Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-04-09


The holiday idea of Sunday seems to be
getting foothoid in some quarters where
we should least expect it. That those
who take a merely worldly view of things,
the non. church gocrs. the pleasure.l lovers,
the "men of the world" in II word, the
large class of modern materialsts should
advocate seCularized sunday is not ut
all surprising but we must confess that
we are somewhat astonshed to see the
moralists joining in with them. BY the
"moralists' we mean those worthy peo-
pie whose gospel is ethics, and who
would substitute the merely human
sense of what is right for religious princi-
pie and conviction. This class which has
received large accessions of late, is put
ting itself forward in literature and in
discussion, and, under the seductive title
of 'the apostles of modern culture" is
gaining n dangerous influence over the
mind of the young. The moralists of to-day
propose to discuss all questions of right
and wrong by the light of human reason
and the "enlghtened sense of ethics"
which modern culture is supposed to
have developed. They leave out of the ac-
count altogether religious teachings and
the Christian conscience, except so far as
THESE COlnClUc Wlln lIltlI Stu-IOIIltt
standards of morality.
On the question of Sunday observance
we should expect to find the class of people
purely and honestly calling themselves
moraists, in agreement with the religious
sentiment of the day. The moral tend
ency of worship, of religious teaching, of
quiet and reverent observance of the
Lords day, is so manifestly superior to the
moral tendency of recreation, sport physi-
cal and mental relaxation, that we do not
see how there can be a moments hesita-
ton as to which should be accepted as the
true ethical standard of Sunday observ
ance But a lady of culture, and a leading
apostle of the system of modern ethics in
this country-Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stan
ton-comes forward, in the April number
of the Forum, and makes plea, from the
moral standpoint, for Sunday recreation.
And we fear that her appeal finds an echo
in the hearts of most of those who base al
modern reform and philanthrophy upon
"enlightened ethics"
Mrs. Stauton's argument is that sun
day is regarded by the great majority of
the young, especially in our large cities,
as Il day to be spent in such recreation,
amusement or pursuits as shall relieve
the mouOtony of their working life. They
will seek amusement of some sort, and if
they can not find legitimate and proper
amusements, they will indulge covertly
in such as are harmful and debasing. In
stead of opening to these young people
only our church doors, Mrs. Stanton
would have the libraries museums, art
galleries, concert halls, skating Kinks,
gymnasiums and theatres made accessi
BILE She thinks that in this way the
morality of the community would be in
creased, while the young would be bene
fitted in accordance with their own tastes
and natural inclinations.
To us, this idea of deliberately pagan
izing the Christian community is decided |
ly oppressive. If the doors of all places of
amusement should be thrown open on
Sunday, the churches would be practical
ly deserted by the very class which minis
tiers of the gospel most need and most de-
sire to reach-the young. Think for Il
moment of the result of this policy. The
next generation would be largely Il gener
alton of observation-disclosures. Our young
men would grow up Bob Ingersolls, our
young WOmen-probably, not Elizabeth
Cady STATIONS, because they would
be without the religious sentiment
which really lies at the bottom of
all that is ethical in culture and
"modern enlightenment, but worldly
minded society lovers, play-goers, ut the
best blue-stockings and art-dabbers not
at all the stuff we want for our American
mothers. We leave it to the common
sense of the community whether this
would be likely to be Il development in
morals, in the long run ? When you
come to divorce those two sacred
words, the Bible and mother" you
have taken out of the holy of holes of
every mans life the altar before which
humanity burns its sweetest, hottest in
cense. Turn the Sabbath day into "A holt
day, and you will soon drive religion and
the Bible out of modern life. Does
not this picture of the whited sepulchre
of modern materalistic moraity-if
morality under such name were posi-
BILE shock the best sensbilities of the
'enlightened," not to say the Christian,
heart ? We do not believe that the Amer
lean fathers and mothers of to-day want
to take the Bible out of their childrens
hands and substitute the libretto and the
art catalogue. But this is what the secu-
larizaton of Sunday would amount to, in
the end. Throw open the door of the
theatre and the concert hall, the library
and the art gallery on Sunday, and in
time the doors of the Lords house will be
closed-until they open again upon IA
place of amusement. Sunday recreation
means the decadence of religious infu-
ence and the triumph of modern mate
rialsm in the community.
Tho Wnv WnplgS
The Washington Republican gives the