The Washington herald., 1908-01-13

Believing there should be a better OBJ
Iservance Of Sunday in the city of Wash
|ington and throughout the nation, clergy
men of the Protestant churches OF the
Capital yesterday and last night conduct
ed services and urged members of all
denominations to assist in the movement.
On Monday last, al meeting in the
New York Avenue Presbyterian Church.
it was decided to set aside one Sunday. TO
be observed throughout the city. on
which sermons should be delivered touch
/ ing upon this important question.
Yesterday was chosen. and at nearly
/ every church in the city a strong appeal
was made from the pulpits for a more
profound observance Of the Lords Day.
The clergy is strong in the opinion that
/ the people Of this country are fast losing
their respect for the teachings OF the
Bible with regard 10 the day Of rest"
They believe this feeling is undermining
the foundations of Christianity. and that
if the present pulling away from the laws
guarding the Sabbath continue. the ma
! ton viii gradually bat surely decline.
DR.. RadcIiRe's Sermon.
AT the New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church, DR. Radcliffe preached two ser
mons one in the morning and one in the
evening, upon the different phases Of this
question. He said. in part:
The sabbath was made for man. not
for money making. not for pleasure. not
/ for ease. not for sloth. not for a third Of
the man. NOT for the Jew or Gentle alone.
but for the race for humanity, for the
whole physical. Intellectual. social. moral.
spiritual man.
1T was not ordained by Moses nor
abrogated by Christ II is the personal
law of nature It's principle IS as broad
as the race and as deep as human nature.
Il was not instituted at Sinai Theucom-
mand was not 10 do something uh9ried.
but 70 remember something already ex-
perienced. Christ did not abrogate. Re
came not to destroy but % fulfill. II
seventh or eighth commandment. The
law Of the Sabbath is for man iust as
the law Of family or property is regu-
lating just as those do certain great
elements and relations essential to hui
man well being. The Decalogue in its en-
tlTety is perpetual. Justinian. Charlie
magne. Alfred EurOpe's great triumvf-
rate Of lawmakers, each began his code
with it,
First significance.
It's first significance is its provision for
labor Life is wasteful To-day we have
gotten past the strenuous life. and are IN
the frenzied life. The Sabbath is intended
to save from decay and paralysis. Prof
Haegler, of Basic. shows concIusivelv
that the returning night Of sleep does not
restore exhausted nature: the next dav
strength is degree beneath. and each
returning morning degrees still lower
than the preceding. until the Sabbath
rest, rightly used, gives restoration and
health The continuous work means con
tinuous decay The man must have
physical restoration. spiritual refresh
ment. domestic nurture, and national up-
building
The nation is made and saved by its
Sabbaths. We have here distinctive
Sabbath. The Sabbath is as much an
American institution as the ballot-bex or
the public school
The District of Columbia. by its hon
oTable designation as the seat OF gov
ernment, has special influence and re-
sponsibiity We are often confronted
with gross and often defiant profana-
ton OF the day.
"The national government is much to
blame, At the end Of every Congress it
turns back the hands Of the clock. byt it
cannot turn back the hand of Gods judg-
ment. It imposes increasing burdens upon
its clerks. Bureau chiefs create senti-
ment and expectation which the poor
clerk knows he must obey, and this great
government is caught in the act Of steal
ing the Sabbaths of its dependents
The Sunday Post-Ofiice.
There is no need for the Sunday post
office. II is farcicll TO suppose our lin
tied business makes such requirements.
We are often told that our District gov
eminent is the best in the world. but
dissent when see it using the Sabbath for
repairs and hurried improvements Private
contractors accept eagerly the example of
government and we see the Sabbath er-
rand or worship outraged at the noisy
and profane work upon public and pri-
vate buildings Shops and theaters are
open. The social life has eagerly ac-
cepted the example, and the Sunday tea
and reception and formal dinner and
musical are now matters of course. when
not ten years ago it was scandal and
offense.
4 appeal for the workingman. These
encroachments mean for him Only
dwarfing. debility, seven days work for
six days wage, unftness. and unworthy
work.
The Bishop of London quotes some
one as cleverly saying that Sunday is
Gods eight-hour bill
THE District has no Sunday law We
should strike for efficient legislation. The
workingman wants it, humanity needs it,
the republic must have it.
Liberty and religion are welded to-
gether.
u appeal for the other man; give him
a chance I appeal for you; give yourself
a better chance.
In Belgium and Switzerland they
stopped Sunday railroad traffic, and there
was Immediately a reduction of more than
20 per cent Of accidents through work
mems mistakes. In the appalling fatali-
ties in American railroading it may be
worth while to inquire if the cause may
not be found in the long hours and Sab
bathless toll Of the employees.
Il appeal for an awakened conscience