,transcribed from the #aheb ,seeleys edition by ,david ,price1 email ccx#jgdpglaf4org ,picture3 ,pamphlet cover ,,the ,,divided ,,sabbath4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,remarks ,,concerning ,,the ,,crystal ,,palace ,,now ,,erecting ,,at ,,sydenham4 8,do ye thus requite the ,lord60 ,,deuteronomy ,,xxxii4 #f4 ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,,william ,,jowett1 ,m4,a4 ,,incumbent ,,of ,,st4 ,,john',s ,,church1 ,,clapham ,,rise1 ,,and ,,late ,,fellow ,,of ,,st4 ,,john',s ,,college1 ,,cambridge4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,london3 ,,seeleys1 ,,fleet ,,street1 ,,and ,,hanover ,,street1 ,,hanover ,,square4 #aheb4 ,price ,sixpence4 99 99 99 99 99 ,w4 ,m4 ,,watts1 ,,crown ,,court1 ,,temple ,,bar4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,divided ,,sabbath1 c4 c4 ,,the following ,report1 found in the ,times of ,august #b;d1 #aheb1 appears to be1 on one side at least1 demi-official4 ,it has given occasion to the ,remarks contained in this pamphlet4 8,we are happy to be able to state1 that so far as the ,government are concerned1 no impediment will be thrown in the way1 and that there is now no fear of the people's losing their palace on the day on which they can best avail themselves of its many means of elevation and refinement4 ,when the ,directors of the ,crystal ,palace ,company applied some few weeks since to ,lord ,derby for a ,charter1 they communicated to his ,lordship the terms upon which they proposed to open the building and grounds on ,sundays4 ,they were of opinion1 that until after one o'clock no trains should run from ,london1 and the ,crystal ,palace itself should be strictly closed4 ,after that hour they proposed to throw open the ,park and the ,winter-,garden1 but not to exhibit those departments of the building1 which will partake exclusively of a manufacturing and commercial character1 the intention being to devote a certain portion of the space to specimens of manufactures1 c41 which the public will be invited1 upon certain conditions1 to display4 ,in the third place1 the ,directors undertook that on ,sunday no spirituous liquors should be sold in their grounds4 ,on ,monday last ,lord ,derby requested an interview with the ,directors1 who1 with ,sir ,j4 ,paxton1 waited upon the ,premier and the ,home ,secretary in ,downing ,street4 ,at this meeting his ,lordship acquiesced in the stipulations proffered by the ,crystal ,palace ,company1 suggested a few trifling variations1 and promised to grant the required ,charter40 ,an article in the ,times1 four days later1 ,aug4 #fth1 gives a full account of the ceremony of erecting the first column of the ,new ,crystal ,palace4 99 99 99 99 99 ,with every desire that the best interests of my ,countrymen should be promoted1 and with sincere respect for those who entertain a similar wish1 ,i have felt it my duty as an ,englishman1 and still more as a ,clergyman1 to submit the following considerations to my ,queen and my ,country4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,crystal ,palace now erecting at ,sydenham is designed to be the most splendid display of national greatness in the earth4 ,no objection can exist to its grandeur1 its beauty1 the marvellous exotics to be exhibited in it1 or to the display of ingenious manufactures4 ,some things it is intended to expose1 which may prove decidedly objectionable3 ,i refer to the sculpture-department4 ,but ,i will not enter into details4 ,the one great evil characterising the plan1 is this--,that it is designed to open the building to visitors during one half of the ,lord's ,day4 99 99 99 99 99 ,observe--the people of ,london and its suburbs1 that is1 four millions1 are invited to mutilate the ,sabbath1 by a plan which allows the first half to be given to ,god's worship1 but allures them to spend the second half in worldly amusement4 ,the favourers of the scheme virtually say--8,resort to the ,house of ,god in the morning1 and to the ,temple of ,pleasure the rest of the day40 ,this is a scheme far more artful1 than if the enemy of mankind had said1 8,give the whole day to me30 that would have shocked us at once3 but--8,let half be given to ,god1 and the second half to ,pleasure0--this is plausible3 