Politics and Sunday Laws
By W. M. ADAMS
THE following question was submitted to the two mayoralty candidates in Winnipeg, Manitoba, by the Lord’s Day Alliance: “Will you use your best efforts to enforce the Sunday legislation?” While both candidates answered in the affirmative, yet the one who was elected expressed himself thus: “I will use my best efforts to see it [Sunday legislation] carried out, and also use my influence to get more stringent laws enacted in this respect.” The Methodist Municipal League submitted a similar question to the mayoralty and aldermanic candidates. It was, “If elected, will you support the best enforcement of the laws against Sunday trading?” Written replies were received in the affirmative from all those seeking office. Thus we see that every man who was elected to office in this large and rapidly growing city has given his written pledge to work for, support, and enforce Sunday legislation. And, too, we see that the active, aggressive parties in this matter are professed Christians. The churches are clamoring for the strong arm of civil law to enforce their religious belief. “The religious persecution of the Dark Ages began by the legislating on religious questions. Overzealous religionists believed that religious legislation was necessary to protect and advance the cause of Christ. They argued, just as people nowadays, that ‘God’s will ought to be made the law of the land.’ But it was ‘God’s will’ as interpreted and enforced by the majority that put to death the early Christians, as well as the untold millions of the Dark Ages.” Now is the time to scatter broadcast religious liberty tracts and literature of all kinds. The people need to be enlightened, for many know not the meaning of these things.