Year: 1860

sunday law. we hd"c hHHciio CA
pressed ohr opinions freely upon the
constitutional right of the Legislature
to enact a law compelling an obser-
vance ofthe Christian Sabbath, and
it may not be Inappropriate o'd6 so
again. We have not word ts say
against an observance of one day in
seven as a day of rest; on the contra
ry such an observance commcnds it.
self 10 our natural inclinations, and
we would observe the seventh, or the
ffth, or every other day, if the GUS
tom of the people sanctioned the prac-
tice. But we are not among those
who believe the observance should, or
can be compulsory under the spirit of
our institutions. Tits true, Sunday
laws have been enacted by Legisla-
fures of States. aud such laws have
been afterwards surtained by the
Highest courts thereof. Still, pre-
sumptive as it may be. we demur to
+, these authorities high as they are,
and plead the inalienable rights
of man.


We would inquire why Sunday
should ee enacted? II because the
Sabbath is a sacred day iE the esti-
nation Of Christians, then the law be-
comes the patron If one creed in pref
erence to another, whereas the spirit
of our IA stiiutions c0unteEanccs equal
freedom to all religious observances.
If because, as is alleged, the mental
and physical man needs rest or relax
alton one day in seven, then is the
law hygienic in its purposes, and may
go further and declare what sort OF
clothing shall be used by all persons
irdiseriminately, in winter or summer
or how many hours shall be devoted
to labor daily, and how much and
what shall be eaten by person to
preserve health and prolong life.


1t may be profitable to examine
into che object of the Mosaic law re-
quiring an observance of the seventh
day. On that law is based the de-
mand for the Christian Sabbath. We
know of no dispensation which de.
stroys any portion of the binding ma
ture of that law, and under it, not on.
ly was the seventh day observed as q
holy day, but the seventh year as 8
holy year, and so on. Now, if it can
be shown shat it is obligatory on Us
to rest on the Sabbath day under a
command of God, we ask if it be moi
equally obligatory upon us to rest OIL
the seventh and forty-ninth years
and the fiftieth as year of jubilee
Our Supreme Court may construe the
divine law in one case 10 be manda


tory and directory in the other;but We
apprehend such a construction will
not be altogether satisfactory to even
the judgment of the most strenuous
Sabbatarians.


1t seems p,obable to us when we
take into consideration the privileges
accorded TO bondmen on sacred years
and years of jubilee, that tie prime
object of Moses in promulgating laws
concerning periods of rest from labor
was to protect aud conserve those
held in bondage against overwork
and oppression, As he could not
abolish an institution so strongly root
ed in the affections of the Jews as
that of slavery, he sought to mitigate
lis worst features by salutary laws.


We said that OH tue Mosaic law was
based the demand fol the Christian
Sabbath. Such is the real truth
Th,. plea that man needs one day sci
apart in seven for relaxation needs
examination. Before being received,
a series of long continued experiments
are necessary TO, establish the fact
that the human frame and mind dete-
riorates in the course of years where
the Sabbath is not observed-evi-
dence yet to be established, as such,
and when established and Sunday
law enacted for the preservation of
health, we may expect our statutes
to be soon thereafter filled with innu-
merable hygi enic prescriptions never
TO be observed unless one half the
world becomes a spy upon tie other.


We would inculcate a respect for
the Christian Saba tn because large
and vesy respectable part of the peo-
pie bold it in pious regard, and no one
of good breeding will wantonly wound
the religious sensiLilities of any class
But the error, if it be one, of non-ob-
saryapea of tho Sabbath. we hold,