PHARISAICAL SABBATH OBSERVANCE.
By W. E. Cornell
WITHIN the past few years there has been a very noticeable disposition on the part of many all over our land, in profession at least, to return to the Puritanical idea of Sabbath-keeping. The spirit of it is so well illustrated by an incident that is going the rounds of the press that I give it here. As is well known, the Scotch, especially in their own land, are strict Sunday observers. A minister of one of the kirks of that country stated to an American clergyman that a short time before he had occasion to do some traveling, and found it necessary to Sunday at a little country inn. As the day was warm, and the room exceedingly close, he started to open a window. “What are ye about, mon?” inquired the landlady with some severity, entering the room just at that time. The minister meekly explained that he thought it would be more pleasant to have a little fresh air. “Eh, mon,” said the landlady with additional emphasis, “ye can hae no fresh air in this hoose on the Sawbeth; six days are enow for that, mon.” Judging from the strenuous efforts of the self-appointed guardians of Sunday sacredness to stop the running of all excursion trains, street-cars and other public conveyances on Sunday, it would seem that they have no more consideration for the wage workers of our large cities who all the week are compelled to breathe the germ-laden air of illy-ventilated quarters than the old Scotch lady had for the comfort of her guests. The unfortunate thing in connection with this whole business is that through the agitation that is now everywhere being carried forward, public sentiment is being so crystallized that new laws are enacted and old ones revived to compel the people to submit to these Puritanical strictures. W. E. CORNELL.