Agitation of the Sunday Question.
By J. H. W.
Our friends frequently send us newspaper notices of efforts made by public meetings and otherwise, to put down the Sunday laws; and they sometimes express surprise that we do not appear to take a deeper interest in these movements. Now we are very much interested in them, not only as items of news, but as a means of producing an agitation which must hasten the development of certain features in our national policy to which we have looked forward for years as the fulfillment of prophecy. And, according to the statements of the prophecies, we believe that when our national policy assumes the shape indicated, we, more than any other people, shall be interested in the result. But we have not chosen to give prominence to these anti-Sunday movements, because we were not able to sympathize with the parties carrying them on, and we do not wish to be placed in a false light in these matters. It is of course well understood that we as a people teach that Sunday is not the Sabbath, and that it should not be kept instead of the Sabbath of the Lord. But we do not consider that a reason why we should sympathize with the current anti-Sunday demonstrations in our large cities. Our explanation is this. 1. Had we no regard for the Bible or Bible institutions, we should accept the civil laws of the land requiring the observance of a day of rest from common labor, as a prudent or even a necessary arrangement for the preservation of health and of social order. Whether these laws required the observance of Sunday, Monday, or any other day, we should not care a whit, as the obligation would only be of a civil or physical nature, and any one day would answer the purpose as well as another. But it is easy of demonstration that, in a physical and civil point of view, a day of rest in each week is a desideratum. Our opposition to Sunday has a conscientious basis; we oppose it because it is taught and observed as a substitute for the Sabbath. And our effort is to lead men to disregard the spurious that they may accept the genuine. And this is our only effort; for we never make any effort to lead men to disregard the Sunday laws, who do not or will not regard the “Sabbath according to the commandment.” We are opposed to the no-Sabbath practice as well as to its theory. But, at the same time, we are obliged to warn them that they are not obeying God in such observance; it is a matter of civil obligation only. Now it is a well-known fact that this anti-Sunday movement set on foot in our cities, is an open no-Sabbath movement. It is decidedly irreligious, and based upon no conscientious convictions. If carried out to the uttermost limit designed by its institutors it would not add a particle to the progress of any religious truth; but, on the contrary, would result in a state of recklessness and disorder that would strongly tend to place men beyond the reach of truth and of religious impressions. This, we think, every careful observer and thoughtful mind will admit. But this being the case, it will be readily seen that we have little or no interest in common with such anti-Sunday demonstrations. 2. Another important fact, not to be overlooked by the lover of order and of correct principle is this. There has been connected with these demonstrations a strong opposition to all laws restricting, or prohibiting the sale of intoxicating liquors. This is quite enough to show the immoral tendency of the movement, and instead of looking upon it with favor, we have been constrained to look upon it with regret. Some say it breaks the power of tradition over men’s minds, and frees them from superstitious reverence for Sunday. But we add, it carries with it a feeling of freedom from just restraint and teaches that it is right to do injury to our neighbors, for our mere gratification, and that the law has no business to offer protection to the innocent who suffer for the wrongs of the guilty. As long as this movement carries with it this anti-temperance sentiment we must look upon it as subversive, not only of order, but of the sum of the rights of the citizen—the right of protection by law. For if there is any one thing more than all others, in which the rights of suffering, helpless, innocent women and children are invaded, and trampled under foot, it is the abominable vending of intoxicating liquors. We, as people who oppose the observance of Sunday on conscientious grounds, and teach obedience to God’s law, loving order, and advocating the strictest and highest principles of temperance, have great reason to regret that movement by which our opposition to Sunday may be despised and abhorred by lovers of order and temperance, because opposition to Sunday on the part of others, carries with it such demoralizing associations. We think nothing is gained in rooting out a noxious weed, if it is only to make way for the planting of one more poisonous. But here we are constrained to say, that we look upon the Sunday-law advocates as demonstrating that they are not acting in harmony with justice and right in this matter. Why do they not organize as extensively, and labor with as much determination against the anti-temperance movement as they do against the anti-Sunday movement? When this is answered, a new and important field will be opened before them. Their Sunday laws, when fully carried out, will oppress and persecute a class of conscientious reformers. To stop the liquor traffic would not invade the rights of any, unless it be assumed that they have a right to do wrong! They may, indeed, say that they do not intend to oppress the conscientious. Nor did Eve intend to curse her posterity by her action. If you do not intend to burn your neighbor’s house, pray do not build a fire under it which you cannot stay when it rages. Human nature is not to be trusted too far; and if you would not see religious zealots and bigots, of whom there are an abundance in our land, persecuting their conscientious and God-fearing neighbors, then do not put the power in their hands. Leave us to our rights of conscience, and we will reason with our fellow-mortals on no other ground. But we do not expect to be exempt from the oppressiveness of civil enactments in this matter. The word of God leads us to look for it. We do not dare it or defy it. On the contrary, having the weakness of humanity, we dread it. But while we are in the way of duty to God, we dare not ask that we may be exempted from trials, however severe they may be. We only pray that we may have grace to bear them as becomes the servants of God and followers of his Son.
J. H. W.