The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-15
THE AMERICAN SUNDAY.

The Rev. w. G. Eliot, of this city, who
week ago last Sunday preached sermon
concerning Sunday observance, took the
position that the laws, which of course
can deal only with Sunday as civil holi-
day, "should prohibit all employment of
work on Sunday, except work of necessity
and mercy, decent amusements, exhibi-
tions and entertainments, and works the
stopping of which on Sunday would cause
extreme inconvenience to employers or
public, but should not prevent mans
working at his own business. In these
exceptions the law should provide that
wherever more than six men are en-
ployed every employe should be granted
one day of rest during the week"
The Rev. DR.. Swing. Of Chicago, in the
March Forum, discusses in a very temper
ate spirit the question, "What the Ameri-
can Sunday Should Be-" DR.. Swing
points out that discordant views concern
ing the use and abuse of Sunday are of
ancient origin. Luther thought little of
Moses, but much of Christ, and his view
of Sunday was cast in obedience with that
of Jesus, who in utter condemnation of
strict observance said, "The Sabbath was
made for man, not man for the Sabbath"
The iberallty of Luther is voiced today by
the German Lutherans, the Roman Catho-
hes, the Unitarians, the Episcopalians
and the Jews, who all look upon Sunday
after church hours are over as a day of
legitimate recreation, in which all decent
pastimes are not only permissible, but
commendable.
On the other hand, the Puritan Sunday
was an effort to reproduce the Mosaic age,
when one who gathered sticks on the Sab
bath was stoned to death. The Puritan
Sunday went back for its justification to
the same authority which was quoted in
defense of the execution of the victims of
the Salem witchcraft craze, whose engi-
neers quoted from Exodus: you must
not suffer witch to live" The Sabbath
of the ancient Hebrews was not as dreary
as that OF the Puritans of old-time New
England. The Jews were directed TO make
the Sabbath a day of rest, and not a word
is said in either the Ola or New Testament
of making it day of worship. 1t is clear
from certain passages in the Old Testa-
ment that the Israelites not only made
the Sabbath a day of rest and peace to
every beast, every servant and every
stranger. but that it was often a day of
feasting and general joy.
Dr. Swing makes just distinction be-
tween what is called the European Sun
a. i . ha A -,
taken the place of the Puritan Sabbath.
He does not like the European Sunday.
nor entirely approves of the American
Sunday. because in his Judgment neither
of these days contains rest enough in the
time TO make it of full value 10 mind and
body. The European Sunday is defined
IS nothing else than the natural holi-
day Of old nations into which the
church projected a sermon and q prayer
The Roman church early decided that the
Mosaic Sabbath ended at the coming OF
Christ, and that the Christian Sunday was
human uninspired product, and so it be-
came the average holiday Of each locality,
save the church opened in morning or
afternoon to admit of religious service
In Spain the bull fight Was permitted on
Sunday; in France the popular amUse-
ments were authorized on this day; in
Germany the theater, the dance and the
picnic took up large share of the day.
The Catholic was required 20 attend one
mass.
When the Reformation caused great
secession from the Church OF Rome. the
Lutheran church repeated in the Augs-
burg Confession OF 1850 the dogma that
| the sunday possessed no divine authority,
/ and So for many centuries both with
/ Lutheraus and Roman Catholics Sunday
/ has been only & day OF common festivi;v
Z modified ~ an interval o: religious ser
! vice. The English church. in the iuie-
! ment Of Professor Swing. has much bet
Ter Sunday than the one that prevails from
Berlin to Madrid and Mexico. ana in all
re South American states The English
I sunday IN its rest and quiey excels tina: Of
( me PFo'estants in the United States. In
England Sunday is described As ? dav az
respectable rest, &lence and external
p'eiy." The American Sunday. which