Government Employees and Sabbath Observance
As the number of Sabbath-keepers in Washington increases, the Sabbath question is more frequently brought to the attention of the public. The following article appeared in the Post of April 7:—. Shall the government compel its employees who are of the Seventh-day Adventist faith to work on Saturday? This was the question Secretary Bonaparte was called upon to decide yesterday in the case of a charwoman who observes Saturday as the day of rest, and asked to be excused from work. Secretary Bonaparte directed that a reply be sent stating that the government can not take religious belief into account in arranging its week's work, and is unable to excuse any employee from working on a day when the services of the employee are required. Of course the government can not “compel its employees who are of the Seventh-day Adventist faith to work on Saturday.” Such persons may be compelled to relinquish their positions rather than to violate their consciences, and may thus suffer loss, but they can not be compelled to work. Neither is any one compelled to work on Sunday, and any demand for legislation to forbid Sunday work in order to prevent employees from being compelled to work on that day is simply an effort to get the government to prevent any strain on the consciences of Sunday-keepers who really have more regard for their positions than for Sunday. How much is the cause of genuine Christianity advanced by such a course as this?