Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-03
AMERICAN SABBATH.
Is 1t to be Desecrated by the Worlds
Fair Keeping Open DoorS9
There VIII be Special Holidays When WORK.
ingmen Can See the Fsir-A strong Ar
eument for the Day of Rest.


| following reasons:
| l. Because it is law of the state.
| 2. Because it is 4 of nature.
| 3. Because it is a law OF the church.
4. Because 1t is a law of apostolic example.
| 5. Because it is a law of Christ.
! s. Because it is a law of the decalogue.
| z. Because it is law of Eden.
| There are very few in any Christian land who
| do not theoretically acknowledge the authority
| each of these laws forbids Sunday labor Except
| works of necessity or mercy is generally ad-
| mitted. Whether they also forbid quiet Sunday
| amusements is the Sunday question. -
The noisy and exciting Sunday amusements
| of the race-course the ball-g ronnd the beer
| garden and the 'hell on the Sunday boat find
| few defenders among good citizens, but many
such ask: whats the harm in opening mu-
seums on Sunday afternoons for the entertain
ment and instruction of workingmen?''
Whether the Worlds fair should be kept open
on Sundays. is another and far greater ques
ton, but some things may be learned from the
history of the movement for the Sunday opening
of museums.
Il is noticeable that these Sunday openings
ALWAYS URGED FOR, BUT NEVER THE WORK
INGMEN.
The unsuccessful movement to open museums
on Sunday i'll New York city initiated by
lngersolPs Secular Union, whose pretense that
the movement was for the workingmeu. instead
OF being against the Sabbath, should have de-
ceived no one. In England, in the meetings
that asked for Sunday opening in behalf OF the
workingmen, it was noticed by shrewd OBJ
server that large proportion of those who were
glass, which has not usually been regarded as
the badge of labor. The peoples house of COM
mon always defeats resolutions to open the
museums on Sundays by overwhelming MAORI
ties, but the lords almost pass them. So every
where it is chiefly
INFIDELs AND OILERS
that are for Sunday opening. The disguised
hands are the hands of the workingmen, but the
voice is the infdel's the idler's voice.
Oddly enough, minister is now and then
seen in alliance with these infdels and oilers.
But against the recent declaration OF Cardinal
Gibbons in favor of Sunday opening we place the
more saga cious letter of Archbishop CorrIgan.
who helped to defeat Sunday opening in New
York City because he saw that the movement
began with the infdels. and would not stop
with the museums. And against Lyman Alb
bott's recent plea for Sunday opening we set
ms own stronger argument of few years ago
against 1t, and the nearly unanimous convic-
ton OF his fellow ministers. In 1854, circular,
prepared by those IN favor of sunday opening,
was sent to the evangelical ministers in the
central portion of London for which Sunday
opening was then being urged. The replies de-
veloped the fact that 500 preachers were against
the Sunday opening to ifty-fve in favor, fifty
OF these last being OF the state church. Peples
to the same circular by ministers in the six
English towns in which museums and art gall
against to twenty-five in favor of Sunday open
ing. In our country, with no state church. the
number of preachers in evangelical churches
that join the infdels and idlers in advocating
Sunday opening is not one-slxth, but nearer
one-hundredth,
If the pleasure-seekers but knew their own
Paisley who responded to a circular asking
what sunday amusements the people of that
town INDUCED in. I've have amusements
enough on week days, and Sunday are glad |
of rest -
The workingmen neither ask for Sunday
opening where it does not exist, nor do they |
use it to any large degree where it is already in
vogue. In England an earnest canvass of |
workingmen's societies was made in 1883 by the |
friends of Sunday opening, and also by its OPP |
ponents, each seeking the approving votes and |
signatures of workingmen's organizations. The |
result was: Against Sunday opening, 24l2 |
with SOL 100 members. For |
Sunday opening, sixty-two organizations, |
with 5,4S2 members-not one tenth as
many as petition1d against it. Why did these |
oppose Sunday opening? Not for |
religious reasons chiefly, but because British |
with one day in the week to think,
the rest day in museums that they may be
amused, they cannot justly oppose the opening
OF theaters 10 crafty others who want
MORE PEPPER IN THEIR AMUSEMENT
more exciting than a stuffed mon
key and cold statue. And those workingmen
see further, that if the theater can use the rest
day for money making, the factory cannot be
aqui ably refused the same opportunity. This
is not mere prophecy on their part. Thes
have seen the wedge, whose thin
edge is the Sunday concert and the Sunday |
opening of the museum driven home the
How slowly news crosses the At
antic! In Prussia 81 per cent. of the establish
nentS engaged in manufacture, and Il per cent.
