p. 8 (184) | THE RIGHT TO REST by G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 25, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 12.

THE RIGHT TO REST.

By G.

The National Reformers make much of the claim that the right to rest needs the protection of law. That is correct because in this sinful, selfish world every God-given right needs the protection of law. That is why we have civil government. But it must not be forgotten that the right to work is as dear and as important as the right to rest. In many respects rights are best protected by letting them alone. Too much law is often worse than no law at all. A law that frustrates the exercise of one right can not be a real protection of another right. Protection of law does not mean the regulating of every right and privilege and function by special statute. Such a course is liable to prove oppressive rather than protective.

The right to rest does not involve a law compelling one to rest whether he so desire or not, or whether he so need or not. It does not call for a law compelling one to rest at a certain time, or compelling all the people to rest simultaneously. Such laws are in direct violation of the right to rest. So with the right to work; it does not call for the “protection” of a law dictating when men shall work and when they shall not work. The right to rest or to work implies volition, not compulsion. The compulsory idea in respect to either tends to slavery and not to freedom; it is domination, and not protection.

The National Reform idea of a right to rest is that every one shall be compelled to rest one day in seven, regardless of age, or condition, or occupation, or inclination, or personal need. And, moreover, that the one day of rest must be on Sunday. No matter how many days one may have been obliged to rest during the week from various unavoidable causes, he must have an enforced rest on Sunday in order to enjoy his right to rest! His right to work, or his need of work, is not taken into consideration when enforced Sunday rest is being urged. The National Reform idea is that people who do not rest on Sunday do not know what is good for them; that they are incapable of judging for themselves how much rest they need, or when they need to take their rest; and therefore the National Reform combination must needs suggest laws to the government for their protection. The most tyrannical measures ever injected into human government have been on the plea that the masses did not know what was good for them, and would have to be dominated by their moral and intellectual superiors.

It often occurs that men assume quite inconsistent positions when they endeavor to hide their real purpose. The object of the National Reform Association, and its many auxiliaries, is to gain a religious domination in the governments of the nation and of the States; and the securing of enforced Sunday observance is part of the scheme. Hence the subtile pleas of civil right to rest, physical necessity of rest, etc., all focused on enforced Sunday observance. There is never a suggestion of the right to rest, or the need of rest, or the importance of uniform rest at other time than on Sunday. It is well to beware of these beneficent (?) moves that have a purpose beyond what is expressed.