Is There Still a Religious Liberty Issue?
By C. M. S.
We would fain believe that there is no longer any need of delivering lectures, preaching sermons, writing articles, or publishing magazines in behalf of religious liberty, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press. We would be glad to believe that the principles of religious liberty have become so firmly implanted in the hearts of all Americans that there is no longer any danger of those principles being attacked by any one. But whoever feels that such is the case is deluding himself and “living in a fool’s paradise;” for at no time in the history of the world were those principles in greater danger than they are at the present moment. At no time since the adoption of those principles by the American nation were the forces of their opposers better organized and more determined than now. Organizations that were not in existence when we began to contend for these principles are now firmly established, enrolling their adherents by the millions, and setting for themselves a definite program whose success means the positive abandonment of religious liberty principles and the adoption of principles that made the Dark Ages dark, enslaved the consciences of the multitude, and through long, sad centuries fed to the flames the best people the nations could produce. Those organizations are here in America today. We were not surprised when we saw them organized; for we knew the formation of some such organizations was necessary to the fulfillment of the divine prediction. The third angel’s message, given to us to give to the world, is as plain a declaration as man needs to show that the religious liberty issue will be the dominant issue in the last hours of time. That message reads: “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.” Rev. 14:9, 10. That plain declaration, with the statement of the fearful consequences of not heeding the warning, is given because of the action and the decree of a certain power called by the inspired writer “another beast.” Of him it is said that he “causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast.” This other beast says “to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Rev. 13:12-17. That is worship by force of compulsory laws and edicts. That is compulsion in religion. That is apostate Christianity compelling men to worship a false god and perform some religious act or acts that contravene God’s law and contradict the principles of his government. But this scripture shows us that the last clash between the enemies of God’s government and his obedient followers comes over the matter of freedom of worship. That other “beast” proposes to compel all the world to worship “the first beast,” whose deadly wound was healed, and to give power to the “image of the beast” and cause that to give a similar demonstration of religious tyranny. God, on the other hand, declares that this can be done only under pain of his greatest displeasure and in the face of the most terrible judgment. Apostate Protestantism the Chief Factor
Thus do we see the issue joined between the Almighty and the apostate religions of this world. Rome does not appear to be the chief working factor in this particular struggle, the open and avowed instigator of the movement. It is “another beast” that fills the world with its intolerant decrees, and causes the people to “make an image to the beast,” and gives “life unto the image of the beast,” etc. That is apostate Protestantism. It is apostate Protestantism that is to marshal Christendom under the banner of a compulsory religion. With apostate Protestantism, then, we have our chief concern in the climax of the controversy. True, the time will come when the Roman Church will say, “I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall in no wise see mourning.” But she comes to that position because of what apostate Protestantism does in swinging the world over onto Roman grounds. If Protestantism stood faithful to its principles, Rome never would see the day when she could say, “I sit a queen, and am no widow.” Is Protestantism swinging over onto Roman grounds?—It is. How is this demonstrated?—By the formation of powerful societies whose fundamental principles call for a violation of the Christian and Protestant and American principles of religious liberty. One such organization is the Lord’s Day Alliance, and it is not confined to the United States. In both England and Canada that organization is alive, active, and growing; and the one great object of its existence is the exaltation of the Sunday sabbath and its compulsory observance under force of national law. That organization does not brook opposition, nor look with kindly allowance upon those who put conscience and the Word of God above blind obedience to the decrees of the alliance. From the twenty-fifth annual report of the Lord’s Day Alliance of the United States we glean the following concerning the alliance and its attitude toward those who oppose its program:— The Lord’s Day Alliance of the United States is becoming better known every year to the people of the nation and in the halls of state and at the national Capitol. A communication was received from Dr. W. W. Davis [secretary of the Maryland Lord’s Day Alliance], urging that our alliance keep in more frequent touch with Washington; that at least once every week while Congress is in session we ought to