Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-25

NEW JERSEY ASSOCIATION THIS MoRNrNG-REv
Mr. PATTON THINKS THE BLAIR BILL TOO FAR
AHEAD OF THE TINES
When the Congregational association of New
Jersey met in the Congregational church this
morning Rev. C. II. Patton, of westfeld. n. J.,
son of President Patton, of Howard university.
opened a discussion of the question, How far
is it desirable to secure civil legislation on the
observance of the Lords day?" The speaker
took a somewhat liberal view of the question.
which seemed TO meet the views Of most Of his
hearers. Mr.. Patton gave summary Of recent
decisions in the states respecting Sunday laws
and the present condition of Sunday laws. In
view of these decisions he concluded from a
civil standpoint that the only basis for Sunday
legislation is the right of man to rest and to
be protected in his worship if he desires to
worship.
RIGHT TO DAY OF REST.
He believed that in this country the people
needed and had right to one days rest in
seven and it was the right Of the state to en-
force this right. The Christian part Of the
community demanded no favors, but their
rights. They did not ask for laws calling for a
religious observance of the day. The church
did not desire to shift to the state the RESPONSE
billties the Lord has placed on it, II would be
In his opinion, the speaker said an injury to
the church to have law compelling all TO at
tend religious service. Mr.. Patton spoke of
the directions that Sunday law should take.
quoting statutes to show that about 1000. 600,
or one-tenth, of the wage-workers employed in
this country are deprived of their Sunday rest
needlessly. They looked for legislation to Sc
cure to these people their right of rest.
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY.
One of the difficulties in the way was public
opinion. The majority of the people, he as
serted, were not in favor of strict observance
of the Sabbath. 1t was. he claimed. an I'M
doubted fact that church-going people of to-day
look on Sunday in a different light from the
church-going people of twenty-five or thirty
years ago. They will now permit their children
to go in their Sunday walks to other places
than the cemetery, and even ministers travel
on the railroads to fill appointments The in
creasing completely of modern life. the minute
ment the increasing difficulty of getting a
living, also constituted difficulty in the way of
securing legislation. But this. he said. empha-
sized the demand for such legislation. The causes
that operate to increase Sunday labor also
placed the workingman more and more in the
power of his employer, and rendered him less
capable of refusing the demands for Sunday
labor. The liberty of rest for one, he said. de-
pended on a law of rest for all. although il
might result in injustice to some individual
THE BLAIR BILL.
The speaker did not favor the Blair Sunday
rest bill, however excellent its aim He deemed
it as unwise and entirely too far in advance of
public opinion. He doubted whether the
country was ready for the abolition of all inter-
state trains and trade on Sunday. The bill had
undergone some notifications, and may still be
modified so as to come within the limits of pos
slblllty at the present time. He thought it bet
ter to go to Congress with a moderate measure.
They might, he thought, look forward TO laws
that would reduce Sunday labor to what might
be deemed absolutely necessary.
STREET CARS AND STEAM CARS.
In the discussion that followed a member
raised the question why persons patronized
horse cars without any twinge of conscience
and still thought ii wrong to patronize steam
cars. He said if he drew the line he would
draw il against the street car, as the labor of
more men was involved in running them. Rev.
DR.. W. H. Ward, editor of the Independent,
called attention to the fact that in all the In
functions of the New Testament which gives
life to the Christian religion there was none
respecting the observance of the Sabbath
They got at it by iNdirection through the di-
vine law Love thy neighbor as thyself." He
said he never would raise his voice to shut up
saloons on Sunday without raising it ten times
louder to shut them up also every other day.
The great sin then, in his view was the saloon.
and not the violation of Sunday. He would
never attempt to prohibit absolutely the run
ming of railroads on Sunday, as he believed ii
was impossible. He would strive. however, to
reduce Sunday work to its lowest terms.
The remainder of the morning session was
taken up in hearing reports from churches.
THE CLOSING SESSION.
The closing session was held this afternoon,
when DIR. Ward opened the discussion on the
question: lis it desirable to restate the evan
gelical dectrines?" Rev. VIM. Jordan. of
Bound Brook, n. j., is moderator Among
those in attendance are Rev. DR.. J.
+. Rankin, formerly of this city: Rev.
Robert A. Tufft, Elizabeth n. j.; Rev. John
l.. Scudder, Jersey City; Revs. Levi W. Hainer,
Wallace Nutting, and |. W. Davenport. of New
ark. n. j.; Rev. Franklin g. Webster, Passaic.
n. j.; Rev. Charles l.. Merriam, Paterson, n. J.
Rev. Edward Cornet, Nineland n. j.; Rev.
Cornelius II. Patton, of Westfeld, n. j.: Hev.
Robert J. Thompson. of Baltimore; Rev. Ben
jamin Harris, of Frostburg. Md. and Revs. S.
NJ. Newman, George ". Moore, Sterling \.
Brown. William c. Scofeld, Charles H. Small,
and Bella y. Seymour, of Washington; Rev.
Frederick w. Tuckerman, of Falls Church, Va.
THE SESSION YESTERDAY.
At the session of the Association of New
Jersey yesterday, at the Congregational church,
paper was read by Rev. John l.. Scudder,
ID. D., of Jersey City. on What are the safe
guards of Congregationalism against error?''
general discussion followed, DIR. Patton,
president of Howard university; Rev. Mr.
Jones, of Philadelphia; Rev. Charles l.. Mer-
riam, of Paterson, n. j.; Rev. DIR. Rankin, of
Orange Valley n. j.; Rev. b. n. Seymour, of
Washington, and Rev. DIR. Ward, of New York,
editor of the Independent. taking part. At the
evening session Rev. C. H. Daniels made a re-
port of the work of the American board of
missions; Rev. F. W. Jones, of Philadelphia,
of the Home Missionary society, and Rev. DR.
NJ. Z. Strictly, of the American Missionary as
ISOLATION. The members of the association,
which includes the Congregational churches in
New Jersey. Maryland. Virginia. and the Dis
trict of Columbia, called on the President, and
were introduced by Rev. s. NJ. Newman, the
pastor of the Congregational church.
DISTRICT GOVERNMENT.