Untitled article by Chas. F. Parmele

Pacific Press Publishing Company · New York · September 25, 1890

FromThe American Sentinel, Vol. 5, No. 38

They Seek Executive Authority Also.

By Chas. F. Parmele

On Sunday evening, September 14, the Kings County Sunday Observance Association held a meeting in the Fort Greene Presbyterian Church, in Brooklyn, N. Y. Although not very numerously attended, considerable interest and enthusiasm was manifested on the part of the speakers.

That which first impressed a portion of the audience, was the multiplicity of titles used to designate Sunday, and the fact that each of the speakers had one of his own. It was called, “Sabbath,” “Christian Sabbath,” “American Sunday,” and “Our day.” Of all the titles used, we thought the last most appropriate, for certainly the amount of husbanding needed by this day, and from this class of religio-political guardians, would indicate its human origin, and dependence upon human support.

Dr. Taylor, Recording Secretary of the American Sabbath Union, told how attempts had been made in legislative halls to overthrow the day, and then presented a very forcible argument to show the perpetual existence of the Sabbath, and truthfully remarked, that “you can’t legislate the Sabbath out of the world, any more than you can legislate God out of the world.” Now in all candor we fail to see why it is necessary to make so much ado to have a day protected as the Sabbath, by human enactments, as this organization seeks to do for Sunday, except on the ground that it is “Our day,” and nothing more.

Rev. Taylor had much to say in regard to the opposition by rum, and railroad corporations, to all Sunday laws. He spoke of the many Sunday excursions, especially in New Jersey; and significantly remarked that “one church [Presbyterian he thought], has been almost broken up by these Sunday excursions.”

The Rev. Edwin P. Ide aroused some profitable reflections by saying, “I am not afraid of corporations, but of the apathy of the Christian churches.” After this speech, the president, Rev. A. A. Robbins, frankly admitted the truthfulness of Mr. Ide’s statements, and also added that in an attempt by himself and others, to get the aldermen to enforce the law with regard to the delivery of ice-cream after ten A. M., on Sunday, they were told that nothing could be done, for it was principally the church people who wanted the cream.

In an appeal for means to help in the work of the organization, one of the members spoke of the violation of Sunday laws as being a “sin,” and said, “because of a lack of means, we cannot punish them [those who break Sunday laws] until it is too late.” Thus the clergy seek to make men good by law, and set themselves up as proper persons to punish evil-doers.

CHAS. F. PARMELE.