The Portland daily press., 1886-04-12
THE OBSERVANCE OF SUNDAY,
What the ministers Said on the Sub
ject Yesterday.

WHdI Ltt6 NttftiSI0TS dtQ VII INV WIZ
+ ject Yesterday.
Services at the Chestnut Street and
Second Parish Churches.
Union services were held at the Chestnut
street Methodist and the Second Parish
churches yesterday afternoon and addresses
were delivered upon the better observance
Of the Sabbath by Rev. DR.. Small, Rev. Mr..
Dunn and Rev. DR.. Bashford at the Chest
nut street church and Rev. pr Dalton, Rev.
DIR. Rennen, and.Rev. Mr.. Daniels at the
Second Parish.
At the Chestnut Street.
After the Introductory services at the
Chestnut street church, Rev. DR.. Bashford
stated that the Womans Christian Temper
ance Union had issued a circular requesting
that the first or second Sunday in April be
set apart by all the churches in the land for
the discussion of Sunday observance. The
Portland clergymen had already given a day
to this matter but union services were ar
ranged at the Second Parish and Chestnut
street churches in response to the circular.
Rev. DR.. Small was then introduced and
spoke substantially as follows:
REV. DIR. sSIALL's ADDRESS.
There may be discussions as to the ACCESSIBILITY
of placing the electric lights in the streets of our
city but as to the star which shines in yonder
heavens there can be no question. 1t has been
placed there by God and cannot be altered or re-
moved. So it is with Sunday. 1t is Gods az
rangement. When man was brought into the
world one day in seven was set apart for rest and
worship and 1t is as much of necessity to him as
the food for his sustenance, the clothing for his
40 q lam
for exercise.
The night and the day and the divisions Of the
year are marked by the movements OF the uni
verse, but the grouping of the days of
the week in seven is fixed by some other law
which we do not understand, and this frequent
use of the number seven i'll the scripture is SIN
guar fact. 1t was sacred number. The Jews
regarded the seventh day. as holy, the seventh
month was holy month, as also each sew
enth year was holy and at every seventh times
seven years occurred the year of jubilee
DR.: Small would not discuss the change of the
change to have been the result Of the Divine
wisdom but it has been said that the Sabbath of
the jews SO was vas the gay and sunday
Abundant testimony can be found to show that
the use of this day of rest for secular purposes
cannot be followed with profit. DR.. Small quoted
the utterances of Lord Macaulay in the House OF
Commons as to the necessity OF the observance OF
Sunday as a day of rest and cited the case of the
fisheries persons in position to be well informed
having told the speaker that those engaged in
this industry who observed Sunday came out bet
ter in the long run than those who did not.
The speaker thought that the lack of observance
OF the day came more from heedleSsness than any
intentional dissertation. Referring to the publica
tionof Sunday papers, he said that grocer who car
ried on his business on the Sabbath would lose the
custom of Christian people. How then can Chris
tians countenance the sale of papers on the Sab
poison, containing little if any reference to the
day but made up of sporting news and matter OF a
similar kind. He counseled that no support
should be given to either the Sunday or week day
issues of these papers and concluded by appeal
ing to his hearers for their efforts in behalf Of the
better keeping OF Sunday.
REV. MR.. DUNN's ADDRESS.
Rev. MI. Dunn was the next speaker.
He said that he had been asked to speak on the
practical phases of the question, and could think
of no better way to begin his remarks than to ask
his hearers, "What are you going to do about it ??
Persons who should know tell us that the horse
cars were first run to accommodate church going
people, but the custom has grown so that the
horse car fares collected in the city of Boston on
the previous day, and the public gardens and
parks OF that city are thronged with people on the
Sabbath.
Personal example will do much to stay and turn
the tide. which threatens to sweep away our New
England Sunday. We can withhold our mite
from the transportation on Sunday by horse car or
members of churches should say, II will have
nothing to do with papers issued on Sunday" and
referred to the advertisements of these papers
showing their great sales on that day.
The influence exerted in bringing up children
has a.. l much to do with this question; Mr. Dunn
cary stores. are a temptation to the children and
when some mothers ask why 1t is that their boys
care more for riding and seeking pleasure on the
Sabbath than for going TO church, in many cases
the thing could be traced to the habit of buying
candy on Sunday i'll these .tores where candy and
cigars are freely dispensed to all purchasers.
Children should be trained to go to church-not
merely to the Sabbath school, but to the preach
ing service.
REV. DIR. BAsHFoRD.
DIR. Bashford spoke briefly. He thought that
earelessness is the chief cause of the improper OBJ
servance of Sunday, and referred to the fact that
THISTLE Is but short preparation for asfuture
istence rendering proper and necessary some time
set apart for religious purposes. Gods laws some
times may seem cold and hard, but they are for
our good. To the wOrkingnfan. DR.. Bashford said
that as sure as he commenced doing seven days
WORK in a week he would conclude by doing seven
days work for six days pay.
The meeting was dismissed with the benediction
by Rev. Mr.. Dunn.
At the Second Parish.
Every seat in the Second Parish Church
was filled at an early hour yesterday after
noon The grand organ prelude attuned all
hymn with joy we hail the sacred day"
was given out by the pastor, the congrega-
tion were prepared to sing it with the spirit
and with the understanding. A psalm Of
praise, and the commandments were read
and prayer offered by the pastor. Before
Jehovah's Awful Throne" was given with
stately majesty by the choir, the music Sc
lected giving added expression to the sol
emn words.
Rev. c. H. Daniels spoke briefly of the growing
interest in the question of Sabbath keeping, and
thought it should be first brought home to the
heart of Gods people. Gods church, Gods book
and Gods day are the foundations of American
of the Sabbath; all order and right go hand in
hand, as do all disorder and wrong. Mr.. Daniels
concluded his remarks by introducing Rev. Asa
Dalton of st. Stephens Church, saying he was
the pastor whom it was impossible to introduce to
a Portland audience.
Rev. Mr.. Dalton prefaced his remarks with
beautiful tribute to the memory of the revered
Payson, and tender alusion to the sufferngs of
the venerable and beloved DR.. Carruthers.
He said we naturally look to this church
to take the lead in reforms OF all sorts.
The relation OF our national prosperity to church
and home was particularly dwelt on and the strict
observance of the Sabbath, the only pilot for the
safe passage of the nation, through the many evils
which threaten its life today. The absence of the
children from the churches of today was unfavor-
ably commented on. Let the habit of church
going be formed early.
Rev. DIR. Demon of New Haven, Conn, was the
last speaker. Dr. Demon referred with regret to
the fact that the peasuring of church. going people
had caused the Sabbath to have a lower estimate
placed upon it than formerly. The Christian Sab
bath Is an institution of God. 1t Is Gods law and
behind 1t stands all the power of the Almighty.
Brief reference was made to the benefits derived
laboring men. Sunday papers, Sunday trains and
Sunday excursions Of all sorts were strongly con-
demned by all the speakers.
The benedlctl0n was pronounced by Rev. VIII