SABBATH-BREAKING IN AMERICA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1100, 3 May 1883, Page 3

SABBATH-BREAKING IN AMERICA.

Under the heading “Curious Evangelical Developments ” (curious, no doubt, but we should think anything but evengelical) “ Jacob Terry” informs the Daily Times that the Rev Dr Oollyer, of Messiah Church, New York, lectured recently on Sunday evening in “ defence of Sabbath breaking.” He made a vigorous protest against the attempt to enforce the Sunday law in New York. During his discourse he contended that Sunday railroad and street car travelling were not only necessary but moral, that theatres nndconcerthalla provided innocent amusement for people on Sunday who toiled hard during the week, and to whom churches offered no relaxation or enjoyment. Churches were all very well for the rich, who could amuse themselves otherwise during the week; but the poor man had only one day

to himself for relaxation and amusement had every right to select his own mode of relaxation, so long as he did not offend against public morals, should be unques* tioned He also defended Sunday labor, manypeoplo depending upon what they earned that day for living during the rest of the week. It appeared t© him that the feasts and fasts of the Church were unequally divided —the poor man did all the fasting and the rich all the feasting, and Sunday laws were designed to keep up this unequal distribution. Speaking of Sunday schools, he maintained that Ihs hoy who went swimming on Sunday was betfei employed than he would bo at Sunday school. The Sabbatarians are exasperated ; but Dr Collyer has carried the country with him. He is a man of learnirg and piety, and voices public sentiment on this moot point. Hhe Californian Legislature, now in sessions will repeal the''Sunday law in this State, and other I egislatures will follow. The re-action against prohibition and Sunday laws is complete. The country is aroused to the danger of enforcing obselete statutes passed to meet social conditions wholly different from those now existing. And, by the way, the same idea is travelling far aid wide, for there is now a bear-garien iu full swing in that most sacred place —the Mount of Olives !