The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-20


 known their findings.
 bath day That's the principle Both by custom and law we can serve the whole l comm unity. Both by custom and law we can aid or hinder the work of the l churches This is a very illogical but Christian country, but we ought to have laws and customs that are call lculated 10 do good, not only on the Sunday but all the week. And since this country stands for the utmost lib- erty of the individual consistent with the welfare of the community. and since Ii there are millions who are not Pur- itans, but Catholics, and Jews, and even unbelievers In any religion 1t Is evident that we must not try to do good to these free men against their will in this country So the Sabbath law in this country Is full of confusion and contradictions
 We have a sort of modified Jewish Sabbath as the law of the land. And 1t exists according to Christ to do l good in. But Christian life is not 1 given by law The church may not put men under law Her mission is to serve. not to govern, The true Chris tian Sabbath Is only for the heart that rests from itself and takes refuge in the will of eternal goodness and love. In this Sabbath making by law it seems that the Catholic has been more scrip tlral than the Puritan He gave liberty on the Sabbath The Puritan gave a ! chain.
 Now, come back to the principle: The Sabbath for man. Lawful to do good on the Sabbath
 Honoring God
 That is to say: What serves man. honors God. What does serve man9 What does serve the community? Would l abolish the Sabbath? By no means Do I underestimate it's value? No
 We cannot easily overstlmate the benefits aceruing from the law of a rest day in any land. Its advantages in health, in greater sanity, in restraint upon money lust, in reminders of the l greater things This day the wheels shall stopr What boonl And increas- ingly boon as the speeding up pro- cess continues as in the past 60 years l What it means to the children and inc home to have the wheels stop and father be In touch with the children while they are out of hed Once week materiallsm ceases 10 he king. Tho soul comes to the throne This Is eco- homie and spiritual advantage
 "The falling of this rest day on the day of general worship is a great boon II comes as divine gift gift of the truth to men and they will be sad i ly mjsed If they throw the gift away Let them thank the Giver. Let them Hove Him who rose from the dead to give them new sort of day-a day of joy and service and freedom in the very act and moment of worship.
 Best Use of Rest Day
 "S But what are the arrangements for men to get the best uses of the rest day? | It is to be a day of getting and doing good. What laws and customs will best promote these ends? Consider that the modern city has its own temptations and difficulties.
 (a) As far as possible you must keep out commercializing. Not gain, but welfare, is l the note. 1t is a true instinct which hes itates to let the theatre open on sunday. l But you can't keep out commercializing. You don't do 1t. Most ilogically you let East Lake open but not the nickel show on Nineteenth street. Why? It may be that the harm done at East Lake Is lJo fold more than would be done at the nickel show downtown. It may be that the nickel show would do good. Fresh air l is best
 You have the cars running. You have | soda fountains and cigar stands open. You cant keep out money making on Sunday But you can discourage it. Men 1 can't afford to make money all the time! 1 II costs too much.
 "(c) As far as possible you must put in service love. helpfulness. l have tried to do that to serve by showing something | true, real, noole; to serve by turning the money of tho people into helping the needy; to serve by providing place of l interest without charge. But, you say. 1t keeps people from church And so 1t isn't the best service. the most love. the greatest helpflilness. And you know. all 1 the while, that they don't come to your church. And you know that, having got ten them to the pictures. you can talk to them in the language of love and truth! Freedom of Choice
 "As far as possible you must give peo- pie freedom of choice. We have been | having class legislation. The very people who won't allow the shows open for the poor man are themselves guilty They 1 have Sunday suppers and parties, or at ! least easy and comfortable places where there are books and pictures Do they go tn the church on Sunday night? They | do not They need no picture theatre. But the homeless boy with nothing to do, the man who has poor and comfortless place may not go to see the pictures, or to hear the music. We ought to increase free dom.
 | Now what's the outcome of all thisi It is a great municipal picture gallery and library, with a great auditorium and music and gardens and the best films | showing the best things, and running on Sunday nights If demanGed. We ought to use Sunday nights to teach people 1 what is best.
 "te) As far as possible we must inject into the rest day, the spirit of reverance; we must cultivate reverence by teaching the truth to children. We must lead them | to worship. We must lead them to the Father of their spirits. the Savior of men. Teach them to pday. Cultivate the love of God in them. Pray with them. Get the l spiritual value of the day Of rest, not only for them, but for yourself.
 "Oh. it is lawful to do good-to educats | and lead and console and arouse and en- noble life and make it cean--even on tile Sabbath day And long for the sabbath to be utilized by the community as one
 day it will bs.