Keep State and Church Separate
THERE was printed in The State, published at Columbia, S. C., in the issue for Nov. 22, 1905, a letter, occupying about a column of space, written by Elder E. W. Webster, which presented in a clear and convincing manner the truth concerning Sunday laws. This letter was called out by a sermon on the Sabbath question which had previously been reported in the same paper. The closing paragraph of the letter runs as follows:— Keep the state and the church forever separate. Demand of every man and woman that they behave themselves civilly. Allow each one to profess and follow whatever religion he wishes, or none at all if he chooses (so far as the civil law is concerned). Leave the enforcement of religion upon the heart and lives of the people to the churches and ministers and the power of the Holy Spirit, who is the only one who can properly attend to this. Let all render to Cæsar (the state) the things that are once Cæsar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. Let us who are Christians work with the hearts and lives of men to get them reformed; then we shall not need to call upon the state to reform them in religious matters—a thing that the state can not do. “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” The state can not enforce faith. Proper Sabbath-keeping is of faith only. The principles advocated in this letter ought to be printed in every paper in this country in order to educate the people upon the issue involved. There is a growing demand for new Sunday laws, and for the more rigid enforcement of old ones.