St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-07-31
Sunday Trains.
SOME RECENT LOCAL SENTIMENT.

In regard to the running of Sunday
railway trains, we give it our opinion
that corporations cannot violate the
laws of God, or trample on the feelings
of the community, without suffering
the penalties that come from such viO-
latiOns, and sooner or later finding
that the moral sentiment of the people
as exerted in law, will bring to grief
such rs propose to trample on law and
right Barton Monitor.
Avarice and pleasure run Sunday
trains, and they neither consult nor care
for Gods law or the moral and relig-
ious sentiment o. any of his creatures.
Ridicule it, sneer at it, there is yet a
principle here of vital Importance not
or'y to individuals but to the welfare
and existence even of the nation. 1t
is not a question forced upon the peO-
pie by fanatical Christians, but one in
which every individual who has any
active moral pc ceptiOn, as well as
every citizen controlled only by love
of country and love for his fellow men
should he deeply interested.
We are Il Christian nation and it is
because of this that we claim superior
ity over the nations of olden times,
destroyed because of their licentiOus-
ness and denominations. This gives us
gen line pride of superiority over the
pagan nations of the present age.
Were we from our standpoint to assign
any one reason more potent than
another for the destruction of so many
kingdoms and nations of past ages, as
well as for the rapid downward ten
dency of many i'll our own time,
we should say it was disregard for the
Sabbath. This in individuals, churches,
communities, is the initiatory step
toward destruction. We say we are II
Christian nation are we not fast be-
coming such, more i'll theory and name,
than in principle and practice? What
is the tendency of beer gardens and
their acci SOries, operas, concerts,
horse races, sessions of congress, and
prosecution of every business and
pleasure pursuit upon the Sabbath Is
it to increase our reverence and regard
for the Creator and his requirements
or does this wilful breaking of the
fourth great commandment lead to
want of respect for any law human OF
divine and consequent disregard of the
feelings, claims and rights of our fell
low men?
We need not pursue the thought
Every citizen is brought face to face
with this great question and he must
answer it. Cavil, ridicule, sneer, the
fact remains that our perpetuity and
prosperity as IL uation, our influence
an ong and upon other nations, hinges
upon the queS ion of Sunday observ
ance or Sunday Dissertation. The ten
dency certainly is toward the latter
1t is question of vital Importance not
only to the Christian portion of oul
people, but to every moral man, tC
every citizen who desires good laws
good government, and peaceful, law
abiding communities. 1t certainly
should not be the province or desire %
public men, especially newspaper men
who hold so large IL power in the con
troll and moulding of public sentiment
to hold loose views, much less teacl
loose ideas of moral restraint or lega
enactment, or cOuntenance any ten
dency to wrong-doing which is liabl,
in it's influence to injure the peace anC
well-being of an individual, com
munity or people. This is a subjec
that requires from every intelliGen
citizen something besides ridicule, flip
pant jest or sneer. Il Newport Express