The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-22
TWO QUESTIONS.
The Sunday and Liquor Issues, and the
Wide Attention They Are Attracting.
New York Special.

New York Special.
Evidently the Sunday question and the
liquor question are greater questions
at present in this country than the
negro or the free-trade questions.
Mr.. Whitelaw Reid has received from sew
eral representative New York preachers
whom he addressed exceedingly mild and
liberal answers on the Sunday topic, show
ing that the preachers and priests are often
more liberal than their folds
DIR. William Taylor, Congregational, says:
To what do we look for the improvement of
tne present state of things among usl Not TO
civil enaotments and nothing seems me more
lnjudiciOus than the 'spurts" of shOrt-sighted
thusiasm which ever and anon impel weli-mean-
ing men among us to bring paltry offenders be-
fore the judge on the ground of SABBATH desecra-
tlon That will only provoke reaction and retail
latlon, and make the Sabbath more hated by
those who have no love for italready. The true
remedy lies in the evangelizatiOn of the people
as a whole, and the better observance Of the
Sabbath by those who profess to be Christians
among u.s.
Rev o. H. Tiffany, Methodist says:
The whole idea of worship is excluded when
men are forced into conformity. The most that
law Tor themselves and families, that their
worship may not be disturbed interrupted.
Law may rightly be enforced for the suppression
OF trafhc, unseemly travel, as in public process
sions, etc., and especially of those demOrallzing
aud Injurious pursuits which are Inconsistent
with the best interests of society, but it is well
understood that no law should be enact
en or enforced compelling participation in relig-
1ous acts.
Rev. Howard Crosby, Episcopalian, says:
Any endeavor to govern our land, or any part
OF II; from system Of religion must prove fatal
to all true religion. What we must have Is per-
feet freedom for religion to grow as it will, and
this perfect freedom cannot be had If the law in
terferes. Personally, believe in strict, Puri-
tanical Sabbath, and such observe every week;
but have no right to force my belief on others,
or make my belief the guide for their conduct.
10 MS own master each one stands or falls. 1
count the Sunday holy day. Others count it a
holiday. Let each one be fully persuaded in his
own mind.
DR.. Thomas Armitage, Baptist says:
Our ancestors here we're stern, exacting, al
mCst ascetic. and they felt little need for relaxa
ton; so that their Sabbath took its tone largely
from their own temperament, and its severest re-
strlcti0ns were no hardship to them. But the
great body of our present population follow
treadmill life to make bread and honesty meet,
without those habits Of thought which find rest
In activity; and so, when the mill stops day
out OF seven, Ii the man has no religious tenden-
cles he has every temptation to drift away into
vicious frlvolity instead of aimless idleuess
Rev. William Ormiston, Dutch Reformed,
says:
We cannot feel surprised, ard are not disposed
hastily to blame many OF the comparatively
poor and toiling classes for seeking spend
part OF the day In the open air, aud in cheerful
and innocent companionship, rather than 10 con-
hne themselves and their families in narrow and
cherries apartments, situated not uhfrequently
amid uDaJtractlVe and unhealthy surroundings
Pure air and social fellowship are human neces-
sites. For many who are disposed co read, but
who cannot procure books, properly selected
Libraries and suitable readinR-rOOms would
prove source both of enjoyment and improve
ment.
Rev. Mr.. Potter remarks:
The popular tendency in the matter of Sunday
observance is unquestionably toward the secu-
larization OF the day, and this characteristic
likely to become more and more pronounced
The reasons for this are not obscure. The elder
Sunday Of colonial and subsequent days was the
product OF people largely homogeneous and
England, the Hollander in New York. and the
HugueuOt in South Carolina differed about other
things, but they agreed about the observance of
Sunday, or, most OF them for some reason
preferred TO call IL, the Sabbath, 1t was easy to
get legislation enforcing such observance
like minded; and in New York the churches
on Broadway were protected during
public worship from passing disturbances by
chains stretched across the street. Nowadays
our TeutOniG brethren not merely Will not en-
dure the chain, but beat the big drum and blow
cious emphasis. as It sometimes seems. when
they are passing a church door. And their pres
ence among us Is typical of that heterogeneous
America which has supplanted the elder. A vast
influx of -unassimilated foreign citizens has
given a new version of Mr.. Tennyson's ad-
mOnitOn that
I" 'rhe old order changeth, ever
Giving place to new
and the new order is conspicuous chiefly In this
that, whether italian, Irish, French Ger
man, it has brought with it It's own notion of
Sunday, without adopting ours"