p. 146 | The World-Wide Sunday

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 8, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 10.

The World-Wide Sunday.

The following is quoted by the Templar of Hamilton, Ont., from the Missionary Herald:—

There is in India an organization known as the "Lord's Day Union," the object of which is to further in all practicable ways the observance of Sunday as a day of rest. It seeks to prevent all unnecessary labor on that day, having, of course, as an ultimate object the use of the Sabbath in a Christian way. It is a striking fact that applications are now coming for membership in this society from large numbers of non-Christian natives, so that the society is seriously perplexed. Of course it would like the aid of men of all faiths in the prevention of unnecessary toil on the Lord's day, and yet it cannot afford to lose its distinctive Christian character as basing the obligation to observe the day upon divine authority. But it is a significant fact that Hindus and Mohammedans and Parsees recognize so clearly the value of the Christian Sabbath.

Now if it is the Sunday as a rest day alone that were needed, why should not the "non-Christian natives" be welcomed? But the note (friendly in intent and utterance to the "Union") says that the ultimate object of all this is "the use of the Sabbath [Sunday] in a Christian way." It will only be a little while ere the allegiance to Sunday is held to be the mark of a Christian in all the heathen world, as it is now held by some in this country.