be in close personal touch with affairs. . . . We note here the fact that Seventh-day Adventists have a regular force of workers against the Christian sabbath in Washington, and we must have a care lest these troublers of Israel do violence to our Christian sabbath. In the eyes of that organization, Seventh-day Adventists are to this world what Elijah was to Ahab and what Mordecai was to Haman—the “troublers of Israel” and the “Mordecai in the gate;” and there is much evidence that they feel toward us as Ahab did toward Elijah and as Haman did toward Mordecai. In fact, the thirteenth chapter of Revelation plainly declares that in the close of the conflict the promoters of compulsory religion will assume the same attitude toward the bearers of the third angel’s message that Ahab and Haman did toward the loyal people of Jehovah in their days, and will take similar means to get rid of them. The following statement from the spirit of prophecy will emphasize this thought:—9 “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” In the near future we shall see these words fulfilled, as the Protestant churches unite with the world and with the papal power against commandment keepers. The same spirit which actuated papists in ages past, will lead Protestants to pursue a similar course toward those who will maintain their loyalty to God. Church and state are now making preparations for the future conflict. Protestants are working in disguise to bring Sunday to the front, as did the Romanists. . . . The decree which is to go forth against the people of God will be very similar to that issued by Ahasuerus against the Jews in the time of Esther. The Persian edict sprang from the malice of Haman toward Mordecai. . . . The Protestant world today see in the little company keeping the Sabbath a Mordecai in the gate. . . . To secure popularity and patronage, legislators will yield to the demand for a Sunday law. Those who fear God cannot accept an institution that violates a principle of the decalogue. On this battle field comes the last great conflict of the controversy between truth and error.—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. V, pages 449-451. We have maintained for years that the time will come when those who are working for compulsory Sunday observance will attribute the calamities of earth to the failure of the people to observe the Sunday, and that when the last plagues are falling upon the world, those who have stood for the true Sabbath of Jehovah will be charged with responsibility for these manifestations of the divine wrath. We have already seen indications of that trend of opinion. At a meeting of the Lord’s Day Alliance held in Washington on Jan. 24, 1915, the declaration was made that the fearful conflict now going on in Europe was because of the carelessness of the people in observing God’s law. In other words, God was punishing Europe for not keeping Sunday. It may readily be seen that it is not a far step from such an idea to the idea that they who teach the people that Sunday is not the Lord’s true Sabbath are the primary cause of that calamity. Preparing for Aggressive Work
At the same meeting of the alliance the following declarations were made:— As sure as you are sitting in your seats, a Sunday law will be passed by Congress. I am well acquainted with President Wilson. Before he gets out of office, I will get word to him that the time has come to clean up Washington in the line of Sunday desecration. A Sunday law can be secured more quickly by the cooperation of all the churches. The Lord’s Day Alliance is now backed by sixteen denominations, and soon will be backed by thirty. We will soon stir up every community. When we speak, we will be heard. We are already beginning to speak. By the strength of our organization we will get anything we want. We are going into schools and colleges to educate the future leaders of thought. About one year from now a big meeting will be held in Washington to crystallize all the effort for Sunday observance. We will bring influence to bear upon all Christian Congressmen. Congress has been flooded with petitions and letters from Seventh-day Adventists until one would have thought that they were in the majority in this country. This proposed course of procedure indicates a carefully laid plan for educating the public away from the principles of freedom that have made America a refuge for the oppressed of every land, and for securing that oppressive legislation which will culminate in the decrees of oppression soon to be issued against God’s commandment-keeping children. At the same meeting to which reference has been made, Dr. T. T. Mutchler, of Philadelphia, president of the International Federation of Sunday Rest Associations, made the following statement:— When stringent Sunday laws are enacted and enforced, the consequence will be that the Sunday schools and churches will be filled, and the ministers and missionaries will then have a chance to reach the people and do Christian work. Note the similarity between this declaration and one made in the Homiletic Review for November, 1892, by Rev. S. V. Leech:— Give us good Sunday laws, well enforced by men in local authority, and our churches will be full of worshippers, and our young men and women will be attracted to the divine service. A mighty combination of the churches of the United States could win from Congress, the State