Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-07-18
(From the Messenger }
A Sunday Train Wanted.


y. Western Vermont to New York and Bo
a ton. The only reason given why such;
train should be run is that it would benef
the state by bringing into it an increase
volume Of summer travel. 1t is elaine
that with more elaborate hotel accommo
: dations In the lakeside towns, and Sanda
evening train which would enable bushes
Monday morning. large numbers Of cit
people would make Vermont their sum
mer home. After the declaration, 81
seems 10 us it is not a question of moral
at ALL" the Herald devotes nearly col
umn to an attempt to show that ut i
moral to afford every decent facility o
travel to decent city visitors who come tc
Vermont to pass the Sabbath with thei
families" or. in other words, it would be
moral to run the Sunday evening train.
First, the Herald argues that if it il
right to run train into the state Sunday
morning, it is right to run train GU
Sunday evening, apparently assuming that
everybody admits that it is right to run The
morning train in. Next, the Herald
alludes to the fact that the Pharisaic
inhabitants of Berkshire county, Mass.
tolerate the running of Sunday milk
trains but kick against the running oil
passenger trains on Sunday which carry
an affectionate father to pass a
quiet Sunday with his wife and childreu;'
and concludes that the whole subject of
the modern Sunday needs to be discussed
from a more liberal standpoint" Although
the bearing of the Berkshire county affiir
upon the Vermont case is not distinctly
stated, the drift of the argument seems to
be that business men of the cities, who
send their families into Vermont in sum.
mer but cannot leave their business during
the week. need the rest and invigorating
effects OF country scenery and air on
Sunday, and morning train into the
state and evening train out of it would
enable them to experience these blessings.
The force Of this argument is readily felt
when one considers that Rutland must be
at least six hours from Boston by a fast
train and nearly as far from New York.
The faded and affectionate father after
riding more than half Saturday night
could be rolled into Rutland early Sunday
morning, and after spending the day in
one state and riding good part of Sunday
night could be rolled back into the city
somewhere between midOight and Mon.
days sunrise all rested and refreshed for
another week Of toll. 1t is question if
common humaneness to Bostonans and
New Workers should not prevent US from
tempting them with any opportunity for
such doubtful recuperation-if indeed
there were any probability that they would
embrace it. The only other argument
by the Herald to prove that
here is no moral objection to the train is
he surprising assertion that "he most
ievout ministers of all denominations in
NJ 9iOae SlliCo SOASCuC ludl luUuttu CIVIL
izaton tolerates and approves an amount
If travel and moral recreation on Sunday
hat would not have been permitted with.
'ut bitter opposition fifty years ago." The
'nlY way In which this assertion is sup
'orted by an allusion to the agitation 9
oncerning the opening of the national
nuseum, Smithsonian institution and i
congressional library at Washington on
unday. and by quoting Col. Robert G
ngersoll and Rev. Robert Collyer, who O
re presumably the representatives of the /
most devout ministers" before mentionel C
oil. Ingersoll attacks the Christian faith C
his usual style. and the only forcible
pint in the brief quotation from Mr.. =
ollyer is that many people are so closely y
nployed during the week that they /
Innot enjoy these things unless they have a
,cess to them on Sunday, This is not .
,rtinent to the running of the proposed r
ain, for Vermont is so far distant from r,
e cities mentioned that those of their j.
sidents who cannot erjoy our state unless !. II
ey come and return between Saturday II
ght and Monday morning cannot enjoy is
at all. W
If this is the best case that can be made
1t, Vermont wants no Sunday evening u
ain TO the cities. The fundamental M
nciples which underlie this whole b,
lestion of running Sunday evening az
aims are not touched. In order to discuss a!
intelligently we must first decide r
hethcr the Christian Sabbath is divine al
human institution; everything turns OF
on this point. If it is divine, we should CT
certain what is the divine law concern. ~,
g Sabbath keeping, and whether the de
inning of given Sunday train is in har. VI
ony with that law; ifhuman, the oues OF
N may be treated on economical q" ."
creation, physiological. or any other OF
ounds that may suit mans convenience IA
d pleasure. The Herald treats the OF
estion as if it had moral without any lr
igious significance, but if it is not a
igious question it can have no moral
airing worth mentioning. If there are IN
oral reasons for keeping the day they IN
sc wholly from the religious obligation. 10
One of two positions only can consist ~, ~"
tly be taken in discussing the subject; -
st, to regard the Sabbath as divine "n
tituton and 60 to the teachings Of scrip. al
'e for light upon its proper observance n nn
,ond, 10 regard it as human institution, TT
Re the question entirely out of the realm FL
religion and morals, and make the NJ
servance of the day matter of policy II,
pleasure. The commingling of the two V,
sitions leads to no logical and sound Al
Inclusion but 10 confusion. of
Whatever the most devout' ministers r ,a'
the great cities may think, the churches ex
this state believe that God Instituted the MI
obath as day ofleligious worship and COZ COZ
rest from secular emp!oyments. The ''''
ming of Sunday train from one stale