THE Thames Advertiser TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1874.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1782, 7 April 1874, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1874.

•———♦ —— . The controversy on the subject of., Sab-, bath observance, or rather Sunday observance, which has been raging from Dunedin to Auckland, has not yet quite died and is certain to be renewed in a vlry short time, ' Such a controversy cannot last on the merely abstract question, but must have some tangible present basis to give it interest, and that it will find in the running of Sunday trains. This indeed has been one of,,the; main topics both in Auckland and Dunedin, and it has been only temporarily - laid aside. Parties are rather complicated in ''this matter. One section adopt the Puritanical notion,, that to! the'first day of the week, the Christian Sunday, we must attach all the commands and observances laid'down in the Old Testament with ' respect to the Jewish Sabbath. This was a notion quite unknown to the. Early Church,.or to Luther or Calvin, or any of the Rei formers, and was born among the Puritans of Englaud and the Presbyterians of : Scotland, when these worthy people had been soured * and : made fanatics by persecution. The notion 4s still, however, amongst us in considerable strength, although, if,.it were, carried out, we should have to stone to death any one who gathered ' sticks on a Sunday to boil his " billy." Even Presbyterian clergymen who cannot' help seeiug the difference between colonists in New Zealand and the Israelites in the Desert guided by the pillar of fire, and who plead with their brethren' that they should not attempt to drive the argument too, far, will not give up the ground that the Christian Sunday is the Jewish Sabbath. . Jt has never yet been pointed, out where in the Bible there isauy distinct command that the first day of the week is the lineal Christian successor to the Jewish Sabbath, and certainly the example of, Christ goes to show that His desire was, to break down the' strict and ceremonial observance of the day. And we think there is abundant warrant for going a, step further. We do not remember any passage in the New Testament where it is commanded that the first day of the week shall be observed as a holy day, and where it is commanded that all labour and amusement shall cease on that day.. No doubt it was the habit of the Early Christians to assemble on that day for united wfe ship, and' on that day they made subscriptions for the maintenance of the ministry, but they were never bound by such'strict la,ws as some would now seek to impose upon us. The theological aspect of the .question is an interesting one, and has, we think, been immensely misunderstood, by many very good people. , , We think the question would be sooner settled if it were argued without at all bringing in the religious element, ■ as to which there is such fierce contention, and so little hope of. ultimate agreement., There, is no doubt that one day's cessation from labour in seven is wholesome- and even necessary for the health of. the individual, and for the welfare of the State. That being so, we think that the State is justified in seeing that no such infraction takes place as shall endanger, the social privilege of the day's rest. , And as the whole railway system, both in England and New Zealand, is worked under statute, we see no reason why the: State should not i regulate ■ the amount of traffic which shall be conducted on the railways on Sundays. In New Zealand, the railways will ba the property of the State, and the Parliament will have to make, some distinct enactment to regulate their working, not only on. Sunday, but on every other day. Of course, those people who think that all the rules and observances of the Mosaic law with respect to the Sabbath* are binding upon Christians will contend that no trains should under any circumstances be run on. the' Sunday,, but these people may make up their minds, that they will be defeated. It is simply impossible to carry out the'laws'vhich regulated Hebrew society in these times. The whole constitution of society now is opposed to it, and.if the trains were altogether stopped, it would not cause less 'but . more travelling. • But we would contend for the trains, being put at a minimum; that no positive encouragement should be given to Sunday travelling; so that the men employed should be required to do as little work as possible on the Sundays. Of course, those who think it a sin to travel or to take a walk on the Sunday—those , who have not . learned the "law of liberty' I —may please themselves, and upon them, will ; not rest any guilt, but they, will find it quite impossible to bring round'the ' majority to their way of thinking. '•