The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-02-28
THE SUNDAY QUESTION.
Views of the Right Reverend Mon
signor CapeI.
The Worlds Fair Should Be Open
After Noon on Sundays
Strong Arguments.

has been invited to send specimens OF its
products of nature and ofman's industry.
1t will be readily admitted that the
Christian nations will be to the front in
this colossal exhibition. What their
tenets and practices are concerning the
Lords Day ought to be taken into con-
sideration in solving the much-vexed
Sunday question. The Roman Catholic
Church numbers by its own latest statis-
ties some two hundred and eighteen
millions; the lowest estimate given by
outsiders is one hundred and tfty-two
millions. They are the largest organized
body of Christians and are found in all
nations. Their teaching concerning the
Gospel Sabbath is identical with that held
by the lightweight millions who COM
pose the varied sects of the Greek COM
munion protesting the religion of Christ.
An outline OF this Catholic teaching may
serve as q factor to a rational solution of
difficulty that ought never to have
arisen.
THE LORDS DAY ONE FOR EXTRA WOR-
SHIP.
The service of our. God is binding at all
times and is to be continuous throughout
life. Under the old law there was daily
~
temple. The Hebrews We're ordered TO
Teach your children that they mediate
on my words when thou sitteth Ing thy
house, and when thou walketh on the
way, and when thou lieth down and
riseth up" From the morning watch
even until night, let Israel hope in the
Lord" says the pSalmlSt, ana to each in
dividual the son OF Sirach proclaims:
Let nothing hinder thee from praying
always" This constant remembrance OF
God and walking in His presence are
found throughout the Old Testament.
But the Sabbath Day had, in addition to
all this, It's extra worship. Two lambs of
the first year, as special burnt Offering,
together with the corresponding meat and
drink Offering, as well as the renewal Of
the shew bread, were added TO celebrate
the day. IL was day OF 'holy cOnvoca-
tion," and i'll due time every town and
village had its synagogue wherein the
law and the prophets were eXpounded,
accompanied by prayers and thanksgiv-
ing.
The gospel law confirmed and ex-
tended the daily service of our God.
And Jesus spake also parable to them
that we ought always to pray and not to
faint" w atch ye therefore praying at
all times" TAKE We heed, watch and
pray, for you know not when the time
Is" These repeated iniuuctions of the
4ClN ltlS IhelSISi arc 1uSiSlGu ON again ana
again by his apostles. St. Paul says to
the Hebrews: Let us offer the sacrifice
of praise to God cOntIuuallv''; to the
TheSsalonians: pray without ceasinn
i'll all things give thanks'';to the Colos-
slams: BE instant in prayer, watching
in 1t with thanksgiving" And to these
latter does he give the key to the contin-
uous service Of GOD: All whatsoever
you do in word or work, all things do We
in the name OF the Lord Jesus Christ
giving thanks to God and the Father"
But the highest act of worship in the
Christian religion is not prayer nor the
word Of thanksgiving. I'VE have an
altar, whereof they have no right to eat
who serve the tabernacle" We have "a
clean oblation," a sacrifice offered ac-
cording to the order OF Melchisedec,
wherein Jesus Christ, the Divine Media
tor, is both priest and victim who offered
it for the first time at the last supper.
and continues to offer it each day by the
hands Of His ordained priests. His
death is thus shown till He come. Thus
can we acknowledge the sovereign do
minion of God, propitiate Him Tor our
sins, make thank offering of infinite
value, and supplicate through our spot
less High Priest. This doctrine was
never questioned for the first ten centu-
ries; it Island always has been. firmly held
andl believed by the Catholic Church as
NpAl ttS W dl4 VIC VI ltilLriL SGtlS VI OHIlS-
tians. They recognize this doctrine
in the disciples coming together on the
first day of the week 10 break bread -
Regarding this as the highest act of
Christian worship, the Catholic Church
insists, under pain of deadly sin,
that as far as possible ali her
children above certain age shall on
The Sunday assist at this molly sacrifice
To facilitate this, in Catholic countries
where there are sufficient priests, every
half hour from just before the sun rises
till noon, Holy Mass, as this sacrifice is
called, is offered. At one at least of these
masses the word Of God is expounded,
Other devotional exercises and religious
instructions, to which the faithful are
earnestly invited, take place after midday.
THE LORDS DAY ONE OF REST.
As in the Ancient Dispensation, so in
the New, is the day appointed for the
special service of God one of rest. But
with this essential difference, the Austen
ton from work is the primary idea of
the Jewish Sabbath, there being no law
OF Sabbatical worship imposed outside
the doubling of the sacrifices. The
Christian Sunday, on the other hand, is
primarily day of prayer, the law of rest
being protection to the law of worship.
Our blessed Lord lays down the funda-
mental principle concerning this rest:
The Sabbath is made for man, not man
for the Sabbath" clearly show
ing that its enforcement is for mans
good. Man, on the other hand, is bound
to fulfill the law of love. Hence, then.
for Gods honor and glory, he may break
the law Of the Sabbath as did the minis
tiers in the temple, and be held blaneless.
The good of our neighbor does by the
same law OF love justify US in caring for
the sick and the poor in their great wants
Necessity again makes the law of the
Sabbath give way before the needs of man
and beasts. To protect the law of wor-
ship, bodily works such as those done by
servants, day laborers and tradesmen, as
well as law proceedings, are prohibited
y OF so works which depend more on the
activity of the mind than OF the body,
Nor again is it forbidden to do such work
as our ordinary wants and cares demand.
THE LORDS DAY ONE OF JOY.
To the few the Sabbath commemorate
the work OF creation. and was a testimony
of faith in the Creator 1t was also a ma
tional day OF record of deliverance from
the bondage OF Egypt. OF necessity, then.
the day OF rest must have been a dav of
JOY and OF tenderness, extending not only
to kith and kin, but also to strangers.
slaves and even to animals. To the
Christian the Lords Day is one Of ex-
ceeding great joy. 1t is kept in memory
OF the completion of our redemption by
the Resurrection. 1t reminds US by the
descent of the Holy Ghost, that new Gre
alton. Christs kingdom on earth, His
church. 1t carries our thoughts to that
everlasting home of 10y where God shall
wipe away all tears from our eyes and
death shall be no more: nor murmuring.
nor sorrow shall be no more, for the
former things are passed away"
No wonder the character Of cheerful
ness, OF joyous communion with friends,
of recreation, should have prevailed
among the Jews at all times with regard
to their Sabbath day. Our Lord. who
during his earthly life did not abrogate it.
not only condemned its pharisaical OBJ