The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-08-03
3 PAGES TODAY.
THE oLo.FAsHloNEp SABBATH.

The qldashoncd Sabbath which some COED people wish
they could recall gone forever Nor is i desirable from
vas too often more unsautay aud bsomc than hard labor
day OF recreation in the best sense wordrecreaton
for mind well for body for the social nature as ven
diving nature study social ucrcoure Or any other restG
employment that tends 10 ,keep sane healthy mind ~
the act OF worship itself win be rendered pleasant
keep sensible people in raitja<cs day which was set
apart in the divine economy Tor he hehes nohgst ana
the church may save itself the humiliation oil failure and
sack The good old days Of ntcrminabe sermons and cold
Sunday dinners and eXerng itself to induce the people to
setm determined to exercise sunday and which if not
given right direction turn the day into one OF dss
patton aud crime instead OF one OF rest and improvement
kaHsds Cify Journal
Sunday has dual meaning which should always he
kept In mind To the Christian it is tho Sabbath. a
holy day ordained by the inspired law gver consecrpt.
ed TO rest and the worship OF God. To the irregious
It is simply the day OF the week for abstaning from
labor and indugiug the individual taste fer recreation.
The Christian viii motor not consistently
his Sabbath in either toll friyoity; it is occasion
not for simple ideness, but for solemn thought and
worshipful service. The non-Chrisan viii spend his
Sunday his taste whim suggests except re-
strained by law custom
In n strictly legal sense, under government like
which sets up no form OF religion We have Sab
bath--we have only day Of the week which is legal
holiday. But while not religious nation, we
are in the broad sense Christian people. Hence our
legal SUNDAY by common is also something of
a legal Sabbath because the State does take direct
cognzance of the church IAN churches) requires
respect for it's ordinances.
Therefore while Sabbath observance can not be on
forced along religious lines, the American Sunday is
institution of sacred association and it he
ruthlessy violated by those who dissent from its orig
ina significance On the other hand those who uphold
a strict Sabbath can only persuasion in bringing
about religious observance. The American Sabbath
under free government without religious bias must
be twofodthe holy day of the Christian and the holt
day OF the n-Chrstian
However much may desire it we can not require
Sabbatarian observance require only Sunday
observance, and even in that should he guided by
and discretion-reason recognize conditions
and discretion temper restraint as not to drive Of
Tenders into more desperate evils.
The Post would rejoice to see rigid and literal Sun
day observance. lndeed--if II may be allowed to a
secular newspaper TO express Christian convictions
The Post believes in the Sabbath and hopes for the
time of its universal keeping But having Witnessed
and having participated in strict law and order move
ments, it has learned that many desirable things arc
not yet attainabe that who say amen in the syna
gogue will not stand up boldly and strike in the open
and that middle of decency far better in tho
long run than spasm of righteousness and reaction
of indifference and cowardioe.
Meanwhile as 'it pleased God by the fooshress OF
preaching to save them that believe" so the same di
vine method may accomplish something for the sauctt
fcation OF Sunday.