“Sabbath Desecration” by the Press
By Editor
From the Sabbath Recorder. “Sabbath Desecration” by the Press.
The following “Address” was sent us some two weeks ago, but was mislaid and forgotten, till it accidentally turned up a day or two since. This is our apology (if any is needed) for not giving it an earlier notice. We have no knowledge of the writer, nor of the position he occupies in community; but he seems to be a man who earnestly longs for the triumph of righteousness over sin. In this instance, he has evidently done what he supposes to have been his duty. Our comments are not intended to impeach his sincerity, but if he will weigh them candidly, he will see that there are some who are quite as sincere in supposing that the Sunday has no Bible claims to be considered a holy day. That our views do not coincide with those of the majority, is a matter of small importance, and if our correspondent is what he appears to be, he will feel that it is better to disagree with all men, than to disagree with God. To the Editors of the Daily and Sunday Press of New York City and the United States, on Sabbath Desecration.
Messrs. Editors:—Having some just appreciation of the Power and Importance of the Press, for “weal or woe,” especially in this free country, we feel the deepest concern for the moral rectitude of the principles and views of its Conductors. It is to us of very minor importance whether Editors of Daily Journals or Periodicals are politically “sound in the faith,” to their being sound in the belief and practice of the great principles of a Bible morality and religion. The man, or the Government, that adjures the Law of God, contained in the decalogue (or Ten Commandments,) or any single precept thereof, whether the Fourth, Sixth, or Eighth, we consider a wicked man—a wicked Government,—for he who willfully violates one Commandment breaks all; the Law of God is a unit. Now it is a fact painful to every pious heart, that our Federal Government, sometimes, and the Editors and Proprietors of “Sunday Papers” of the city of New York, and through the United States, always, treat the Fourth Commandment as though it were abrogated, or was never of any binding force upon any nation, or individuals that ever composed a nation, except the Jews; and we add (mournfully,) many Editors and Proprietors of the Daily Press, apparently justify their course. In the language of a popular Editor, in reply to our objections to his advertising “Sunday excursions” in his Journal, perhaps they will say, “we do not believe in any HOLY SABBATH!” However, nothing is more certain than this, that human opinion will never change the Unchangeable Law of the Unchangeable God; his Moral Law remains, every precept of it, in all its binding force upon all nations to whom it is made known. And Jesus Christ Himself declares concerning the Sabbath, that it was “made for man”—for universal man,—in all climes. And woe, we say, to the nation or the man, that has not, and chooses not to have and keep, a “Holy Sabbath.” We would address our fellow-citizens of every class, in terms kind and respectful; pardon us, gentlemen of a Sabbath-desecrating Press, if we should seem to fail in our respect toward so large, so learned, so talented a class as yourselves, when we say our disgust,—nay, more,—our indignation, is excited, when we read in one of your columns an eloquent essay in favor of morality and religion, and a proper observance, perhaps, of the Sabbath—a terrible scourging of the profligacy of the times—a manifestation of holy abhorrence at the moral and political corruption of men in high places—a prophesying of woe and ruin, without speedy and radical reformation; then in the next find an advertisement or several of them, inviting the public, or at least showing them, for fifty cents, how they may very agreeably (if wicked enough,) break God’s Fourth Commandment by an excursion on this, that, or the other Steamboat, to this, that, or the other Island, Village or Grove!!! And still more is our disgust and indignation excited, when “from early morn to high noon” on each Sacred Day, our eyes, and ears, and hearts, are pained with sights and sounds unholy, presented and made by the thousand ragged ignorant boys, that cry through our streets, at the top of their voice, the “Sunday papers,” proclaiming the sin of their employers and patronizers, if not of the whole city, that unchecked and unrebuiked, suffers such bold unmitigated iniquity to live and grow more rife;—proclaiming, we say, their sin like Sodom—knowing no shame! Can it be consistent with either Christian character or Patriotism, thus to disturb a Christian community by such an abominable traffic on the “Lord’s Day;” and increase the degradation of the Youthful Venders whom True Religion, Philanthropy, and Patriotism would exert their influence to place each Lord’s Day in Sabbath schools and Churches, to learn the way to respectability on earth, and eternal happiness in Heaven? “Consistency is a jewel.” Vainly, indeed, in our estimation, will you advocate “Republican Principles” or pure morality; vainly expect to perpetuate our Free Institutions, Political, Civil, and Religious, and extend them over the world, while the main power of the Press in this city and country levels so destructive an axe at the root of the Tree of Liberty—the Law and Gospel of God, by a PRACTICAL (at least) abrogation of the Fourth Commandment, in refusing to “Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy,” and Government, to great extent does likewise. Go search the records of all nations, look today over the map of the World, mark the Political, Civil, Moral, and Religious condition of its myriad nations, and see if there is, or ever was one that had, or now has, a stable and Free Government, an enlightened and happy people, only in proportion as they had, or have, “respect to all the Commandments of God,” or, if you please, to his “Holy Sabbath?” For, although “all the law and prophets hang” on the First and Second Great Commandments, (the sum of which enjoins love to God and man,) yet all history will prove that neither these, nor any other Divine Precept, has been, or will be remembered and kept, with fidelity, where there has not been and is not a “seventh part of time set apart as sacred” for their consideration—the hearing of “the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ,” and the worshiping in Spirit and in Truth, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And now, Gentlemen, having for the sake of a good conscience, the good of our common country, the eternal salvation of immortal souls, for which we labor and pray, and the honor and glory of Him who has said, “Ye shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary,” very plainly and kindly expressed in this Address, our Individual sentiments on this matter of “Sabbath Desecration,” we hope that, although our single name, (unknown to fame as to yourselves,) is appended, you will nevertheless be as powerfully and happily affected by its truthfulness as if it were signed by all that vast array of the names of the wise and good in this city, whose views, on this subject, we are confident, coincide with ours, and are derived from a sound interpretation of the “Lively Oracles of the Living God.” With these sentiments, we remain your servant, For Christ’s sake, J. B. HORTON. N. B.—Those Editors to whom this Address may be sent, that shall not deem it incompatible with their interest, will please to publish it. J. B. H.
New York, August 17, 1853.