The Delta independent., 1889-07-09
SUNDAY REST.
The Sabbath Was Made for Man
and Not Man for the Sabbath.

The "civil Sabbath movement is q
term applied to widespread effort
that is being made to secure by legis-
lative enactment more strict observ-
ance of Sunday as day of rest from
all worldly or non-rcligious business.
The laws of most of the states recog-
nize Sunday and prohibit the carrying
on upon that day OF many sorts OF busi-
ness. An effort is being made to Sc
cure from congress an entire stoppage
on Sunday Of all national business, such
as the postal operations, the transpor-
tation of the mails and the movement
OF interstate trains and all shipping.
Since the constitution Of the United
States expressly forbids the enaction
of any laws forcing religious observ-
ances upon the people it is obvious
that the question OF Sunday laws must
be confined wholly to their economic
and political relations. Sunday, which
many persons confuse, some through
ignorance and some through policy,
with the ancient Hebrew Sabbath, is a
religious day with all sorts OF Chris
tians the world over. There is, how
over, no uniformity in the methods of
its observance. With some denomi-
nations Sunday is fe-.st day, q season
of chcerfulness, of hospitality and re-
joicing. With others it is day of
penitence and gloom. There are mat
tcrs, however, which the law cannot
consider 1t cannot undertake to en-
force uniformity in the religious OBJ
servance of this day. 1t can go no
further than to protect each denomi-
nation in its religious peculiarities.
More than this the constitution de-
clares shall not be done.
The consideration of Sunday by the
law-making power must be wholly con-
fined to its civil uses. 1t has been
found desirable that working people
may have periodically a day Of rest in
which they can be protected against
the exactions OF merciless and rapa-
cious employers If it were desired to
give them one day in each seven the
sanctity attributed to Sunday could
have no influence with the Lawmakers
save that the choice OF that day for q
season of rest would meet the conven-
ience OF the entire body Of Christians.
Sunday having been SO chosen, it
only becomes necessary to inquire how
far the prohibition against the ordi-
nary business Of daily life shall be
carried. AS for ourselves, we do not
desire to restrict Sunday rest in any
reasonable way, but do not let any
thing be done in the premises to op-
press the religious privileges of some
or to promote the religious obser-
vances of others, or to force religious
observances upon any against their
will. DO the people desire to have
all the Sunday trains and steamboats,
and all the Sunday street cars stoppedp
Do they desire that post office and
telegraph Office shall be closed on Sum
dlyP Do they desire that all pleasure
gardens, picnic grounds and place of
amusement shall be closed on Sunday? !?
Let the people decide this for them
selves; but let 1t be distinctly demons
trated that such measures are taken
to give the people needed rest because
the people through their lawgi vers
demand it. --
is much popular confusion con-
corning the Hebrew Sabbath which
was celebrated on Saturday, the seventh
day of the week, and the Christian
Sunday, which is observed on the first
day of the week. The great originator
of the Christian religion declared that
man for the Sabbath, and he demon
strated his meaning by divers acts
which were considered in violation OF
the Sabbath by the Jews. The first
day of the wee.l, which was hailowed
by the resurrection OF Christ, has ever
since been observed as a day Of re.
joicing by many branches OF Christians.
1t does not appear that Christ ever laid
any injunction upon his followers to
amalgamate this day with the Sabbath
of the Jews; but on the contrary, some
carly Christians adhering to the ancient
Hebrew usages observed both the sew
enth and first days of the week, ac-
cording to their peculiar merits.
But these remarks have nothing TO
do with the proposition to enact ma
tional Sunday law. 1t must rest
wholly upon civil and secular con-
siderations. and just what enactments
are desirable and what would be
burdensome and tyrannical will have
to be considered, each in turn. We
are in favor Of giving the people all
the relief from hardship and oppres-
sion the law can accomplish.
None can have more reverence and
regard for religion and piety than do
we, and for. this reason we desire tc
see the entire business of legislating
on Sunday rest wholly disconnected
with religious questions. Any at
tempt to connect church and state
must inevitably work great injury to
the cause of religion. Orlean
Picayune.
New Way to Cremate.
NJ. Pierre Guichard, tho well-knowl