,transcribed from the #ahfjs ,j4 ,f4    
,shaw edition by ,david ,price1 email   
ccx#jgdpglaf4org                        
,picture3 ,tract cover                  
,,the ,,sabbath ,,and ,,the ,,crystal   
,,palace4      ,,the question of        
,sabbath observance is again brought    
before the public1  and subjected to a  
new discussion4  ,points which we had   
considered as  settled1 and settled     
beyond the reach of doubt1 are disputed4
  ,a change  of circumstances is stated 
as requiring and involving a change of  
views2  and the character which society 
is assuming in the present day1 is said 
to justify a revision and               
reconsideration of the principles by    
which it  has been previously regulated4
  ,a fresh attack in consequence is made
 on  an ordinance which1 having been    
accustomed to regard as the security of 
our national religion1 the source of    
those streams of life which sanctify    
and refresh the souls of our people1 we 
had hoped was secured from  encroachment

 and curtailment by the law of the land1
 as well as by the  authority of the    
word of ,god4  ,the attack in this case1
 as might have  been expected1 comes    
from a different quarter1 and is carried
 on in a  different manner4  ,it is not 
with open and avowed enemies that we    
have to  contest the point1 but with    
professed friends4  ,much for which we  
have  contended on former occasions is  
conceded now4  ,in many respects1 the   
tone1 the language1 the object of those 
opposed to us are modified4  ,the       
divine institution of a day of rest is  
admitted2 the beneficent character  of  
the appointment1 its salutary           
influences1 are acknowledged2 its       
peculiar adaptation to the condition of 
man is recognised3 and the only  subject
 of dispute would seem to be1 the form  
in which those influences  should be    
exercised1 and the general application  
of the blessing intended  should be     
accomplished4    ,the good of man1 the  
improvement of the labouring classes1   

the softening  of their character1 the  
refinement of their tastes1 the         
development of  intellect1 and the      
correction of what is low and sensual in
 their  enjoyments1 are named as the    
objects of pursuit3 and no one can      
hesitate  as to the importance of these 
points1 nor as to the value which all   
things lovely and of good report possess
 in christian estimation4  ,with a  view
 to the promotion of these objects1 the 
advantages of a day of rest2  its       
beneficent influence on the mind as well
 as the body2 its increasing  importance
 in a state of society like the present2
 its absolute necessity  when man is    
exposed to the exhausting circumstances 
of manufacturing or  commercial life1   
are admitted1--and not only admitted1   
but urged with as  much zeal as was ever
 shown by those who contended for the   
strictest  observance of the ,sabbath in
 the days of religious controversy4     
,surprise  and regret are therefore     
mixed together1 when we find that those 

who see  the importance of the          
institution in one sense so clearly1 and
 can  advocate its claims with so much  
power1 should disappoint the            
expectations that had been indulged of  
their co-operation1 and should  finally 
become the assailants instead of the    
supporters of the principle  we feel    
bound to maintain4  ,they see so much in
 the institution of the  ,sabbath that  
is adapted to the weaknesses and wants  
of our nature1 that  they cannot help   
acknowledging its necessity4  ,under    
that conviction1  forced upon them by   
the outcry of the whole creation1       
groaning and  travailing together in    
pain1 by the testimony of exhausted     
bodies and  paralyzed intellect1 they   
admit1 they assert1 as a fact that can  
no  longer be denied1 that the ,sabbath 
was made for man1 and accept it as a    
merciful provision made by ,god for the 
relief and consolation of his           
creatures2 but as to the specific       
purpose which it is to serve in respect 

of man1 as to the way in which the balm 
is to be used and applied1 they  have   
their own views1 and those views they   
are determined to carry out in          
opposition to all that has been         
established and believed on the subject4
  ,it is clear1 then1 that we have not  
gained much by the concessions made  by 
those who have been induced1 under these
 representations1 and with  these views 
of the ordinance1 to admit the divine   
authority of the  ,sabbath4  ,they have 
attempted to disarm our opposition by   
professing to  receive the same truth1  
while they were introducing views which 
superseded its application2 and the     
controversy must now be transferred     
from the religious authority of the     
,sabbath1 as a day of rest1 to the  form
 and manner of its observance by those  
who1 on these grounds1  acknowledge its 
obligation4    ,the point at issue with 
our present opponents consists chiefly  
as to the  manner in which the ,sabbath 
is to be applied4  ,its value they      

