Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-12-31
rHE aIeHr Usa on suNpAx.


W
Prof. Felix Adler told the members Of
crowded Chickering Hall, New York, re-
ceoently, to hear his lecture on 1.-The
Right Uses of Sunday, THAT the fanati-
cal, Puritnnical idea that would make
Sunday day of gloomy and frowning
aspect was modern Catyinistic innoya-
ton that had not even the advantage Of
ancient usage in its favor. 1t was for
bidding departure from the old, beautiful,
cheering and lovely view that prevailed
for thousands of years before ii, that Sun
day was day for high aud noble
thoughts and for rational and innocent
amusement and recreation.
Rational men had u right to demand
that all manner of innocent enjoyment
should be encouraged on the Sabbath, so
long rs man did not go to the extreme
and give themselves wholly up to recrea-
ton to the exclusion of those religious
aud moral reflections that should always
be part of the days occupation. The
primary idea of the Sabbath in the old
Chaldean days was day of rest for the
toilers, and it should be made SO to-day,
and the toiler should be afforded the
means of securing rest and recreation too.
The blame for the Sunday debauchery
and crime of the present day, Prof. Adler
insisted, rested largely upon the orthodox
extremists who cut off all means of
innocent amusement and healthy enjoy
ment to the toilers, and by insisting that
| they shall either go to churches or else
| turn away to the dram shops. These
sufferers from orthodox selfishness had a
right to demand that the theatres should
be thrown open on Sunday, and the law
which prohibited their opening, but per-
mitted the absurd hypocrisy of sacred
| concerts, should be abolished.
With clean and pure drama upon the
stage on Sunday, the theatre would
| become as efficient pulpit for the incul-
| cation of moral lessons as the church
| itself. To see a good wholesome comedy
on Sunday would be good thing too
| It would drive away the toiler's mind
from brooding on the weight of cares
| that oppressed him. Furthermore, the
toiling masses had the fright to demand
/ that the public libraries and reading
rooms should be thrown open to them on
| Sunday. There was no sane reason for
keeping them closed. The good sense OF
the trustees of Peter Ooopcr's library set
an example that ought TO he followed nll
over the land when they opened its treas
ures to the public on Sunday.
Prof. Adler also urged that there ought
to be free public concerts for the people
| on Sunday in the winter rs well ms the
summer months. The music of the con.
certs was II police force in itself that was
better than all the policemen's batons in
keeping the masses orderly. The city
ought to own a number of halls at which
these concerts should be given for the
peoples benefit on Sunday, The art
museums ought to be opened on Sunday,
too, and there ought to be lectures on art
and history for the benefit of those who
visited them on the Sabbath.
Prof. Adler finally urged the organiza-
ton of a Sunday League, whose purpose
should be to elevate the Sunday life OF
New Workers by securing for them all
these various kinds of proper and
rational recreation for the Sabbath.