Sunday in Congress by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 23, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 17.

Sunday in Congress.

By Editor

The Morse District of Columbia Sunday Bill has been reported adversely by the commissioners of the district, and a new bill has been introduced by Congressman Wellington, of Maryland, in the House, and Senator McMillan, of Michigan, in the Senate. It has this exemption clause:—

“That it shall be a sufficient defense to a prosecution for servile labor on the first day of the week that the defendant uniformly keeps another day of the week as a day of rest, and that the labor complained of was done in such a manner as not to interrupt or disturb other persons in observing the first day of the week as a day of rest.”

It is thought that this will disarm all opposition from Sabbath observers. But (1) the exemption would not prevent any amount of annoyance and any number of arrests; and many Sunday-keepers are easily disturbed. Work done out of sight and hearing has so disturbed some that they could not rest till the person who had done the work was in the hands of the sheriff. (2) We do not oppose Sunday laws for selfish reasons. If the law is good, why grant an exemption? The simple fact is that Sunday laws are always special, unfair, unreasonable, and unjust. Witness the arrest of the parties in Arkansas where an exemption clause is in force.