p. 21 | A Pennsylvania “Union Service” by W. A. C.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 1, 1907

A Pennsylvania “Union Service”

By W. A. C.

Sunday evening, July 14, a union service in the interests of “Sunday observance,” was held in the West Street Theater, at Coudersport, Pa., which was arranged and conducted by the Revs. Stewart, Stetler, Toensmeier, and Snodgrass, of the Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches respectively, each speaking for ten minutes, the first on “The Biblical Foundation of the Sabbath,” the second on “The Physical Basis of the Sabbath,” the third on “The Spiritual Significance of the Sabbath,” and the last on “Sabbath and Law Observance.”

One peculiarity of the meeting, as reported by the Potter Enterprise, was that “the character and object of the service were kept a secret until the very hour fixed for its commencement;” but the same report adds that “the services had not proceeded far until their object was apparent to every one present.”

The subjects discussed were all good except the last,—the one relating to the enforcement of a religious institution by civil law,—but, sad to relate, this seemed to be the real purpose of the meeting, as the only action taken by the meeting was the presentation, by the last speaker, and passing of the following resolutions:—

“Whereas, Several stores in Coudersport are habitually open and selling goods on Sunday in direct violation of the Sunday laws of the State of Pennsylvania, and thus lowering the moral tone of our community, and furnishing needless temptation to children and others, therefore,—

“Resolved, 1. That we, the citizens of Coudersport, respectfully and kindly request the proprietors of these places to keep them closed on the Lord’s day, as the laws of our commonwealth require.

“Resolved, 2. That we call the attention of our police authorities to this habitual violation of the law, and urge them to take such action as the duties of their office require.

“Resolved, 3. That we request the editors of our local papers to print these resolutions.

“[Signed] E. D. TOENSMEIER, “I. H. STETLER, “H. S. STEWART, “E. M. SNODGRASS.”

This is but another straw showing the rising of that spirit in this country which is to culminate in the passing of the decree, foretold by the seer of Patmos, that “all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond,” should receive this mark of apostasy and papal authority, and that “no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Rev. 13: 16, 17.

That the object of this meeting, like that of the Sunday-enforcement movement everywhere, was to increase church attendance, was apparent from a remark made by one of the speakers, who said, “It is my candid opinion that the parent ought to be found every Sunday in the church pew accompanied by the whole family.” With this in view, they resolve to ask the “police authorities,” to enforce the State Sunday law. To these pastors and to all who voted for their resolutions, we commend the following earnest, thoughtful words of Mr. C. H. Spurgeon, the noted English Baptist divine:—

“I am ashamed of some Christians because they have so much dependence on Parliament and the law of the land. Much good may Parliament ever do to true religion, except by mistake! As to getting the law of the land to touch our religion, we earnestly cry, ‘Hands off! leave us alone!’ Your Sunday bills and all other forms of act-of-parliament religion seem to me to be all wrong. Give us a fair field and no favor, and our faith has no cause to fear. Christ wants no help from Cæsar. I should be afraid to borrow help from government; it would look to me as if I rested on an arm of flesh, instead of depending on the living God. Let the Lord’s day be respected by all means, and may the day soon come when every shop shall be closed on the Sabbath, but let it be by the force of conviction, and not by the force of the policeman; let true religion triumph by the power of God in men’s hearts, and not by the power of fines and punishments.”

W. A. C.