Untitled article by W. H. M.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · New York · June 2, 1892

FromThe American Sentinel, Vol. 7, No. 22

Why Not Appeal to Principle?

By W. H. M.

APROPOS of Justin D. Fulton’s criticism of Mrs. Potter Palmer’s request to the Pope to aid the Columbian Exposition in its woman’s department, and relic department, the Washington Post, of May 17, says, editorially:—

It begins to appear that by the time the Chicago Fair opens we shall have the whole country by the ears on one issue or another. If the Protestants are to make war on the Roman Catholics, and the latter should be goaded into retaliation; if one denomination insists on closing the Fair during Sunday, and the Jews and Sabbatarians demand that Saturday, the seventh day, be kept holy; if the Mussulmans insist upon recognition for their hebdomadal celebration; if the temperance people make war on beer, and the Salvation Army clamors for free pratique within the grounds—if, in other words, this proposed industrial demonstration is to be turned into a battle ground of creeds, philosophies, and superstitions, then what, ladies and gentlemen, is to become of the Fair? Certainly if the Protestants insist upon the exclusion of the Catholics, or vice versa, or if any sect succeeds in impressing its peculiar views upon the management, the Exposition, at once and irrecoverably, loses its national and comprehensive character and degenerates into a mere doctrinal propaganda without interest or importance in the eyes of three-fourths of the people of the United States. We see no remedy for, or protection against this rapidly increasing peril save in the courage, the firmness, the good sense, and the patriotism, of the management, both general and local. It is now unmistakably evident that the spirit of intolerance will destroy the Fair if it only can get the opportunity.

The Post fails here to make a correct discrimination as to the positions occupied by the different parties to this controversy in regard to the World’s Fair. The party which has long and insistently made known its demands as to the Sunday closing of the World’s Fair, is the party of intolerance; its requirement is that all shall conform to the course which it follows as to Sunday observance, in the matter of attendance upon the Fair. The words of the Post would lead one to suppose that the Jews and Sabbatarians do, or would, advocate the same legislative course as to the seventh day as is asked for the first day. But few Jews, comparatively, have expressed themselves publicly upon this question, but where they have it has invariably been to advocate the correct principle of civil neutrality in religious questions.

The Sabbatarians who are expressing themselves with earnestness in this matter would feel themselves bound to oppose with equal zeal and persistence any suggestion to enforce civilly the observance of the seventh day. They stand, every man of them, for the principle of the non-interference of the civil law in matters of conscience and religion; that the civil authorities have no right to legislate either for or against, neither in favor of or in derogation of either religion in general, or any religious observance in particular; that human laws can deal only and solely with civil matters; that this is a principle of universal application, bearing with equal force upon him who enunciates it as upon him who denies it.

The position of the Sabbatarian is an entirely unselfish one, it is just as much for the protection of the Sunday observer as it is for the Sabbath-keeper that this principle should be maintained; even more, for a pursuance of the present course for but a very short time will utterly destroy all saving power in religion as preached or practiced by them, and make human law and lawgivers intermediate between them and their God.

Scarcely one newspaper in a thousand throughout the whole United States has comprehended and expressed the principle involved between these conflicting petitions to Congress in reference to Sunday closing at the World’s Fair.

Has an intellectual blindness upon this subject fallen upon the whole country?

The Post is justified in its premonition of danger at hand; and it extends not only to the World’s Fair, but to the civil and religious polity of the country at large, as well. Why depend, in such peril, upon the courage, good sense, firmness, patriotism, or any other fallible attribute of any man or set of men? Why not appeal to that universal and eternal principle of justice, truth, and righteousness, which applies in the case, and rely upon that? W. H. M.