Sunday in Canada by W. A. C.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 12, 1907

Sunday in Canada

By W. A. C.

UNDER the above title, the Boston Herald speaks editorially as follows concerning the origin, character, and workings of the new Canadian Sunday law:—

“Not much actual experience of the effect of the new Lord’s day act in Canada has been necessary to reveal the almost intolerable oppression of that measure. The act was the outcome of strenuous agitation by the Lord’s Day Alliance, many of whose members are, presumably, of Scottish descent. That accounts for everything. No country in the civilized world is inflicted with a more lugubrious day of rest than Scotland. The ruling principle there is that if the people will not go to church, they shall not be able to go anywhere else.”

“Will the Dominion tolerate for long a condition of things which reproduces the gloomy Sabbath environments of Covenanting times? It is hardly probable. Indeed, the reaction has already set in, in the shape of a Rational Sunday League, which stands for the right to buy and sell refreshments and non-intoxicating drinks, popular lectures and music in halls and parks, the opening of museums and art galleries, and a limited measure of Sunday trade. The league, although only recently founded, already has a numerous, representative, and constantly growing membership. That is not surprising, nor is it rash to anticipate an early triumph for its moderate program.”

“If the Lord’s day purists are wise, they will agree quickly with their adversary while they are in the way with him. It is impossible that in such an essentially democratic commonwealth as Canada is increasingly becoming there can be any lengthy triumph for such an antiquated conception of the day of rest as the new Lord’s day act represents. Ministers of religion have a grave responsibility in this matter. Do they not realize, for one thing, that their action in repressing innocent recreation on Sundays is open to a selfish construction? The unthinking have only one interpretation for such conduct, which they naturally attribute to a fear lest the churches should be deserted. Ministers who wish people to devote some part of the day of rest to religious exercises should make those exercises so living and attractive that no one will wish to ignore them. It is too late in history to attempt to force people into observances they have no inherent desire to celebrate.”

This editor sees matters more clearly than do many. W. A. C.