The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-23
SUNDAY REST IS NEEDFUL.
Workingmen Should Endeavor
to Secure Sabbath OBJ
SerVanCe.
Archbishop Riordan's Sermon
Sunday a Day for Mass and
Not for Parties.

Archbishop Riordan delivered sermon
at St. Mary's Cathedral yesterday morning
upon Sunday observance.
Taking the third commandment, "Six
DAYS shalt thou labor" as the foundation
for his remarks, he expanded upon the re-
ligious and physical ACCESSIBILITY of devot-
ing one day out of the seven to absolute
rest.
1.-The Sabbath of Christians is a mis-
nomer," said the Archbishop, land it ex-
lists no more. By special enactment and
observance of the early church the first
day of the week was called the Lords day.
Sunday is not the Sabbath.
"The church did not first command the
observance of the Sabbath; it was COM
manded before the church existed; for did
not the Lord say, Remember thou keep
holy the Sabbath day?
From the very beginning the character
of this day has always been twofold-a day
of rest and cessation from labor and day
of religious observance. 1t is day OF
physical recreation, and 1t is day OF
spiritual devotion also.
1.-The hearing of mass on Sunday is i'm
portant and we cannot avoid 1t or neglect
il without mourning the great dlspleasure
of the church. 1t is one OF the mosU i'm
portant observances of the Sabbath day.
As the priest raises the chalice and prays
to God for the forgiveness of the sins of
the people in meditation we PROSTATE our
selves before the meek and gentle Savior
and ask him to forgive US and to restore US
to spiritual life
Continuing his discourse, Archbishop
Riordan said that not long ago he was
talking in another city with the manager
of a horsecar corporation, who told him
- TO- fhn n
certain amount of rest once week, but
when the Archbishop asked how much
rest he gave the men who drove the horses,
the reply came that it is easy to get men
NOWADAYS, but that horses die off if not
properly cared for, and they cost money.
LET there be" said Archbishop Rior-
dan, "In this weary march through the
desert of life some pleasant spots in our
Journey. Let it be that when Sunday
comes man shall feel that there is one day
on which he is free man, unhampered
by the rules of his employer. Let people
work less. that all may have chance to do
some work.
Thousands even here are compelled to
work on Sunday, not by any fault of
theirs, but by the severitv of competition.
1--WE Christians, many of US, allow our
selves to become negligent OF the observ-
ance of Sunday. 1t is our duty 10 rest on
the Sabbath, and we ought not to make 1t
impossible for those in our employ to have
the same opportunity.
while the church condemns Sunday
picnics connected with riotous living and
dissipation, it does not condemn legitimate
recreation. Sunday is not day for great
parties, afternoon parties, dinner parties
and theater parties. 1t is day of spiritual
observance and of home gatherings.
religion after all is an element fostered
more in the family than in the school or
in the church. The model father spends
his evenings in the sacred precincts of his
own home with his family, and not, as is
too often the case with rich men, at clubs,
and poor men in saloons.
1.-The workingmen of the land should be
the first leaders in demand for this day
of rest.
''Fof nation to be strong the men must
be vigorous. The workingmen should be
the foremost observers of the Sabbath.
lone day of the week belongs to God
and was given to you by divine law. Be-
sides this holy law we have the experience
OF all ages to show that in order to live
properly man requires one days rest out
of seven u