The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-05-31
SUNDAY OBSERVANCE

Editor OF THE TN1BUNB:
On reading the letter in your issue of
THE TRIBUNE on Tuesday over the name
of John Davy, | was impressed with the
idea that the writer was some sort Of n
religious Zealut. 1t reminded me of words
! once heard u speaker make use Of: II
would stand with my feet III the ashes of
Sinai and thunder tho terrors Of the law"
That is lust what Johu Davy seems to be
trying 10 do. He talks wildly and inco.
herently, and makes bold assertions which
barely have the semblance Of truth.
In the first place, after his preliminary,
he misuuote5 Webster. 1t is not natural
but civil liberty that we are to deal with,
and here follows Web5ter's definition en-
tire. "Civil liberty is the liberty of men
in a state Of society, or natural liberty, so
far only abridged and restrained as is ne
essary and eXpedient FOR the safety and in
terest of the society, state or nation. a
restraint Of natural liberty, not necessary
or eXpedient for the public, is tyranny or
oppression. Civil liberty is an eXemp-
ton from the arbitrary will Of Others,
which exemption is secured by established
laws, which restrain every man from in
juring or controlling another. Hence the
restraints of law are essential to civil lib
erty."
AS regards religious liberty, Webster
defines it as follows: "Religlous liberty is
the free right Of adopting and enjoying
opinions on religious subjects, and OF wor-
Shipping the Supreme Being according to
the dictates of conscience, without exter-
nal control"
If there is any one thing q true Ameri-
can citizen abhors more than another it is
religious intolerance. The writer OF the
oI,rNrn- n atya1 1attar cDaONu m ha n nbo n
pion of lynch law by quoting o Bible pass
age, "that the congregation brought the
transgressor without the camp and stoned
him with stones that he died."
Avery righteous engagement for a con-
gregation, stoning an erring brother to
death. Those days Of ignorance and su-
perstition do not flourish largely in these
United States.
To assert that the Sabbath is as old as
creation is a mere assumption which he
stultiies when he refers to Babylon as
having q law prohibiting the observance
of the Jewish Sabbath. And to compare
America to Babylon and other peoples
who have gone out of existence, is irrel-
event to the case. AS near as we can
learn from history there never was q ma
ton on the face Of the globe that pos
sesged the freedom, the civil and religious
liberty the people Of the United States
enjoy.
If the teachers Of Christianity would
follow more in the footsteps of their Mas
ter. they would probably have more fol-
lowers. 1t is recorded Il quote from
memory that Christ said, Some men e5-
TEEN one day above another, 9TH
ers esteem every day alike; let every man
be persuaded in his own mind" Again,
! ttfla Go hhIfh Vyo fno1a for man onh NOT
man for the Sabbath" Hearing, doubt
less, that the Sabbath was instituted for
the good and welfare of the human race. a
day of rest, relief from toll and care, a
DAY for innocent enjoyment, to drink in
the beauties of nature, to feel grateful to
our Father in heaven for the many bless.
ings we enjoy; but not to be enslaved by
that day.
The Jews and some Gentiles believe that
Saturday is the true Sabbath. The words
Lords day" are nowhere to be found in
the Bible. And to everybody those words
in a law to enforce the observance OF sun
day for religious reasons is an insult ia
the Saturday sabbath w%orshipers. Our
constitution and laws do not restrain any
person from observing Saturday or Sun
dav, or any other day as q holy day. And
1t is contrary to she spirit and letter of
u government to make laws for the OBJ
ervance of any one day of each week for
other than sanitary reasons. The govern
ment tolerates NIL religious scots, and ig-
nores them all. No union of church and
state for me.
As the observance Of Sunday as q day of
rest and religious exercise is so very gen.
eral it suits me rs well as any other day. |
feel the need Of resting one day in seven
and eujoy the day very highly. This
world would be very monotonous If We
had to toll every day in the year, without
rest or recreation other thar sleep. Even
Al inanimate machine, a locomotive for
instance, needs an occasional rest to keep
it from going to pieces prematurely.
] favor the observance and enforcement
of all laws that are just and wholesome.
A law that is unjust and oppressive l am
not bound to respect. The Sunday law OF
1894 is superannuated and not suited OF
adapted to the present wants of society.
There Is no More harm in selling soda
water than there is in selling milk. And
to arrest a woman for selling soda water
Is downright tyranny. We all know that
n blast furnace cannot be run on Christian
Sabbath principles.
H.. B. VAN B%ENTHUYsEN,
443 Wyoming avenue