legislatures, and municipal councils all legislation essential to this splendid result. This was the very plea made by the leaders of the apostatizing church in the early centuries when they demanded that the public shows be transferred to some other day than Sunday. Compulsion in religious things has always been a characteristic of an apostatizing church. When the compelling power of the Holy Spirit is waning in a church, the compelling power of the civil law is brought in to supply the lack. But Jesus said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” At the meeting in question, Dr. Bowdy, general secretary of the Lord’s Day Alliance, made the following statement:— In advocating Sunday laws, we are the church in action,—securing the sabbath-day rest to the people. There is just one difficulty, and that is to get the principles of Jesus Christ into the hearts of the people. Protestantism and Catholicism will strike hands alike in this movement. As churches we must march through Congress and our State legislatures, and demand legislation for the protection of the Lord’s Day, that the kingdom of Jesus Christ may be advanced. Dr. W. W. Davis, secretary of the Maryland Lord’s Day Alliance, made the following statement at the same meeting:— In the next session of Congress we expect to introduce a Sunday law which will give the District of Columbia a clean white sabbath. We are going to organize our forces so that we will have a key man in every State, and he will have three leading representatives of three leading denominations in every Congressional district. These men will so organize the churches on a cooperative basis that when Sunday bills are introduced, instead of Seventh-day Adventists sending in one barrel of petitions against these bills from all over the United States, we will be able to send in one barrel from every State in the Union. It is not difficult to see who these people look upon as their “Mordecai in the gate,” their “troublers of Israel,” whose activities endanger their success in the work of fastening the Sunday sabbath upon all the people through force of law. With the same idea in mind, the general manager of the National Reform Association made the following declaration on Aug. 17, 1910, at Winona Lake, Ind.:— Among all the foes of our country, we have none to fear even half so much as those who, in the name of religious liberty and of individual rights of conscience, are infringing upon the rights of the Christian people and of the state itself. Most of our readers are familiar with the program of the great organization known as the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America. It also has set for itself the task of establishing the Sunday institution by force of law. It is working now along the line of creating a force which lawbreakers and lawmakers will respect and heed where questions in which it is interested are involved. The World’s Christian Citizen Conference also has for one of the chief purposes of its existence the compulsory observance of the Sunday sabbath, as has also the National Reform Association, out of which it developed. All these organizations look one way and aim at10one common purpose—compulsory religion; and they are better organized and more determined than ever before to accomplish their purpose. They purpose also to unite with the Roman Catholic Church in the work of enforcing the Sunday institution upon all the people. It is the purpose of this confederation of religious forces to introduce identical bills for a compulsory Sunday in all the State legislatures, and work persistently and unitedly for their adoption at the same time that they are besieging Congress for a federal law to the same effect. The third angel’s message indicates that in the culminating struggle the inhabitants of this world will be lined up on opposite sides of one question—compulsory religion. We see the forces of the churches mobilizing for the part they are to play in that contest. They have but one foe, and they are naming that foe now. What the Word declares they would do, they are now getting ready to do. The enemy at whom they will level the shafts of their decrees will be those that are keeping the commandments of God. They are doing it now. This prophecy, fulfilling before our eyes, should arouse us to greater diligence and greater vigilance than ever before. If we have in the past circulated religious liberty literature by the thousands of copies, we ought to circulate it now by the hundreds of thousands of copies, that the people may be duly warned of what is involved. If we have circulated the Liberty Magazine by scores of thousands, we ought to circulate it now by the hundreds of thousands. Every Seventh-day Adventist should be a radiating center from which would flow out a constant stream of religious liberty literature to friends and neighbors. From this year until time closes, we should be increasing our energies and our activities to enlighten the world upon these matters. The issue is joined; there is no evading it; it will not be ignored. The last test question that will be put to the inhabitants of this world will be, Will you worship in harmony with the law of the land, or refuse, and take the consequences? That the people of this world may know what they are doing when they answer that question, let us do our duty in placing in their hands such literature as will make it plain.