L. A. S by L. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Aug 31, 1905

L. A. S

By L. A. S.

A LATE issue of the Christian Statesman contains an article by the Rev. R. C. Wylie, D. D., which sums up the argument for the necessity of Sunday legislation by saying:—

We can not maintain our free government without our Christian civilization; our civilization can not be preserved without the Christian religion; the Christian religion can not be perpetuated without the Christian church; the Christian church goes down without the Christian sabbath; the Christian sabbath needs the protection of law; the law needs a clearly expressed constitutional basis on which to rest.

Here are laid down certain premises, from which a conclusion logically follows. The Christian religion, Mr. Wylie says, depends on the Christian church; the Christian church depends on the Christian sabbath; and that in turn “needs the protection of law.” Without this “protection” the Sabbath is lost, it is argued; and when the Sabbath goes down, the church goes down; and when the church goes down, the Christian religion goes down. Conclusion: Without the Sunday law the Christian religion would go down; the Christian religion depends on the Sunday law. This is not only a perfectly fair conclusion, but the only one that can logically be drawn from Mr. Wylie’s statements.

And this shows what the trouble is with Mr. Wylie and all those who so earnestly contend for legislation to uphold the Sabbath. They have not a sufficiently high conception of Christianity. They need to learn more about the power of God unto salvation.