admit2 its  beneficent effects are      
acknowledged to be such that its divine 
authority  can hardly be disputed3 but  
while they argue with us in considering 
that  the ,sabbath was made for man1    
they differ widely from us as to the way
  and manner in which it is to be used1 
and as to the benefits to be  expected  
or derived from its observance4  ,we are
 compelled1 from the  language made use 
of1 to say1 that they regard the        
,sabbath as having been  made for man1  
much as we believe that it was made for 
the animals that  are placed under man's
 government1 and are thus made partakers
 of his  life of labour4  ,in           
consequence1 the sort of rest that they 
anticipate in  the ,sabbath for man1    
differs only from that which is ordained
 for them1  as the constitution of man  
differs from that of the brute creation1
 and  requires a different species of   
rest1 in reference to a different form  
of  toil4  ,the rest of the animal is   
provided for when the exaction of labour

  ceases1 and natural wants are         
supplied4  ,the rest for man1 according 
to  their view1 is equally provided for1
 when liberty is given to body and      
mind1 and the refreshment that is       
required by each1 in order to supply    
the exhaustion that has taken place1 is 
put within its reach4  ,the  wearied    
limbs require sleep1 the wearied senses 
quiet2 and the first  object is to      
ensure the repose which the physical    
frame requires after  its six days'     
labour4  ,in the case of man1 however1  
when repose and quiet  have produced    
this effect on the body1 and the mind1  
regaining its  activity1 looks round for
 relaxation1 there then ensues another  
necessity1 for there is another want to 
be provided for2 and something  more    
must be done for the refreshment of the 
human system than had been  found       
necessary before4  ,an effort1          
therefore1 is to be made to supply to   
all what seems the universal want of    
those who labour2 and the wearied  mind 

must have its food and rest1 just as the
 wearied body has had  before1 in order 
to perfect the object for which the     
,sabbath is  appointed4    ,it is       
proposed1 therefore1 to apply the       
afternoon of the ,sabbath to such       
recreations as may refine the taste     
while they amuse the man1 and to  effect
 an improvement in the general character
 of our population1 by  supplying them  
with the means of intellectual and      
innocent amusement  during the interval 
of leisure4  ,among the means of        
promoting this end1  and with this as   
one of its avowed objects1 public       
attention is being  drawn to the        
,crystal ,palace erecting at ,sydenham1 
which is1 we hear1 to  be opened every  
,sunday afternoon1 as offering in a     
small compass1 a  collection of those   
objects which are most likely to attract
 the notice  and elevate the tastes of  
the people4  ,the energy and talent     
which are  engaged in carrying out the  
plan of this magnificent undertaking1   

leave  no room for doubt as to their    
success4  ,it is easy to imagine that   
such  an assemblage of the wonders of   
nature and art will never have been     
presented to the public in modern days1 
or presented under such  favourable     
circumstances4  ,the immense size of the
 building contemplated1  we are told1   
will admit of the introduction of all   
the wonders of  tropical vegetation1    
combined with copies of the finest works
 of art4  ,the whole world is to be laid
 under contribution to complete the     
interest  of the scene1 and things which
 we have only heard and read of1 are to 
be  offered to the inspection of the    
multitude4  ,models of machinery1       
specimens of workmanship1 the trophies  
of the skill of our own people1  and of 
foreign nations1 are to be presented for
 examination and study1  that the       
exhibition may be made as profitable and
 instructive1 as it must  be interesting
 and attractive4    ,it is not easy to  
state too highly the amount of innocent 

and elevating  amusement that may be    
derived from such a combination of      
objects4  ,the  knowledge slowly gained 
by books will be here anticipated by    
what is  seen4  ,a few hours spent in   
the ,palace1 with an intelligent guide1 
may  teach more than had been learnt in 
months of study2 and what is of more    
consequence1 those who never would have 
learnt anything from books1 may  here   
gain much from seeing2 and a spirit of  
inquiry may be kindled in  minds which  
had resisted every other mode of        
teaching4  ,we are assured1  also1 that 
the exhibition is to be kept as free    
from the ordinary cause  of evil1 as it 
is unexceptionable in its original      
design4  ,no liquor of  an intoxicating 
kind is to be sold there4  ,order and   
propriety of  behaviour will be         
maintained by the officials2 and the    
freedom of access  is to be general1 and
 every indulgence afforded to           
intelligent curiosity2  no deviation    
will be permitted from the rules laid   

