Article #34 - Sunday Labor

 Is it wrong to perform labour on the first day of the week.

            Mosaic history informs us that this earth and all that is in and around was created in six days and that their creator after accomplishing this might[y] work rested upon the seventh. So according to the present prasaology [sic] of the question under examination it is not wrong for us to perform labour upon that day because it is the one upon which he commenced his creative toil. But I presume the presenter of this interogitary [sic] has not viewed the question in this light because he or she has been brought up among friends or quakers as Marlborough is a noted place for them, who are in the habit of resting and attending meeting on what they call the first day of the week. A stranger to their peculiar mode of numbering the day is often impressed with the belief that friends do not observe the same day for rest and religious worship as other sects, whereas the cause of the mistake is in the mode of counting the days. So if it is a violation of divine law for man to labour upon the seventh day of the week, the friends or quakers undoubtadly [sic] are guilty of its transgression, for instead of resting after labouring from the 1st to the 6th and resting on the 7th, they rest before they commence instead of after they finish, though it amounts to precisely the same as far as regards the physical being yet in a theological point of view there is a vast difference as question[s] of faith in the truthfulness of the scriptures are involved.

            Though the most ancient history may tell us that this earth was created in six days which in its most common construction would con[v]ey the impression that they were analogous to our days of twenty four hours, yet by geological researches I am induce[d] to believe that this phraze [sic] is a alegor [sic] rather than a true statement of the time that intervened the creation of this earth from its numerous constituent elements into a globular shape, to the time Adam was placed in the garden of Eden and all was perfected. I have not the least doubt in my mind but what millions of year[s] intervened the commencement and completion of this work, which time must have been divided into six periods, or days. The period which followed and which continues to the present time, then must be the 7th which is the time of rest for the creator as spoken of in the Bible.

            Thus we may see at once that this division of time in which six days of the week are allotted for physical labour to obtain the wherewith[al] to support and protect the physical being, and the seventh for religious worship is not in imitation of our creator but I am inclined

to believe originated with the early inhabitants of the globe, who felt that it were too much to practice the dictates of an unperverted conscience on all occasions, and hence established the custom of devoting every seventh day to the renovation of their souls. And even if we should

admit that it would be in imitation of him on high it is a matter of great importance that the inhabitants of every nation on the face of the earth should ?? still?? observe the same time, which would be considered among the impossibilities, for while we would be enjoying the light of a did [mid?] day sun, the inhabitants of the opposite hemisphere would be involved in darkness and ca[l]mly reposing in the arms of morphius [sic]. But to the question individually.

            It is said “Evil is it to they who evil think.” Or in other words it is an evil for a person to commit an act when he feels a check at conscience while prosecuting it. And thus it is with many Sabeth [sic] christians.

            And as a general rule I have often observed that those persons who had the most particular regard for their actions upon this day, and who occupied it in church goying [sic], prayer, and sacred music, have not the same control over their passions and actions during the intervening days as those who regard all as the same.

            Again, the more ignoran[t] a nation or religious sect the easier it is for their prime leader to instil[l] into their congregation the idea that one seventh of the time must be occupied in worship[p]ing the creator and this one of the strongest pillars that uphold the mighty tabernacle of sectarianism is implicit confidence in the teaching of higherlan [hireling?] ministry, whose religion is not of God, but lucre. So far for custom, Now what does philosophy say.

            Upon perusing the great book of nature we soon glean from its countless volumes new and importentent [sic] truths free from the contaminating influence of sectarianism. First throughout nature all is harmony all regular. Time rolls gently on year after year with without any perceptable [sic] alteration. Though man may have a day of rest in each week, yet she has none. And it would be equally as consistent for nature or the creator to command the bab[b]ling brook and the roaring ocean to cease their action and rest for a time, or all vegitation [sic] to cease to vegitate, to chain the winds in their lone cavern in some mountain retreat and bid all animated nature to be silent, or bid the great luminary of day cease to emit light and heat, as for man to set apart a certa[i]n day for rest and divine worship. If man should be commanded to cease to labour.

It appears to me that there are numerous object[s]around us which would be greatly influenced.

And is it possible that man is the worst animal on the face of the earth? My answer is in the affirmative.

            Were we to practice the principals [sic] inculcated by Christ while prosecuting our daily labour, and ever keep our eye fixed firmly on right and y[i]eld to the dictates of an unperverted conscience, we would have no occasion whatever for churchgoing or bowing the knee in humble sup]p]lication before the shrine of God and imploring his forgiv[e]ness for this transgression of his immutable laws. And each night when we are about to close the affairs of the day that is now rapidly drawing to a close, we should take a retrospective view of all the actions and events which occurred during this brief period, and should we feel that we have erred, ask forgiv[e]ness and endeavour to strengthen ourselves against temptation.

            This for years has been my first day or Sabeth [sic], and the consequence is that I recognize no one day of the week as being more wholy [sic] than another, but all in equality each bringing with it, its mental and physical labour for each individual to perform.

            It has for numerous past ages been established as an indisputable fact, that regularity in the time and amount of physical and mental exercise is ever essential to a harmonious action, and consequently most conducive to comfort and happiness. Now this first day system is in direct opposition to it. While we have our thousands of drones around us, we have an equal number who are inclined to an excess of labour during the six working days of the week, whose strength is almost exhausted in prosecuting their labour, and on the seventh they throw aside all labour and pass the day in indolence. By the pursuance of such a course diseases are frequently

engendered, whereby the aggressor suffers the penalty.

            To live comfortable and happy, we must imitate nature throughout. She should be our grand teacher.