The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1921-02-22
Forced Sunday Observance

The following from the Summit County journal on
the much talked of and abused subject of Sunday OBJ
servance is about the best argument against
those who trying to force obsolete religion the
public as has been printed:
.'Anarchy in clerical garb' the designation given
by an opponent of the effort being made
atves of the movement fostering the "old-fashoned
Sunday In, shall we say, majority of instances, the
churchmen back of the "Buelaw Sunday" pursuing
their advantage fighting their disadvantage in egsa
tive halls and public prints with anything but Christian
spirit The natural result is that they meet the open op
position of who recognized the extremists in
antagons while those whose minds along the even
way of modern thought and atterday Interpretation OF
what Sunday should be ''hold their peace"
The church of Christ cannot lose, matter what
made laws decree. 1t has lost in all history,
and the devou adherens and learned teachers have
fear of the ultimate result They will not if they sin
cere followers of the owly Nazarene, alter their habits
because legislative ruling dictates that Sunday is no
better than any other day of the week.
The communicates of the church Of the world who
hold membership that nondecrpt body for social busi
political reasons will rejoice for time egsa-
tive action frees them from prosecution by criminal courts
for violation of any part of the fourth commandment 1t
is just what they want be able in the eyes of their
feowman to live they themselves dictate and still hold
membership quas-religous organization and oft-tmes
be rated ''pilars of the church"
The Rev. D. H Fouse, of the Seventeenth Avenue
Community church of Denver thus up Sunday
observance:
There what
the day With this institution desecrated by shaving by
polishing Shoes by others hiking the mountains and
eating lunch the bank of trout stream and by Others in
playing baseball and the This abuaon of
matter because everybody wishes file bill of exceptions
permissible
is questionable not positively evil persists
turnout all generations The church especially perplexd She
the march of by wnking thousand practices that
condemned fifty ago. but draws raper against few
which The danger that she
likely be interested protecting the day and guarding its
sacrednes than she and and children who
amIlO
than Sunday The day made for them and any institution
interested filing the day chock full of life giving activities ought
be church. That she upon hoary
headed program which she vital in keeping the
holy evidence that the the bulk
of the people every urban community will have
things The church
not solved the Sunday problem and the alarming thing that she
sno s th % % p f es1 p M n ly "a tb % du b IL IL t % & s t
the important element of the whole controversyhe people,
While it is true that country peopled in its
colonial period by those who in search of religious
freedom and to remarkable degree the government has
maintained this tolerant desire the part of forbears
still it is and has always been recognized duty Of our
legislative bodies to guard the liberties of citizens to think
and speak and act they fit days the week
just long they respected the rights and liberties of
their neighbors And among those rights must be in
cuded the privilege of resting the seventh day
they may choose
Therefore, if there those who feel that the "day
of rest lis better spent at ball game at picture show
in the great outdoors far from the and abors the
week of grind and breadwnning, who is there who will
gansay them that privilege? By what right they to
be forced to stay at home go to church,? And if
forced, what is the gain to the church of Christ?
Has the church so far lost its hold upon humanity,
and it's teachers become deadened in their ministry
they cannot overcome wordness without legislative
ton? Is there longer any attraction in the teachings
from the pulpit? Truly there is need for greater things
from the church of Christ destroy the church of the
world
Neiso of Iake City whoy Wis.