p. 372 | Very Good by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Aug 17, 1882

Very Good.

By Editor

THE Sacramento County Republican Convention was held on the 9th inst., Hon. T. B. McFarland presiding. Its Sunday-Law "plank" contains the following words:—

"We are in favor of the retention of the present Sunday laws of the State, but with such amendment as will more fully equalize the rights and privileges of our citizens thereunder, and secure to all a day of rest from labor and of recreation to the body, whereby the moral, mental, and physical condition of all classes and conditions of our people shall be benefited."

That is exactly what we ask: equal rights and privileges with other religious bodies. If the State Convention will take the same position it will do itself credit and do justice to its neighbors. Whether the "church vote" will be satisfied with "equal rights," remains to be seen. In all history we learn that when the church assumed control in civil or political matters it proved self-asserting and arrogant. We fear, from the tone of religious papers and religious conventions, that human nature has not improved, and that even professed Christians must not be trusted too far when they try to grasp the reins of government.

Since the above was written, the following has appeared in the Oakland Daily Times. It is ominous of the exacting position which the churches will assume, as it reflects the spirit of the "talk in this vicinity." The conflict is coming; in this we are not disappointed. We are thankful that "the foundation of the Lord standeth sure,"—that "the Lord knoweth them who are his." While "equal rights and privileges" will not satisfy the churches, they plant themselves more squarely against the Sabbath of the Lord, as well as against the republicanism of our government. This proves what we have before said: the Protestant churches will never be satisfied until the form of our government is radically changed to suit them. And politicians are already showing themselves willing to sacrifice the first principles of our institutions to secure votes, where those become necessary to their success. But God has spoken in his prophetic word. In this word we trust. We are not dismayed at the threatenings of those who are proud of their power by reason of their numbers. "God and Heaven are the majority." And God has spoken good concerning those who keep his commandments.

Here are the words of the Times:—

"It was given out that the friends of the Sunday Law had control of the recent Republican Convention at Sacramento, but if they had, they have not shown it in the platform which they have adopted. This platform favors the present Sunday Law with 'modifications,' but how they want it modified they do not say. We hope that the State Convention will not insert any humbug platitudes in its platform, or any resolution which can be made to mean anything, everything, or nothing. It may be the part of wisdom to keep the subject out of the platform altogether, remanding it for the separate consideration of each county, in selecting members of the legislature. The friends of the Sunday Law would feel insulted if there should be an ambiguous resolution on the subject; as people talk in this vicinity, anything like the Sacramento resolution would be as offensive to the Sunday Law advocates as the Democratic platform is. Politicians are very shy of this matter, but if they grapple with it at all, they must do so without any equivocation."