The record-union., 1891-03-09
SUNDAY LAWS.
Rev. Mr.. Massey Regards Such as
Questionable Legislation.
Ee Voices the Sentiment of the Unita-
rians on the Subject In His
Sermon Yesterday.

his text, Mark H., q, and said: That the
present is a period which is witnessing
great changes in many things cannot
be disputed, but whether these changes
produce results which are wholly bad or
wholly good, or whether these results
contain within them proportion of bad
and good must be determined from the
standpoint of the individual. One thing
is certain, however, and that is that the
forces which are influencing the world
to-day in its social, its civil, its indus
trial, its political and its religious life, are
not the same forces which influenced it
centuries, or even a few decades ago. and
to the mind of prudence it would seem,
that to make such adjustments in all
these departments of human activity as
would bring the interests of men into
oroper relation with these newer forces,
would be the harbinger of an era OF more
permanent progress. There IS one
anomaly, however, which presents itself
when such subject as this is considered,
and that is found in the fact that whether
prosperously or not, all the interests
which affect man, excepting his so-called
religious interests, are found sustaining
some relation to the movement OF the
times.
There is no assumption that in all these
things the relation is perfect; indeed, the
acknowledgment may be freely made
that it is very far from being so; but this
much at least can be plainly stated, that
in all human concerns, excepting purely
religious ones, intelligent account is
taken of things as they are, and that cas-
toms and habits, policies and beliefs, in
dustries and arts, institutions and govern
ments, are taking on the color of the new
enlightenment, and are witnessing IN
+-,1 ty,n
modern spirit which is active in the
world.
The speaker then gave numerous
illustrations of how this modern spirit is
operative in the various departments oi
human enterprise and aspiration, ard
said l do not feel that / am called upon this
morning TO pronounce any judgment in
detail upon what have instanced. What
have been anxious to make clear is simply
this, that a new spirit is with US; that
this has to be recognized; that without
this recognition no adjustments can be
made which can add anything to the
happiness or stability of human condi-
tions, and to appeal now from the pres
ent, with all its burning issues to past
whose observances were supposed TO be
hedged with something of divine sane
ton, is the veriest of absurdities.
And this is how / would approach the
Sunday question, which has so greatly
agitated some of the good men of this
community. Considering the times and
the modified way of looking at all things,
the arguments that have been put forth IN
the interest of religion have been the
most puerile imaginable. ''Thus said
the Lord" have cried these men, but let
me tell them there has never been a Thus
saith the Lord" excepting as the command
has grown out of some human expedi-
ency, and as expediencies have varied, so
have the divine commands. What l
mean by this is, that these eXpediencies
have been recognized as constituting
those commands, as through experience
of what is best, men have learned the
will Of God. The institution of the Sab
bath was an expediency, and so was all
the Mosaic legislation, and for most Of it
experience still furnishes its sanction.
No experience has yet demonstrated that
the cycle of the week should not consist
of seven days, and thatone of them should
not be appropriated to rest. MANS physi-
cal and intellectual and moral welfare de-
pends upon a stated relaxation from en-
crossing toll, upon change OF atmosphere.
OF opportunity, and pursuit.
/ am not here to controvert this, or
to unduly eXalt conditions which prevent
the extension of this boon to all classes,
and to all simultaneously. But what do
most strenuously contend for, is that
anything like Sabbath observance was at
its inception a convention, something
which, considering the circumstances,
men consented to as best, and which, be-
cause it was best, was exalted into an in
stitution. When France elected that the
rest day should come at intervals of ten,
it was found that human nature could
not so well stand the greater strain, and
it was not long before men fell back upon
the ancient custom. My contention is,
however, this: that in face of the clear,
intelligent perception of what is funda-
mental in the institution of the Sabbath,
of the basis of utility and expedieney
upon which it rests, tits the SheereSt folly
for religion to come with any proclama-
ton of divine enactment that has higher
sanction than that / have already in
stanced.
But the essential element in Sabbath
observance is rest, not worship, and it
may be conceded to the general intelh-
genee of the community to know what
rest is. 1t is true that ceremonial con-
formity came early to distinguish Sab
bath practices, so that the day became
one barren of all good to men. The feet
were fettered and the hands were tied,
and dull routine OF meaningless OBJ
servances characterized the sacred inter
val But after while there came one of
the same stock, as he who traditionally
is reputed to have founded the institution,
and passing through the corn fields on
the Sabbath day, he plucked and ate of
the fruit and taught that upon that day,
the hands should not be withheld from
mercy's offices, saying, The Sabbath
was made for man, and not man for the
Sabbath
And now the crucial question is what
shall best promote the interests of man,
that on the Sabbath day, his highest good
shall be conserved. Two things must be
taken into consideration as bearing upon
the answer to this question. One is the
general intelligence of the age, which
sees upon what rational principles the
observance of the Sabbath rests the
other is the changed conditions affecting
our social life and which make any
thing like general and absolute
rest impossible. From the first fact there
comes a recognition of the futility of any
class-even, one-calling itself religious,
to invoke authority that is not accepted
by the general enlightenmento of the COM
munity; from the other there springs the
necessity of allowing 70 each one for HIM
self the right of determining how best a
day, whose meaning and privilege is rest,
shall be made to meet the purpose 1t is
meant to serve. For myself, believe in
the Sabbath, and have my own way in
observing it. 1t is a way which | think
is the best way for me, and it is way
which, to those of similar tastes and pur-
suits to mine, / would speak of as re-
spectacle, and commendable and profit
able
But am not prepared to say how the
great bulk of humanity shall keep their
day OF rest. recognize forces at work
which have changed the whole aspect of
human affairs. Not only upon great
ocean highways do huge leviathans,
with heart of fire, plough the waves
without respect to days, and transconti-
mental trains run without intermission
or delay from seaboard to seaboard,
but in every thriving community
are furnaces in which the lire never dies.
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