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Pacific Press Publishing Company · New York · January 15, 1891

FromThe American Sentinel, Vol. 6, No. 3

THE Christmas number of the Oakland, California, Times, has the following:—

Even in New England where the old Puritans ruled most rigidly and prescribed Merry Christmas and Sunday recreation together, the people now very generally observe both Sunday and Christmas, and in much the same genial and yet partly religious manner. It is much better so and no reason in the world why it should be otherwise. There is as much authority for observing the festival of Christmas as that of Sunday. Neither is enjoined in Scripture; both were first established as requirements by the Roman Catholic Church. The Catholic Church has always regarded both as festivals solely of Church appointment, but worthy of general observation for their beneficent character and excellent uses; and Protestants are rapidly coming to take a similar view. But the State has no more right to enforce the observance of one festival than the other—Sunday than Christmas.

It is clear that the American Sabbath Union has still much work to do in California before the people of that State are ready for the cut-and-dried “civil Sabbath” programme which has been prepared for them at the Sabbath Union headquarters.