Arizona republican., 1909-02-15
CIVIC RIGHTEOUSNESS
 THEME OF MR. MADDOX
The "Blue Laws" he Says Are Gods Laws.

l A large ana attentive duulence greeted Pastor c. Sidney Maddox, yesterday morning at the Baptist church. The Righteousness and Lawfulness of the Sabbath" was the topic of Mir. Maddox, who said
 Modern reform laws have called the fire of criticism from many sources. With almost a solid white belt of prohibition states from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mex ico, and many other states entering the ranks of civic righteousness through legislative enactment the promegators of the traffic of alco- holic beverages cry and howl like lonely jackals among the ruins of ancient Babylon. When a Sunday law Is instituted it is at once de- clared illegal by a thousand know | it-alls," and relegated to place among the blue laws of New Eng land. Blue Lawsi" Yes! When red noses leave that place that deals out dyes for pale noses at midnight Sat turday night and an energetic officer stands for right and law, a pale nose that was made by the liquid Satan incamate" begins to lose it's luster, and that peculiarly effected organ that only a few hours previous vied in color with the vermilion cliffs of the Grand Canyon now takes the color of a sickly sky and is a blue nose. Therefore a Blue Law"
 Some think that it is smart to call the law which God gave Moses, down to us, blue laws It is very true that that piece of supposed wit betrays their ignorance, and their un- godliness at the same time, to all moderately well informed people. But, unfortunately, a great many people who read little, except the daily papers, are not even moderately well informed. They are misled and misinformed by such mendacious headlines and sneering expressions.
 AS has been said in a recent is sue of this paper: The Sunday laws are Gods laws. The legislature and the courts have defined the Sunday laws to be. All the ordinary avoca- tions of life must be suspended for one day in seven, in order that men and beasts may rest from their ordi- nary toll for one day. God made us and he rigged up our machinery of brain, nerve, blood and music to en- dure labor to an extent that is sub ject to a number of limitations.
 Tn order for man or beast to con- tinue to labor to the greatest profit or to be able to work at any moment that work may be called for they must be provided with appropriate shelter, food, and drink. They must continue to exercise the faculties of mind and body, or those faculties will become atrophied. Constant feeding and constant attention to mental freedom and bodily comfort are absolutely required. Men and beasts that labor are also liable to sickness, which is of necessity a linn itation of their work. Then again, God provided that half the time should be in darkness and half in light and he so constituted all of his laboring creatures that they must rest at night in order that they may work in the day time. But in the wisdom of God 1t pleased him to put another limitation on the times for work, and this is one that is in trusted to mans intelligence, for his own protection and that of other creatures under his control, namely, his servants, his guests, and his beasts of burden. These God requires to rest one day in seven. This is the Sunday law that those fellows are turning up their noses at. But emergencies sometimes arise, de- mands of charity, mercy or necessity require some labor on the rest days. Jesus Christ gave that law and our statutes recognize that principal
 While a man may feel free to work on Sunday, and may do so without perceiving any hurtful con- sequences, yet it is true, that: Care full observation has shown that men and beasts need the Sunday rest. Preachers who generally are very busy men and who usually work very hard on Sunday are compelled to give themselves another rest day during the week.
 Napoleon recognized this necessity but concluded that one day in seven was too much time to waste in rest; he therefore decreed that France should give one day in ten to rest. The experiment was tried and the result proved that his laboring men and beasts could not endure nine days of continuous toll. That decree was speedily set aside.
 AS a matter of justice, why should a man selling sodawater, ice cream, or cigars and tobacco, be allowed to r1rcua bis caIlinP Op Sunday while