and it is therefore so much the more dangerous4 ,i have said1 four millions are thus invited4 ,but consider the ,counties involved in this invitation--the many watering-places in those counties1 which have ,excursion-trains in connection with ,london the whole of ,sunday--the near neighbourhood of ,france and other ,continental countries--the habits of those countries in making ,sunday an open day for every kind of diversion4 ,taking all these points into consideration1 there is something more to be contemplated1 than the mere erection of a ,crystal ,palace4 99 99 99 99 99 ,let us reflect how the plan will work4 ,i have used a decent term1 8,pleasure40 ,and the favourers of the scheme may adopt terms yet more reputable3 inviting people to the study of ,nature1 in all the wonderful productions of native and foreign plants1 leading them 8from ,nature up to ,nature's ,god40 ,this sounds well3 but after all1 the thing is1 not what an elegant writer may describe it1 but what the ,million will make it4 ,a poet1 or an artist1 may disguise a subject in a thousand ways3 but this ,temple of ,pleasure will infallibly become1 in the hands of the ,million1 a ,focus of ,dissipation4 ,analyse a little this divided ,sabbath1 this ,lord's ,day divided into two halves3 not indeed perfectly equal halves2 for the nominal date of recreation commences precisely one hour after mid-day3 then the rush of railway carriages from the ,london terminus is to commence1 ,divine ,service having at most ,churches in and about ,london ended at one o'clock4 ,then1 and in the hours following1 the twenty1 or the fifty thousand men1 women and children1 are to be set in motion4 ,they will find no intoxicating drinks sold on the premises of the ,crystal ,palace6 ,but will not the surrounding localities offer them1 under the name of refreshments1 whatever they please8 ,look to the first part of the day4 ,does any man suppose that one half of these many thousands will have been worshipping ,god in the family and in the ,church8 ,is it in the least degree likely8 ,does a single favourer of the scheme imagine it probable8 ,i think not4 ,but then it will be pleaded1 that the scheme is purposely so arranged1 that people might1 if they wished1 go to ,church with their families in the forenoon4 ,i have even heard it gravely said1 8,the people need not break the ,sabbath3 they may go to ,church in the morning2 and if they do not1 it is their own fault40 ,to this argument silence might be the best reply4 ,and ,i hope truly1 that the ,conscience of the ,nation will repudiate such sophistry4 ,i speak of ,conscience3 and ,i remember that the conscience of a ,child is as much honoured and protected by ,god1 as the conscience of any other individual4 ,take heed that ye offend not one of these little ones4 ,better for a man to have a millstone hanged about his neck1 and he be cast into the sea1 than that the moral sense of a young person be perverted4 ,suppose1 now1 a father or mother to take some of their children to ,church1 and hear the ,commandments read3 then imagine an ingenuous boy or girl1 on the way to the ,crystal ,palace1 saying1 8,the ,minister read the words1 ,remember that thou keep holy the ,sabbath-day20 and they ask father or mother to reconcile the words of the command1 and their excursion of amusement3 the parents hush up the matter1 by saying1 8,children must not be particular2 it is enough to keep holy half the ,sabbath ,day1 and spend the rest of it pleasantly40 ,what a comment would this be6 ,this then is the sin1 the one sin1 at which ,i take aim4 ,i do not pursue this part of the subject1 by showing what multitudes of ,railway servants1 ,publicans1 ,policemen1 and others1 will inevitably be absorbed during the entire ,sabbath for miles and miles around1 by this scheme4 ,here is the one crime1 a divided ,sabbath3 here is the focus and centre of it1 the ,crystal ,palace at ,sydenham6--,if any do not see the evil1 or are determined to blink it1 it will not be difficult to draw up a ,sketch 7not an exaggerated ,sketch1 but a very simple one1 and so much the more convincing37 taking into view--#a4 ,london and its suburbs3 #b4 ,the circumjacent ,counties3 #c4 ,the infection of the ,continental ,sabbath3 #d4 ,the state