Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-07-04

opening Of the museums on Sunday,
said: From a long experience of a
laboriouS life, I have become most
deeply impressed with the belief-to
say nothing of higher feeling-that
the alterations of rest and labor at
the short intervals which are af-
forded by the merciful and blessed
Pinstitution of Sunday are necessary
to the retention of a mans mind and
of a mans frame in a condition
to discharge his duties, and it is de-
slrabIe as much as possible to re-
strain the exercise of labor upon the
Sabbath, and to secure to the people
the enjoyment of the day of rest"
Ralph Waldo Emerson was not a
fanatic. He was not even what some
call orthodox; but he saw the inn
measurable value of the Sabbath, and
said: THE Sunday is the core of our
civilizat ton, dedicated to thought and
reverence. 1t invites to the noblest
solitude and to the noblest society,""
De Tocqueville, the great French
author and student of American in
situations, said to an American
statesman while he was on a visit to
our country: France must have your
Sabbath or she is ruined" His words
were fulfilled by the results which
followed in France-results from
which that land is still suffering
and must suffer more, unless relig-
ion is revived among the French peo-
pie.
That arch infdel, Voltaire, said:
''There is no hope of destroying the
Christian religion so long as the
Christian Sabbath is acknowledged
and kept by men as a sacred day"
The Sabbath issue involves the
whole question of whether our coun-
try shall be a religionless nation.
or nation of faith and good NOR
ais.
There is not, and never was,
deeply religious community in our
own, or in any other land, without
Sabbath observance. It is all very
well to talk about the value of
weekday religion" and making ev-
cry day a Sabbath" but where there
is no Sunday religion" there is pre-
cious little religion of any sort dur
ing the other days of the week. Years
ago DR.. ]. G. Holland printed an edi-
torial in Scribner's Magazine in
which, discussing this very point, he
said: "The religious faculties, senti-
ments and SuSceptibilities, under all
schemes and systems of religion, are
the subjects Of culture, and impera-
lively need the periodical food and
stimulus which come with Sunday
institutions and ministries. The prev
alence and permanence of a pure
Christianity in this country depend
mainly on what can be done for
them on Sunday. If the enemies OF
Christianity could wipe it out, they
would do more to destroy the power
of the religion which they contemn
than all the Remains and Strausses
have ever done, or can do. They I'M
derStand this, and their efforts will
be directed to this end, through ev-
cry specious protest, plea and plan.
And, if Christianity were destroy
q ~ T1ryr ,1r0-o i
ed States, our political and social in
situations would topple and fall. \
religionless republic has never been
able to stand, and no other religio.t
can take the place of Christianity
IN our country.
George Bancroft. the statesman
and historian, said most truly: Ger
wealth is the child of Christianity
and it may with equal truth be as
serted that modern civilization
Sprang into life with our religion:
and faith in it's principles is the life
boat in which humanity has at di-
Vers times escaped the most threat
ening perils.'
Recent history has brought abund-
ant confirmation of these Statements
OF Bancroft. Germany has had moth
ing better than the continental
sabbath and, that is a Sabbath of
diiluSement winch IS no Sabbath at
all; and in Germany rationalism
overwhelmed religion and a great ma
ton relapsed into barbarism and un-
dertook to over-run the world with
its savage kultur and horrible cruel
ties.
1t is most significant that in the
awful crisis which the German mill
tarists forced on the world, mankind
was saved by the nations in which
the Sabbath is best observed, name
ly, Great Britain. the United States,
Canada and Australia.
In this connection, it may be we'll
to recall a thoughtful observation of
the late Joseph Cook, who said, II am
no fanatic, l hope, as to Sunday; but
I look abroad over the man Of popu-