The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-02-23

iHg his txst from Exodus 2o;s, 8. be-
fore . large congregation said
4 During the war Christian Patriot
ism tolerated much infringement on
Sunday laws. Christian people Al
rays stand ready to sacrifice ana en-
d1rA- to~thAks limit for a religious
cause. But let US realize that many
things are dons IN var TIA. can
ton was permitted Their that cannot
ana must not be doae row. We are
not surprised hov'ever. that some
who lows money and pasttne aoovs i
industrial moral and religious gooo
are seekin9, the enforcement Of laws
f@vuratte to their uEtsrtAt interests
And gratifcation.
Reconstruction periods are always
restiASs and frought with danger.
Never hae this been truer than today.
Awful consequences Turk In haste
The sudden trap is not safe or wise.
HStter nause. take your bearings de-
tArn1ine on the right, then act wisely.
II its right. that Eettles the question
There Ia nothing else &c do.
This is the day the Lord hath
made, let VI rejoice and be glad in
ft"-Psaln t1s:24. It is a religious
'1fada for Man. Cod blessed and
hallowed'. this day and said Re-
nember it to keep 1t holy" It's vio-
lA46n. pollution or decoration was
prohibitsd by Law tina. carried ss-
rAre penalties
i Jesus Christ recognized and OBJ
aarvod tho Sabbath He did not
amAHd. side~uack or abolish it All
Christian countries recognize and set
apart oae day in sAvAa a. essential
70 their religious and r,atersal wal
-.
Our city, stAte and nation claims
70 be Christian. OF this we are Justly
proud. This means that we accept
the Divine coda az the model Of all
laws As . nation we have demon
strated our right To- this claim
Every STATE In the uaion has Sunday
hwb except two, California and Ore
ron, and In .these a. largo foreign ele-
neht, no doubt plays an important
part toward relaxation. In 1885
the supreme court OF tho United
Sta tes declared Sunday laws TO be .
part Of the common iaTs Of the land.
AID now in this reconstr,icGon crisis
tttae, whAn the old ship Is tossed on
3 restless, dangerous sea our Sab
church and our republic Ii in serious
danger OF destruction or TO say the
least ot serious impair ment-
Little entering wedges are bang
ussd but they can do the work Just
thesAn1e There is the bill 10 aS~snd
TIE Code ~ Virginia 60 az TO let
Ecttord c1nipany rur its plan. till
oAtY nra plan bur sTerwnod~ knows
thai ~her one plant is permitted To
operate under the Egfse OF legality.
thai cthers EAR and wilt do So. TOO.
Ar3 4*erys cdy knsp-s that when or
e-a2it.es ~ork ~ - Saturday night.
tagnil' fellowship ard church ser ICES
ntear not.ta ~ th4.71 It doesn't
rAaui-e r-uth ton,-1o s sense to see
ha' is luse A. fs.s - demand that
clos doe-n for Few hours a. II IS
II 50 tl>-ss noor crera,ives rs he
esrtaI ms psi78'Are ~ hor7s and he
ttsv = orEhsr II tia Lords day
T. 'segs ~ verbs of the poet have
~ nreaai,-
The dz~r r. Ode gar Satealh.
Break c~r the earth again.
As 81 ne s7s'est suwr,@r To,. ding,
Afeas nsEa' Of pain.
i censes as cooling showers.
tt Enrle enhs usted lard --4-----------
As shade Of clustered palm trses,
Mia weary wastes Of sad
Eur that ,sa't all, there is what IL
called the Sunday bill Certain rep
resensatives arc advocating it. 1t
EN- Eowers the city councils TO exempt
from provisions OF the present sun
day Lave, certain trades and buaines
enterprises. thereby allowing soda
cigar stands, sarages shoe-shirinS
Quarters and hotel barrier shops to
cpsrats On Sunday.
Il sct course they tell US that This
Bill does not open rho Sabbath. But
thar they want more sunday privi-
legs for they are tires tf blue Laws,
and that we hAve cur-grown the pur-
itan Sabbath. We lave all seen
bright boys and charming girls out.
srows their old fosgy. CHRISTIAN par
ants and 80 to the der, too
Under the camoudage Of patriot
ixaa1 our Sunday ~was desecrafed and
polluted during the war, and now it's
AAsy TO IND excuses TO continue such
practices 4 loud cry in heard for
the abolition OF the Puritan Sab
bail. Mar, for get that the, fourth
e July and sndepAndsn' Christian
America ware made possible by and
BON ID the very. atmosphere OF the
so&caIied Puritan SABBATH Don't
snttte the mother who made you
what you are.
But. they say the Orthodox few.
opens his place and sells on Sunday,
why not others Some of US have
lived few DOORS from such corners.
We have seen crowds OF young peo-
pie. who ought 70 have been at sun
dsy school hang about with chAapen-
ID ideals OF the American sabbath
added new wrinkles 10 mothers brow
and new burdens TO mothers heart.
Open sof. drink and ice cream.
stA Yidsxand our boys will go there
rather than to Sunday school. Open
cigar stands and smokers and men
VIII pAtronixe and Ill them, while
homie and church suffer. Open gar
ares and men will be SO busy on
Saturday that auto repairing ana gas
eQYtar Mill be. de.ayed until Sunday.
Open hotel barber shops without
limiting them 70 the transient patron
AZ and shaving ana hair cutting win
bs deferrs1 until Sunday, while other
b rrsrs Will BE- forced out OF business
open the American Sabbath and
ynu stlrke the church deadly blow.
Tie derih 7'as never able to defeat
ths .Jea-ss till he stais this sabbath.
There was time when the
prophets voice was heard in Car
naars Martin Luther spoke far Cod