Baptists and Sunday Laws by S. B. H.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 5, 1911

Baptists and Sunday Laws

By S. B. H.

The following question and answer appearing in the Western Recorder (Louisville, Ky.) of August 24, will be read with interest and approbation by liberty-loving people:—

“Should the pastor of a church present a petition for the closing of the post-office in his city on Sunday at his regular service, and have the petition circulated at the same time,—a petition to the Post-Office Department?”

“Of course not. He had a perfect right as a citizen on a week-day to circulate any petition to the United States government, but not on Sunday, when the church was assembled to worship.

“The Baptists have no more distinct tenet than the separation of church and state. They have held to that with unswerving conviction and in all circumstances since their Lord bade them, ‘Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s.’ But in these latter days some have been willing to surrender this old principle and to disobey their Lord because they have unconsciously adopted the motto attributed to the Jesuits that the end justifies the means. And this, too, in the face of the words of the Holy Spirit that the damnation of those who do evil that good may come, is just. Surrendering a true principle and disobeying the Lord is a very great evil.

“It is well known that the worst of the evils in the connection between church and state have always been when the church controlled the state. Witness the power of the Papacy over the governments of Europe. That the church can not force the government to adopt its measures is no justification nor excuse. If it had come to a question of force, the Pope could not have forced the emperor to go to Canossa. Besides, the entire separation between church and state requires that each let the other’s province severely alone.

“In spite of the foundation principle of Baptists through all the ages, some will introduce resolutions into Baptist bodies, urging Cæsar to do what they think ought to be done. They say, ‘What is the principle that one should adhere to when we think good might follow from giving it up?’ The church had no more right to advise the Post-office Department than the Post-office Department had to advise the church to dismiss its pastor, to hold its meetings at nine o’clock instead of eleven, etc. Congress has just as much right to pass a resolution telling the Southern Baptist Convention what it wishes the convention to do, as the convention has to treat Congress in that way.

“Stand by your principles no matter if they do prevent you at times from doing what you think would accomplish good. Because it is right for you to do something in a mass-meeting of citizens on a week-day gives you no right to do it as a church.” S. B. H.