THE BOYCOTT AS A RELIGIOUS WEAPON.
By W. N. G.
A PRESS report says that at a recent meeting of “prominent divines” in New York City, a committee was appointed to consider the question, “Must the Sunday Paper Go?” The woman’s auxiliary of the National Sabbath Union has adopted the following resolution:— “Resolved, That no member, in the future, shall purchase or read a Sunday newspaper; and that no goods shall be purchased of any firm advertising in the Sunday newspapers.” It is expected that the boycott will be taken up by “the Endeavor Societies, the Epworth League, the Baptist Young People’s Union, the King’s Daughters, and numerous other church bodies.” Of course every individual has a right to subscribe or not to subscribe for any newspaper, and to patronize whatever business man or firm he may choose; but a conspiracy to injure men engaged in legitimate business is a crime in most States, and ought to be in all. As a religious weapon, the boycott is Roman Catholic in its origin and spirit. The Individual, a paper published in Pueblo, Colo., referring to another subject, incidentally notes the following historic facts, which are applicable here:— “Pope Alexander III. commanded that no man should entertain or cherish heretics in his house or land, or traffic with them.” The Synod of Tours, under the same pope, passed the law that no man should presume to receive or assist heretics, not so much as exercise commerce with them in selling or buying. Also the Council of Constance, as expressed in Pope Martin V.’s Bull, shall not allow the heretics to have houses in their districts or enter into any contracts, or carry on commerce, or enjoy the comforts of humanity with Christians. These decrees were in a day when Rome could enforce their edicts by arms. The spirit still continues and is now enforced by mobs or socially. Priests hint to certain merchants that a paper is not acceptable to the church, and forthwith their advertisements are withdrawn.” The religious boycott is a matter of prophecy. The apostle John, looking down through prophetic vision to the end of time, saw in the last days a power which appeared at first with “two horns like a lamb,” but eventually it “spake as a dragon.” These two horns are fitting symbols of the Republican-Protestant principles of the equality of man and the separation of Church and State, upon which our government was originally based. Of this power, or lamb-like beast, the apostle says:— “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast [the Papacy], which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Rev. 13: 13–17. This prophecy is now in process of fulfilment in this country. The principles are being urged that will shortly lead to general religious enactments by the government enforcing Sunday observance and kindred measures, with the sweeping boycott penalties above indicated. The reader’s attention is now called to the warning message of the “third angel,” in chapter 14:9–12:— “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” W. N. G.