The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-06-25

WHAT is REST I?


rest" movement is again coming to the
front, and the public may confidently
expect a well-organized lobby to pre-
cipitate itself upon congress early in
the next session, and through its
spokesman in the senate urge the pas
sage of rigid national law embracing
its views of the proper observance of
Sunday. There need be no fear that
congress will do anything of the sort,
as no man can perceive the sophistries
of enthusiasts so well as the average
congressman, provided his own aspir-
atoms and interests are not involved.
Persons who would restore the "Pur-
itan Sabbath" through government
interference lose sight of one para
mount consideration, that the princi-
pie upon which the government is
based is that the majority shall rule.
The constitution nowhere intimates
that few who imagine themselves bet
ter and more intelligent than their fell
lows are made the guardians of the
morals, religion and physical welfare
of the rest of the population, nor has
the tendency of legislation been to en-
courage such an impression. These
"Sunday rest" advocates try very
hard to avoid the charge that their
movements is an attempt to secure
state interference with religion, and
their arguments are ingenious and
plausible; but they are not likely to
mislead men who are fit to represent
the people, and they certainly cannot
deceive the masses, who are possessed
of an amount OF shrewd common sense
which it would be we'll for all fanatics
to study and acquire. The claim is
made that legislative interference for
the observance of Sunday would be
good for the bodies and minds of
the public, and that this divests it of
its religious character: but so long as
Sunday, the day upon which the ma
jority of people worship God, is sim
gled out for legislative experiment,
the conviction will remain that it is
an effort fo connect church and state
something that the constitution ex-
pressly repudlates, and the past hor-
rors of which should be sufficient
warning to intelligent people.
To restore the puritan Sunday
throughout the United States might
have the effect of increasing church
membership, but it is very doubtful
if there would be corresponding in
crease of sincere religion. Those who
were driven into the fold under the
operation of an oppressive law would
be like the conscripts forced to fight
against their principles leaven of
dissatisfaction to corrupt the entire
army.
But may not the people, after all,
have as just and sensible ideas of the
way to worship God and regulate their
own conduct on Sunday as these self
constituted guardians There are
many, possibly large majority of the
inhabitants of the United States, who
sincerely believe that God is better
pleased with the innocent enjoym emit
OF His creatures, even on Sunday,
than with their enforced torture, un-
der the guise of rest and respect for
the day. What is rest ? Can one
who is compelled to work during the
week be sand to rest on Sunday if he
has to go unwillingly to church, or
remain at home moping over a recital
of the impossible excellence of some
imaginary Christian hero, or the
equally impossible wickedness of some
young devil which the tract society
mas oblingigly compiled for his recre.
alton? Do the nerves take on q
healthy tone, the muscles regain their