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THE SUNDAY ISSUE

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 10, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 15.

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THE SUNDAY ISSUE.

By T.

It is evident to every one that Sunday is coming to be more and more of a holiday. But this is not a desirable thing for a great many, and so they are seeking to get state and municipal laws to compel a better observance of the day.
After all the lessons of history that verify the warnings of the Word of God, it is strange that men will still seek to compel others to obey their religious convictions. When ministers of the Gospel fail to reach the people of their communities thru the Christian method of persuasion, it is a poor plan to turn to the civil power and seek the forceful execution of man-made law. We condemn such methods in the Dark Ages; then why should we practise them now?
When we as Christian workers, no matter what our line of work, find that we are not reaching the people, we should go to the Lord for more of His power, and not turn to the world to get human power. The world has always been in some kind of opposition to the church. Sometimes it has been less aggressive and persecuting in its warfare, but it has nevertheless been in conflict against the cause of Christ. Will we now think of turning to the world, to ask the world to compel the world to obey Christ?
But supposing we did ask the world to compel obedience to the Sunday institution, wherein would that be obeying Christ? He has not in all His Word asked us to observe that day as the Sabbath. He has commanded another day instead. Since the Lord does not compel the observance of the true Sabbath, how grossly wrong it is to compel rest on a day contrary to God's commandment! But the world having gone wrong in regard to the day that God has appointed as the Sabbath, it is easy to take the next step of compelling men to obey the false institution that men have set up.
We should not allow our prejudices to keep us from seeing the truth that is involved in this matter, for it is a vital issue at this time. Carefully study the Word of God, so that you may know that you are right. Any kind of uncertainty or guessing will not suffice.
T.