The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-24
THE AMERICAN SUNDAY.

most rigorous in the observance of the
Lords day. for that b the true name Of
the day set apart by Christians as differ
ing In character from the rest Of the
week. Whether the seventh day or the
nrst day b observed 1t II manifestly
impossible that II can be an accurate
measurement Of time from the day
spoken Of In Genesis ~ the day on which
the Lord rested. AZ what period the
story Of Genesis was written It Is impos-
sible to tell. but ~ even according to
scriptural chronology the first celebra-
ton of the Sabbath. which means ITO
rest from labor" took place 1904 B. c..
the mere lapse Of time, the correction Of
the calendar. to say nothing Of the abb
sence Of consecutive records. place the
determination Of the day beyond all pos
sibiiities.
1t II certain that In the year. prob
ably 1891 b. c.. or 26ls after the ira
ditional date Of the creation. when
Moses LED the people Of Israel out
the Sabbath 1t may have been forgotten
by INCONSISTENCIES during the long bond
ese. but the Jews Of that day knew moth
Ing Of 1t. and the first mention through
out the history Of those twenty-five hum
dred years Ii In Exodus xvi:za. when az
made. Moses declared: Tomorrow Il the
rest OF the Holy Sabbath unto the Lord"
Nothing IL said about the rest on COM
pletion Of the work Of creation and in the
18th verse Moses seems only to have In
tended to consecrate day to the service
of the Lord; but even then some Of the
people disobeyed and were reprimanded
II was nearly a month afterward that
observance OF the Sabbath was ordained
by the PRONUNCIATION OF the Ten Com
msndments- in which the same reason
for regarding 1t as holy Is given as in
Genesis. There was no doubt a respect
for the seventh day. because for some
reason that number seems in all ancient
history 10 significantly recur. Inman in
his Ancient Faiths" says that the He
hrews did not keep the seventh day
sacred Tor they had neglected TO keep II
for long time). until they came In con-
tact with the Persians and other nations.
Re that IS It may. II Is manifest that the
day selected by the Jews as the Sabbath
was reckoned from no further back than
the time OF the wandering in the wilder
ness and that. even IN the fifteen hum
dred years prior 70 the Christian era.
-
In the Gay.
But that H. AFTER al. OF little eonse-
cuence. the purpose heins TO consecrate
one Gay TO worship. Little notice Is &C.
corded the sabbath IN the subsequent
history az the Jews. bu, that Il was kept
NJ iess, at intervals when they were AZ
peace seems probable from the aiius,ons
10 the Comma naments: ard II was GER
tainly accorded vsneraticn IN the days Of
Christ
A holiday. sanctioned by the observance
as many millions OF many races for al
least three thousand years has claim to
respect even ~ II had no sanction OF al
vine authority behind Il
II VII he observed. however. that the
scrir,urai Injunction Is only against labor
end rot against recreation. To ohservs
I, literally would mean an almost anso-
iu:e ,diencss. because no action IS PCS
sihis without some labor. and literal ad-
herence would mean that the wheels Of
the civilized world should stop entirely.
In tire early days % Christianity Z: does
not seem &c hav, been supposed thar sun
day had taken the place OF the Jewish
Sabbath. hu; :, has always been regarded
with veneration. Sunday was rrss rec
oxnized officially BY the Emperor Con.
stsntfae. A. n. 81. In an eaict that al
serk should cease On Sunday: and a, tina,
time there IS no doubt it was REGARDED as
having been established IN coranenora-
ton Of the resurrection 81 Chris. tn.
extent 70 which the day ha. been osserv-
ei has varied very much With esreren,
r-cries and a; different times. Through.
out an Europe. with the exception Of
England and Scotland 4, was marked N
the ro-rine by attendance az church
ard n TIRE afternoon by Indulgence n sii
ksrSs os recreation and amusement. In
ErsizEi and the United States SUNDAY
has always been regarded very much a.
hoiy day. ard people who could TO, ,.
eonssde-e1 pious scrupuioasly ahssas,
srcn excursions, dancing. card PLAYING.
sslisart pssysss. singing secular sorxs
sns sther ferns - enjoyment IS z,
Which they wesi3 have no seruplss
cn ether DAYS Henry VI n-oh,A-