The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1895-02-08
ATRUE SUNDAY.

New York Herald.
The Sabbath was made for man, and no
man for the Sabbath.-Mark, ii, 27.
The name Sunday was very natur-
ally given to that day Of the week on
which the resurrection of Christ took
place. And very naturally, also, that
day Of the week has been set apart as
time in which to engage in religious
services and mediate on the fact that
the angels who rolled the stone away
from His sepulchre will some time do
the same for us.
There is a peculiar significance in
the very name Sunday. 1t has a ring
of JOY and triumph in it, like a peal
of bells in the still air of a winter
night. The whole ante-Christian
world regarded the rising of the sun
as the most awe inspiring mystery of
nature. 1t was the victor from whose
invincible and imperial presence dark
ness fled to hide itself in caverns un-
til the majestic 0rbsank behind west
ern hills. 1t cleared all overhanging
mists from the landscape with its
multitudnous rays, kissed the de-
spondcnt sod into laughter, and
nursed the grass and wheat of the
field into productivelife. Little won
der, then, that it was regarded as the
benefcent cause of all things bcaut-
full and useful, and worshipped with
pomp and ceremony.
No greater tribute of respect and
gratitude could have been paid to
Christ than the transfercnce to Him
of this sense of obligation to the blaz-
ing orb. 1t was an inevitable conse-
qucnce Of the benefits He had con-
ferred upon the race. What the ma
terlal sun was to the material uni
verse, He was to the universe of spirit.
Under His influence the despair of
doubts dark night gave way and the
smile of a hopeful resignation came in
its stead. Mems aspirations were
fructilled, and their faith in eteanal
things grew apace The dirge of fate
surrendered to the sovereignty of
providence, and this short life became
tho vestibule of the palace in which
we are disrobed of the dusty garments
of earth and tlttlngly arrayed to enter
the royal presence.
On the first day of the week, there
fore-the day on which the conque. Or
Death was himself conquered, the
day when a door was discovered on
the further side of the tomb through
which the soul may enter heaven
the very grass seemed greener in the
fields; the sky was deeply, darkly,
beautifully blue as never before; the
astonished world looked up and not
down: human sorrow was assuaged;
broken hearts were healed of their
wounds; the shining spires of another
life were seen in the distance, and by
a general consensus it was called Sun
day.
The practical question is, How shall
this day be observed? And il we lay
aside all interested opinions and pre-
judices it ought not to be a difficult !
oI,pct inn in ancwar
Remembering that there is no di-
vine injunction regarding it, and that
it rests solely on the grateful appre-
citation of thoughtful men and women,
how shall we pass these delightful
hours of respite from care and toll?
Our civil law takes part In the con-
troversy and prescribes certain
changes In our ordinary routine. This
action is not based on religious grounds
though religion heartily endorses it,
but on the fact that orderly society
requires 1t. One-scventh of our time
Is TO be given to leisure. This Is
necessary to the moral as we'll as the
physical health Of the citizens. Con.
tinuous work is enervating and inju-
rious. A period OF rccuperation must
be afforded that we may retain our
vig0r and not use our vitality In too
spend-thrift a manner. The hum Of
business ceases, the whirr OF the mill
wheel Is not heard, the passion for
trade Is checked, fathers and mothers
gather about the hearthstone with
their families TO enjoy the pleasures
Of domestic life.
All this is purely secular, It's pur.