Connecticut western news., 1883-07-11
SABBATH OBSERVANCE.

THE CONNECTICUT WESTERN NEWS has uttered no uncertain sound in regard tC the running of Sunday trains, and it has been criticised for the stand it has ta- ken on this question. The issue forced upon the people of the Housatonic val ley is, shall we deliberately and wilfully desecrate the Sabbath day, or shall we recognize and obey the Divine com, mand in regard to this day ? The NEWS does not grasp the weak and narrow plank of expediency, but stands firmly and squarely on the broad and secure platform of Right. It realizes that Sun. day trains will be deadly upas tree that will poison the moral atmosphere of the whole Housatonic valley. To those who are now so clamorous for a Sunday passenger and newspaper train, we wish to say, should you at any fu- ture time have occasion to regret the ex- istence of this train, recollect that the NEWS uttered warning voice against the Sunday train. We do not desire to inconvenience anyone, or lessen the earnings of the Housatonic railroad a farthing, but we believe the running of this train is not conducive to the high est and best interests of society. We treat with proper respect opinions diff fering from ours, and claim an equal courtesey and respect for our opinion. If anyone thinks the NEWS is extreme in it's opinions, they certainly can not take exception to the can did manner in which the Val ley Cleaner of Lee, Mass, pre- sents the case and we append it's re- marks contained in its issue of July 4 and respectfully ask our readers to peruse and ponder them well :-
 "We trust none of our readers have construed our comparative silence on this topic, which has been so promi- nently in the public thought of late, as indicating either concurrence in the views of others that we have occasional ly quoted, or indifference to the subject. The question is one, we believe, the is- sues of which are of serious import and one which should be treated in no light or superficial manner.
 A few weeks since, the agitation in regard to the Sunday passenger train introduced on our road seemed to call for decided expression of opinion. Upon this subject the Cleaner was somewhat conservative, thinking possi- bly, the newspaper discussions aroused might develop some arguments in it's favor. We have been therefore, not on- ly greatly interested in, but carefully observant of, the drift of opinion in this matter and we must confess have not yet seen or heard in it's favor 8 sin gle valid argument which had any ref erence to, or even recognized, the di- vine nature of the Sabbath. Why it is that this point should be so con- pletely ignored we are at a loss to un- derstand.
 There are one or two notable fallacies in some of the arguments advanced which are misleading and to which we wish to call the attention of our readers The claims of the laboring man are urg- ed as an excuse for laxity in Sabbath observance. The plea is Q delusive one. Already too many of our corporations, as we'll as private concerns, require sev- en days labor each week from theirf em- ployees, and the laboring class can far better afford to forego little secular pleasure on the Sabbath than to encour- age and propagate any such ideas in re- gard to it. The Sabbath we are to re- gard as beneficent provision of wise Creator and such views are certainly an tagonistic to it's true purpose. And would it not be we'll for employers when they solicit or compel their employees thus to break either divine or human law in their fancied interest, to remem- Der that just so far do they invite them to break other laws against their real in terest
 But why, it is said, stop Sunday rail. road travel while milk train is tolera. ted while other forms of desecration are allowed while other vices are not all eradicated; or on one road while others do the same thing? The ques' tions, bear their refutation on their very face. Certain it is that Lee has great reason to ponder we'll the adage "Con sistency is 8 jewell" but two wrongs never yet made right nor is it logica, to hold that to permit and increase law breaking will in any degree profit the right. To sheer at "the Puritane Sab bath :" is easy, but to do as much fol the stability of good morals, sound gov ernment and business integrity as dit the Puritans is an other thing altogeth er, and he must be careless reader of his torywho does not recognize the moulding ! influence of "the Puritan Sabbath. The materialistic tendencies of the pres ent day are laying violent hands upol many of our most cherished institution
 but we believe the observance of tn, Christian Sabbath is too deeply instilleo in the popular mind to be easily relin quished for the general holiday whicl it has become in the European coun tries.'
 
 Ministers M Heeting 0t sheHaelil.
 The monthly meeting of the Housa tonic Valley ministers association wa