Washington sentinel., 1901-03-02
The sundsY opening Quesrlon

3 position at Buffalo. II is only
t rethrashing OF the old straw beaten
= to shreds at Philadelphia in 1876
but swept together for another
pounding at Chicago in 1898 II
is liable TO be brought forward on
every like occasion till public SEN
timent maniiests itself with such
force on one side or the other as
to discourage further Tevivals OF
the issue.
The ground upon which Sunday
secularities were opposed OF old
was purely religious. Today it is
ostensibly economic The change
is significant of the movement Of
the bulk OF the people away from
the notion that the moral basis OF
all human action is unquestioning
obedience 70 divine authority, to-
ward a belief that, so long as the
divine will is nowhere expressed
With such clearness as to rule out
honest differences in human inter-
pretation, faith must be reinforced
by logic IN order to be effective
Ben Franklin met the absurd
superstitious OF his day, in a letter
to a friend in Connecticut, with
this bit of sarcasm:
When travelled in Flanders l thought
| OF your excessive strict observation Of
| Sunday; and that a man could hardly
travel on that day among you upon his
lawful occasions without Hazard of
Punishment, while where was everyone
travelled, il he pleased or diverted
himself in any other way; and in the
afternoon both high and low went to the
Play or the Opera, where there was
plenty Of Singing Fiddliug, and Dane |
ing. | looked around for Gods Judg- |
ments, but saw no sign of them. The |
Cities were well built and lull OF inhabi- |
tants, the Markets filed with Plenty
the People well favored, and we'll |
clothed, the Fields we'll titled; the |
Cattle lat and strong; the Fences, |
Houses, and Windows all IN Repair
which would almost make one !
suspect that the Deity is not so angry |
at that offense as a New England Justice |
Now we are assured by the Op-
ponen,s Of Sunday opering at |
Buffalo that their purpose is sim
ply to spare the employees OF the
exposition the confinement and |
labor Of attention to their duties
for the whole seven days Of the
week. This would be good enough |
reasoning if the experience OF |
every library, - useum, or art gal
lery where Sunday opening has
been tried had not proved that no
one has suffered by it, but null
titude have been made happier. In
view of the large number of busy
workers who have no other holi-
day than Sunday, the question re-
solves itself, in its last anal.s sis, |
into the temporary comfort OF the
few as against the permanent ben
eft OF the many. II the same phil
osophy we're extended to the
churches, we should see few houses
Of worship open on Sunday in win
ter, for the sexton and his sssis- |
iantS have to take constant care OF
the heating and ven'ilating appar-
atus IN the Lords day, in order
that the larger number Of church
goers may meet and remain to-
gether Tor few hours OF spiritual
enjoyment.
1t seems as II, by the exercise OF
a little tact and discretion, series
Of Sunday shifts could be made at
the Buffalo Exposition which
would release any emplOye who
objected for reasons o. conscience
to serving on Sunday, and divide
the Sunday work among the rest
50 that only part Of IN m should
be robbed Of their weekly rest.
Those branches Of the show which,
by the noise involved in carrying
them on, or for some other reason,
are liable to give needless ohsnse
to persons who wish quiet Sun
day, could be suspended without
shutting out the whole public from
the educational features.
Such a plan seems to come as
near as is practicable to satisfying
all the individual shades Of popu-
lar preference. Those who wish
10 go to the exposition on Sunday
can 60 and enjcy themselves in a
rational way; those who do not
wish to go, need not, and neither
those who go or those who stay a.
home need be disturbed in the
peace and quiet OF their holiday.
L recalls the provision made by
the postal administration Of Bel
gum several years ago. whereby
all postage stamps had printed on
them, in English and Flemish, the
legend, mot TO be delivered on
Sunday" Any one who wished
to have his letter delivered without
, restriction as to the dav of the