The evening times., 1899-11-24

able outcome OF the discussion. OF course.
people will be allowed to play golf on Sun
day, or baseball. or anything else they
choose. at some time in the future. and
the change in the golf matter is likely to
come before the others, because those WHO
indulge in this game are rich and profitable
to the rural community in which they live.
But there Is nothing in the essential tle-
ments of the American character to pre-
vent the playing OF games on Sunday, or
the taking of any other kind of innocent
recreation. The American is a composite
being, with a great deal of human nature
in him. and this human nature will never
be so refined out of him that he will cease
to be a man and become a mummy.
In places where the Puritan Sunday still
prevails. it does so owing to the peculiar
condition CT business. In country towns,
where the woods and fields ere easy CT ac-
cess, and where the humblest citizen can
sit in his own dooryard on any evening and
enjoy fresh air and bird songs, there is no
need that he should go playing golf or
baseball on Sunday. He does not care to
do so. if he has been working hard all the
week. He may think the desire which he
feels for peace and calm, after his six days
hard work, is religious instinct. He Is
mistaken There is nothing religious about
it. 1t is the instinct of the overworked AMI
NAL for rest, the impulse Of the unused
brain to exert itself in reading or medita-
tion. But when a man has worked hard in
a city, amid the clang and whir and clat-
ter of machine-shops for six days. he feels
a strong impulse to take his children. II
he has any. and 60 for picnic in the woods
somewhere, and, SO strong is the human
need for exercise in the open air, If he
finds any sort of game going on in the
park to which he takes them, he may feel
desire to join in it. There is just as much
religion in his impulse as in the other
mans. II is the human, self-protective in
stinct for change of occupation in both in
stances.
A man may get just as much real good
out of happy, lively afternoon spent on
the golf links with a congenial comrade as
he would out of going to church all day.
In fact. if his comrade is woman of right
and true feelings, and the church happened
to be the kind of church one sometimes sees
in the city, mainly fashionable music, The
torical sermons. and social ambition, it may
be doubted whether the golf links are not
highly preferable TO the sanctuary. The
truth is. and il is of no use TO deny it,
that the average American mans religion
is his home-a good wife, a peaceful fire
side. and happy, healthy, right minded
children growing up around him; children
who love each other and their parents. and
tell the truth. and are generous and brave.
And such homes may exist without very
much being said in them about religious
subjects. They do not conform 10 the old
Puritan ideal of home; cards are played.
the whole family goes to the theatre now
and then, and when the young people grow
up they go to dances; but they are very
good places for rearing the future citizens
of 4 republic, for all that And in such
homes there are few Sunday laws. That
is one reason why the Sunday law in len-
eral is likely to disappear, in time. as COM
pletely as the blue laws h Connecticut and
their kindred of Colonial times.