Sunday and the Barbers

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 26, 1910

Sunday and the Barbers

DURING the session of the [Indiana] State assembly in 1907, a law was enacted compelling all barbers to close their shops on Sunday. To test the constitutionality of the law, one of the barbers of the city of Indianapolis shaved a customer on Sunday and was arrested. The lower court upheld the law and found the barber guilty. But on being brought before the supreme court, the law was decided to be unconstitutional, in that it was class legislation. This decision permitted the barbers to open their shops upon Sunday if they chose to do so.

About two weeks ago matters changed, so far as the city of Indianapolis is concerned. The city council passed an ordinance requiring all barbers owning or controlling shops to take out a license for barbering work. The city authorities based their action on sanitary grounds. Although the ordinance requiring the barber to be licensed says nothing about Sunday or Sunday work, yet the city authorities say they have no right to license any one to work at his trade or vocation on Sunday, therefore the barbers must all close their shops on Sunday.

After a number of meetings the barbers have decided to test the constitutionality of the ordinance. The case will soon be in the courts. In the meantime the barbers have agreed to close on Sunday until the case is decided. If the ordinance is held to be constitutional, that will close all the shops in the city on Sunday.

How shrewd the adversary is! He cares not what method he uses, so he accomplishes his purpose. In one way or another, the whole world will be compelled to worship the beast.—Elder A. L. Miller, in the Indiana Reporter of April 27.