Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-10-31
OUR LONDON LETTER.
TIE BEST USES OF SUNDAY PoR PUBLIC
WELFARE
Social Science and Church Congresses =
Abuses in Educational Methods-Meet-
ing for Men only-Etc.
LONDON, October IL, 1888.

LONDON, October ii, 1888.
The uses to which Sunday may be put
as day of recreation, the education OF the
people, the employment and proper pro-
lection of women, and the question, how
crime may be repressed and criminals dealt
with to the best advantage OF society and
themselves are subjects of everything in
terest in all civilized countries, and when
such bodies as the Church Congress, re-
Gently held at Reading, and the Social
Science Congress, still in session at Hud-
dersfield, make utterances on these SUBJ
iects, it behooves all well-wishers of their
kind to consider carefully what is said.
The body first named represents in round
numbers 10000 clergymen and 10000, 600
lay adherents, the former being, on the
whole, the most highly cultured body of
ministers in the world, while additional
Importance attaches to the assenblage
from the fact that the Church under whose
the National Church. The other Con.
gress, though less distinctively religious,
was no less distinguished, and will be no
less influential in
M0LDIEG PUBLIC SENTIMENT,
For it represented the science and philan.
thropy of the realm, the men who COM
posed it, with Sir Richard Temple at their
head, being among the most scholarly and
humane the nineteenth century has pro.
duced. Both Congresses had the same OBJ
ject in view, viz, the welfare and happi-
ness of their fellow-men, and, as a matter
of course, their discussions ran along simi-
lar lines of human need. But they looked
at the race within different ranges of
vision, and naturally, therefore, on some
subjects, reached opposite conclusions.
This was notably the case on
THE SUNDAY QUESTION.
A large majority of the secular body ia.
vored the universal opening on the Sabbath
day of libraries, museums and art galleries.
Mark H. Judge, honorable Secretary of the
Sunday Society, in reviewing the progress
of recent years, stated that at present only
twenty such places were opened regularly
on Sunday in the whole of England, and
that the exhibitions which gave occasional
Sunday views numbered thirty-fve. The
authorities connected with each of these
places were, he said, unanimously OF opin-
ion that Sunday opening had been success
full, had proven beneficial and had been
much appreciated by a large section of the
community, his conclusion being that
practice which gave such satisfaction in a
limited sphere could only yield the best re-
suits in its wider application. But the
GENTLEMEN OF THE CLOTH DEMURRED
To this proposal. To open places of this
kind would cause large amount of Sum-
day labor, they contended, and would
tempt the sons of toll away from the sane.
tuary. On the first point, however, the
Social Science Congress endeavors to con-
ciliate the church people by compro-
mise it would have the museums and art
galleries opened on "such conditions as
would insure for every attendant weekly
day of rest" And, with reference to the
latter point, the painful fact confronts
those who have at heart the good of the
working classes that few of these are
likely to trouble the sanctuaries with their
presence, whether there be exhibitions to
tempt them away or not. A recent census
showed only nineteen per cent. of the pop.
ulation of England and Wales attended
church at given Sunday service, and no
less an authority than the Bishop of Win
chester declared recently, in letter to the
Times, that the
WORKING MEN HAD CEASED TO ATTEND
CHURCH
Or chapel, except in the small proportion
of one in fifty. These facts may not con-
stitute direct argument in favor Of the
Sunday opening of the places in question,
but they certainly destroy the force of one
of the most familiar arguments against
such opening. To foretell what will be the
ultimate issue of this controversy in Eng
land one does not need to be much of a
prophet, nor very close observer of the
current of events. A steady and unvary-
ing progress has marked the efforts of the
Liberal party from the first. The voice of
the working men themselves is more po.
tential than it used to be, and this, having
already prevailed over Sabbatarisnism to
the extent of securing Sunday music in
some of the parks, and of opening the
doors of a respectable proportion of the
places in immediate dispute, is greatly
strengthened by these successes in the de-
mand it makes for reforms of more rad.
ical character. Equally important, too, is
the change of and still
CHANGING ATTITUDE OF PARLIAMENT,
For the cause gains votes there at every
session, and at the last did not fall very
many short of having a majority. All in
dications, in fact, seem to point to a time,
not far distant, when the goal sought will
be reached, and it is not unlikely that con-
temporaneously with the Sunday opening
of these places of harmless recreation laws
will be enacted by which enemies of the
poorer classes will be shut up on that day.
On the question of education the Church
Congress seemed chiefly anxious regarding
two points first, to have proper
BLENDING OF RELIGIOUS WITH SECULAR
Instruction, and, secondly, to secure a
larger grant of money from the Govern
ment for the schools of their own denom-
nations. All elementary schools receive
State aid, even those of the Catholics, and
all receive it in equal proportion. Bat
the National Church, privileged beyond
Others in 80 many regards, thinks it
should be shown special favors in this
matter also. The demand, however, is
unreasonable, and while Liberal Ministry
remains in power there is not the remotest
chance of it's being complied with. As
to the other point the people are at one
with the priests, for school boards gener-
ally provide for some adequate recognition
of religion in the school course, and it will
be long time, certainly, before England
descends so far on the secularizing plane as
to Danish the Bible from her school desks.
THE SOCIAL SCIENCE CONGRESS
Dealt with She present methods of educa-
tion in their relation to health. 1t ap-
pears from what was said that this country,
Iono ann baoE uard IN onanino fha four