St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-09
ARELIGIOUS BOYCOTT.
The City Pastors Declare WAR upon
the Sunday Newspapers.

meeting of the Pastors association. Two
weeks ago committee consisting or Rev.
c. w. Merrill, Congregational; w. h
Marshall. Methodist: DR.. Chase, Baptist:
DR.. Hobbs. Adventist; DR.. Sample, PreSby-
terrain; the Rev. Mr. Tabor Friends
church: DR.. EnoS Campbell, Disciples; Rev.
A. A. Smith. Free Baptist. were appointed
TO prepare Il paper which should set forth
the views of the pastors IN regard 10 the
Sunday papers. The report was listened
TO Yesterday. the reporters being excluded.
The attendance was unusually large and
the discussion which followed the reading
OF the report by DR.. Sample was exceed
ingly animated, prolonging the session half
an hour past the usual time for adjourn
ment The report, synopsis OF which is
given, was adopted by nearly unanimous
vote. The resolutions declare in favor of
Withdrawing support from the Sunday press
and in perSuadng church members TO do
likewise. 1t was also decided not 10 fur
uiSh announcements or abstracts Of SER
mons hereafter.
THE COMMITTEES REPORT
is prepared in the form of an address with
reference TO a single form of Sabbath desc
Grafton, and to aid in its immediate purpose
a few general principles that lie at the
foundation OF the Christian Sabbath are
stated:
First-The Sabbath is a divine institution.
Second-The sab. a Il Is grounded in the ma
ture of man. Physically, intellectually and
morally he requires II. The body requires
periodic rest, and int lectum labor is more
eXhaustiug than ply steal Third-Man re-
iigiOu nature demands one day IL seven Tor
spiritual culture.
From these general principles, important
as they are familiar, which underlie the whole
subject OF SaObath-keeping. we proceed 10
the application of them 10 the Sunday news
paper. Ii is not our purpose, at present, 10
speak of all toe forms or Sabbath desecra-
ton; of Sunday trains, Sunday mails and
Sunday traffic; Of theaters, concert gardens
and other resorts of worldly pleasure open on
the Lords day. The extent OF this desecra-
ton is alarming. The Lords day is evidently
imported. InudeliTy would destroy ii, aud
thereby eXtermmate the Christian religion,
for the two are inseperably Joined. Nominal
Christianity would greatly modify the Sab
bath so a. TO escape its healihtul restraints.
SeculariSm would blot il from the calendar of
days and encounter no interruption To worldly
pursuits AL these elements combine in
support of the Sunday newspaper, and the
reflex action of the latter strengthens them.
1t may also appear, as we advance. that this
form of Sabbath desecratiOn leads to and en-
courages all the other forms we have men
toned.
The structure we make on the secular press
IN general-aud we hive ave ded personal-
tieS-haS no particular reference to the pa
perS of this CITY We are dealing with gem
eral principles and with the press as whole.
The great newspapers of our twin city COM
pare favorably with those Of larger cities in
the East, "a respects literary ability, mechan-
zeal execution and moral character and intiu-
euce. We support them in preference 10 all
other papers. But We plead for interests
which touch life on every side, and we would
relieve. if possible, the journalists and en-
ployes in printing Offices of the unnecessary
and grievOus burdens they bear. The Sun
day new spaper neceSSitates Sunday labor. 1t
has often been asserted that the Monday
morning paper violates the day of rest far
more. The Pittsburg Commercial Gazette
says: This is not true. and the advocates
of Sunday papers know it. This is only put
forward as a preteXt TO throw dust in the
eyes of religious people" The seven-days
paper violates the Sabbath as much by its
Sunday as by its Monday issues. The press
and Office labor on the Lords day is divid ed
equally between the two issues. The distri-
button of type the labor of compoSitors, and
the work of editors and reporters occupy the
hours after the Su .ay paper has gone forth.
1t is
MECHANICAL POSSIBILITY
10 perform all the manual labor required by a
Monday paper, in the absence Of Sunday
issue, in secular hours. The New York
Tribune. the Philadelphia Ledger and other
leading journals have demonstrated this pos
sibility. Horace Greedy. who pronounced the
Sunday newspaper a social demon. - guarded
the Sabbath from any infringement by the
employees of the leading journal Of America.
The London Times the London Telegraph,
and ali the influential journals of the or, a est
metropolis in the world, remember the Sab
bath day TO keep it holy. The Sunday news
paper, a weekly, as yet a novelty in London
is issued on Saturday.and IL can be purchased
at news stands on the evening preceding its
date of publication.
But how is II when a Monday paper is pub
Hshed. as IN some OF the Southern states and
that of Sunday is continued. This necessitates
Sunday labor. The press work may be con-
Guided early Sunday morning. but other
forms of labor ollow. Railway trains are
required to carry the Sunday papers TO
the contiguous towns, and postofhce officials
are busy with the sending forth, the receiving
and delivery OF the same. and the sale by
newsboys and news agents is continued far
on in the day. This is in violation of the Law
of rest. 1t lays a heavy burden on all who
devote their labor TO the preparation of the
grevious wrong. This is the judgment of the
Sabbath-keeping secular press. One of our
leading Journals has expressed the opinion
that lit is the duty Of employers to themselves
and their assistants Lot to throw aside the
moral and physical benefits of the fifty-two
days of rest annually which belong TO both.
They will live longer and be happier while
they live by avoiding the folly"
From this point the paper goes on to en-
large upon the certainty that this continued
labor the part of newspaper attaches is
certain TO destroy bodily health, and often
tends TO theutter reinforcement of reason be-
causeSOf the unbroken monOIony Of intellect
ual reason. Storey of the Chicago Times. and
Henri c. Raymond of the New York Times are
instances TO prove this latter assertion. This
principle. it is claimed. applies 10 the readers
OF the secular press % an almost equal extent.
If business men would not read paragraph
on the Lord s day they would return to their
labor on Monday with mental vigor as
result Of their abstinence. which would
tighten the labors of the week and prolonr
their mental activity into a serene old age
In no eoNutry is there greater necessity for
this Interruption Of secular thought than our
own.
The result of this form of Sabbath desecra-
ton is even more certain and disastrous as
related TO the spiritual nature. All who live
in the perpetual environment of their relig-
iouS instincts deny themselves of the pos
slbilities OF spiritual culture and imperil the
immortal part of their being. Men must
think earnestly and conSecutively on divine
things. or suffer unspeakable loss. They
subject themselves to the dominion of uu-
belief, to the power of natural, depraved pro-
pensities, and neglect the Omnipotence by
which alone they can rise TO God and lnd rest
in the Being from whom they were made.
This law applies also to the readers of the
secular newspapers on the Lords day. Many
of them never enter the house of God. or
give any thought 10 their spiritual interests.
Sunday sinks to the common level, and over
it runs the world. Secular thought
becomes automatic. The light of
nature wanes. From him that hath
not is taken away that which he hath.
them who keep his day. The Sunday news
paper by its influence and example encour-
ages all manner of Sa. bath dissertation. and
diverts multitudes from the means of moral
culture. Should the principles which are
urged in its support prevail. and the Sabbath
cease from among men. then social life would