down at first4    ,it is not without a  
pang that we proceed to disperse this   
brilliant  vision1 and to show the      
danger that lies concealed under this   
specious  and captivating project4  ,but
 let it be at once said1 that the       
objections  about to be urged against   
this fascinating scheme1 are simply and 
exclusively directed against its ,sunday
 exhibition4  ,on other days we may     
regard it as an instance of the         
luxurious character of the age1 as a    
wonderful example of the wealth         
possessed1 and of the homage paid to the
  public2 and if some fears mix         
themselves with the admiration that must
 be  felt for the grandeur of the idea1 
and the boldness of the speculation1  we
 may still be thankful for the evidence 
thus given of an improving  taste in the
 character of our recreations1 and for  
the care that is taken  by individuals  
to cultivate and direct the rising      
intellect of the  people4  ,our chief1  
our only real objection to the scheme1  

consists in  its being opened to the    
public on ,sunday afternoon2 and in this
 we think  the error of its undertakers1
 the hollowness and unsoundness of the  
arguments by which they are recommending
 it1 must be manifest to all who  will  
deal fairly with the question1 and give 
themselves the trouble of  considering  
it4  ,the ,sabbath was made for man1    
they say2 and they think1  that in      
providing recreation and innocent       
amusement1 as well as rest from  labour 
for man1 they have answered the purpose 
of the institution1 by the  provision   
thus made for mind as well as body4     
,the ,sabbath was made for man1 we say  
also2 but the view we take of man1  lets
 in a light on wants and necessities in 
his nature1 of which we have1  hitherto1
 been allowed to hear nothing4  ,the    
,sabbath was made for man1 we  say2 and 
we adore the wisdom as well as the      
benevolence exhibited in the  ordinance2
 but it was not made for man merely as  
an intellectual  creature1 an animal    

gifted with various talents1 and subject
 to various  wants1 but1 at the same    
time1 possessed of no other capacities  
than those  of mind and sense1 and      
liable to no other accidents than those 
which  affect mind or body4  ,according 
to our view1 and we feel that our view  
must be that of the whole christian     
world1 it was made for man as a being   
born for eternity1--as created in his   
,maker's likeness1--as fallen from his  
high original1 but capable of           
restoration1--and as born under a system
  which unfolds the scheme devised by   
,infinite ,wisdom1 for the              
accomplishment of this great and        
glorious purpose4  ,it was made for man1
  we say1 as a spiritual and eternal    
existence1 for a time clothed with      
flesh1 subjected to the infirmities of  
the body1 and the perverse  influences  
of the mind1 placed in the world with   
the view of developing  in a state of   
trial1 the graces and glories that      
belong to a higher  nature1 but destined

 to be a partaker of the inheritance of 
everlasting  bliss4  ,it was made for   
him1 for his refreshment and repose     
under the  burdens of his lot1--for the 
enlargement and perfection of his       
intellectual powers1 by directing them  
to things above the world2 and  thus for
 the purpose of cherishing and          
strengthening that spiritual  growth1   
which is the only real end of his being 
on earth1 as it is the  fulfilment of   
the will of ,god concerning him4    ,for
 this purpose we say the ,sabbath was   
ordained4  ,in this sense we can  say   
that it was made for man1 for we here   
perceive its merciful  adaptation to the
 complicated wants of his mixed and     
mysterious nature4  ,in the ,sabbath1   
therefore1 thus understood1 and thus    
applied1 we see the  depth of the riches
 both of the wisdom and the goodness of 
,god1 and we  adore the mercy which     
provided alleviations for a life doomed 
to labour1  and cheered the burdened    
traveller on his way1 by the pledge of a

