But If these in turn have right to indulge
in such pleasures all others have, for par.
tial legislation is the most Ubiquitous and
least eXcusable orany, In short, noru.e can
be adopted that will suggest itself at once
by its fairness and liberality, except one
granting to every citizen complete mmu.
nifty from public or governmental restraint
or cenSure in matters of conscience, only
ofcourse, limited by the provisions in he
hale of public dccency, peace and
order But these latter desiderata o
good society ought to be enforced daily
without reference to Sabbath or a religion
I Then, again, where is the justice or consis
tency in voting to observe only certai,
hours ola day and then throwing open Ia,
saloons and gaming halls, while the concert
room perhaps lust above or near it Il
closed. Which Is the more hurtrul to so
cicly, the free use OF liquor or the free us,
Z | nr n,usi,N Whnt liul az ,,nrnli,,, 4, Z.