of the families of the industrial classes during the six week-days3 and1 #e4 ,their probable condition from ,saturday ,evening to ,monday ,evening1 forty-eight hours1 resulting from this scheme of a ,divided ,sabbath4 ,but ,i hope that no such ,tract will ever have to be written4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the projected ,aggression of ,pleasure in #ahec is to me a greater object of dread1 than the ,aggression of ,popery in #ahej3 because it falls in with the taste of the vast majority of mankind4 ,the danger of ,popery ,i do not under-estimate4 ,it is a scheme adapted to fall in with the ,formalism and ,self-,righteousness of ,man's heart4 ,there was also treachery in the camp of the ,church of ,england1 at the time when ,popery took aim at the ,royal ,supremacy1 and asserted its claim to be ,lord of the consciences of all mankind3 ,england1 of course1 included4 ,but ,england repelled that aggression4 ,the ,aggression of ,pleasure is more subtle1 more extensive1 more congenial4 ,it is a subject1 therefore1 on which ,i must expatiate with the honest and affectionate freedom of a ,clergyman4 99 99 99 99 99 ,let me then observe1 first1 that it is a very difficult task ,to move great masses of people in a right direction4 ,in a wrong direction1 it is not so difficult4 ,to rouse them to revolution1 and then screw them down by despotism1 has been the work of a short time1 in some neighbouring countries4 ,but to draw them back from an evil purpose1 and lead them into a right channel of feeling and action1 is a hard work3--a consideration this1 which makes it the more imperative to check at once this flagrant scheme of ,sabbath-breaking before it begins4 ,once broken out1 what human hand can turn back the torrent8 ,but is it not equally difficult ,rightly to move the heart even of one individual8 ,we speak of 8,the ,million30 but that million is composed of units4 ,to lead any one individual1 be he rich or poor1 to feel the value of his own soul1 is a work worthy the labours and sacrifices of a whole life4 ,to move that one heart1 however1 is not man's work4 ,with man this is impossible3 but with ,god all things are possible4 ,hence appears the importance of the ,prayer of faith4 ,christ is the ,strong ,one1 stronger than ,satan1 in whose name prayer is to be offered to the ,father3 and in answer to believing prayer1 the ,holy ,spirit is poured forth1 on individuals1 on ,churches1 on ,nations1 on the whole ,world4 ,who can overpower the ,almighty ,spirit1 when it pleases ,him to work8 ,without his influence1 nothing1 even under the most favourable circumstances1 can be effected3 with ,his influence1 every good work1 under most unfavourable circumstances1 may and will be effected4 ,not by power1 not by might1 but by my ,spirit1 saith the ,lord of ,hosts4 ,who art thou1 ,o great mountain6 before ,zerubbabel1 thou shalt become a plain4 ,by the power of the ,spirit1 every difficulty presented by the ,million shall vanish4 ,the heart of the ,million shall be bowed1 as the heart of one man4 ,this will be in answer to prayer2 whether secret prayer2 or both secret and social prayer4 ,another consideration deeply affecting to my mind1 is this4 ,among the various means for the promotion and preservation of a nation's welfare1 there is not one of higher importance than the exercise of ,a faithful ,gospel-,ministry4 ,i am1 on principle1 a ,clergyman of the ,church of ,england3 but ,i honour ,ministers of every ,communion1 who with simplicity and godly sincerity preach ,christ4 ,in the present eventful crisis1 we need the aid of all4 ,here is no question of ,church and ,dissent3 the question is1 whether or not ,popery and ,pleasure shall over-run the land--whether we shall uphold the ,law of ,god1 and ,christ's ,gospel2 or violate both4 ,there is a great ,duty now lying before us3 namely--,to make the ,lord's ,day profitable and interesting to the ,people4 ,by the ,crystal ,palace scheme the ,people are invited to ,pleasure3 at least for the second half of the day4 ,the favourers of this scheme expressly undertake to teach the ,people 8to amuse themselves30 and ,sunday1 from one o'clock till night-fall1 is selected for the purpose of promoting this object among the working