Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-07-16
THE LORDS DAY.

Clergy and Laity of their Charge.
There IRE many sad facts in the ex-
perience of nations, which we may we'll
store up as lessons Of practical wisdom.
Not the least important of these il the
fact that n OF TIE surest marks and
OF the decay of religion in a
people is their non-observance Of the
Lords Day. In travelling through some
European countries a christian heart is
panied by the almost undated rush of
toll and traffic on Sunday. First, grasp
ing ayarice thought it could not afford
to spare the day to God; then ua wise
governments, yielding to the pressure of
mammon, relaxed the laws wnicn Tor
many centuries had guarded the days
Notwithstanding that there are
certain fundamental principles. which
ought not to be sacrificed to popular
caprice or greed; and when, az usually
happens, neglect of religion had passed
by lapse OF time, into hostility to reiig-
ion, this growing neglect of the Lords
Day was easily made use OF as q means to
'br1Eg religion itself into contempt. The
church mourned, protested, struggled,
but was almost powerlese to resist the
combined forces of popular avarice and
Caesars influence, arrayad on the side of
irreligion. The result is the lamentable
dissertation which all christians must
deplore.
And the consequences OF this desocra-
tion are as manifest as the dissertation
itself. The Lords Day is the poor mans
day OF rest; it has been taken from him
and the iaboring classes are q seething
volcano OF social discomfort. The Lords
Day is the home day, drawing closer the
sweet domestic ties, by giving the toiler
o day with wife ard children; bat it has
been turned into o day OF labor, and
home ties are fast losing their sweetness
and their hold. The Lords Day rs the
church day, strengthening and conseera-
ting the bond of brotherhood among all
men, by their kneeling together around
the affairs OF the D Father in heaven;
but men are drawn away from this
blessed communion of eaints--and as
o natural consequence they are lured
into the oounterfeit communion of So
cialisra, and other wild and destructive
systems. The Lords Day is Gods Day,
rendering ever nearer and more intimate
the union between the creature and hiss
Creator. and thus enobling human life
in all its departments; and where this
bond is weakened an effort is made to
out man loose from God entirely, and to.
leave him according to the expression Of
st. Paul, without God in the worlds
The proclamation of the Lords Day,
whatever be its pretext, is q defraudipp
both of God and his creatures, and retri-
button is not slow.
In this country there are tendencies
and Influences at work to bring about o
result; and it behooses all who.
love God and carei for society, to see
that they be checked. As usual, greed
for gain lies at the bottom of the move
ment. Even when the pretsnse put
forward lie popular CONVENIENCE or
popular amusement, the clamor for lara-
er liberty does not come 30 much from
those who DEERE the convenience or the
amusement, as from those who hope to
enrich themselves by supplying it.
Now far be it from us TO advocate such
Sunday laws as would hinder necessary /
work, or prohibit such popular enjoy
ments &c are consistent with the sacred
ness of the day. 1t is well known, how
ever, that the tendency is to rush far
beyond the bounds of necessity and
propriety, and to allege these reasons
only as an excuse for virtually ignoring
tho s%acredress of the day altogether.
But no community can afford to have
either gain or amusement ut such o cost. !
To turn the Lords day into q day of
toll is q blighting curse to O country;
to turn it into o day of dissipation
would be worse. We earnestly appeal,
therefore, to oil Catholics, without
not only to take no part IN
any movement tending towards a re-
of the observance of Sunday
use their influence and power as
to resist in the opposite d.
There is oDe way of profaning the
day which is 80 prolific of evil
that we consider it bur dnty tol
utter against 1t q special condemnation.
This is the practice of selling beer or
on Sunday, or of frequenttng
where they are sold.3ThIs prac.
ice tends more than any other to ttln
The day of the Lord into o day ci
TO use it as an occasion for
breeding intemperance. While we
nope that Sunday laws on this point
will not be relaxed, bnt over more
enforced, We implote all Catho-
les, for the love Of God and nj country,
never take part in such Sunday traffic,
aGr to p~atrenizs or nountenance it.
Aid we not only direct the afteatlon
,f all pastors to the repression Of this
abuaa INIT wi, alan aasI unnN than lltok