The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-07-23
AN AMERICAN SUNDAY.
What is an American Sunday?

called "the Continental Sunday is
much in evidence in these places; but,
with our usual energy, we generally
manage to surpass the originals in our
limitations. This is chiefly owing to
the greater opportunities which our
people have for getting away from
home on Sunday by means Of boats
and trains than have the Inhabitants
OF European towns. Few foreign
places possess the facilities afforded
IN this country by the large cities, and
our people are far more ready to take
advantage Of them from their love for
travel aud excitement. Asis general
ly the case, when the metropolis sets
an example Of any kind small towns
are likely to follow it 80 far as they
arc able: and even conservative old
Charleston has not been able wholly to
resist the tendency Of the times in
this respect.
While it is emincntly proper that
the law Of tie land should protect
as the Constitution meant it should
every one in the free exercise of hib
religion, and prohibit the doing on
Sunday of such things as too fragrant
ly interrupt "the repose and religious
liberty Of the community" yet it is
perfectly useless for it to lay down
rules as to what people must do on
Sunday, or as to how that day shall be
universally observed. If q man does
not feel the need of Sunday rest and
brief respite from mundane concerns
in order that he may turn his thoughts
heaveuward, all the laws of the land
cannot make Sunday anything but a
wcariness to him; while he who is con-
traminded will "call the Sabbath a
delight, the holy of the Lord, honora-
ble,' und will take pleasure in it,
even in the midst of city Of Sabbath
breakers. The mere abstaining from
worldly concerns and going to church
once or twice day is the outward
mark Of respect which custom and
convention have long prescribed; but
it is not to be supposed that He who
reads our hearts is content with such
mere forms unless we have genuine
pleasure in His day and are eager to
seize the opportunity it gives us of
drawing nearer to Him than is possi-
BILE during the other days of the week.
There is also another reason which
every earnest Christisn should have
for rcfraining from doing much on
Sunday that is now regarded as per-
fcctly legitimate, and that is, that his
journeyings and entertainments de-
privc of their much needed day of rest
very large number Of people who
cannot afford to lose their situations
by refusing to work on Sunday when
their employers order them to do so.
No matter what may be the conscien-
tious scruples Of these wage earners,
or how great their bodily need of an
occasional release from cxhausting
work, they feel that if they object to
give their services on Sunday it would
be easy to fill their places with those
who had no such scruples: and, having
rs general thing others dependent on
their labors: they do not dare to make
tie experiment. Surely this consid
GRAFTON should have some weight in in :
fluencing conscientious people to re-
frain from adding anything to the bur
den of labor, which presses so heavily
already upon the men and women en-
ployed in ministering to the amuso-
ment and convenience of the public.
As it is, Sunday is always the hardest
day of the week with them because of
the increased number of those who
make it day Of selfish enjoyment.
Charleston Sunday News.