The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-04-24
DRUG STORES TO CLOSE

Beginning next Sunday the Drug
Stores of the city will be closed on
Sundays. This step was determined
upon by the Druggists Of the CITY,
who held a conference last week with
the Mayor, DR.. C. C. Gambrell, on the
subject.
The Druggists are to be commended
for the step they have taken. The
Druggists as such do not wish to open
doors on Sunday but they and the
clerks of such establishments are be-
set by individuals to allow them to
enter the stores in order to buy this
or that that they haye neglected to
get on Saturdays and Of course 1t Ia q
temptation.
Not many people have conscien-
tious scruples against buying any
thing they may want On Sunday pro-
vided there is the opportunity. We are
growing more lax in this respect year
by year. We are approaching a time
when Sunday will not be very dif1er-
ent from other days, except as a fete
day, as it Is in many other countries.
The signs all point this way. The fact
that the drug stores are open shows
a demand for it. They do not remain
open by way Of formality.
The old fashioned Sunday observ-
ance is a thing Of the past. Probably
you can remember when no supper
was cooked on Sundays or no meals
at all were cooked ON Sundays. That
time Is past-gone for US as a nation
With it went the Sunday evening at
home. Now even in this strict, straight
laced saducee country. Sunday even
ings sre spent on the boulevards, along
the pleasant lanes, In automobiles,
while the home is closed.
The purpose of Sunday has come te
be not rest but enjoyment. Especially
is this so with younger people, who
are engaged for the whole time dur
ing the week, and they a their con.
sciences, il indeed they have any con-
scientious scruples. by stating thai
Sunday Is the only time they have FOL
recreation and recreation is neces-
sary.
Young people 60 out picpicing now
on Sunday seemingly with no fear OF
tightening striking them before they
return. They "cut" church to watch
the trains come in. and If the drug
stores are open they buy whatever
they need or may wish with as much
sans froid as they would on Monday
morning.
Sunday observance is a difficult
theme to preach about. No two men
have the same views. What Is food FOL
n Is poison for the other; what Is
harmful to one is harmless to the
other. Especially is this true in the
observance of our Sabbath-day. Some
men do things seemingly with q clear
conscience on Sunday that would
seem horrifying to another
But the individual who p~retends to
observe the Sabbath-day must have
some fixed rules, metes, or bounds'oy
which his conduct is governed n that
day. Otherwise he will soon find him
self without the paies Of the Sabbath
of his parents. He must go to church
or he must not get his mail, or ne
must do certain reading, or he mus!
not visit. etc. To observe the Sunday
, as we have been taught to do we are
Obliged to have these "musts" and
must nots."
Likewise towns must have them II
the proper moral atmosphere Is to be
created and retained. We cannot ex'
pect the individual to show proper
respect for moral obligations when
the authorities show no such respect
Be it said Of Abbeyille's Druggists
that no better men, no more conscien'
tious men, no more thoroughly re-
sponsible upright ndsh. men of in
tegrity, can be found in any city OF
town in this union thnn are found In
the personnel Of Abbeville's Drug
gists. And that means more to a town
than one imagines.