The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-11-16
SUNDAY OBSERVANCE.

the early Biblical view and II relieve
the Founders of the Faith from tn
necessity, since imposed upon some, bu
not all of their followers, to shut them
selves in clustered gloom on the frs
day of each week and spend the time il
meditation and prayer. The Saviour
was not a Sunday recluse. if we ma.
Judge from His answer to the stric
constructionists of His time; and today
only a portion OF the Christian worlt
approves of a Pharisee Sabbath. Ro-
man Catholicism is responsible, in large
degree, for what is called the European
Sunday, or rather, it divides such re-
sponsibility with Greek Catholicism.
The Episcopal body, in Great Britain
and America, Is broadly liberal in its
views of Sunday observance and the
original narrowness of the Evangeli-
cal churches is giving way in the spirit
of the text with which this paragraph
opens.
How narrow this earlier condition
was is difficult to conceive in the light
of the Twentieth Century. A man
might not kiss his wife or fondle his
children on the first day of the week
under penalty of the law. He could
read no secular book nor hold world
fy conversation. His duty to attend
the stated services was enforced by
statute. On Sunday he could cook no
food. split no wood for his fire even if
he needed it to subdue the cold; and
it was unlawful for his wife or daugh- |
tiers to appear at church in comely |
rairnent. The condition which pro-
ducec such d state of things was the |
rule Of a theocracy; but as civil insti- !
tutions became separate from the
church in spirit as well as in law, the
natural rights of man were recognized
and Sunday observance was no longer
pressed upon the citizel.. His right to
do as he pleased providing he did not
disturb the peace or the quiet of his
was tacitly admitted; and al
though Legislatures did not care to
wipe the old Sabbath statutes from the
books, they ceased to enforce them,
letting the outworn laws die in peace.
Many a law expires in that way. There
Is yet embraced in the laws of the
United States, or there was until very
ately, a command that every member
If the enrolled militia should have a
Matchbox carrying eighteen 1eadenl
balls to the pound, together with a
ponton and hanger. For seventy years
5 type of many another statute
which yet encumbers the codes.
Hawaii has its share of effete or
finances, conspicuous among which
re the Sunday laws. Rigidly and un-
ntelligently enforced these laws would
urn our Sunday into day of utter
doom and slavery. workingmen and
Jerks who have no other day for rec
cation would find nothing doing; the
title fellows, who earn their living on
sunday in a variety of innocent ways,
y cadding among the rest, would be
eprived of their small wage; planta-
ion work and farming processes must
top; the cigar and light drink stands
Fould have to shut down; labor would
Iot be permitted in livery stables and
t the beaches. Such Sunday as that
fouId put Hawaii back hundred
ears; it would curb personal liberty
: almost no monarch would dare to
o it; and worst thing of all. it might :
asiiy impel the Legislature to annul s
II Sunday restrictions whatsoever
The only mitigating fact in sight just {
ow is the reported decision of the
Ugh Sheriff to use common sense in +
the law. As a rule it is t
OF wise to give the police much Iati-
ade in such matters, but in this case
here will be few il any to object to
be moderate use of the power which :
be Blue Laws bestow upon the officers
the peace. An excellent rule to fol- r
wv would be to permit such recre-
tons as do not disturb the repose and
uiet of citizens and such labor as
'orkmen may be compensated for by
ome other day of rest. The labor
hitch keeps the electric light and wa
ar services going, the newspapers
oming out. the wireless and cable sys-
ems in operation. the night restaur-
nts open, the park band playing, the
lee. drying, the fisheries and liveries
usy. should not be interrupted. These
nings do not disturb the people of the
ity. But Sunday baseball, Sunday
tevedoring, Sunday militia drills, and i
ham battles. labor which is forced up
a the workmen to increase the sordid :
aims of the employer, might properly {
e suppressed. c
{
Delegate Kuhio again threatened to &
esign because his wishes in regard