The Wilmingtonian., 1886-02-06
Rev. Heber Newton's Ideas.


other centres at this moment it is well worth
nothing what the Rev. Heber Newton, the
prominent Episcopal minister, of All S1ul's
Church, New Y York, said, Sunday last, on the
question of the 'true sacrsdness of Sunday"
The Sabbath is historic institution, he
said, which gathers around itself an awe, as
Of divine institution. This day aught TO
be especially sacred to the man who gets the
least amount of rest in the other six days Of
the week. 1t is the workingman's holiday.
The most practical Bit Of labor rerorm ever
secured was the institution of the Sabbath.
Let US keep our Saba ia twenty four hours
long, even thou III oar operators in corn cry
and our dealers in wheat wall. Rest involves
recreation. The true Sabbath has always
carried in it m IRE or less Of this idea of rec
reaton. The Catholic Church has always
preserved this aspect of Sunday. 1t was re-
served for Puiitlnism to revetse the ancient
idea of heresy and make it c1nSist in eating
warm dinner ani INDUCING in hearty
laugh on Sunday. Il this recoguiti N of
Sunday as feast day Or festival is involved
the whole question of the lawfulness of in
nocent anusements, ot pure pleasure, on
that day.
There is certainly very grave danger in
This principle, but it is the danger of indis-
crminate aud reckless application. That
danger is plain before us to-day. We had
truly sacred concerts for awle, but very
soon there cam. to bo included under the
term "sacred concerts" a variety of enter
tainment hich might we'll satisfy the most
cosmopolitan mind in religion. Strauss and
offenbach are the religious composers of our
present sacred concert"
We can leave our theatrical managers to
fight out the battle which at present is rag
/ ing over the IN raj character of the stage,
simply saying to them, when YOU have
made your stage what you yourselves call
pure the church of the future will dispas-
sionately consider the question of theatre
| opening of Sunday evening" recognize
| clearly the imminent danger of secularizing
our sacred day OF rest in the name Of recrea-
tion. Our safety lies mot i'll any reactionary
legislation, nor yet in reviving the supersti-
tious ideas of the Sabbath, but in exercising
jndicious Judgment with view ofpreserv
ing the due measure aud balance of grsa
principle.
Our Sunday S sacred to worship Bu
worship covers a far larger scope than nj ,st
men suppose. In its highest form known tc
us worship is the emotion kindled by noble
thought, the light and warmth fcom the fire
kndled in the mind Aud SO say th 1t ouI
day of worship is sacred to the intellectual
education Of man. We are not compromis'
ing with conscience or yielding dangerous
concession to popular clamor in advocating
the opening Of libraries and museums on
Sunday afternoons and evenings. We are urg
ing legitimate and historic use of the day
which is sacred to the higher life of the intel
leet. Let tue Church open wide every doc
into the temple of knowledge and then lei
her priests go before the hungry throug int
the most holy places of truth and light tht
fires on the sacred altars of worship.
.. would have the Church herself take direcdl
into her hands the work OF popularizing ed
ucation on the Sunday, with the view d
leading thought into noble feeling, know
, ledge into wisdom, truth into worship
q What finer use could be made of our Churc
;. buildings, on the Sunday evenings whe
t they stand closed, then to open them fc
II popular lectures, in which the aim should b
/ not merely to give knowledge, but sue
q knowledge as should lead to nobler life ant
h. profounder awe? If any of you men {
means who listen to me this morning shoul
i feel moved to undertake such mission
Il religious educati IN for the working peop
4 Of our city, know of one Church who'
A doors will be thrown open to this true fait
II of our sacred day, in the name of the S'n q
Y. Man. who is Lord also of the Sabbath. Wo
re ship in the highest sense Of the word-thi
to is the crowning end of our sacred day.
3, How shall we secure this highest end
r Sunday for the mass Of mene We must W
of men to the Church. We must have church
/. that are really open to tho people, whe
g they may feel at home. In them We mt
he have service Of worship, bright and joyor
IN full of inspiration. expressing The aspiratio
lrt and responding to the needs Of the spirit
Ig. man in our own age. The pulpit mast
mt filled with living men who have learn
ITS truth in their own souls, who are free
lat mind and open at the top. who have SC
he sins later than the times Of the ancient ,Je
for who can deal with the problems of our pr
ar ent world,w can breathe upon the souls
nv chair hearers faith and hone and chart