Year: 1868




Considerable controversy has been
going on during the present year about
the Sunday laws in the various States.
In different places it took various
shapes. Here says the Philadelphis
Ledger, 1t was on policy aud laWfulness
OF running street cars, in Boston il was
whether the public library should be
opened, and in New York, as we'll as
in Philadelphia, there is & conflict of
opinion about the closing of beer sal
oons and gardens aud the taverns.
Upon none Of these questions, however
do we design to enter. The Sunday
car question seems to be virtually closed
and the Boston library remains closed
too. The present state of the law
makes the same disposition Of the taV-
erns and saloons in New York and in
this city. Nor have we anything to
say concerning the Sunday laws beyond
& mention Of the fact that there is a
wide margin for sound discretion be-
tween no Sunday laws and the austere
early legislation of one of the New
England States, where women were su o.
ject to fines if found kissing their ba
bies on Sunday. Whether even the
old Jewish idea of tue Sabbath or rest
day was, by any New Testament com
mand transferred from the seventh 70
the first day of the Wek, is not even suit
able for prolonged discussion here, nor
nor can we just now define how far any
legislation on the subject is right or ju-
diclous; but behind all these points lies
another question, abOut which there
can, we suppose be no controversy; but
it is the most important of the whole,
namely; how the day can be most
wisely and proftably spent by individ-
uals and families as members of society


The Sabbath was made for mar, and
not man for the Sabbath, is the chiel
rule for the conscience Of each to ap-
ply to his own circumstances. With 8
sufficiently broad, wise and proper
view of what the nature and good Ol
man requires, he needs bat little legis-
latiou on the subject. To obtain thi:
view and give it sufficient uniformity
and currency is the great. difficulty
Man is essentially a religious being
! He can never be hsPpy, civilized o.
progressive without 3 strong and su
preme sense of his relations to the Greai
Author ofhis being. Indeed, so strong
is this, that if the knowledge of the su
preme being is in anyway suspended ol
taken away from him, he will max.
gods OF wood and stone. He ,0iU wor
ship something.


! Even Comte, the great atheist, at las
found it necessary TO set apart Wed
nesdsy afternoon for worship, and hI
then Worshipped woman and the spirii
of humanity. Absurd IS this is, i
shows how essential it must be fo
every individual to set apart portion
of his time-a Sabbath for ply steal rest
for the cultivation of his moral being
his religious feelings, 50 that he may
with the utmost truth direct his holi
est and noblest impulses TO. the mos
true and exalted worship, and to thu
truest, most consistent and proper life
Every man wants a day like this fol
his own best improvement and cultivI
tion of the noblest powers God has Civ
en- him. --


But beyond all this, all men or wo
are more or less connected in family
ties, as son or daughter. mother or sis
ter, husband or wife, child or parent.
To discharge these obligations properly
needs much consideration, the employ
ment of much time IN giving or receive
ing instruction, and the exhibition Of q
proper example by the suitable and
wise distribution Of time. Beyond
even this as a member Of society, s
day like this affords the best opportu.
nifty of doing good by teaching; or Of
receiving wise instructions and Guilt
waiting moralsin The community. As 4
| day of spiritual instruction it does
more to civilize and elevate than is pos
sibls to estimate. He, who bearing
this in mind in youth, will study how
he can best act in the spirit of such ad
vantsges, so as to use them for thelI
great purpose, will not fail to become
wiser and better man every year he
| Lhus lives,