Can anyone point me to resources describing prudential arguments for keeping stores/government closed on Sundays? I am not looking for a defense of the 4th commandment, but rather things like "its better for society for XYZ." Thanks

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Scott Roberts
Ruling Elder, Lakeside Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Southlake, Texas

The US Supreme Court said in McGowan v. Maryland (1961) that the state has a vested secular interest in legislation which closes stores on the first day of the week because it promotes the common welfare of society for people to have a day off of work each week to pursue recreational and leisure interests.

[Edited on 1-26-2006 by VirginiaHuguenot]

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Andrew Myers
Husband of Jessica, Father of Jackson, Katie and Samuel
Member, Presbyterian Reformed Church of Northern Virginia
Warrenton, VA USA
Editor, The Matthew Poole Project

"Let your Morning Thoughts, and your last Evening Thoughts, be what shall become of you to all Eternity." -- Matthew Poole

You also might be able to hunt something down on here:

http://www.bluelaws.net/

Thanks - those resources were helpful

I'm not sure these fall into prudential arguments or not but may have some useful material or references to track down. I have not read either work, but see:
R. J. Floody, Scientific Basis for Sabbath and Sunday (Boston: Herbert B. Turner & Co., 1906).
James Gilfillan, The Sabbath Viewed in the Light of Reason, Revelation, and History (NY: American Tract Society, [1862]; recently reprinted by Reformation Heritage Books). See the section, "Proofs, From Reason and Experience, of the Excellence and Divine Origin of the Sabbath". Floody disagress that a seventh part of time as rest is dictated by nature since he sees the Sabbath institution as primarily one of worship rather than rest. FWIW.

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Chris Coldwell, Lakewood Presbyterian Church (PCA), Member
• Naphtali Press: Presbyterian & Reformed Books
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The Regulative Principle: Samuel Miller gives a succinct statement of this principle when he writes that since the Scriptures are the “only infallible rule of faith and practice, no rite or ceremony ought to have a place in the public worship of God, which is not warranted in Scripture, either by direct precept or example, or by good and sufficient inference.”

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I should have said as to the Gilfillan, I have not read the section referenced. I have read and reprinted the section on Sabbath Literature in an old Anthology of Presbyterian and Reformed Literature.