The World Awaking to the Sunday Question.
We find the following significant article in The Christian Statesman, of July 17, 1875:— “The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Years of the New York Sabbath Committee,” a twenty-four page pamphlet just issued by the Committee, is an interesting and very valuable document. It gives an account of the efforts by which theaters were kept closed on the Sabbath, and the delivery of mail by the carriers prevented; discusses the railway traffic on that day; records the favorable operation of the law to prevent public processions on that day; mentions the action of the New Orleans Gas-Light Company dispensing with all work on the Sabbath and urging this policy on all similar corporations, and gives an interesting view of the state of Sabbath observance in other States. We may give some extracts in a future number. We append here the view which is here given of the state of Sabbath reform in Europe:— “ENGLAND.—By a majority of two hundred and three the British Parliament refused again last year to open the public museums on Sunday. It was claimed, against the opening of the museums, that the working classes had the means and opportunity of visiting the museum on other days, if they chose to do so; that the attendants needed their day of rest; that such a measure was pressed as an entering wedge to the overthrow of those barriers which now are no more than sufficient to protect the weekly rest-day of the laboring classes against the exactions of trade and the seductions of dissipation. Mr. Taylor, who urged the bill, went so far as to insist on the restoration of the old English holiday as it was before its Puritan narrowing. “In which,” says a leading journal, “we fancy his views are more fanciful than practical.” A Sunday with one laborer in ten attending service in his parish church or a dissenting chapel, and the other nine employed in swilling beer or playing with packs of greasy cards, is a depressing sight enough, but the exhibition of the whole ten with bloody heads at single stick on the green, or dancing with the coarse jokes and unclean fun in which the soul of the English peasant rejoices, would hardly contribute to placing the mind in a more grateful or devotional attitude.” “The Lord’s Day Observance Society and other kindred associations are pursuing their work with efficiency and success. The subject of Sunday railway traffic claims their chief attention, and they are vigorously pushing their inquiries and appeals, with reference to its restriction. The last report of the Society above-named mentions successful efforts to stop the Sunday excursion traffic on two of the principal roads out of London. The bills of the previous session relating to the Sunday liquor traffic were again before the House of Commons, and the Society would struggle for their successful passage through Parliament. The fact that 6,000 six-day licenses had been taken out showed that some do not desire Sunday profits; but all who wish the good of the land must make up their minds that the Sunday liquor traffic was a well-defended fortress, which could be taken and destroyed only by strenuous and sustained efforts from without. The Society had circulated 78,000 tracts and documents during the year.” “GERMANY.—Dr. Kogel, preacher to the court, in a public address, has given a sad picture of the immorality that is corrupting the physical and mental life of the people in Berlin. The manners of the times are hostile to the true home and family life. The necessity of work, and the tyranny of work, rob men of Sabbath rest. And the afternoon of Sunday, which a part of the working men have for themselves, is spent in dissipating pleasure, in drinking-saloons and theaters, where all that is sacred is mocked, and adultery is glorified. “From other sources the complaint is made that the increasing number of factories that are run on Sundays, by reducing the value of the daily wages, compels even the workingmen who had not before done so, to labor all the week. This illustrates the truth of a statement of John Stuart Mill: ‘Operatives are perfectly right in thinking that if all worked on Sunday, they would do seven days’ work for six days’ wages.’ “Under the growing pressure of this state of things, petitions have been presented from workingmen’s associations, asking from the government some better protection of the weekly rest, and it is understood that the matter is receiving attention. Important alleviations of Sunday work in the post-office department have already been secured. “An interesting circular letter has been issued by five ladies of the nobility under their own signatures, calling especially upon the Christian women of Germany to unite in a mutual pledge, both to observe the Lord’s day themselves, and in every way to promote its observance by their families, friends, and neighbors. The recent spiritual awakening in several cities of Germany will doubtless do much to cause a better understanding of the spiritual benefits of the holy day, and to quicken the desire to enjoy them. “FRANCE.—The movement in France for the better recognition of the Sabbath is progressing slowly. The result of recent discussions in the National Assembly on this question is favorable. On considering petitions in favor of Sunday-rest, the Left moved to pass on to the order of the day, but this hostile motion was defeated by a vote of 386 to 282. The petitions, in spite of Gambetta’s opposition, were referred to the minister of public works, who accepted the action of the Assembly without reservation. “Mgr. Dupanloup, Bishop of Orleans, who as a member of the National Assembly bore a chief part in its discussions and action on this subject, has published a small volume entitled Du Dimanche, in which he shows how greatly the French people, and especially the working classes, suffer from the deprivation of the Sabbath, and pleads earnestly and eloquently for its restoration. “SWITZERLAND.—Chiefly through the faithful efforts of the ‘Society for the Religious Observance of the Lord’s Day,’ whose president is M. Alex. Lombard, Switzerland is in advance of both Germany and France in the extent to which the Sabbath rest is assured to the laboring classes and the government employees. There is a central committee, with auxiliary committees in a number of the Cantons. They have lately published valuable pamphlets on the relation of the Sunday question to railway employees, to the working classes generally, and on other aspects of the subject; they have circulated appeals, documents, etc., to different classes, have provided public addresses and sermons, and steadily labored in the face of difficulties unknown in this country to improve the Sunday habits of public and social life. But they have not rested here. By repeated petitions to the House of Deputies of the Confederation, they have secured from the government, which owns the railways, the concession to all railway employees of the right to cessation from work on at least one Sabbath in every three. The same privilege has been also granted to all government office-holders. In some of the Cantons steps have been taken to relieve telegraph operators from Sunday work. The movement is making progress and is gaining many influential adherents. Its influence is being felt in Germany and France. “M. Lombard has lately added to the many previous contributions of his pen an able pamphlet entitled, ‘L’Etat en face de Loi Divine et du Dimanche.’”