Gaining Ground by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Aug 9, 1883

Gaining Ground.

By Editor

THE Christian Statesman sees indications that the relation of the railroad system of the United States to the Sunday law is soon to receive more serious consideration at the hands of railroad men and the Christian public than ever before. Following the order of the President of the Louisville and Chicago Railroad Company, prohibiting the running of trains on Sunday, the Chicago Railway Age published a letter from H. B. Ledyard, President of the Michigan Central Railroad Company. He says: "If each of the trunk lines were absolutely to refuse to exchange traffic of any kind with their connections from 6 P. M., Saturday, until Monday morning it would be a simple matter to so arrange the movement of traffic as to practically do away with the running of Sunday trains." He also says that on account of the grouping of the railway companies into associations, for the exchange of traffic, etc., it would be much less difficult to bring about a cessation of Sunday labor now than a few years since. He thinks that the loss in traffic from Sunday stoppage would not be appreciable. He further says: "I believe if this matter is presented to all our managers in its true light, either from a moral or an economical standpoint, a few moments' reflection will show to each of them that we are all committing a fearful mistake in allowing the continuance and rapid growth of this Sunday work."

While confidently believing that there would erelong be a general movement in favor of Sunday observance, we have thought that the railroads would present the greatest hindrance to such a movement, but from this we see that the way is already preparing. But the Statesman is not satisfied with even voluntary observance of the Sunday. It well knows that a voluntary compliance with a custom for which there is no semblance of authority, may not be of long continuance, and it puts in a plea for Sunday legislation and a national religion as follows:—

"The present state of this weighty matter illustrates vividly the necessity of laws enforcing the observance of the Sabbath. It is generally recognized by thoughtful men that mere voluntary agreement among individuals would never, in the absence of restraining laws, secure the general cessation of business on any single day. Law must interpose her hand to restrain individual avarice, willfulness and folly, for the sake of the public good. For the same reason we doubt the success of the effort to arrest railroad labor on the Sabbath by voluntary agreement among companies or officials. If even a minority refuse to enter into such an arrangement, competition will still drive all, however unwilling some may be, to continue the traffic. Even if made, such an agreement would be liable to be broken at any time by the action of any one of the parties to it. Nothing but the calm majestic voice of law, not worn-out statutes habitually violated with impunity as our Sabbath laws are violated to-day, but serious legislation with the sanction of sufficient penalties, can ever remedy this great evil. Such legislation will come with the reformation of the government on religious principles; till that has been secured it will not come. Let agitation proceed in every possible way."

And agitation will proceed. Light on the Sabbath of the Lord is spreading in every quarter, honest souls are accepting it and helping to send its rays still further, and when the test comes there will be a little company who will say in the spirit of meekness, "We ought to obey God rather than men."