Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-07-18

the Roman, will simply content my
self to say that it was simply pro-
hib.tion of all urban citizens, profess
sional and otherwise. from all forms
of labor or employment on the first day
of the week: that is, .son the venera-
BILE day of the sum- call magistrates
should rest, and workshops be closed. !"
People in the rural districts were ex-
empt, for reasons therein given.
After the empire had become a
Christian nation, the laws recognizing
Sunday obligations were revised and
amended as the exigencies of the times
demanded. This was the case when
Theodosius prohibited, by law, the ex-
nitions by shows, as we'll as other bust
ness on such days. This was some 40
years after the first law was enacted.
In 369 A. d. this statute was still
further enlarged, when all legal pro-
ceedings as we'll as labor and sports
were restricted both to the city and
country inhabitants alike. In process
of time all these Roman laws passed
On downward to other nations as their
civilization advanced and the wants of
an enlightened people demanded.
The Sunday laws of the great en-
pire in this manner were systematical-
ly adopted and assumed the shape of
the Capitularies of the Frank Emper-
ors, and for hundreds of years were en-
forced by them with the greatest pos
sible exactness. In the course of fad
ing centuries, when the Revolution,
among other institutions. swept away
the Christian Sunday. there was intro
duced in its place d tenth day rest,
which was enforced in due observance
with the utmost scrupulosity.
Going back to the national history
of our own English ancestry, we find
Sunday laws as prominent enactments
in all their legislation. 1t is said that
King Ina in A. d. 693 prohibited all
manner of public business on Sunday
among the West Saxon people. And
this was followed up by King Alfred
in $40. by whom the Sunday laws of his
ancestors were religiously observed
and honored throughout his long and
successful reign. Three quarters of a
century later King Edgar (95S) pro-
hibited all heathenish songs and sports
and the markets to be closed from Sat-
urday evening until the next Monday
morning light. This gave the people
long season of rest and refreshment.
/ might continue this series all
through the reigns of subsequent rul-
ers from Canute in 1923 to the present
reigning queen. and show conclusive
ly that the protection of Sunday as a
day of rest as we'll as a day of relig-
ious enjoyment, has been a cherished
object in the administration of all.
Did space permit it could be easily
made to appear that the highest courts
in the realm, under the most distin-
guished judges have in every instance
sustained the constitutionality of all
these manifold enactments shielding
and protecting this institution, which.
if not divine, is yet hoary with TIE
generation and love of nations and peo-
pies the most intelligent, noble, and
heroic of all that have dwelt upon the
earth.
1t would be calling in question the
intelligence of the reader to speak of
the uniform enactments of all our own
States (but one) on Sunday observance,
from the foundation of this great and
mighty people through the varied his
tory so successfully made down to the
present year of grace. in which it
shines with lustre and in glory I'M
surpassed if ever equaled by any 9TH
er nation described on history's page.
The foregoing is intending as the
simple answer to the interesting ques-
ton propounded in a preceding issue
of this paper, namely
"Whither are we drifting?n
T. F. C. j.