The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-01-31

servicel should be rallying of the
Christian forces in the community.
(cl We must be unselfish in max
ing arrangements so that others as
well as ourselves especially all our
household and dependents may have
an opportunity for the due obser-
vance of Sunday This will reduce
to a minimum Sunday trading and
make US careful about amusements
and travelling which involve unneces-
sary labor on the part OF others.
Here We touch an exceedingly diff
ficult and complicated question The
growth of commercial and other in
tercourse between one part of the
country and another, the spread OF
all manner of conyeniences (such as
electric lighting and power perhaps
too the greater delicacy of modern
machinery, seem to render unavuid-
able good deal of employment on
Sundays which in simpler times was
not needed This necessary employ
ment naturally prepares the way for
much more than is not necessary,
About two points | am clear:
(D Employers and managers are
bound to provide by some extra ex-
penditure if need be for shifting re-
lays of workmen, so that none will
be continuously deprived of Sunday
with its privileges and duties. There
is no doubt that such method would
be found to pay in the long run, by
the better service that could and
would be rendered.
~ No one who values his relis
ion, and his own highest interests,
ought to accept employment where
such provision is not made. This
! certainly is a case for the application
| of the rule to sacrifice our lower for
the sake of our higher life.
The difficulties of the question are
undoubtedly great; but the obligs
tions are clear In the light of greet
principles difficulties find their solu-
| tion.
Dne word | will add about the op-
portunities which Sunday offers for
gaining instruction, by quiet reading
as well as through sermons, con-
corning the truths and PRACTICES OF
our religion. In these days of wide
spread unsettlement on religious sub.
iects we cannot afford TO lose this
opportunity for getting light on mat
ters that cause perplexity or doubt.
Because many things may be uncer-
tain we should cling with firm hold
0 what is clear, Because some ways
n which we have been accustomed to
think of matters, of religion may be
proved untenable, we ought to set
ourselves to gain a fresh and more
intelligent grasp of our faith. We
must not allow ourselves to drift.
should be glad (as would your own
pastors) to recommend and so far as
possible to loan, to any who would
Iapply to me. books that would be
helpful on different subjects
| Commencing these considerations
to your careful thought and to youI
determination and prayer and ask
ing for you both the light to perceive
and the strength to fulfil what is
right,
am, my dear friends, Faithful!
and affectionately your chief pastor,
Arthur G. A. Hall,
Bishop of Vernon
*St Ignatius, himself probably {
disciple of the Apostles, writing
about A. D. 10 speaks Of Christian
Jews as those who having walked
in ancien. practices had attained I'm
to newness of hope, no longer obseI
wing Sabbaths. but fashioning thei
lives after the Lords day, on whicl
our life also rose through Him an,
through His death" Magne sans g.