The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1912-05-10
a Plea for an American Institution.

The Mems Glasses in three of the
requested the pastors or the churches
to preach upon the subject of the
Sabbath OF the second Sunday il May.
This appeal has come from these men
not 90 much from the religious point
Of view as it does from their belief in
the necessity of the observance Of this
Day to civic welfare No one has any
right in this land where religious lib
erty is cardinal principle to COM
mand his fellowmen to observe certain
religious practices on this day but
good citizens do have the right and are
duty bound to insist on the proper OBJ
servance Of this day if it has to do
with the progress and maintenance of
American Civilization. That the OBJ
servance Of the Sabbath Day Is fun
damental principle in our national life
10 one can seriously question who
reads the history Of our beginning and
development thoughtfully. The opin-
lon of representative statesmen on
this matter fully establishes this Al
the truth.
Daniel Webster said: THE longer
i've tie more highly do esteem the
proper observance of the Christian
Sabbath and the more grateful DO I
feel toward those who impress the
Importance of the community" Ben
Jamin Harrison, one of the most care
full and keen thinkers America has
ever produced, said on this question:
Experience and observation convince
me that all who work with hand or
brain require rest which a general OBJ
servance of the Sabbath only can Sc
cure. Whether we regard man as an
animal or mortal, we should unite in
securing for him the rest that body
and spirit both demand for the best
condition and highest good. Those
who 60 not find the Divine command
in the Book cannot fail to find it in
the man" Horace Greedy wrote
Under our civilization the liberty of
rest for each Il secured only by law
OF rest for all" Said Henry George,
that great-hearted friend OF the peo-
pie whose love for mankind we admire
whether we can accept his economic
views or not" I believe that the in
stitution of the Sabbath is one of the
greatest benefits the human race ever
had. I believe in the strict enforce
ment Of the law that prevents service
labor being carried on on the seventh
day"
John Foster said: "The Sabbath is
a remarkable appointment for the
raising the general tenor of moral ex-
istence." That distinguished citizen
who 90 recently spoke in our city,
Theodore Roosevelt has discussed this
matter in these terms" Experience
shows that the day of rest il essential
to mankind; that 1T il demanded by
civilization, a. well a. by Christian
ity-" The recognition of the Sabbath
Day a. an American institution which
should be respected and protected has
been made by judges on the bench of
the Supreme Court and by that Court
itself. Justice William Strong declar-
ed as follows: 1.-THE first settlers of
this country were a body of select
men. They were profoundly impress
sed by the conviction that a weekly
Sabbath was essential to the highest
welfare of the communities which
they established, and they therefore
enacted laws to enforce a proper OBJ
servance of that day The Sabbath SO
observed, no one can doubt, contribut-
ed largely to the formation of that
character which has stood us in %
much stead in our own history, and
which has been the admiration of the
world" The unanimous decision of
the Supreme Court, delivered by Lus-
tice Field i'm March, 1885, upholds the
government In it it, right to leg1srate,
not to promote religious observances,
but to guard Sunday al a day OF rest
and to protect all persons from the
physical and moral debasement that
comes from uninterrupted labor. Such
considerations should prompt every
loyal citizen to jealous regard for
the Sabbath Day. 1t ought to lead
him to do all that he can to guard the
interests Of the day by the enforcement
of sane legislation, and by his own
personal example in the way he keeps
the day. Most of all he ought not to
let petty questions of casuistry, mere
Quibblings over Sabbath observance,
prevent him from doing his duty as a
true American in preserving the spirit
if this institution.