Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-07-18
SUNDAY IN SCOTLAND.
Lord eaIfour Advocates Less Rigid
Observance,

Observance,
How rapidly opinion Ia advancing
even north OF the Tweed In favor of a
Sunday which shall be religious with.
out being dismal and free without
being profape is shown by the re-
markable speech of Lord Boltour Of
Burloigh before the General Assembly
OF the Church of Scotland,
Everyone knows the anocdote OF
Bismarck, which may not be true, but
Is amusingly we'll found. In his
younger days he landed ut Hull upon
a fine Sabbath morning and expressed
cheerful mode by whistlmg on the
pier A policeman stopped him with
the information that his performance
was n breach of public deCorum and
could not be allowed Thoroupon the
future Chancellor, partly In oXpocta'
ton OF greater sabbatarian latitude
elsewhere, took an early train for
Edinburgh. A similar story OF the
present date would already be robbed
OF much of its point.
Tho Secretary for Scotland. In his
address before the grave but by no
means wholly unsympathotlc body of
diyines and elders, made an excellent
defense OF what most people will think
was both bold and laudablo action,
In the course of last year the state
Department, OF which Lord Bnlfour OF
Burleigh Is the head, obtained control
OF the National Industrial Museum at
Edinurgh, lie took the responsibility
although one of tho lay pillars of the
church, Of opening the institution for
the benefit of the working classes
upon Sunday afternoons.
AS he probably expected, he had
immediate and forcible demonstration
of the fact that the spirit OF the
| Covenant in these matters Is not yet
| oxtinguished in the nation which has
retained to a far greater extent than
South Britain healthy appetite foI
vigorous controversy. Knox deavinl
them WI his clavers and Claver'st
deavlng them wi his knocks" were
recalled by the style OF some OF tho
| dcnunciations which reached the
Scottish ONCE through the post.
IF you proceed in your evil design,
the offending statesman was told, 'yot
will not only have to deal with AZ
outraged God but with an Indignant
| people" But another communication
was still more Enthusiastically the argu
mentative equivalent In words Of thf
historic cutty.stool flung by Jenny
Geddes at the head Of the preacher
The Lords hand" Il ran. will be
upon you in your family or substance
before your death" II Is Significant
that this medieval quotation war
received with Kisses when brought Lt
the General Assembly. When It Is
only fair to state that firm opposition
was expressed from other quarters IN
more moderate terms, there has been
clear demonstration Of the fact that
the vast weight Of Scottish puolie
opinion has approved the opening OF
the Edinburgh Museum.
The position Of Lord Balfour Of
Burleigh cannot but be strengthened
by his reply 20 his critics. Sunday
he agrees, is a day Of religion and
day OF rest, and no one is farther
from desiring that 1t shall be injured
in the former character by false In
depreciation Of the latter The
Scottish secretary declared that no
observance of Sunday can be good
which is unaccompanied by worship,
and some thought Of the encompassing
mysteries Of which every reYerent
mind must be aware. apart from any
question Of specific dogma TO this
fundamental proposition Lord Balfour
Of Burleigh adds another. The whole
problem comes to this: What u
rest?"
He denies, as every sane person
must, that rest means dullncss and
inactivity, and urges that when It IL
once agreed that all working for profit
shall be excluded, ell forms OF
innocent and healthy relaxation should
be permitted and encouraged.
The rest that city-pent populations
need is relaxation, and the more OF
brisk movement and OF contact with