Note and Comment

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 9, 1908

A Striking Likeness

The work going on in this country at the present time, designed to enforce a religious practise by law, partakes of the same nature as the inquisitorial work of the Dark Ages and possesses the same characteristics. We have mentioned many of these characteristics in the past; we will mention two more.

In an article in the Northwestern Christian Advocate, of Dec. 11, 1907, Dr. W. F. Crafts, in speaking of the new Idaho Sunday-law, says:—

“The Pacific Coast secretary of the International Reform Bureau combined in this bill the best elements of forty other State Sunday laws. It is especially a model to be studied and copied in that it provides that any executive officer found guilty of neglecting to enforce it is ineligible for any public office for two years. Every politician will see genius in that penalty, and will not be surprised to hear the law is well enforced.”

Note the striking likeness between the penalty laid upon civil officers for failing to enforce the above law and the penalty laid upon civil officers in the days of the inquisition for failure to enforce the judgments of the inquisitors. The following rule was adopted: “Any civil officer who refused to co-operate in the work [of the inquisition] was himself excommunicated, and all who would hold intercourse with him. Next, the city of his residence was laid under interdict. If more stress was needed, the officials were deposed.” Is it too much to say that the same spirit inspired both these provisions?

Again: During that long reign of terror “a system was devised by which men with traveling orders, were to spy out and correct all forms of heresy.” In the year 1229, in the Synod of Toulouse, “it was agreed that each bishop should appoint one priest and from one to three or more laymen to inquire after heresy, under oath and with the greatest secrecy.” At the present time a very similar arrangement is being carried out in Indiana County, Pa. In that county one is employed to go from place to place to appear as prosecuting witness against any whom he finds doing work on Sunday or conducting themselves in a manner out of harmony with his idea of how Sunday ought to be observed. To make the likeness more complete “secretaries” are appointed in every town to report upon all cases of Sunday work. In the days of the inquisition these “secretaries” were Jesuits disguised as mechanics, tradesmen, laborers, and even beggars, and they mingled with people in every walk of life to hunt out heretics and report them for trial to the officers of the inquisition. The plans laid for the enforcement of the Sunday sabbath

betray at once its lineal descent, and show as plainly as anything can be shown that the inspiring spirit is identical in the two cases. If the work of the inquisitors and their hired spies was unchristian—antichrist—so is the work now going on in this country to enforce the observance of Sunday upon the people.