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Show THE Ail WEEK OF PBftYEB I ( BEGiPJS APRIL 12 The thirty-sixth annual week of prayer begins in Ogden April 12, and is for tho better observance of the Lord's day. Justice McLean of the supremo court of the United States has said. "Where there is no Christian Sabbath, Sab-bath, there Is no Christian morality, and without this, .froe institutions cannot long be sustained." Time has proven the value of each of the Ten Commandments, to tho race. Sabbath observance is one of the commandments command-ments which has not been emphasized empha-sized of late years, sufficiently to insure in-sure its enforcement even among church-going people. Since the Sabbath is one of tho foundation stones In the social struc ture, tho state should demand its preservation. The state has as much right to establish a six-day weok, as ; It has to establish an eight-hour day. : The dangers which threaten our civil . aad religious Sabbath, are manifold. Tho lnck of proper Sabbath laws and . tho lack of enforcement are deplorable. deplor-able. Railroad and steamboat traffic, and particularly Sunday excursions, place a heavy burden on employes. There, was very little traveling or shipping before the Civil war, but at that lime under the excuse of the "emergencies of Avar" Sunday traffic was begun and with this opening wedge tho evil has spread. Sunday newspapers, onco condemned, condemn-ed, then tolerated and now eagerly bought, lead to advertising real estate and other comriiercial enterprises.. They encourage light literature Instead In-stead of wholesome and roligious at churches, and degenerate boys Into Sabbath breakers In their occupation reading; they deplete the attendance as newspaper carriers. Ignorance and thoughtlessness of Christian people, as to the necessity of upholding the Sabbath as an institution, in-stitution, is seemingly on the increase. in-crease. Commercialism and greed for money, as evidenced in amusement amuse-ment parks, and Sunday shows, is nation na-tion wide. One of the strongest arguments ar-guments against the liquor business Is Its degrading influence upon Sabbath Sab-bath observance, and upon the closer clos-er family ties, which the rest and leisure of a man on Sunday, should Insure. In all the dangers which menace men-ace the Sabbath may be found the element of greed and the carelessness careless-ness of Christian people, In meeting this enemy to civilization. Therefore, the many Sabbath organizations or-ganizations have agreed this year, upon April 12-18 as the time for the 3Gth annual "Week of Prayer, for the Better Observance of the Lord's Day." We urge that pastors preach spe-oial spe-oial sermons ,upon the Sabbath question ques-tion and that church officials, Sunday Sun-day school superintendents, presidents presi-dents of W. C. T. unions and Young People's societies arrange special programs during Lord's day week for the discussion of Sabbath observance. We ask all praying-people to petition God's guidance and blessing in the work of preserving our Christian Sabbath, In this day when the stress and strain of modern life makes it more needed than ever, If man Is to continue to grow physically, intellectually intellect-ually and spiritually. Mrs. Susan McWhirler Ostrom, National Superintendent Sabbath Observance Ob-servance Dept. of W. C. T. U, |