ENFORCING SUNDAY LAWS by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 18, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 46.

ENFORCING SUNDAY LAWS.

By Editor

THERE has been considerable activity in small matters touching the enforcement of Sunday laws during the past summer, but one looks in vain for any discussion or any efforts at enforcement from the higher point of view. In Philadelphia, and elsewhere, the saloon influence has been a prominent source of this activity. This influence seeks to enforce the laws against other forms of business than liquor-selling, as a safeguard in favor of the open saloon. For twenty-five years or more this course on the part of the saloon forces has been successful in a great degree. Such a policy will continue so long as the present form of Sunday law is continued. This type of law is self-defeating, and evil influences are quick and persistent in making the most possible out of the illogical and inconsistent feature of Sunday laws which place the liquor-selling on a practical and legal equality with legitimate and desirable forms of business. The experience of each year increases the demand for a definite separation of the liquor question from all other kinds of business on Sunday.

The second factor in the effort to execute the Sunday laws is business rivalry in many cases. This is the most vigorous and successful factor. This element of agitation and enforcement increases as the tyranny of labor unions and labor agitators increases. The year has been strongly marked by the monopoly and tyranny of labor movements, and Sunday laws have been pressed into service whenever possible. In these cases, as in the saloon influence, there is no high nor genuine thought of reform. On the contrary, all efforts to enforce Sunday laws through such agencies increase holidayism and the general growth of evil results. Religious leaders who seek the upbuilding of Sunday on religious grounds exhibit great blindness in trying to foster better things through such agencies. They are slow to learn that actual and genuine Sabbath Reform must be based on high and permanent religious considerations. Religious leaders give constant evidence of their want of faith in the religious basis of Sunday observance by seeking affiliation with labor unions and the saloons in securing spasmodic and illogical enforcement of Sunday laws, and calling such movements Sabbath Reform. They would not do this if they were not conscious that Sunday has no right to claim religious authority from the Bible or the example of Christ, Lord of the Sabbath. However much they may seek to cover their weakness by words, every year proves the hollowness of their theories concerning Sunday-observance. When men clutch at floating straws of civil law enforcement, from low motives, and fail to appeal to God's law and Christ's example, their cause is weak indeed. That barbers or grocers or saloon men, in a given instance, have closed the business places of their rivals or enemies for a few Sundays, is not worthy of record as an item of genuine Sabbath Reform. Every year adds proof to the fact that a new and higher plane of thought and action must be gained by religious leaders before any progress will be made in actual and permanent Sabbath Reform. The question must be lifted from the low ground of competition in business, to the Biblical and religious basis on which Christ placed the Sabbath and its observance. If there is no such basis for Sunday, as we believe there is not, Sunday must cease its claims to divine authority and yield to the true Sabbath of God and of His Son, Christ. As things now are the saloon power and the holiday Sunday get the lion's share—of what is falsely called “Sabbath Reform”—through Sunday laws.—Sabbath Recorder.