Untitled article by K. C. RUSSELL.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · New York · January 17, 1895

Notes from a Sunday Law Convention.

By K. C. RUSSELL.

A REPRESENTATIVE of the American Sabbath Association, Rev. Francis A. Dony, who has been laboring for some time in the interests of that association in eighteen counties of northeastern Pennsylvania, called a convention to convene in Wilkes Barre, Tuesday, the 18th inst., at 2 P. M., for the purpose of organizing a Sabbath Union. The convention opened with about twenty-five present, and finally increased to forty, including women. The speakers repeatedly assured those present that the number in attendance was not an index of the interest there was on Sunday legislation in that part of the State.

After the usual formal opening of such a meeting, Dr. Mott, the president of the American Sabbath Association, addressed the convention concerning the object and advisability of having a union in that part of the State. He found it not wise to enforce the most stringent laws, and that it was difficult to secure new laws; but best to labor to have the present existing laws enforced. He spoke of the great victory achieved by the American Sabbath Association in closing the World's Fair on Sunday as an evidence of what could be done by such a union. He said his State (New Jersey) being small, they could bring an irresistible pressure upon it.

A leading Baptist minister of Pittston, Pa., said that he did not know how a Baptist could pull in a Methodist collar, but thought he could in the matter of enforcing Sunday laws.

The time has been when that kind of a collar could not be worn by Baptists. Roger Williams could not pull in this compulsory-religious-observance collar, and preferred banishment instead; and other noble Baptists, rather than wear such a collar, preferred the public whipping post. It is true it was not for refusing to submit to Sunday laws, but because they would not adhere to laws against their conscientious conviction on baptism. The principle is the same.

This modern Baptist continued by illustrating how we, as citizens, should labor to have all laws of the State enforced, by telling his experience when he was a soldier in the civil war. He said after he had questioned some of the army rules and regulations, he was informed that it was none of his business; that he was but a machine to do and carry out what he was told without questioning. And just the same way, he said, should we see that the existing Sunday laws are enforced.

Had this policy of blind submission to all human law been followed, the three Hebrews would have bowed before the image; Daniel would have directed his petitions to the king; and Christ would have abandoned the salvation of man and obeyed the laws of the Jews; the apostles would have preached no more, but obeyed the command “not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus;” neither would fifty million saints during the Dark Ages have sacrificed their lives for the gospel.

The Apostle Peter exclaimed when called upon to obey a law that invaded the right of discharging his duty to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29.

After such arguments as we have commented upon, the convention proceeded to organize a union in that part of the State. They claim to already have an annual financial backing of $1,500. They propose to form law and order leagues in every city and town for the enforcement of the Sunday laws. K. C. RUSSELL.