New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-20

special weight with now. because II Is clear that
the attempt made last winter 10 enforce Inc rehai
Code as it touches this question. met with no en-
coura ement FROM the broad common sense anu
good feeling Of our citizens who want quiet sun
dsy but do not want to override the deep-seated
instincts Of those who can never think as they
do on this ouesion and so have only the option if
the native T. ans ideas enforced OF false con-
formitv. or quiet resistance carried through on
long lines No kindlier heart beats anywhere. and
il renolted at once at the sight of those poor crea
lures IN the clutch Of the law. not for any moral
offence OF misdeed but because they wanted to exc
out their scanty little industries. in which there was
no clamor and that could only offend those who rs
sydney Smith says the choicest champions OF the
right of private Judgment but Will not allow TINS
light to the man whO is not of their opiniUn. Inc
ATTEMPT to enforce the sunday laws by inquisiion
resulted at last in high pfals laughter which were
not confined to our island but went ringing over the
whole world. And IN crossing the CITY on Sunday
morning not long ago. SAW II CHEEKY little boot
black brushing away as if such laws had never been
heard Of, while policeman Tucked on with quite n
beautiful benignty; and half block away there
was boy selling papers. and "a swart Tuscan busy
with his oranges and peanuts. We shall 500 no
more think of those terrors o. the law.
The truth was then what il IS now, that there IS
no city in Christendom populous as ours. and 50
blended together of all sorts ana conditions OF men,
III which finer quietncss can be found than taat
which falls every Sunday on this island. 1t stands
in the softest possible contrast to the turmoil OF
the week. and touches us as kindly as the sonth
wind ana the spring sun. 1t has been noticed as a
healthfu instinct in the English. who work so hard
during the week, that they hold on with firm grip
to their Sunday as day of rest ana recreation;
and fifty years ago one of the abest physicians OF
that tine said. in report made to the House OF
Commons that the working classes must have their
Sunday held free from invasion or they could not
bear the strain 1t put back tho balance of power,
he said. into the working mans hands which had
passed during the week into the hammer, the en-
CINE. che plough aud the pen. We have inherited
and held the same instinct we believe thoroughly
in Sunday as II day of rest. aud though We may not
live up to our belief, we do try.
A shrewd observer travelling In France many
years agO noticed that the workinpmen In the
great cities there were growing gloomy and bitter
and said that in his CpiDion the main reason for this
was that they had lost track OF their old sunny
Sunday. And | remember when | was in Paris IN
1865 counting forty different kinds of wOrkmen
busy at their tasks as walked on "A Sunday morn
ing from my hotel to a church not very far away.
| wondered where that wOud end and saw the
end In 1871 in the nres that had been knded by the
because they said they had eaten up the horses,
and the steward at the Bedford told me he had
tried when things were at the worst TO eat cat.
Those mea grew bitter and sullen over their work
on week days and on Sunday they had no far
chance at rest and recreation: we're driven to mad
ness by absinthr bad cigars and newspapers edited
in hell and then the furIes goaded them on to burn
and slay We insist on quiet Sunday for the vast
majority of those who have TO work hard during the
week. They may abuse it, but that is their lookout
and the most of them do not abuse it.
We need recreation also as we'll as rest. and as
cannot take mine on Sunday take it on Monday.
II my wife SAYS there Is 10 he "A wash-day dinner,
have an engagement down town. 90 through the
book stores and galleries the libraries and musenms
as the humor takes me- and that is recreation; or
go into the country. But the most Of those who
have to work IN the stores and factories must take
theirs Sunday or not at all. and there should be
no bars set uD to preven. them Such libraries,
museums and galleries as have should open their
doors freely on Sunday. and the managers should
say to our working population "COme in and well
come" | think our great grandchildren viii find it
hard to believe the report printed in last Sundays
TRIBUNE about our libraries and rcadng-rooms.
They will say the great rich city could not he 80
needless rs that IN SS3 far behind Boston.
Cincinnati and Chicago.
sncL crowds on Sunday to escape the stillnk sum
me: heats and Instead OF rcgretlng this tendency
or denouncng IL, we should all he glad. They are
far better in the groves or by the seaside than
they would be IN their pcnt-up rOoms have
watched 1000 people on Coney Island on a sun |
day afternoon, aud think the world does not afford
n queter or cleaner crowd. or one more mindful OF
good manners, take them, as We used to say ia the
West, " by and large
We have TO tace this innovation of the music |
halls on sunday evening who would Ike to see this
headstrOng metropolis INSIDE our churches do |
not beeyv in such things at all az do ia my va |
religious services: but then they VIII not come 20
our churches who go 10 those concerts as IL seems
nor in going there do they pass the lines OF
" inst and honest liberty" They 90 {" tho music !
halls for recreation as VIC go to the churches lor |
worship. Ii Is the business OF the Mayor and police
to find out whether any OF these aro masked bat |
teries OF the devil shOtted with base suggestions,
impure actions and bad rum to shut them up sun
day and week day and he done with them. But |
about the good. wholesome places we shall have to
come tn this CONCLUSION, finally, that since rc must
have them It is best TO be frank and honest abont
1t and not compel those who run them to tell lies
touching their real nature and use; and TO this !
hing lifting To he sald or sung on Saturday does not
become profane aud evil OH tic stroke of midnight
aud contnne 20 be that jusr twenty four hours and
then change again. May recaptulate7
!. This - an enormous city. with n population
which cannot he brought to think OF Sunday In the
gOud old native Ancrlcan way.
=. We need our Sunday a day OF rest and recre-
alton, those who are born here and those who como
lere. The deyoutrr heart takes both in church;
|
what they want. read or hear music or rush out
ntO the sweet fresh country.
3. The one true way to consider the question OF
sabbath observance is to consider this versu mind
md nature Stop all work which can 10 stopped
md let tho tollers rest. Open all tho founi a ms
Freely of q sweet anu wholesome recreation Make |
)ur churches the sweetest and most wholesome If
We can; that the people will 90 there az wild
pigeons 90 to wheat stack. Out-bid out general |
md flight the things think are hurtful Int |
beware how we. as chnrchmen, cry the law on
hem. 1t is not handsome sight. this steady
'etreat of tho churchman before the worlds peo-
DE touching Sabbath observance, which has been
.Oing in America tor a hundred year,. There IN
ouDd and solid ground can take. Rest on one
lay in seven, recreation hand in hand with rest
md then, please God. worship again 10 which the
strangcd masses will gladly gather when We re-
real to them it's worth. ROBERT COILYEK
Ner- lOrk. May IL, 1888.
SUNDA Y DEPENDS UPON CHRISTIANS.