p. 240 | The Continental Sabbath and Sunday Laws

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 21, 1889

FromThe American Sentinel, Vol. 4, No. 30.

The Continental Sabbath and Sunday Laws

It is argued by the advocates of Sunday laws that what they call the “continental sabbath” is exceedingly demoralizing and tends greatly to crime. France is frequently referred to as a country which has suffered a great deal from this “continental sabbath.” On this point the following testimony from the late Dr. Guthrie of Edinburgh, who, by the way was a strict Presbyterian, is worthy of note. He says:—

“I counted on one occasion in Paris thirty-three places of amusement open on the Sabbath-day. Coming home, in one hour I saw in London and Edinburgh, with all our churches and schools of piety, more drunkenness than I saw in five long months in guilty Paris.”

This is significant, when we consider that Paris has no Sunday law, while Edinburgh has a strict Sunday law, and is noted for its Sunday-keeping; and while London is referred to as an exemplary city as to Sunday laws.