 rest  eternal in the heavens4  ,with   
this view of the ,sabbath before        
us1--with  this picture of its purpose  
and its end1--while we thus gaze on the 
glorious destiny unfolded to man in the 
institutions of the ,sabbath1 and  see  
the steps by which he is prepared to    
inherit it in its sanctifying           
influences1--we must feel that all the  
temporal advantages offered to him      
here--the refinement of tastes1 the     
enlargement of knowledge1 are but a     
mockery of his woe1 if they are proposed
 as the blessings connected with  the   
ordinance2 and we wonder at the audacity
 that can present such a  petty         
allurement to the inheritor of the      
kingdom1 as worthy of his  acceptance4  
,but the real character of the ,sabbath 
may be inferred1 with greater           
confidence1 from considering the        
character of the ,being by whom it was  
ordained2 for if the ,sabbath was made  
for man1 and made for man by ,him  who  
created man1 it surely is reasonable    

that we should collect the  character of
 the institution from the known will of 
the ,institutor1 and  learn the way in  
which it should be observed from what we
 know of ,his  general purpose4  ,if the
 ,sabbath1 then1 was made for man1 let  
us  remember1 that it was made for man  
by ,him who not only formed man from    
the dust1 and breathed into him the     
breath of life1 so that man became a    
living soul1 but who likewise opened    
heaven to his view1 raised him above    
the earth by the word of promise1 and   
who1 finally1 sent his own blessed  ,son
 into the world to accomplish his       
restoration1 ,luke xix4 #aj4            
,scripture1 therefore1 directs us to    
estimate the real value of  attainments 
by the effect they produce upon the     
soul1 rather than by what  is           
exhibited1--to dread the knowledge which
 puffs up1--to shun that  friendship of 
the world which separates us from       
,god1--to check and to  mortify the love
 of earthly things1--that the heart may 

be given1 in all  its fulness1 to ,him  
who claims it as his own1 and the mind  
may be fixed  on things above1 rather   
than on those below4  ,in a word1 we    
must be  conscious1 that the gospel was 
given to make us good1 rather than to   
make  us great1--to fit us for heaven1  
rather than for earth2 and though the   
goodness of ,god has so wonderfully     
combined the effects which it  produces1
 that they are frequently united1 the   
godliness has the promise  of the life  
that now is1 as well as of that which is
 to come2 we cannot  have a moment's    
doubt as to that which is the higher and
 the nobler  object1 or as to that which
 must be the will of ,god concerning    
ourselves4    ,if these things1 then1 be
 so1--if the will of ,god is clearly1   
unequivocally declared1 with regard to  
these objects of our pursuit at         
present1 can there be a question as to  
those which are to be preferred8  ,what 
is the knowledge of the world1 what is  
taste1 what is civilization  itself1 in 

comparison with the blessings included  
in his favour8 and if  it were possible 
to obtain them by the sacrifice of      
religious principle1  what would they be
 to the possessor1 but the colours which
 deck the  serpent1 the sweetness which 
conceals the poison it conveys4    ,we  
must feel1 then1 that when men talk of  
the beneficent effects to be  produced  
by a sabbath1 while that sabbath refers 
only to the physical or  intellectual   
part of man1 they greatly and grossly   
err2 and that if1  unhappily1 this      
scheme should be realized1 the soul     
would be sacrificed  to the body1       
eternity to time1 and the real purpose  
of man's being to the  indulgence of    
vain and frivolous imaginations4  ,but  
while the main  question is met in this 
way1 and the promoters of the scheme are
 reminded  of its insufficiency for the 
object which they profess to have at    
heart--the improvement of the labouring 
classes--it is hoped that the           
legislature will bear in mind the price 

at which these refreshments for  those  
who are inclined to partake of them must
 be purchased4  ,on the  ,sabbath day at
 present1 the parks1 the outlets of the 
metropolis1 are  filled with crowds who 
prefer the amusement they can find      
there1 to the  religious improvement of 
the day which ,god has consecrated4  ,we
 must  regret the breach of the         
commandment1 the offence offered to     
,god1 and the  injury done to the       
sabbath-breakers themselves2 but we feel
 that1 in  doing this1 they claim no    
right to dictate to the practice of     
others1 nor  have they the power of     
compelling others to act against their  
own  conscientious convictions4  ,they  
may wish for refreshments1 but they     
cannot compel the shops to be opened for
 their supply2 and those windows  which 
were unclosed through the six preceding 
days1 are sealed to them on  this1 and  
offer a shelter against the tyranny of a
 ,god-despising world4  ,up to this time
 the laws of the country have           

