p. 16 | ADMITS OUR CONTENTION by W. N. G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 8, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 14.

ADMITS OUR CONTENTION.

By W. N. G.

The various forces that have advocated Sunday laws have in one way or another suggested and urged “civil Sunday” laws in places where there are none, especially in California, in the District of Columbia, and in the Territories. It used to be their policy to deny that any religious observance was contemplated, or that religion was in any way involved in “civil Sunday” legislation. We have many times shown that a “civil Sunday” law was an absurd proposition, the baldest deception, and designed only as an opening wedge for an outright religious enactment. And now the Christian Statesman, organ of the National Reform Association, etc., etc., makes a clean-cut admission of our contention. Here it is:—

“The American Federation of Labor has taken the ground that ‘there is no necessity for Sunday work.’ Apart from all other considerations they demand as a civil right that they should have the Sabbath for their own use. They are right so far; but they will learn sooner or later that no civil right can be secured to any citizen on any other than a religious basis.”

Yet in the face of such broad claims as this, the National Reformers, Christian Citizenship Leaguers, et al., will deny that their multitudinous so-called reforms by means of political religion are simply the vanguard of Church and State union. W. N. G.