Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-05-23


able rival and gives the GOwen manage
ment of the Tidewater free course.
OBSERVANCE OF SUNDAY.
Among the many problems that will
not down at the bidding of the student of
sociology, few have occupied a larger
space in the minds of advanced thinkers,
and none have presented moro difficulties
in their solution, than the question how
shall Sunday be properly observed. Re.
ligious alarmists assert that tho tendency
to the secularization of tho day, which is
becoming more and more manifest, marks
the rapid decadence of faith in Christi
anity, while others profess to see in it a
healthful sign of the prosperity and con-
tent Of the American people. Be this as
it may. no one can deny the patent fact
that in the larger American cities the
major portion of the population no not
attend religious services on Sunday, but
seek for recreation ard relaxation in the
many parks, beer gardens and more
questionable resorts iU which great cities
abound. Public attention has been
aroused to the necessity cf some action in
the matter, as the recent failure Of the
Sunday laws to effect their purpose in
New York marks that the existing condi-
tion of affairs has deeper roots than would
at first glance seem probable.
The New York Tribune recently gath
cred some statistics in the metropolis OF
the nation, which are very interesting in
connection with the study of Sunday OF
servance. Out of total population OF
| 1, 400, 000 the number of church members
are placed at 100000, while 125, 900, in
round numbers, are in attendance at
Sunday schools. This leaves remaining a
balance of 675, 900, who in different forms
pass the day without the assistance of any
religious worship. Thus it is seen that "A
little less than one half of this vast popu.
lation do not see the inside of church on
the Sabbath. The same journal pro-
pounded series Of ques tious to seven rep
resentatiVe ministers of the more promi-
nent creeds to elicit, if possible, their
views on the existing state of 'popular
Sunday observance aud its tendency, to.
gether with their suggestions as to the
best course to be pursued by the religious
community in the matter. both with ref
| ereDce to themselves and to the cOmmuni
ty at large.
Rev. DR.. Henry C. Potter, representing
the Episcopalian view of the question,
takes the ground that the seculariz alton of
Sunday is due to the vast influx of unas
simulated foreign ci.izsus, who have bsen
accustomed to :. holiday observance of the
occasion. The whole question resolves
| itself into whether Or not man is 4 spirit
ual being with spiritual needs, Or a mere
machine wound up by meat and drink.
Even in the latter event cessation from
toll is demanded one day in the week il
mans physical structure would be kept in
tho best state of preservation. The
body demands periodic rest in order to &C
c1mplish the highest kind Of labor.
Should Sunday become as other days the
evil will fall with particular severity on
the laboring class, and it becomes the
duty of those who make tho laws and
mould public sentiment to see to it that
the cupidity of employers or employees
shall not take from them their hard earned
freedom from toll on Sunday.
Rev. DR.. Howard Crosby, Presbyterian,
holds to the belief that Sunday is entirely
al individual matter, belonging to the in
dividual conscience aud to be treated by
the individual judgment. The law makes
Sunday day of rest; it does not aim to
make men religious. 1t appeals to their
courtesy not to disturb the worship of
their fellows, and to their regard for the
laws of hygiene in the mandate to abstain
from manual labor on that day. Sunday
rest should be divorced from the idea of
religious compulsion and stricter Sunday
observance would be the outcome.
The genial Unitarian, Rev. DR.. Robert
Collyer, insists upon the necessity of day
Of rest for the working classes. Only thus
may be regained the power which during
the week has passed into the hammer, the
the engine, the plow and tho pen. The
evil results of denying this small boon were
witnessed in the Paris Commune of 1871.
Libraries, museums and galleries should
open their doors to those who can at no
other time visit them, and churches should
be rendered SO attractive that people will
60 there as wild pigeons 60 to wheat
stack"
DR.. William NJ. Taylor, Congregation
alist, illustrates the differences between
the ancient observances of the Sabbath
under the Mosaic law, and its modern oh.
servance under the New Testament with
the remark that "the former was book