Of those engaged in trade and transportation,
continue their business on the so-called 'tholir
of that country at their toll on the
Iverage Sunday. Those who require others to
york the mails and trains and saloons and print
ng presses on Sunday, that they may be amused
will find that their own turn to work comes ere
ong:, So says Continental Europe. So says the
The only safe principle for either the indi-
'idual or the state to adopt with regard to the
est day is: Everyone must get his rest in
way that will not destroy the rest of others.
quiet walks, chats with books and people, nome
most restful forms of quiet
he excitements both of weekday business and
weekday pleasures, have in them none of |
mans inhumanity TO man. as do those sum
ay musements that are provided by 70 bling |
hose who furnish them of their right to rest and
heir rights of conscience.
Those workingmen who care to see an art gall
cry museum*-and none but special students
are TO visit one more than few tmes-can |
pare an evening now and then, from the saloon |
r theater, or use Saturday half-holiday, or
he regular holidays, or the unoccupied days |
etween jobs. On all such days museums and
TT galleries should be thrown open, free of
barge to the workingmen. The wisest method I
Y which to give workingmen more time for
elf-culture is to work for the Saturday half
oliday and ''early closing both of which re-
orms are delayed by agitations for Sunday
penipg.
A conclusive answer to those who would win s
len away from Sunday vices by Sunday opening
TT galleries and by Sunday concerts, is the fact
nat on the continent, where such things have I
cen common for centuries, neither Italian I
,uIpture, nor German music, nor French paint !
ig have checked the ever-rising tide of CONT S
entail vice any more than Mrs. Partington's
room has kept back the sea.
THE NIHILISTS AND SOCIALISTS
the most extreme type who seek to DESTROY all |
eligion and morality much as they seek to
estroy social distinctions, who are atheists c
nd advocates of the gossest sensuality, are | .
,und in largest numbers in the very towns
here artgalleries and music halls are open on I
lie Sabbath. n
If art galleries are really such powerful anti
otes for the vices of the masses, how strange
lat Paris, with her magnificent galleries open [
-ery Sunday and with q third larger bolice Z
rec than London for about third as many -
eople. has twenty five times as many murders
le other crimes in proportion. Art has place
I'd power but it is not its place in its
over to do the work of religion
Ar amateur painter said to an artist as he
lowed the latest work of his brush: "What
here are pictures in nearly every art gallery n
at, instead Of elevating morals, so cor =
pting that the Hanging committee ought | y
take the artist in hand instead of his pic 1
re. Instead of opening art galleries on Sun f
lys, some of them need to be made fit to visit | =
other days.
It would be amusing If it were not SO sad to ! q
ar men who are old enough to know some
ing of human nature talking as If those who |
e thirsting for ale would be glad to take doses
art in its place.
The staple argument for Sunday opening, that
displaces q eater evil by allowing a lesser | Il
le needs only to be carried out to the full 10 r,
wrecked in its own absurdity. II Sunday =
ening of art galleries and Sunday picnics can | Fl
defended on the ground that it is better that | ir
en- should be at these than in liquor shops !,
e same rule would justify Sunday theaters,
II games and even Sunday races while Sun-
e1lrs ..1E ox,,.II -.