The Weekly Times. "Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1867. SABBATH DESECRATION.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 41, 7 October 1867, Page 248

The Weekly Times. "Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1867. SABBATH DESECRATION.

Exceedingly sorry were we to observe, in the Parliamentay debates, the report of the action taken by an influential resident of Hawke’s Bay, in the Legislative Council, to weaken the bonds of sanctity that surround the peculiar privilege of the working man —the weekly: day of rest, the mere fraction of time that he does not, and which, happily for him, the law does not allow him to sell to another for money. Still more grieved should we be if, for one moment, we could i . ■ suppose that anything like, extensive sympathy could be said to exist in the Colony with the proposers of such a measure. No, indeed ! little, in comparison with its value, as the Sabbath day is prized amongst the people, few indeed, we believe, would he found who would desire to see it abolished.

The columns of a .newspaper is not the right place in which to place the cpiestion of Sabbath observance in its legitimate position as one of religious duty, and therefore, in its consideration, we waive all advantage we might derive from such an argument. It, however, would be 'quite sufficient, for our. purpose to show, as we might easily do, that, on a mere physical ground, the weekly day of rest is an actual necessity to the human frame. It will possibly he objected that no attempt was made in the Council to deprive the people of the Sabbath, it being expressly said by one of the debaters, as will be seen by reference to the report we have already given of the debate, “ Sabbath ~ observance should be left to every man’s own conscience.” We admit that such ground was taken, and that if we could do without any legal restrictions, if society could exist and be carried on, without any law, if it would he safe to leave to every man’s conscience to provide a rule of conduct for each, then might we do without, not only' a law lor Sabbath observance, hut: we might repeal all restrictive .laws and establish a system of perfect freedom of action. But as these very men who would leave the Sabbath to our conscience are themselves legislators, and by their fencing round the conduct of an individual man with restrictive enactments, show that: they /well know such al state of society is impossible, we say they prove at once the fallacy of their-specious argument concerning individual conscience.!/ The fact is, and -they know it, that, conscience is, weak to enforce obedience. It jean do no more than sliow .the way •in* which* a man : should -walk; something imbrex—the pains 1 and penalties bf the required to make him take ! that road, and ..even these are often of no avail. : ! jj 7 ; ,;V.

: : V.!.We'j-*''ShaU■::.i.nqt.' t •:now^^l-pltts^e!i : 'this. j 7 Alijcaii see -that of duck-shooting!was an attach on ; the |rihci^re;:;Of:Sabheth :^ flpt; even, of sufficient jfbrce;toj4isguise its aim* ■ AU- cap §ee at opce th^t'tiie

Sabbath ceases to exist as soon as it ceases to be recognised by the legislature as an institution. : j

Itjis only a short time ago that a similar attempt was . made : in the Mother Country by pretended friends of the. working .man, who would have places of amusement thrown open to him on the Sabbath day. The result of the agitation plainly showed that such was by no means the wish of the working classes, on the contrary, they rose almost as one man to protest against a measure. so fraught with danger to their true interests, and were successful in their opposition. We have no manner of doubt that if appealed to the self-same results would be found amongst us in this Colony.