Sunday Agitation in Chicago.
By Editor
An effort is now being made to revive and enforce the Sunday Law in Chicago. We are glad of it. Every effort of this kind is sure to bring the truth of the Sabbath of the Lord—the seventh day—to the notice of the people. We rejoice in every step, whatever the motive may be, which extends the knowledge of God's word in regard to his down-trodden commandment. Bro. Noydike, of Kankakee, Ill., has sent us an article published by the "Chicago Sabbath Association," in the Chicago Tribune. It is entitled, "An Argument in Favor of a Compulsory Observance of the First Day of the Week." The following paragraph on history is interesting:— "SUNDAY HISTORY.—In the year 321 Constantine established the Sabbath [established the day of the sun] by exempting it from being juridicial. In England the Sunday Law reaches back to 693, when Ina, king of the West Saxons, punished servile work on the Sabbath by fine. In the time of Queen Elizabeth persons neglecting church services without excuse, were punished. The Statute 28, Charles II., chap. 7, enacted: 'That no tradesman, artificer, workman, laborer, or other person whatsoever shall do or exercise any worldly labor, business, or work of their ordinary callings upon the Lord's day, or any part thereof (works of necessity and charity79only excepted), and that no person or persons whatsoever shall publicly cry, show forth, or expose to sale any wares, merchandise, fruit, herbs, goods, or chattels whatsoever upon the Lord's day or any part thereof.' This, somewhat modified by subsequent laws, is the present Sunday Law in England, and is the foundation of the laws on the subject in the United States. The early laws of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia, compelled attendance at church, the Massachusetts law (1782) providing that such attendance was not obligatory where there was no place of worship which the person could conscientiously attend. When the Federal Government was formed and the separation of church and State was fully organized, the earlier Sunday Laws were modified in conformity with this principle." Sunday history, as far as Sunday law is concerned, is here commenced at the right point—the decree of Constantine. The Tribune properly corrects the statement that Constantine established the Sabbath, by inserting in brackets, "established the day of the sun." It will be seen in these references to history that the enforcement of Sunday was always a usurpation over men's consciences, compelling them to observe religious tenets in which they did not believe; always an essential element in the union of church and State. Another quotation is taken from "a number of the French Institute," and again the Tribune brackets a query, thus:— "Whenever a nation fails to keep this commandment respecting the Sabbath Christianity ceases to exist. [What commandment respecting the first day of the week?] There would then be an end to domestic life, to family ties, and civilization would soon be succeeded by barbarism." Such queries and corrections as the Tribune inserts in this article cannot fail to have a telling effect on the minds of many readers. The keepers of the true Sabbath in Chicago are taking steps to publish a paper in that city to advocate the claims of the seventh day, and to expose this Sunday-law sophistry. They are not situated there as we were in California; there is an exemption clause in the Illinois Sunday Law. But they consider that the occasion is a favorable one for letting the light of the true Sabbath shine in that city, and in that State, and that they have a duty to do both in regard to the truth of God, and to their fellow-men. We pray that God may guide them, and give them wisdom and discretion for their work, and crown their efforts with success.