The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-30
SUNDAY OBSERVANCE

SUNDAY OBSERVANCE.
The proper observance of Sunday is a
subject which will continue for years
to be of grave concern. A very
large and respectable element of society
has always assumed the position toward
the subject, that the authority of the
state and locality should be made avail
able in enforcing the view that on the
Sabbath all forms of public enjoyment
should be dispensed with, and the day
be given over wholly to such pursuits
as are designed to recognize the sane
tity of the Sabbath day. According to
their understanding of the observance
of Sunday all popular amusements
should be prohibited; the church should
be the only great point of assembly for
the masses; all forms of activity incon-
sistent with the religious feature of the
day should be avoided; even the street
cars should cease to run; the people
should be wholly excluded from the priv
ilege Of drinking intoXicants Of any kinds,
or assembling in large numbers for any
purpose save that of divine worship.
This extreme view Of Sunday observ-
ance has never been accepted by the
masses of the American people in any
section of the country. The dread of
the continental Sunday" does not ami
mate them to any extent whatever. While
many of the characteristics of Sunday
observance in the European countries is
dispensed with here, the view that pop
ular amusements must not be INDUCED
in has been thoroughly repudiated by
American public sentiment.
No person who goes among the masses
Of the Woodworking people on Sundays
In St. Paul and vicinity, no matter what
MS prepossessions of belief may be on
the subject of the proper Observance of
Sunday, can fail to be deeply impressed
With the impossibiLty of enforcing such
a view, and indeed with the unreason Of
the view itself. Sunday after Sunday
crowds of happy people of both sexes and
all ages are seen thronging the bicycle
paths, the public parks and public baths.
The street cars are crowded from morn
ing till night with those Who are in
search of healthful recreation. These,
people usually begin the day by having
recourse to church service. They are
peaceful and law-aIbiding in all thsir dis
positions and instincts The majority
of them have been excluded from any
thing like general outdoor enjoyment
throughout the week They have work.
ed hard, paid their debts and met the
obligations which society imposes on
them in every direction. For public au-
thority to tell those people that they
should not go into the country, to tie
lakeside, to the picnic ground or to
see ball game; that they should not
drink anything on that day which they
are permitted to drink on the other six
days would he simply in the nature of
public crime. Such form of public
policy would work out far worse conse.
Qences than even the most rigid Sabba-
I'D tartan is able to show to have resulted
from the prevailing ways of enjoying
Sunday.
If here and there men forget their own
respect and indulge themselves in drink
to the disgust and annoyance of the
thousands who are pursuing peaceful and
temperate enjoyment, the circumstance
only shows out more clearly the wisdom
OF allowing the masses the largest meas
ure of freedom in their personal rela-
lions. The absence of anything like a
general disregard of law is final on this
score. There has been less of drunken
. ness and vice among the poor people
since it was made easier for them to
escape at least one day In the week from
the unfavorable surroundings of the
homes of so many of them. The day
of rest, of which so much has been said.
exists today In the United States in more
rational form than it could under the
theories of the Sa0batarians, or than it
exists anywhere else in the world The
throwing open of all places of public en-
lightenment on Sundays such as the IL
braries and art museums has helped US
greatly to the intelligent, temperate and
healthful enjoyment of the Sabbath.
The good sense Of the American people
has enabled them to establish their own
conception of the proper recognition Of
the Sabbath day. and they have adhered
TO 1t. without any regard to the extreme
view which has been urged upon them
from two opposite directions. AS long
as they continue to enjoy themseI es on
Sundays as they do today they should be
encouraged rather than discouraged by
public authority