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Mistaken, Very Much

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Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 9, 1882

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 8, No. 10.

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Mistaken, Very Much.

THE Alameda Encinal, in a notice of our tract on the "Sunday Law," says:—
"In his introduction the editor of the tract says that the agitation of the Sunday Law question will eventually result in a religious amendment to the Constitution of the United States, declaring the seventh day the universal day of rest. Perhaps so; but that does not seem likely to occur during this day and generation."
We should be surprised to find this in any paper, and more so to find it in the Encinal, the editor of which is one of California's best. How he has fallen into this mistake we cannot imagine. We have never once thought of any law, national or State, for the enforcement of the seventh day. Those who keep the seventh day have never once thought of asking for such a law.
But it is well known that there is a popular movement, of commanding influence, to procure such an Amendment to the Constitution of the United States as shall enable its friends to enforce Sunday as the "Christian Sabbath." To this and to this only our tract refers. The civil law of California, or that of any other State, will never accomplish the design of the advocates of the "day of the sun." There are too many exceptions in it, and too many impossibilities connected with it. The great corporations are too extensive and too powerful to be controlled by the State. A general law, based on the Constitution of the United States, is their only hope. This was foreseen and acknowledged almost a score of years ago when the "Amendment Party" or Association was formed. This is a National Association, and is growing in influence in the Eastern States. When the people of California become convinced of the inefficiency of their law, or it is nullified or repealed, they will unite with that Association for an amendment to the National Constitution. We expect that this will give an impetus to that movement and hasten the union of church and State in America.
Will the Encinal please state our position on the question?