New-York tribune., 1902-06-14
THE SARRATH ~ SCOTLAND.

THE SABBATH IN SCOTLAND.
Scotland is the home Of Presbyterianism, and
we usually think of that country as one
where the most rigid tenets OF the lallh are
maintained in all their ancient strictness but
Il seems that public opinion in presbyterian
Scotland has felt the llberalIzing tendencies or
the time TO a considerably greater extent than
some of the foremost representatives OF tAe
Presbyterian Church in this country his Is
especially true in the matter of Sunday OBJ
scrvance 10 the ancient rules of which the
Scots have been additionally supposed to he in
flexibly devoted. But they have got further
away from these rules. and are more IN sym
pathv with the needs Of the present day than
some of their brethren on this side Of the water
Edinburgh for instance, has met the question
of running its tramways on Sunday In the only
possible way by running them on that DAY
THE Scotsman" of Edinburgh, Is undoubtedly
the most influential and thoroughly representa-
tive newspaper of North Britain 1t published
an editorial article the other day respecting
meeting of the Sabbath Alliance of Scotland in
that city. in which il asserts that their IaiheE-
tatfops over the sorrowful deClensions OF
once Sabbatarian land in no way represent
Scotland or even any considerable section or
Scottish opinion The sense of the country finds
They are it says q collection of well meaning
Mrs Partingtons vainly and somewhat foolish
ly striving 10 arrest and turn backward the tide
Of time
The special subject of their lamentations was
the running OF Sunday cars as being against
Gods order The Scotsman and the enEht-
ened Scottish opinion that it represents are not
at all advocates of what is generally termed
the continental Sunday" They believe in the
quiet and orderly use of the day as one Of wor-
ship and Of rest, do the vast majority or
Americans who do not adhere to a mistaken
conception OF it quite out of harmony with the
conditions and necessities OF the world to-day.
Worship and rest do not imply that the day
must be entirely given up TO churchgoing and
TO sitting at home. The great mass Of the people,
as well as the more fortunate few, must have
more than this, and they get it. The Scots
man" reminds the Sabbath Alliance that there
Is higher authority than their spokesman for
the statement that the Sabbath was made for
man and not man for the Sabbath and is aware
of no divine law by which Sunday cars are pro-
hibited and Sunday cabs and private carriages
allowed Man" in Scotland, 1t seems as else
where means not the few who can keep or
hire their carriages. but the many who are glad
to get their artificial means of locomOtion as
cheaply as possible If it is lawful that do
part of bis Sunday rest for the convenience Of
one man or one family. is it not equally lawful
that a few scores of servants of the tramway
company should sacrifice their Sunday for the
benefit OF thousands? They do not make their
sacrifice without compensation. us The Scots
man" points out: the running OF Sunday cars
has meant an increase Of their wages.
Such are the reasons advanced by the chief
organ of the best Scottish opinion and repre-
sentative of the home of orthodox Presbyterian
ISM They are not strange by any means to the
ears of Americans Would it not be we'll for
the American sticklers for the archaic observ-
ance of the Sabbath that allows no liberty TO
the individual to consider them? Are they not
clinging to an idea that is antiquated and as
sil adapted 70 the needs of the twentieth cen
fury as the creed that the Presbyterian Church
has Just modified; an idea that has been cast
aside by their orthodox brethren of Scotland
for a more reasonable and more humane con-
ception of a Sabbath made for man: We learn
from "The Scotsman that the real author of
the matter In complaint should be considered to
be not the tramway company nor the Town
Council, who may be supposed to have been
Influenced by pecuniary considerations, but
Lord Balfour of Burleigh. This enlightened
elder of the Church of Scotland secured the
openng of the Museum in Edinburgh on Sun
day. 1t seems to be laid up against him by the
Sabbataran Alliance; but we can imagine that
the more enlightened opinion of Edinburgh is
grateful for the boon as those are grateful for
a similar boon who have seen the quiet and
orderly throngs On Sunday afternoons in our
own museums. Such resources are an enrich
ment of the day, and their use is most proper
70 its observance. There is everything TO be
said in favor Of keeping Sunday day Of
rest for the many; but in providing the reason
able and necessary and beneficent means fer the
endowment of that rest It is inevitable that
some should have TO minister to IL. 1t is. as
THE Scotsman" points out. question not OF
the divine order but OF the rule OF three The
path of enlightenment and individual freedom
is blocked by the opponents OF these things.