classes4 ,as ,ministers of ,christ1 then1 are we not now brought to the test8 8,will we endeavour to make the ,lord's ,day--the whole of it--interesting and useful to the ,million8 ,how likewise may we put the people into the way of making this day interesting to themselves80 ,i feel the difficulties of this part of the subject3 nor can ,i remove them by proposing so many more ,sermons1 ,services1 ,sabbath-,schools1 c41 although works of such kind would naturally form a part of any plan of extending usefulness4 ,but ,i feel1 and long have felt that there is one great1 vital measure2 which1 if ,god should bless us in the universal promotion of that measure1 will diffuse spiritual health and happiness through all classes of society4 ,to render the ,lord's ,day interesting1 ,religion itself must become interesting to a ,people4 ,every-day ,religion is the only thing that can make a ,sunday-,religion profitable and interesting4 ,the one topic of pre-eminent importance in this point of view is--,the ,general introduction of ,family ,prayer4 ,domestic ,worship is among the greatest of earthly blessings1 both to the ,rich and to the ,poor4 ,we say in ,england1 8,every man's house is his ,castle40 ,for all domestic purposes1 let every man's house be also his ,church6 ,in setting up this standard1 the ,ministers of ,christ have a noble task before them4 ,our public ,congregations on the ,lord's ,day will not be diminished by the multiplication of these ,domestic ,sanctuaries during the week3 these1 on the contrary1 will render our every-day ,religion interesting1 and thus make also the ,sabbath a delight4 ,they will fill our ,churches1 and thin the throng of ,sabbath-breakers1 please ,god1 to nothing6 ,as to the notion that this violation of the ,sabbath will give rest and mental refinement to the people1 it is an utter delusion4 ,last year ,i was conversing about the ,excursion-trains with an aged relative1 who has since been removed to the eternal world4 ,when under twenty years of age he was for a while engaged in mercantile business1 in one of the most active and opulent of our manufacturing towns3 but from pure love to the work of the ,ministry he relinquished very flattering worldly prospects1 and for more than forty years was a burning and a shining light in the parish and in the county where he laboured4 ,referring to his early days1 and viewing with alarm the threatening abuses of the ,railways1 he remarked to me--8,they quite mistake the idea of ,sunday-rest1 who suppose that it consists in pleasure-taking4 ,when ,i was engaged in business1 early and late on all the week-days--very often so tired out that ,i scarcely knew what to do with myself--,sunday was the greatest possible refreshment to me4 ,the mere act of ceasing from work1 together with reading my ,bible and going to ,church1 was rest4 ,but then10 he added1 8this implies a change of heart2 a different taste from what the world has40 99 99 99 99 99 ,i have thus written from the fulness of my heart1 and from the deepest convictions of my judgment1 believing that a crisis of great danger to our beloved country is closely impending4 ,if a ,royal ,charter has been promised1 specifically authorising the opening of the ,crystal ,palace on any part of ,sunday1 then the ,poor are in the fair way to be robbed of their real ,rest1 by the substitution of an imaginary recreation1 so arranged that it cannot be enjoyed without sin4 ,if the ,royal sanction were actually given1 ,i would yet look to 8,the ,million10 ,englishmen as they are1 and ,bible-men1 to reject the proffered amusement4 ,how may the threatened evil be averted8 ,whether deliverance shall be sent from some very humble quarter2 or whether it shall be the hand of a ,queen1 more wary than ,darius1 that shall refuse to sign the writing and the decree1 ,god alone knoweth6 ,my earnest hope and prayer1 is1 that the rumour of such a ,charter may die away to nothing4 ,as ,englishmen1 may we be roused from our dreams of amusement to a higher standard of duty6 ,may ,history never have to record1 that in the nineteenth century it was sought to erect--and in ,britain1 too--a ,people's happiness on the basis of ,god's broken law6 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,end4