Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-08-02
SUNDAY DISSERTATION.

The management OF the salt Palace
theater announces its intention Of OPEN
inr that house for maunees ora suu-
days This is. as far AS we know the
FIRST time in the history OF this city
that II IL proposed TO open place Of
amusement on Sunday afternoons. and
the fact should De made note Of.
We have repeatedly called the attcn.
ton Of the city authorities to the vlo-
lation Of the spirit 70 not the letter,
n the statutes and ordinances relating
IN the closing N places Of business on
SUNDAYS There is law enough 10 ar
rest the evil n Sunday performances
a. the theaters n those whose duty Il
s. 10 look after such things were dis
posed 10 90 so, and II there IL not the
city Council can easily remedy that
defect. But those in control have neg
lectod their duty, for what reason Is
best known to themselves. They are not
ignorant NJ the moral sentiment Of this
community. but they have dched Il.
until Sunday dissertation has become
Migrant evil IN the case NJ Tho 70
sort referred TO- the Sunday matinee"
VIII be peculiarly offensive because Of
the additional fact that intoxicsnts are
freely sold on the grounds and many
other temptations arc placsd before the
unwary,
II may be a case N "a voice crying
m the wilderness" 10 protest against
the demofslizing Sunday shows that
are given 90 defiance Of both law and
public sentiment but am effort must
nevertheless be made 10 call the at
tention Of the serious part OF the COM
munity n the dangers 10 which the
youth is being exposed by the neglect
Of the powers that b. 10 regulate
places Of so-called amusement. We
need not take a Purltsnloal view OF
the Sabbath. n We regard II only
from humanitarian and HYGIENE
point Of view which indisputably is
correct. It Is evident that 10 permit the
violation NJ tho ordinances relating
thereto is criminal negligence, Just
as tho federation Of the accumulation
Of nuisances In 'he streets and thor
oughfares Of tho city would he.
There IS some controversy between
various factions Of the seciarisn world
az 10 whether the obligation 10 observe
day NJ rest Is binding upon the
people OF the New Testament times.
Fortunately. there can be no doubt In
the minds Of the lAtler-day Saints re-
garding their duty in This respect. In
the revelation given through the Pro-
rhet Joseph upon the subject the first
day Of the week is by the Lord desig-
mated as My holy day" and the
Lords day The Saints are COM
manded: Remember that on this. the
Lords day thou shalt offer thine OBJ
laiions ard thy sacaments unto the
Most High confessIug thy sins unto
thy brethren. and before the Lord.
And on This day THAI shalt De more
other thing only Def thy food be pre-
pared with siugleness Of heart thst thy
fasting may be- perfect. or in other
words that Thy joy may be fun"
(Doc. and Gov 90. T., 49, This is
sufficiently explicit When the Pho
neers first came Go these valleys they
were admonished TO observe the day
Of rest with the full understanding
that this land would not Doe q Zion 70
them unless they would keep the CONF
mandmenis Their duty is clear They
should not yield To the temptations to
desecrate the Lords day whatever 9TH
ers may DO, for they cannot do that
and retain the good Spirit
II may be necessary once more Tor
citizens of all creeds 90 combine IN a
loud protest against a regime that
clearly has as little regard Tor the mor-
al welfare Of tho community as u has
for It's financial Interests.