Sunday All Around

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 3, 1879

Sunday All Around.

In Chicago.— The Alliance of March 29, 1879, has this paragraph:—

“Will the pastors of this city never awaken to the need of Sabbath reform? If there is to be an enforcement of the laws against Sabbath-breaking, there must be a stronger public opinion behind it than there is at present, and the pastors alone can create that public opinion. Have you no interest in the matter, city pastor, that you remain supine? Here is practical work and hard work too, and no one moves about it. No body of ministers, zealous of the public good, have the energy to start, the uniform endeavor to create, a public sentiment which shall say that the American Sabbath shall not be a day of public amusement or a carnival. It is not cowardice that delays the work. We almost wish it were. It is inertia; and inertia that one man, if he will, can overcome. Will not Dr. Goodwin, or whoever may be the senior pastor of the city, call a meeting of the clergy to consider the matter?”

In Philadelphia.— An exchange contains the following notice of recent action on the Sunday question in that city:—

“At the meeting of the Ministerial Union on last Monday, in view of the recent action of Mayor Stokley looking toward the prevention of the desecration of the Sabbath, the following resolution was adopted and a committee appointed to communicate it to our chief municipal officer:—

“‘Resolved, That we heartily approve and would cordially sustain the course of the Mayor in his efforts to carry out the laws of the city and State with regard to the observance of the Sabbath and the suppression of immorality connected with its violation.’

“When the committee waited on the Mayor, he expressed his determination to enforce all existing laws for the peace and order of the city. This looks like business, and we earnestly trust that the good work which has been commenced will be continued until it is thoroughly accomplished. Why have laws, if they are not to be executed? And who will execute them, if not the officers appointed for this purpose? Let all good citizens stand by the Mayor as he makes the law a terror to evil-doers.”

The Philadelphia Sabbath Alliance is also active in the same work.

A correspondent of the Sabbath Recorder states that Hon. H. G. Jones is before the Pennsylvania legislature with a bill for the relief of persons keeping the seventh day. The same article says:—

“A large number of papers, conducted with eminent ability, in the interest of exclusive Sunday-keeping, are widely circulated in the State, besides many secular ones favoring the same policy. As a specimen of the spirit and aims of these sincere but mistaken men, we extract from a sermon by Rev. Mr. Coxe, published in the Christian Statesman last week, the following, viz.: ‘A vigorous enforcement of Sunday laws is needed. If a Jewish key opens a store, a policeman’s baton should close it. If a papist procession blares defiance on God’s day, the leaders should learn penitence behind bars. Law-breakers should have enforced leisure to “study to be quiet.” Corporations have pockets, if not souls. Depletion of the pocket will quicken the conscience.’ In the same spirit the Cincinnati Gazette says, as quoted by the Statesman, ‘Go to the bottom, and enact a law absolutely prohibiting labor on Sundays. It is useless to talk about excepting this class or that class; any law that will make exceptions will prove a failure.’”

In Massachusetts.— The Evangelical Ministers’ Association of Boston, recently transacted some important business touching the Sunday question. The report of a committee of twelve appointed to arrange for a State convention on this question, was adopted. In accordance with this report, two conventions are appointed to be held, one in Springfield, Mass., May 6 and 7, the other in Tremont temple, Boston, May 13 and 14. The programme will be substantially the same in both cities, and for the benefit of our readers we give the full list of exercises, as follows:—

“After a Bible reading conducted by Dr. Steele, the opening address will be delivered by Dr. Alexander McKenzie, of Cambridge. The ‘Religious Sabbath’ will then be considered under the following heads:—

“‘The Sabbath and the Word of God,’ under which papers will be read as follows: ‘The Sabbath of the Old Testament,’ Rev. Dr. Armitage; ‘Christ’s Connection with the Sabbath,’ Rev. Henry W. Warren; ‘St. Paul and the Sabbath,’ Rev. Dr. John Hall; ‘The Perpetuity and Obligation of One Rest-day in Seven, so that the Seventh Day is Obligatory if the First is not,’ Rev. L. T. Townsend.

“‘Under the second head, ‘The Sabbath in Nature,’ papers will be read as follows: ‘The a priori Argument,’ Rev. Dr. W. W. Atterbury; ‘Physical, Intellectual and Economic Advantages of the Sabbath,’ Rev. Joseph Cook; ‘The Sabbath a Requisite to all Forms of Social Regeneration,’ Bishop Foster; ‘The Sabbath and the Family,’ Rev. Dr. Henry M. King; ‘The Religious Character of the Sabbath,’ Rev. William M. Taylor.

“‘Under “The Sabbath in History,” papers will be read as follows: ‘The Pre-Mosaic and the Jewish Sabbath,’ Rev. J. O. Peck; ‘The Change to the Lord’s Day,’ Prof. Egbert Smyth; ‘Constantine and the Sabbath,’ Rev. Dr. George C. Lorimer; ‘The European Sabbath before and since the Reformation,’ Rev. Dr. William Rice; ‘The American Sabbath,’ Rev. W. W. Atterbury.

“‘On the second day, ‘The Civil Sabbath’ will be considered, and papers will be presented as follows: ‘The Civil as Distinguished from the Religious Sabbath—What is to be Expected from Civil Law,’ Judge Strong of the United States Supreme Court; ‘The Sabbath a Free Institution,’ ex-President Mark Hopkins of Williams College and Rev. Dr. Robinson of Brown University; ‘Sunday Laws and Sunday Liberty,’ Rev. W. W. Atterbury; ‘The Law of Rest of Each Necessary for the Liberty of Rest of All,’ Rev. L. W. Bacon; ‘The Sabbath and the Workingmen—Seven Days’ Work for Six Days’ Wages—Pay-day and the Sabbath,’ Rev. Dr. Henson of Philadelphia; ‘Our Foreign Population and the Sabbath,’ Rev. Dr. Schaff; ‘Corporations and the Sabbath,’ Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Tyng, Jr.; ‘Railroads and Steamboats,’ W. E. Dodge of New York; ‘Merchants and the Sabbath,’ E. S. Tobey; ‘The Sabbath the Poor Man’s Benefactor,’ Rev. Phillips Brooks.

“‘The evening will be devoted to discussions by distinguished men.”