The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-04-17
Church Attendance Was Long Compulsory
 in Great Britain

T.
 While the freedom of individual action on Sunday is still restricted in lthei United States, Canada and Great Britain, and various statutes prescribe that what is lawful on other days of the week is illegal on the first day only those who desire attendance at religious services has not been en- forced on this side of the Atlantic since the colonial days when the 'sblue laws and other rigorous enact ments were in effect In England however the freedom to remain away from church is comparatively re- cent and it was not suntil the middle l of the last century, when Queen Vic torfa. was on the throne. that all pen a1ties for non-attendance at church were abolished.
 As late as 1890 there were ten per sons in English prisons whose only crime was refusal to attend divine ser vices. One of the ten was a young man who had been convicted at the insugation of his own mother. who appeared against him Tn prison these reca1citrants were forced to listen to doubted if they gained large benefit therefrom-
 In 1877. less than a century ago, Sir Montague Rurgoyne was hailed into court to explain why he had neg ilected his religious duties. The pros ecution failed because the defendant Iproved that he had ben indisposed. Most of the nineteenth century pros Eecutions on thfs ground were based on personal malice and spite, and the law which was thus made an instru- nnent of religious persecution was fin Il ally abrogated.
 T Rigid Sunday observance in Eng I land began during the reign of Edgar in the tenth century, when the Sab- s bath day was ordained to be kept holy from three o'clock of Saturday afternoon until sunrise on Monday. The most innocent actions were con- demned, and deaths was the extreme penalty for a continued violation of the law. About three centuries ago Parliament passed a law imposing a fine of one shilling for remaining J away from church on Sunday, unless some good excuse were forthcornii1e. This act remained in effect until com paratfVely recent times, and inability or unwfliingness to pay the fine re- suited in a prison sentence.
 The Hebrews were not released from the provisions of the law m1ak- ing Sunday observance compulsory until 1S71- For centuries the He
 brews had suffered from this law, and multitudes of them had been prose- cuted for insisting upon observing their own Sabbath. In the thirteenth
 century, it is recorded, a Jew o1
 Tewkesbury fell into a sink on a Sat urday. Although almost submerged in filth, he would not permit himself I to be drawn out, believing that to dc
 so would be to violate the sanctity o1 the Jewish Sabbath. On the follow ing morning he was quite ready to be removed from his periIous plight, but
 the authorities. out of, reverence fol the Christian Sabbath, would not per
 init the unfortunate man to be res
 cued until after sunrise on Monday
 when he was found to be dead. Eustachius, an English abbot of the
 thirteenth century. preached manJ
 sermons on the subject of Sunday ob.
 servance, in which he promised severe
 penalties for the unFepentant q
 will open the heavens he thundered
 land instead of rain I will pour dowr
 upon you stones and wood, and ho water by night; and of the other fes tiva1s of my saints which ye do no
 keep, [. will send upon you wilt : beasts to devour you''