Untitled article by A. F. Ballenger

Pacific Press Publishing Company · New York · January 7, 1892

FromThe American Sentinel, Vol. 7, No. 1

Conflicting Opinions.

By A. F. Ballenger

THE following letters, both from public men of North Carolina, who profess the Protestant Christian religion, were recently received by the International Tract Society of Chicago. The parties have each received THE AMERICAN SENTINEL, through the Society, and the letters express the opinions of each as to the correctness of the position taken by THE SENTINEL.

I have read THE SENTINEL, with special interest, and I agree with it that the Church and State are separate bodies, and that the State has no right to interfere with the Church or to enact any law to restrain any individual from what he conscientiously believes. I believe it is entirely between the individual and God whether that individual works on Sunday or not. I believe in keeping Sunday, as a sacred holiday, and feel it my duty to teach others the same, but I do not believe that the State should enact any law to restrain others to my religious belief.

Yours of the 13th asking my views on the position taken by your paper, THE AMERICAN SENTINEL, duly to hand. I will unhesitatingly say, after examining your paper, that I have no sympathy whatever for your position on religious liberty, Sabbath observance, etc. I think that the second charge preferred against Socrates (corrupting the morals of the youth) would be very applicable to you. And I will forewarn you now that unless you change your position, sooner or later you will find yourself among the demons of the lower world crying out to Abraham to send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool your tongues.

The path of the reformer is strewn with many thorns and a few roses; but the roses, by the way, are not his inspiration nor should the thorns discourage him. Inspired by a love for truth, and urged on by Duty’s call, he does not linger to be praised nor does he falter when blamed. It is, however, a sad commentary on the intolerance of the human heart that, Protestant Christian Americans, standing on the threshold of the twentieth century, with all history open before them, under the focused light of the world’s civilization, should bring the charge against the advocates of Roger Williams’ principles of the entire separation of Church and State, that they are corruptors of the morals of the youth, and promise them a place in an eternal burning hell.

A. F. BALLENGER.