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THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 29, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 17.

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THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER.

By G.

Dr. Rankin, of Denver, Colo., gives as a reason why the Sunday newspaper should be suppressed, that,—
“It is a violation of the Fourth Commandment. This commandment is a part of creation, and is engrafted on man's nature. It is as binding as any other. The Sunday paper violates it.”
The Sabbath of the Fourth Commandment is the seventh day; that is the Sabbath that was and is “a part of creation,” and “engrafted on man's nature” before he became a sinner. But when the man sinned by transgressing the law of God (1 John 3:4) the grafting was destroyed. The man became carnal (1 Cor. 3:1-3), and “the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Rom. 8:7. Therefore when the man is truly converted to God, he is no longer carnal, but spiritual. He is at peace with God, and is thus again brought into harmony with His law. Consequently the Sabbath is again engrafted on his nature, he being partaker of the divine nature. Redemption is designed to bring man back to where he stood before the fall.
Therefore, if the Sunday newspaper be a morning paper, “it is a violation of the Fourth Commandment,” because a part of the work done on it was performed on the Sabbath of the Fourth Commandment, which is the day before Sunday. But a Sunday evening paper, the work being done during that day, is in no sense in violation of the commandment. In neither case, however, has the civil government any right to interfere with the publication, even if it be in violation of the Sabbath commandment; for the civil government has no right to attempt the enforcement of the law of God. The law of God is spiritual, and no man can administer, or execute, a spiritual law. The best he can do, and that only by the help of the Spirit through faith, is to obey it himself. Every one who would see the law of God in force in the earth should make a note of this fact, and remember that Sabbath observance, such as is acceptable to God, can only come through faith in Christ. Heb. 11:6. No human power can enforce faith. G.