Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-06

sweeter truths OF existence and OF o.,
und leave them better fitted to take ~
the duties Of everyday business W
Now, II Is plain 10 me that N Chef.
were here today and pastor OF Calv,,!
church He would feel compelled Ia e,g
seine very plain words about the desa'
Grafton Of Sunday In Milton IT,
for example, the opening OF the fr",,
stands and cigar stores and meat me-
kets every Sunday morning. What 4,
the one reason why these places 40
open this very minute while I an.
speaking? There Is only one Reason
so that the owners OF the places MAJ
sell their goods and make monsS
They are not satisfied with what Ma.
can make six days in the week. Thei.
greed seizes on the one day which
ought Go be used for the rest and Vor-
ship men need and turns that also int
dav of merchandise. Do we nae5
any other fact TO convince us Of no
terrible seldshness OF the human
heart?
cor take the case Of the saloon,
What right have they to open their
doors in direct contradiction to ths
town ordinance forbidding Il? Ana /
yet this ordinance Is held by them In
such contempt that this very mornlne
as | came 10 this church passed mora
than half dozen of these sections q,
nell. wide open to any poor shining
soul That might be enticed therein
Citizens of Milton, where does the no.
sponsoility rest for this violation Of
law? Does II rest with the churchss
and tae preachers to see that the few
sunday laws we have are enforced NV
them, while the business men and lht
police lazily dodge the issue and cara
not how the matter goes, saying II Il
none q their business?
BIT suppose you say the saloons
ore DcvOnd YOUR power. That does M,
release YOU from doing what Is In youir
powcr, easily, TO prevent this day from
being tramnled under foot and made
like every other day in its scramble
after money and pleasure Who own
these fruit stands and cigar stores
and meat markets and who patronlza
them? Is II not true that church
mcmJers encourage all these places by
purchasing OF them on the Lords daye
! nave been told by one OF these fruit
dealers with whom have talked lately
that among his best customers on sun
day are some Of the most respected
members OF this church. II has also
been told me that in the summer time
the heaviest patronage OF the Sunday
ice cream business Ia from the church
members Of Milton. OF what value Is
II that we place on our ordinance rul,s
forblddng the sale OF these things
covered by the law? How far are we
responsible for our example for en-
couraglng the breaking OF the day ON
the part Of those who would find Il
Improbable to keep their business 70.
Ing u we did not purchase Of them on
this day?
at is possible there are very many
persons here In this house this morn.
ing who are ready TO exclaim: This Is
intolerable bgotry and puriianlcal mar
rowness This Is not the attitude Christ
would take on this question. He was
too large minded. He was too far ad-
yanced in thought to make the day 10
mean anything Of that sort
"But let us consider what Is meant
by the SUNDAY Of our modern life as
Christ would view It, There II no dis.
putting the fact that the age Is ma.
terial mercantile, money making. For
six eager. rushing days Il is absorbed
in the pursuit Of money or fame or
pleasure. Then God strikes the note Of
His silence In among the clashng
sounds OF earth's Babel and calls man.
kind 10 make q day unlike the other
days. II Is His merclful thoughtfulness
for the race which has created this
special day for men. Is II too much 70
ask that on this one day men think
Of something else besides politics,
stocks, business, amusement? Is God
grudging the man the pleasure Of life
T.. ,tt l.. ii.
for labor and then asks for only one
day specially set apart for Him? The
objection 10 very many things COM
monty mentioned by the pulpit as
harmful TO Sunday is not an objection
necessarily based on the harmfulness
OF the things themselves but upon the
fact that these things are repetitlons
OF the working day and so are distract
Ing 90 the observance OF the Sunday
as a day OF rest and worship, updis-
turbed by the things that have already
for six days crowded the thought Of
men. Let me illustrate.
Take, for example. the case OF the
Sunday paper as II pours into Milton
every Sunday morning on the special
newspaper train. Now, there may not
be anything in the contents Of the
Sunday papers that Is any worse than
can be found In any weekday edition.
Granted for the sake OF the illustra-
ton. that the matter found in the
Sunday paper is Just like that In the
Saturday issue-polltlcs, locals, fash
ion personals, dramatic and sporting
news literary articles by well known
writers, fatality, etc, anywhere from
20 90 40 pages-an amount OF reading
matter that will take the average man
a whole forenoon 90 read
II say, granted all this vast quantity
OF material Is harmless IN itself 20
moral life. yet here Is the reason why
IL seems TO me Christ would. as am
doing nov. advise this church and
the people OF Milton to avoid reading
the Sunday paper because Il forces
upon the thought OF the Community the
very same things which have been
cfowding IN upon II oil the week and
IN doing this necessarily dlstracis the
man and makes the elevation Of his
spiritual nature exceedingly doubtful
or difficult. defy any preacher In
this town TO make much impression
on the average man who has come TO
church saturated through and through
with 40 pages Of Sunday newspaper
that is Sdpposng the man who has
read that much ~ In frame OF mind
10 go to church. But that is not the
point. 7; Is not question Of press
-"rsus Dulnt. The press and the pull.
pit ere units OF our modern life which
ought 10 work hand In hand. And the
mere matter OF church attendance
might not count II II was a question
with the average man whether he
would 20 TO church and hear a dun
sermon or stay at home and read an
newspaper. That Is not the
point The point is whether the day
OF rest aud worship shall be like ey-
cry ether day; whether We shall let
our minds go right on as they have
been going, to the choking up OF ave-
nues OF spiritual growth and religious
service. Is II right for us 10 allow In
Milton The occurrence OF baseball
games and Sunday racing and evening
theaters? How far is all this demon
allzlng 10 our better life? What would
Christ saw, do you Think Even sup
posing He would advise this church 10
take and read the big Sunday daily
sent In on the special Sunday train that