The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1884-05-16
Different Appreclations of the
Day of Rest.

bby Va hA1Sss
Earl of Dunrayeu, IN the Nineteenth Cen |
tury.
The great Reformers, the early
fathers of the church, and, | ven.
ture in all the humhleness to think
the founder OF eur religion, enter
tained very dillrrent views as to
the utility OF the day of rest to
those who have nodded the laws
regulating sunday observanccs
among Us. The modern Sunday is
distinctly the outcome of the great
Puritan movement. The opinions
of the Puritan diviues on this point
are formulated in the Westminster
confessions. None can impcach
the lof,iness Of conception aud
purity 0t motive that actnatrsl
those divines. But their couccl.
tion was too lofty; 1t could not be
realized. 1t was above and be-
yond the compass OF human nature.
1t was IN ideal attainable only by
ideal men aud women. The Puri
tan SUNDAY never has been, is not,
aud never can be, observed among
us. Ii it was unsuitable TO the
wants OF human nature more than
200. years ago, it is much more III
consistent with the needs OF men IN
this present aye. Great multltudes
OF people were not divorced from
nature ut that time, nor were the
minds of men or women so active
aud so lntolerant OF mere idleness
Ms they are now. The struggle for
existence, and tue now consequent
necessity ior true recreation which
is only to be obtained by change
of occupation, were not SO pronol''''
ced then as now the surroundings
and occupations OF tue people are
far more depressing now than III
the days OF the Puritan divlnes.
The day of rest must be male to
suit tbs times, or IL ceases to be a
] day of rest. Human nature Is
many sided, aud unless some latl.
tule of vbservances is allowed,
SUNDAY of lest cannot satisfy its
various needs. No institution
of divine origin can fMl in its oh
ject OF clash with the requirements
of man. II it does 80 the FAULT
lies not in the command, but III
the Interpretation thereof. 1t Is
in the mistaken construction put
by onr Sabbatarians upon the con.
nand to keep holy the Sabbath day
that the danger to Sunday rs day
of rest lies. Sabbatarlans pccuse
the advocates of Sunday opening
of being uuuindful OF tue value OF
Sunday. The accusation Is not
tru,. It is on account OF my ap-
peciation of the value OF the day
of rest that approve OF the Sun
day opening. The feeling OF re-
ference for sunday as u divine IN.
stitution should be preserved
anything tending to weaken II
should be removed. Ii Sunday
ceases to be u day Of true rest to
the weary, of real recreation OF ex'
hausted mind aud body, the sense
OF reverence will surely weaken anti
die out, and one of the safeguards
of our English Sunday will have
passed away. The religious objec
, ton to Sunday opening has beeu
tacitly suffered to drop out OF the
controversy in parliament, aud
, have touched but lightly upon II
partly on that account aud partly
/ because it is u subject NATURAL,
! difficult for laymun to deal with
But it must not be forgotten tina
the. .reli gious objection is the rea
(. backbone of the opposition through
! out the country. 1t would not b.
hard to show how mistaken is thu
6 opposition. only wish that th
Q spiritual leaders OF the people o
? all denominations wonld speak on
e their minds freely on the subject
i Surely not many of them can hol'
4 in their inmost souls that such rea
{ sonable recreation as is involves
0 in Sunday opening Is contrary I
s Scripture or hostile to a proper an
o religious observance of Sunday
!, But they fear to offend the weakt
i brethen. The weaker brethre
It theory is like all other good thing
n apt to become inconvenlent au
9 dangerous when carried to Q