p. 22 | Religious Liberty Notes by K. C. R.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 28, 1907

Religious Liberty Notes

By K. C. R.

“THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH;” “THE CIVIL SABBATH;” “A STATE SABBATH ASSOCIATION, ITS NEEDS AND ITS WORK;” and “ENFORCEMENT OF LAW,” were the themes to be considered, last month, at North Carolina’s first State Sabbath Convention.

Agitation for more stringent Sunday laws has assumed quite an epidemic form during the last few months, appearing in many places. The ministerial union of Topeka, Kan., has been sending out circulars to ministers of all denominations throughout the State, calling upon them to stir up their influential members, that they may exert every possible influence toward the passage of an anti-Sunday baseball and theater law.

In a memorial service held Sunday, February 10, in the House of Representatives, in honor of the late Representative Rockwood Hoar, the son of the late Senator Hoar, Representative Weeks spoke of their high regard of religious freedom. Of Rockwood Hoar he says: “He would have fought with all his resources any attempt to force on others views which they did not believe, or any attempt to discriminate against his fellow men because their creed differed from his own.” Regarding his father, Geo. Frisbie Hoar, he adds: “While having strong and pronounced views regarding the future life, nothing met his vigorous opposition more quickly or more surely stirred his combative temperament than any attempt to restrict religious belief or practise.”

The Christian Advocate, of Dallas, Tex., says concerning the laxity of the State Sunday law: “It will not be long, at the present rate of progress, until Sunday will be left to the conscience of the individual.” That this might not be done, it says: “Our next legislature ought to be petitioned, from all over the State, to give to us a reasonable Sunday law with adequate penalty sufficient to make the law respected by those who make it their business to ignore it. As it is, we are powerless.” If there was a “Thus saith the Lord” for Sunday observance, its advocates would not seek to stifle the conscience by the operation of human law, neither would they be devoid of power. The proclamation of the Bible Sabbath does not override the conscience, and a power attends it beyond that which is human, and which will continue in force when human governments cease to be. Isa. 66: 22, 23. K. C. R.