Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-05-03

recur at stated intervals, so that the
mass Of which the community is CONS
posed, may enjoy respite from labor
at the same time. They may be es>
tablished by common consent, or, as is
conceded, the legislative power of the
State may, without improperly, inter.
fere to fix the time of their stated re>
turn and enforce obedience to the d.
rection. When this happens, some one
day must be selected, and it has been
said the round of the week presents
none which, being preferred, might
not be regarded as favoring some one
of the numerous religious sects into
which mankind are divided. In
Christian community, where a very
large majority of the people celebrate
the first day Of the week as their cho-
sen period of rest from labor, it is not
surprising that that day should have
received the legislative sanction; and
as it is also devoted to religious observ-
ances, we are prepared to estimate the
reason why the statute should speak of
it as the Lords day, and denominate
the infraction of its LOCALIZED rest, a
proclamation. Yet this does not change
the character of the enactment. 1t is
still, essentially, but civil regulation
made for the government of man as a
member Of society, and obedience to it
may properly be enforced by penal
sanctions. To say that one of the OBJ
jects of the Legislature was to assert
the sanctity of the particular day Sc.
lected, is to say nothing in proof Of
the unconstitutionality of the act, I'M
less in this the religious conscience of
Others has been offended and their
rights invaded.
Gin this aspect Of the statute there
is, therefore, nothing in derogation of
the constitutional inhibition.
"Nor, so far as l can perceive, is it
obnoxious to this accusation, in any
other particular. 1t intermediates moi
with the nature and indefeasible right
of all men to worship Almighty God
according to the dictates of their OWL
consciences it compels none to attend
, erect, or support any place of worship
, or to maintain any ministry against
his consent; it pretends not to contro
or to interfere with the rights of con
science, and it establishes no preference
for any religious establishment or mode
of worship.
at treats no religious doctrine a
paramount in the State; it enforces nj
unwilling attendance upon the cele
bration of divine worship. 1t says no
to the Jew or Sabbatarian, you shall
desecrate the day you esteem as holy
and keep sacred to religion that W
u deem to be SO. 1t enters upon no dis
cussion of rival claims of the first an(
seventh days of the week, nor pre-
tends to bind upon the conscience Q
any man any conclusion upon a subjec
y which each must decide for himself
g 1t intrudes not into the domestic circl
l. to dictate when, where, or to wha
:, God its inmates shall address their or
Is SONS nor does it presume to enter tn
70 synagogue of the Israelite, or tn
y church of the Seventh>Day Christians
q to command or even persuade their a
" tendance in the temples Of those VIII
J especially approach the alter on SUI
't day. 1t does not in the slightest de
IS gree infringe upon the Sabbath of an
e sect, or curtail their freedom of VOL
IS ship. 1t detracts not one hour frol
any period of time they may fe'
9r bound to devote to this subject, nc
e does it add moment beyond wins
Sc they may choose to employ. Its sol
v mission is to jnculcate a temporar
er weekly cessation from labor, but ado
e. not to this requirement any religion
a obligation"
10 Our Supreme Court have said th'
T. when you construe a constitution, yC
5; must look back to see what the circur
81 stances were out of which it grew
IS who were the people that made j
IN for whom the government establisht
US by it was provided. The Constitute
'n of Tennessee was made for a Christis