Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-06-19
SUNDAY OBSERVANCE.

Rev. DIR. Charles ii. Eaton, OF the
Church of the Divine Paternity, New
York. holds more liberal views of the
Sabbath observance than the pulpit
generally. In his Sunday sermon he
said:
Not long ago an individual playing golf
on Sunday was attacked with hatred by
others. And these others kept their foot
men and coachmen at work all day to
drive them to church. l assert that the
golf player on his links was nearer God
than those working their coachmen and
footmen on Sunday.
1t is refreshing and somewhat start
ling to read Dr.. Eatons views on the
Sunday question, they are so different
from the usual narrow utterances on the
subject from the pulpit. He divides
the factions in the Sunday dispute into
three classes: The first, so-called con-
servatives, who maintain that no work
not absolutely necessary should be per-
formed on Sunday; second, the liberals,
who assert that the commandment OF
the Hebrews has no application to our
Sunday, which is the first day OF the
week, and lastly, those whom DR.. Eaton
calls egoists, who, he says, make all
the trouble" who stand for the Purl-
tanical Sabbath. Of these three classes.
DR.. Eaton takes his stand with the lib
erals. They assert" says he, that the
Sabbath is not the master of the nan,
but that man is the master Of the Sab
bath"
Reasoning on this basis, the liberals
maintain that if the Puritanical laws con-
corning Sunday observance interfere with
the development of what is best and
noblest in men and women, then those
laws have outgrown their usefulness, and
whatever that usefulness may have been
in the past they should be made to give
way to a law more adapted to the time in
which we live and the new conditions 1t
has brought with it. In this they take
their stand virtually with Jesus Christ
himself.
Religious liberty was not gained in one
day. Its champions had to contend with
such narrow laws those that obtained
in New England. 1t is only proper that we
should learn lesson of those years, and
rest our remedy on the logical conclusions
derived. On this ground l do not hesitate
for a moment to affirm that every law and
regulation in regard to Sunday observance
resting on religious reasons should be
abrogated. You cannot force men at the
cannons mouth to worship.
''If Americans do not choose to observe
the Sunday according to the old and time
honored traditions, We have no right under
the constitution to try to force them to do
So The only religion worth anything is
the religion intellectually chosen by free
and enlightened men and women. l do
not give up every idea of making and en-
forcing laws relating to Sunday observ-
ance. Such laws should be established. al
liberty.
Il believe that the Sunday law should
rest. not on religious grounds, but on eco
nomic. The man who works six days a
week should by law be assured of rest
on the seventh. This should be national
law. I assert the right of everyman or
woman to play golf or ride or drive, to
seek health and recreation on Sunday in
the manner they think best as long as
they do not interfere with the rights of
others. Abrogate alb Sunday laws based
on religious grounds, base them on eco
nomic grounds. then make your appeal to
free souls and the Sunday problem will
solve ITSELF