The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-01-13
TIE CONTINENTAL SUNDAY.

TIE CONTINENTAL SUNDAY.
At the Unitarian church in Troy, N. Y,
recently, the Hon. John NJ. Francis read
an interesting paper ON the continental
Sunday" In the course of his remarks
he said:
| feel that my proper place here is
that of listener, rs in the past, instead
of a speaker, but need not apologize.
The trustees, through whom l have been
brought to occupy this position, must do
that. However, | like the idea of lay
men talking and there are others here
who can instruct and edily and | hope
they will help us out. My theme will be
the continental Sunday" Sunday in
Protestant Europe is more especially the
Lords day. BY statutory laws the Brit
lsh Sunday was years ago hedged about
with rigorous provisions providing the
sanctity as enforced in the DAYS of the
reformation. In early times it was set
apart as 4 day excluding all secular work,
and during the Teigns of James |. and
Charles |. laws were enacted against the
practice of all sports and amusem ents on
the Lords day. In 1878 comprehensive
measure was adopted providing that per-
SONS do no exercise or work, except
works of necessity alone, and that no
person should expose for sale on the
Lords day or any part thereof wares or
merchandise of any description. This
was construed by the courts as it read
and is the foundation of the Sunday law
in England and the U. S., and the corner
stone of Sunday observance. The lines
are no longer 50 distinctly drawn, but the
British Sunday continues to be and will
long be the Sunday Of the Bible and bet
IN f,lsnpynH 10 SIta6 than thn Enntinnn-
tai Sunday
On the continent the tendency is to
wide latitude and Sunday is holiday in
stead of holy day. There are no restric-
tive laws regarding its observance as
day of rest and praise Attendance at
church service in the morning is deemed
proper. and then the later hours are de
voted to amusement, enjoyment and
e~en work, without any qualms of CON
science. Neither the Roman Catholic
nor Protestant Lutheran churches have
any Sabbath laws to be enforced. 1t has
come within my own personal observa-
ton that in Germany the entire house
hold on Sunday afternoons and evenings
are taken to concerts and places of
amusements, and if in that respect they
were restricted it would be deemed a re-
viVal of the old Jewish laws. The French
elections are held on Sunday and all the
great races occur on that day. In Spain
the land of bull fights, to us 50 brutal,
that sport always occurs on Sunday, 50
that the entire pOpulace may have the
opportunity of attending. In Austria
Sunday is also holiday and is devoted
to the enjoyment of aInuSementS in many
forms. In Paris, uAder the Empire, the
day was one of brisk business, in addi-
ton to the amusements. Now there is
not much business done. Ali the day
after the morning church service is de-
voted to amusements, The attendance
in the churches is small. IL is gala day
and the carnival king has it all his own
way. The Louvre is open ON Sunday,
and so the lower classes are given an OPP
portunity to cultivate taste for art.
All these things, sports, amusements and
the various methods of enjoyment, are
invariably attended with good order, and
| never saw any disturbance or intoxica-
ton. Weddings are usually held on Sun
day, and they are followed by feast.
AS Paris is France, SO Sunday through
out the whole country is day of amusc-
ment and enjoyment as it is there. 1t is
a merry holiday, without any noticeably
improper indulgence. This condition per
talns to all other continental countries.
although not to such an extent as i'm
France.
Here is an instance of the regard in
which Sunday is held on the continent.
The Old Catholic party protested against
the doctrine Of the infallibility of the
Pope. In 1871 at Munich they held CON
ference. All the leaders had been ex-
communicated and they were more in
sympathy with the Lutheran than the
Catholic church. The congress lasted
one week and then adjourned for din
ner on Sunday. TOasts were in order
and in the evening that Catholic con-
gress was a sight never excelled by any
Fourth of July celebration in America.
Ny friend said it was sacrilege, but af-
ter all it was their time for festivities.
1t was the Continental Sunday.
The night before Easter Sunday at
Athens, the king and queen, all the dig
nitaries of the state and the mobiles assem-
BILE, and at midnight the head of the
church cries in tones as loud as he can
command, Christ is risen" The an
swer comes back from thousands of
threats, Christ is risen," and the entire
Populace breaks out into festivities,
which continue all Sunday. 1t is time
fOl reconciliation, and those who have
been at enmity then have an opportunity
to become friends. The reconciliation
feature surely is good religion, from
which all might derive Christian lesson.
In Lisbon the hilariousness does not
run wild, as in Paris, but Sunday after
noon and evening is devoted to social
pleasure and calls. There is no work,
however. The lottery ticket vendors and
the fish women do thriving business.
Vienna is not as effervescent as Paris
ON Sunday or any other time, but the
day is devoted to pleasure and amuse-
ment. Music is heard on all sides.
There are dancing and shows and the
common people enjoy life to the utmost.
Although beer is dispensed, it is taken
with bread and cheese and there is no
treating. IntOxication and violence are
not to be seen. There are miles of beer
gardens and there is no restriction of the
traffic. 1t is sight to behold and les
SON to more pretentious people.
Would the Continental Sunday do with
us and for us? | think not The educa-
ton of the people through ages evolves
type to which such a radical change
would produce detriment. On account
of our free AID easy methods there would
be disOrderly element and we must
have Limitation. Besides we must show
a proper respect to large number of
people who reverence Sunday and the in
PRODUCTION of the COntin ntal Sunday
would prove great evil to the religious
power which constitutes large share of
our organism. Our Puritanical Sunday
has been alleyiated and we have many