National Reform Literature and Significant Acknowledgments
By C. S. LONGACRE
In a new book just published, entitled “Sabbath Laws in the United States,” by R. C. Wylie, D. D., every Sunday law in every State of the Union is quoted, and is traced back to the colonies, from the colonies to the Act of Charles II of England, and from England the Sunday laws are traced through the divisions of the Roman empire, and from these divisions to the edict of Constantine issued in the year 321 A. D., which the “Reformers” acknowledge as “the first Sunday law.” Besides this positive proof on their part that Sunday laws originated in the papacy and paganism in the fourth century on this side of Christ, they set forth some interesting facts concerning the exemption clauses in these statutes, which are designed to protect seventh-day observers, and which reveal the dragon voice toward those who refuse to worship the beast and receive his mark. From the first page of this book I quote the introduction to the Sunday law of Charles II as follows: “At the time of the outbreak of the Revolutionary War the law known as the Twenty-ninth, Charles II, Chapter VII, enacted in 1676, was the Sabbath law in force in all the American colonies. In legal circles it is regarded as the immediate historical antecedent of all our present Sabbath legislation.” The author then quotes the Sunday law of Charles II of England, and states: “This, with a few supplementary sections, is still the Sabbath law of England,” and “in a few of our States, Sabbath laws are still modeled after the Act of Charles II.” “Legislation for the protection of the first day of the week as a day of rest may be traced back, through the history of the various nations into which the Roman empire was divided, to the edict of Constantine, issued in the year 321 A. D., which is often called the first ‘Sunday law.’ One very important point of difference is to be noted, however, between English and American legislation and legislation in Continental Europe. In the latter there is but seldom any reference to a divine warrant for Sabbath laws, while Sabbath laws in England, especially from the Reformation period, and in America from the planting of the first colonies, have been based upon the law of God. From this it follows that in our country no other day than the first day of the week is regarded as possessing a sacred character. We have a few holidays, but no other holy day than the Lord’s day. It follows likewise that the day thus recognized among us as holy and protected by law from desecration is a vastly different thing from a continental Sunday.” What an acknowledgment this is on the part of the “Reformers” that they are upholding an institution that was born in paganism and cradled in the papacy. What an admission that the ancient Sunday laws after which our present Sunday “laws are still modeled,” lacked because they were not “based on the law of God” and made no “reference to a divine warrant.” Why be surprised at this difference when the original Sunday law was drafted by a pagan ruler for pagan subjects only to do homage to “the venerable day of the sun,” dedicated to the sun-god? They knew that there was no divine warrant for such legislation, and no amount of modern legislation will ever change a wolf into a sheep. The best they can do is to clothe the wolf in sheep’s clothing, but he is still a wolf. The author in referring to the exemption clause of Maine and other States, which exempt from the law those who keep the seventh day, shows forth the true spirit of religious intolerance that is back of the National Reform Association. The Maine exemption clause reads thus: “No person conscientiously believing that the seventh day of the week ought to be observed as the Sabbath, and actually refraining from secular business and labor on that day, is liable to said penalties for doing such business on the first day of the week, if he does not disturb other persons.”—Section 28. Now note the comment by the author: “The law of this State is deserving of high praise. The exception, however, in favor of those who observe Saturday goes too far in allowing them to do business as well as to labor on the Lord’s day” (Sunday). Concerning the Sunday laws of Michigan and their exemption, he says: “With the exception of the liberty allowed to Saturday-keepers both to labor and to transact business on the Sabbath [Sunday], this law is of superior excellence.” Concerning the exemption granted by Connecticut, he says: “The law of this State is defective in permitting those who observe the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath to engage in both business and labor on the Lord’s day [Sunday]. In other respects it is an excellent statute.” Similar remarks are made concerning each exemption clause. We do not quote this to give an idea that we are in favor of exemption clauses any more than of the Sunday laws, but to show the real spirit that actuates the so-called “Reformers.” This is shown still more clearly in the following remark: “In 1886 the Supreme Court of Arkansas, in Seales versus State, upheld the constitutionality of the law whether or not it excepts from its operation, either wholly or in part, those who keep another day. The court said: ‘The law which imposes the penalty operates upon all alike.’” Note the “Reformers’” approval of such a course: “There are few States whose Sabbath laws deserve more praise and less criticism than that of Arkansas.”21 This work contains, besides the Sunday laws of the States, colonies, and the nations of the Roman empire, more than three hundred judicial decisions in favor of or against Sunday laws. It “has been prepared under the direction of the National Reform Association,” and a large edition is to be issued by the association, and “sent to all editors for review, placed in all libraries, and put in the hands of State legislatures when measures affecting the Sabbath [Sunday] are pending before them.” It was also resolved to put the work “in the hands of the bench, the bar, and the ministry.” The organ of the Reformers calls the book “the most important work ever undertaken in the cause of the Sabbath by this association.” From this we can clearly see that the thirteenth chapter of Revelation will soon have a complete fulfilment to the letter, and God’s commandment-keeping people will be put under the ban of merciless measures. May none imagine that the enemy is asleep. While we are sleeping, he sows the tares and sets his snares. May we awake to issues we shall be compelled to face in the near future.