The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-01-11
OBSERVANCE OF SABBATH
Rev. Frank n. Dexter Cites Some Facts
and Statistics That Are Surprising.
Europe Is Rapidly Giving Up Sunday Disecra-
tion-Sermon Of Rare Beauty By DR..
Observation-Disclosures Meetings.

Hsueu oy TIC coaNtlOn OF the ol0 feople'6
Congregational Church and the Westmin-
ster Presby terrain. at the corner of Michi-
gan and Blackford streets. was filed last
night mostly with young men. members of
the various labor unions of the city.
The Rev. FRANK Dexter. who presides
over this little flock, had announced that
he would preach on Sunday Closing" by
virtue of a general invitation extended by
the Central Labor Union to the pastors of
the city some weeks ago. Mr.. Dexter took
for his text The Sabbath was made for
man,
~ gladly, accept the invitation of the
central Labor Union" said Mr.. Dexter
Ito discourse upon this subject, for it is in
line with Christian endeavor and love Of
Tod and right. In olden times the Jews
reverenced the day appointed by God TO be
kept holy with fasting and prayer. The
Sabbaths then were observed much more
generally and scrupulously than they are
now. When mans right Is on one side and
the question of whether he can be COM
PEELED TO work on that day is on the other,
man always has the preponderance. Christ
settled that question two thousand years
ago when He declared that the Sabbath
was made for man and not man for the
Sabbath. But am sorry to say that Christs
opinion has little weight in these days.
The labor question Is human one.
question that is agitatlng more thought.
more serious consideration in society to-
day than any other. 1t comes up IN the
easiest form for answering when put in its
relation with Sabbath observance. What
is mans chief endf The Westminster
Shorter CatechIsm says, ITO glorify God
and enjoy Him forever the world says.
10 make money and lots of it," Some
people think we live only to fill our bags
and those of Others with gold. The world
to-day is gov erned too much by the law of
supply and demand. We must supply
cheap material. even at the cost of tears
and health; We don't burn up our
did centuries ago, to get them out of the
way. but we set them to work on the bench
next to Us, and compel them to make
overalls and shirts for cents each. 1t
would be mercy to them If we did burn
them up to-day, instead of subjecting them
to this slower mode of torture. As the
years have gone on men have been losing
Sabbath rest and privileges more and more
through this accursed greed for wealth.
America In Prussia, to-day. 81 per cent
OF the factories and n per cent. of the
railroad trains are running on Sunday.
When the first railway train was run on
Sunday the GOd.fearing people set up
great hue and cry. but the directors said.
I'VE are sorry, but we cannot help IL, our
business demands It." The same was true
when the mail was fret carried on the Sab
DdEu Jay. Inc Duslue6S man o8lu, w .
must have our mail on Sunday and early
Monday morning. Then the first Sunday
newspaper made its appearance, and the
Christian people were answered in the
same way.
If man don't mix in his religion pretty
thick with his business his business is go
ing to suffer by it. In England some years
ago the workingmen made demand for
the opening of the museums of an elevat-
ing. Instructive nature on the Sabbath.
m w n ha fofl r1rn fho
most of them were closed up again. Three
years ago France began to realize that
her people were becoming morally,
% grsst and more corrupt and nd,;ns
people of the republic was held and sun
day laws were passed which have been
pretty faithfully kept ever since.
Two years ago the Emperor of Germany
passed a law giving his people Sunday rest.
and while the people of that great nation
may indulge In some levities on the Sab
bath day that would seem very wicked
to us. yet they are q law-abid-
ing people. In Austria Sunday evening
and Monday morning papers are prohibited.
In Switzerland laws were passed on Dec.
l. 1890. prohibiting the operating of steam
boats railway trains or the using of the
mails on the. Lords day. Europe
out of the back door. Yet this
great Yankee Nation cannot get along
without shaving on the Sabbath. 1t is not
so much q question OF whether you can be
made to desist from Sunday labor yourself,
to do 90, who would prefer TO
keep the day. No man should be
forced to decide between losing his
position or losing his soul, OF might better
say wounding his conscience. 1t resolves
itself to this: If q man is compelled to la
Dor seven days in the week, how can he be
expected to perform faithfully the laws of
society, health and the requirements to.
hlmself7
1 remember of reading in a paper, not
long ago. of o little child who said to his
mother: Mamma, who Is that man with
whiskers who eats dinner with us every
SundayP Why, that is your papa, dear"
answered the mother.
So il il that many of our business men
never have moments time to see their
families except on Sunday. They leave
home before their children are up In the
morning and como back when they are
asleep at night.
Finally, We have three claims upon which
to base our right to the Sabbath day:
First, because it il our right. Nature and
the laws of God and health demand ii. 1t
Is for our development along the higher
lines of life.
Second. it gives us an opportunity, if we
will but use it. to observe the day for the
worship OF God In His holy temple. and q
chance to improve ourselves. and our nat
ures and bodies. mentally, spiritually.
physically and intellectually. Third,
every man, nation and century has
observed that it is wise to obey
the laws of God No matter from what
point you start from q social. religious or
commercial. IL pays men to keep the Sab
bath day. Infdels in France have found
it SO; free-thinkers IL Germany have recog-
nized 1t; scientists all over the world ac-
knowledge 1t. Why, then. should this
wise. Intelligent Nation obstinately refuse
Tn do sO7O