The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1888-03-02
THE SABBATH.
Editor Democrat-Star

Editor DemOcrat-Star:
As Il known defender of tie
sanctity OF the Sabbath, we earn
estly request you to publish in your
issue OF this week the following pc
titiOn, which has been prepared by
the Sabbath Association OF Illinois
and circulated in all the States of
The Union for signatures.
1t is the beginning of a move
ment, which will, ultimately, as We
trust and believe, result in giving Il
day of rest to all the people of the
United States, including the five
hundred thousand employees of our
railroads, telegraph lines, postoffce
department, etc, who are now de-
MED the privilege enjoyed by all
others, OF keeping holy the Lords
day, and of labOring for six days,
only.
There arc five different petitions,
substantially the same, but adj
dressed re'pectively to the Senate
and House of Representatives, to
the Presidents, Directors and Man
ayers of the RAILROADS and tele-
graphs of the United States, and
to the proprietorS and managers Of
the public press.
They are in the following or sim.
liar language:
"Your petitioners would respect
fully represent that the Sabbath is
the dividing line between Chris
tIanitN and Heathenism F.; that it is
the bnlwark which shields our
Christian civilization against an-
archy with its train of iawlessness
and bar6arism ; that all labor done
on that day other than works OF
necessity aud mercy, is in violation
of the divine law ; that the telc.
graph has so utilized the forces of
electricity for the transmission OF
intelligence, as to annibilate dis
lance, and bring the people of the
whole world into close proximity
with each other; that the telegraph
is now used TO transmit all import
ant news, aud for the transaction
of business between large CONNER
cial centres, when dispatch is an
important factor, aud, therefore,
there is no necessity for running
mail trains on the Sabbath. Con-
sequently the running of such
trans on that day is in violation of
the law of God ; that our govern
ment should not ignore that law in
making Its postal arrangements,
but should be in harmony with, and
foremost in every endeavOr to main
tain the Integrity of the Sabbath
that there Is an increasing demand
for more leisure aud rest from Ia
Dor and business; that the govern
ment has heretofore recognized the
reasonableneSs of this demand by
reducing the humber Of hours re-
quired for a days work that it
should now recognize the Teasona.
bleness of requiring bot six days
for u weeks work, 80 that its en-
employees may have a weekly rest
day ; that it is unjust to require its
emplOyesi in the postal department
to work on Sunday while its en-
ployes in every other department
rest on that day.
We, therefore, citizens Or the 9th
Congressional District, State Of
Mississippi, pray that you will enact
such laws, aud make such regula-
tiOus as may be required in order to
discontinue the running of the
mails, aud all military and naval
parades, aud close the postofiees
on the Sabbath, aud thus We will
ever pray"
It is.Uur desire to give our congre-
cations au opportunity on nextSab-
bath, TO sign these petitions, and
we doubt not the same opportunity
will be extended at the Baptist
Church.
And We earnestly trust that eve
~ Que Who believes that Gods holy |
day should be hon0red, and that
His creatures should all enjoy that
rest which his word guarantees,
will give their influence to a move
Dent so essential 10 the stability