endeavoured to prevent the  licence of  
one man from trespassing on the liberty 
of another2 and if  they have not always
 succeeded in doing so1 they have left  
no room for  doubt as to their          
intentions4  ,up to this time1          
therefore1 those who call  themselves   
the servants of the public1 have been   
allowed to feel that  there was ,one    
greater than the public1 who cares for  
the weak and the  dependent1 and who    
restrains within certain limits the     
measure of labour  that is exacted from 
them4  ,the theatres1 the places of     
public amusement1  have1 on this        
account1 been closed2 the post-office   
has suspended its  issues2 the          
transactions of business have been      
stopped2 legal acts have  been declared 
null and void4  ,it has been declared   
that the command was  general1 for that 
its intention was1 8that thy servant may
 rest as well  as thou20 and it has been
 the privilege of the ,englishman to    
feel that on  this day the slave of the 

world was free from his master4    ,a   
new era1 however1 will be commenced with
 the chartered existence of the         
,crystal ,palace1 should such an outrage
 be permitted4  ,hundreds of  officials 
will be called into stated attendance1  
and will be compelled to  wait on the   
fancies of an ungodly multitude4        
,thousands of the unhappy  and depressed
 class who are now engaged in furnishing
 the means of public  conveyance1 will  
be put into requisition1 and tens and   
hundreds of  thousands of the young and 
thoughtless will be swept away by the   
stream1  and be made victims to a plan  
for improving the taste and enlarging   
the  intellect of the irreligious       
section of our metropolitan operatives4 
,it  must be added1 that the evil will  
not be confined to this single case4    
,the precedent established here will be 
immediately followed in other  places1  
and in all parts of the kingdom4  ,the  
,british ,museum1 the  galleries1 the   
exhibitions1 will be thrown open in     

,london4  ,the curators  in all these   
will be crushed with the burden of      
unsuspended labour1 and  the population1
 maddened by excitement1 when excitement
 is substituted  for the rest they need1
 will be the ready instruments for      
executing the  judgments which will     
infallibly follow on such an act of     
national  delinquency4  ,nor let it be  
forgotten1 that this scheme1 which1     
falling  in with the prevailing humours 
of the day1 is hailed by the immoral1   
or1  at least1 by the irreligious part  
of our people1 as an accession to their 
resources of amusement1 will be to many 
a bitter aggravation of a life of  toil1
 by wresting from them that ,sabbath    
which has1 hitherto1 been their  only   
season of repose4  ,but what is of more 
consequence1 and which claims  the      
serious consideration of the            
legislature1 it will be an outrage such 
as has not yet been offered to the      
conscience and religious feelings of    
many who specially deserve the          

protection1 if not the favour1 of the   
legislature4  ,for it must not be       
assumed because a cry is got up on      
behalf of the scheme1 that all classes  
concur in welcoming the change  that is 
proposed4  ,there are multitudes1 no    
doubt1 which will do so4  ,there are    
multitudes who find the present         
opportunities for ,sunday  dissipation  
too limited1 and fret and murmur against
 the restraints which  the law imposes2 
but there are many who feel that this   
opening will bring  no blessings to     
them1 and will only multiply or increase
 the burdens  under which they groan4   
,they see that the enjoyments of a few  
will be  purchased by the sufferings of 
many2 wives and children will have to   
lament a home left without its natural  
guardian2 parents will have to  mourn   
over children drawn away from domestic  
control or religious  observances2 and  
the character of the day1 as a day of   
rest1 will be lost  to all the          
inhabitants of that side of the         

metropolis4    ,is this1 then1 a state  
of things which the legislature of      
,england can  countenance or permit8 and
 will the sound sense of the ,british   
parliament  be dazzled and blinded by   
the arts which have been employed to    
cloak the  essential ungodliness of the 
proposal8  ,we trust that there will be 
no  hesitation or condescension in the  
tone of their answer4  ,we trust that   
the representatives of the nation1      
conscious of the account they will  have
 to give of the way in which they       
exercise their power1 will  seriously   
and calmly weigh the consequences of the
 measure brought before  them1 and1     
dismissing the illusions with which     
their imagination is  assailed1 will    
consider what the effects must be of    
legalizing a breach  of one of ,god's   
commandments4                           
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