The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-02-17
Our Sunday Laws.

MN LDlIoh, 1Eeio nave recently
been dislriouJed by the mall copies OF a
publication euLllled "Our AIS gSer, -
explaining Wing DO Seventh Day
AdyeuJists suffer imprisoumeu5 rather
than keep Sunday"
This aud the tact of the recent decision
OF the Court q Appeals. that sus,aius the
court below and thus confirms the action
that has punished several persons who
were arrested for performing "bodily
labor on the Lords day, commonly called
Sunday" has brought this whole sub
ject atresh before the minds of the pub
lie, and caused many opinions to be
expressed or both, or rather all sides of
this question Qor it is many sidedD, as it
may affect the subject of religious lib
erty.
L is to be regretted that there should
be cause for any to suffer for their relig
ious belief on this question, while the
same law is permitted to be violated with
IMMUNITY in nearly all our cities by a
who make no pretense to any religious
belief whatever and only, object to this
law as they do to all Others for the sup
preston OF vice on the plea, that it is an
infringement of their personal liberty"
AS one who holds to the biblical inter
probation that "unless it should be for
III Job, &c ba
praise Of them that do WE'LL" ! cannot
see how the laws can be abolished
entirely, but they can certainly be bet
ter enforced against the sorts OF trades
and occupations that are now permitted
that are positive detriment to the good
of society, before they are turned against
possibly misguided, but evidently inof-
fens;ve sect of Christians that have
declined to use the first day OF the week
as day Of worship, on the plea that it
is gross idolatry SO to use this day,
because by it's name OF Sunday it was
dedica ted by our heather ancestors to
the hip of that luminary.
Charch historians tell US, and the
Bible itself gives US authority for heliev-
ing, that the first day of the week was
observed by the early church as day
for public worship in commemoration OF
Christ's resurrection in lieu OF the Jew
ish Sabbath and its observances, which
were done away in Christ, for it is fact
hat &c
nowhere in the New Testament any
fresh command for observing one day as
having anything in itself more sacred
than another, Or any reiteration of the
Mosaic command to sanctify it that it is
the Jewish Sabbath, much less the
Christian. In fact We fluid that our Saw
Jour himself on several occasions took
especial pains to rebuke the hypocritical
observance of the DAY by the Jews. who
were Jealous for the form while they
ne elected the essentials of true worship
tlat the law required.
AID Paul, who of al the apostles hsd
been a jealous jew I'D is such a strict
observer of holy days, after he vas con
verted and was enabled to see by the
grace OF God, that Christ was the fulfil
meut aud end of be law, as he tells us
in Hebrews, wrote some thugs 20 the
Galatians about this very subject in the
4sn chapter, 10Th verse; also to the Rom
ans 14-6.
There is now a large number Of
Christians who for these reasons do not
observe the Christian Sabbath as possess
ing a particular sapctity of itself, believ
ing that to do so would be to honor the
creature more than the Creator, bnt they
| all agree that it should be observed as &
day in which to worship Coz only anc
abstain from all unnecessary labor in it
In many European countries there il
now no quiet observed upon this day o
the week, and an effort is being made Il
induce this same system here, and opeI
all plans for pleasure, theatres, beer gar
dens, etc, to further draw away on
people from any religious use of it, ant
we hope our legislators will not b
induced to listen to these men who wisl
all wholesome restraints upon immor
ality removed. G. B.
CoLoRA, MD, February 18th, 1894.