The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-08-07

Rev. Thomas de Gruchy, d. D., pastor
of the Jackson Street Baptist church.
spoke last evening on the subject, "A
Plea for a Better Observance of the
Lords Day" taking his text from Eze-
kiel, xXii:S, Thou hast profaned my
sabbath" In the course of his re-
marks, Rev. de Gruchy protested
against the desecration of the Sabbath,
and said that God gave the best gifts
on the Sabbath day.
IF we are to protect our civiliza-
tion." he continued, 1--WE must protect
the Sabbath day. II has been to us as
a sacred trust, let us keep it as such.
Let it be the queen of all days. The
loss of the day is seen in the empty
churches, and may be attributed to the
disobedience of our own children.
There is too lax a condition of our own
conscience
Members of the church go away
from home for a days debauchery and
go to church on Sunday with a prayer
book in their hand, feeling that they
are not very far away from God, while
Others neglect to attend church on ac-
count of visitors at their homes"
The way Rev. de Gruchy would over
come this latter complaint would be to
tell his visitors they would either have
to go to church or go home.
Speaking about Sunday papers. the
reverend gentleman said: "The man
who loafs around the house reading
sunday papers sends his wife to
church. feeling she has enough religion
to satisfy the whole family" He con-
demned Baptist Young Peoples union
members for riding their bicvcles on
sunday and criticized young women
for riding on the street cars during the
Sabbath day.
we want the mayor to enforce the
Sunday observance law" he said. land
If the people would refuse to buy Sun
day newspapers there would soon be
an end put to their publication There
is no Sunday in our thoughts, no Sun
day in our lives"
In making a comparison of the Euro
pean SUNDAY with the American OBJ
servance, the speaker said in the old
country the people go to church Sun
day morning at Q o'clock and go home
at II, but in America they want a min
lister to begin at IL o'clock and quit at
a quarter to 10. THE trouble with
that they are becoming separated. The
only way to keep them together is to
bring them to church on Sunday and
keep them in the pew
'As soon as the boy becomes IA years
Of age you can't tell him to go to
church they have gone elsewhere.
There Is nothing prettier than to see
the whole family in their pew on Sun
day. The return of the old New Eng
land Sabbath would make a better
commonwealth out of PENNSYLVANIA
than it is today.
ut is question whether or not we
have the grit to hand down to our chill
dren that teaching we received in the
days of our forefathers They put
meaning in the gospel of their day.
The only power that can remedy ex-
isting conditions is the spiritual well
fare as taught by them.
To-day we are confused by a thou
sand wheels of industry. the cry OF the
sunday newspaper, base ball games
and other amusements. We should be
jealous Of the Sabbath day and keep
1t holy. The bell of Gods indignation
Will ring and when it does it will ring
his righteous Indignation
IF the church was true to Jesus
Christ there would be no trouble in up
holding the Sabbath day. Whatever
changes. the Sabbath day must be kept
holy. 1t is not the times that demand
changes of things, but the people who
are reaching out for the almighty dol
lar and the pleasure seeker who desc
crates the Sabbath"
Mr.. de Gruchy doesn't know that
there is any necessity for the Sunday
newspaper and thinks the country can
go to the devil if men make things pay.
THE modern Sunday is a visiting
day, for bicycle club runs, base ball
contests and other events, and the
newspapers of today really encourage
these things by advertising them.
Everything in America tends towards
a continental Sabbath of confusion and
dissipation. Let us hope that God will
give the church the backbone to make
the Sabbath day holy"