p. 383 | Untitled article

Pacific Press Publishing Company · New York · December 8, 1892

FromThe American Sentinel, Vol. 7, No. 48

Will They Maintain It So?

AN exchange has the following comment on the utterances of the field secretary of the American Sabbath Union, at Paterson, N. J., to which THE SENTINEL made reference some time ago. It is now a matter of lively interest, since the organization of active opposition to the Sunday opening of the World's Fair, whether or no Mr. George and the Sabbath Union will maintain the armed resistance he has threatened.

“In a speech at Paterson, N. J., recently, the Rev. Mr. George, Field Secretary of the American Sabbath Union, referring to the Sunday closing clause in the World's Fair appropriation, said: ‘It can not be repealed. We mean to maintain it at the point of the bayonet.’ No advocate of Sunday opening has anywhere made use of such violent language nor expressed such bloodthirsty sentiment as this. It is quite evident that the Rev. Mr. George is armed not so much with the ‘sword of the spirit’ as with the spirit of the sword and bayonet. It ought not to be difficult for anyone to understand that this Sunday question, anywhere and everywhere, is not merely a question of the pleasure or convenience of any class, but a question of religious liberty and equal rights.

“Shall any element be granted special favors and recognition at the hands of the Government, which is supported by and supposed to exist equally for all? Has Congress or any Legislature the right to make and enforce religious observances or prescribe the religious duties of any person? Shall Church and State be united? These are the questions, and the people would not long remain in doubt as to how they would be settled if the Rev. Mr. George and his followers could have their way. All the religious persecution, tyranny and bigotry of the past would be repeated, with the bayonet to back it up. Let no one suppose that this is an unimportant matter. It is one to which every liberty-loving American should give earnest heed. There is danger in indifference.”