Sunday

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SUNDAY.—

SUNDAY.—The excitement simultaneously occurring in so many cities as to how far amusements may lawfully be infulged in on Sunday, has stirred up the Young Men's Christian Association of the Western District, who prevailed on the Rev. S. H. Lancy of the 1st Baptist Church, to deliver them a discourse on the subject last Sunday evening. The reverend gentleman gave a very full history of the origin of the Sabbath and its observance, and argued that the change from Saturday to Sunday was a change of day only, and not a lessening of the sanctity and duty of its observance. In fact the reverend gentleman, if he proved anything, proved too much—namely, that all the ceremonial observances of the Jewish Sabbath are entailed upon Christians on Sundays.

The true ground in this Sunday controversy is that which was taken by Hon Samuel D. Morris, in these columns, and in his speeches, during the Sunday car controversy, which the almost universal sentiment of the intelligent public ratified then, and of the wisdom and propriety of which events have since given ample proof. The running of the Sunday cars, and the prevalence of the views ably enunciated by Judge Morris and others, has had no such injurious effect as some excellent and well-meaning, but mistaken individuals, feared. It has not demoralized our own citizens, nor imported rowdies from adjacent parts. Sunday arrests are fewer. Sunday drunkenness is less, than before the cars ran. Eve the man who is determined to besot himself is not so soon nor so effectually brutalised by the lager bier of the outskirts, as he would be by the poisonous spirits vended in the obscure rumshops of the city. The only result of the Sunday car controversy in this city that can in any degree be regretted, is that it was the means of bringing into notoriety a man whose subsequent antics have almost made sober people regret that they ever helped, even in a justifiable cause, to erect a platform which such an actor could display his mountebank feats upon. We allude of course to the soi dissant Rev. J. L. Hatch.¹

Now that Judge Morris is understood to be a candidate for the office of District Attorney—a post which presents a wide field for a true friend of the people to protect their interests by a strict administration of justice—we trust that his services to the community on this Sunday car question, as on many other occasions, will not be forgotten. The boldness and independence which he then displayed are qualities greatly needed in the post of public prosecutor; and the excitement now generated all over the country on the Sunday observance question, by recalling to the popular mind the firm, consistent and manly course which the Judge took on that subject two years ago, will supply a satisfactory answer to the query which the legal profession and leading citizens are now urgently raising—Where shall we find a suitable man to discharge the duties of Public Prosecutor, as the interests of justice and the safety of the community require that they should be discharged.

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