p. 180 | The Sunday Law by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 13, 1882

The Sunday Law.

By Editor

THE excitement over the Sunday Law seems to be on the wane. Dr. McDonald, who has stood at the head of the movement in San Francisco, in a recent meeting in that city repudiated the trials which had taken place there. He said the cases tried had been thrown into Court by the opposers of the law, to bring it into contempt, and to obstruct the courts. He said no real trial or true test of the law had yet been held, and there were doubts whether one ever will be held.

The Alta of Monday, April 10, said:—

"The number of saloons in this city yesterday which strictly obeyed the provisions of the Sunday Law were, like the proverbial visits of angels, few and far between. In many cases the doors were closed, but the "string of the latch," so to speak, hung on the outside, and business was progressing within. As there are about twelve hundred cases of violation of the Sunday law now on the docket, it is not likely that any further arrests will be made for the present. No officers were detailed to note infractions of the law, as the police officials say it will take months to clear the docket of the cases with which it is already encumbered, and besides, it is almost impossible to find prosecuting witnesses to swear to the complaints. But little respect was shown the Sunday Law in Oakland yesterday."

The Chronicle of the same date said:—

"No detail was made by Chief Crowley yesterday for Sunday Law violators, the Police Judges having refused to sign any more warrants until some of the cases now on the dockets have been disposed of. These now number nearly 1,600, and so far but one has been definitely disposed of, the jury in the single instance returning a verdict of not guilty. All other attempts to impanel juries have signally failed on account of strong prejudice entertained either against or for the law. The Judges' action is taken on account of the Courts being already clogged by the cases on hand. The majority of the warrants issued for last Sunday's violation were booked at the city prison yesterday, the bonds having been furnished for the members of the League of Freedom last Saturday. These number about 250, and warrants for the arrest of nearly fifty non-members are still out."

Our Sunday Law tract continues to be in good demand, the canvassers everywhere giving good reports of its reception. The Oakland Daily Times, speaking of the position of Seventh-day Adventists in relation to the law said:—

"A pamphlet has been published in which the arguments against the enforcement of the present Sunday Law are very tersely and forcibly stated. The church is in favor of a prohibitory liquor law, and cannot be accused, therefore, of any sympathy with the saloon interest."

Other papers in this State have given favorable notices of the tract, which has been the means of placing the truth before thousands who never before had had any interest to read on the subject.