Sunday Laws and Politics by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 9, 1906

Sunday Laws and Politics

By Editor

The Sunday question is commanding more and more attention, and is certain to be a leading issue in the near future. As an illustration of this fact we note that a special committee of the Massachusetts Legislature has been appointed for the purpose of making an investigation and reporting to the next legislature a revision of the Sunday laws, with such amendments and additions as the committee may deem advisable. In an editorial upon this subject The Congregationalist makes the following significant comment upon the situation thus created:—

The issue will enter into the autumn campaign and into the election of every senator and representative, and religious organizations can make themselves felt directly by demanding, before the nominations are made, that only such candidates be placed before the people as will support a rational Sunday law which will result in the correction of present gross evils.

This is the church in politics in dead earnest. Religious organizations as such are advised to demand a pledge of every candidate for the legislature that he will vote for what is designated as “a rational Sunday law,” although such an expression is a contradiction of terms, inasmuch as any Sunday law is an irrational thing. A Sunday law is religious legislation, and no religious legislation is “rational.” The suggestion made by The Congregationalist will doubtless be adopted in due time, and the Sunday sabbath will become a principal plank in political platforms. The churches will then become religio-political organizations whose influence will be sought and exerted in behalf of some political party and against the others. What a departure is this from the mission of the church as established by the Author of Christianity! “Babylon the great is fallen.”