A DANGER SIGNAL; WHAT WILL THE END BE?
By H. F. Phelps
Demands for religious legislation have been very urgent for some years. When these were seen to be futile, there followed threats of political boycott. But now demands are being made as to the religious standing of officials and political aspirants. Governor McKinley, altho he is acknowledged as being “a staunch Methodist and an active worker in the Methodist Church,” is denounced as “a shouting Methodist on Sunday and a political wire-pulling demagog the rest of the week,” because he gave a position of trust to a Roman Catholic, which these religio-political politicians thought should have been given to a Protestant. And these are also demanding that Mr. Reed shall publicly avow his religious proclivities, and so offer himself to the highest bidder; as tho religion were a thing for barter, a thing of the head and not of the heart. But the latest in this line is that which occurred in this city, St. Paul, Minn., a short time since, according to a morning paper. A meeting was held in the interests of better Sunday observance, led by Mrs. W. W. Nicholas, state president of the W. C. T. U. Representatives were present from several denominations, the Street Mission, Christian Endeavor Mission School, the Epworth League, the Total Abstinence Society, the W. C. T. U. Unions,9with several ministers, some of whom advocated “a strictly Puritan sabbath.” The first full week in April is set apart in the interests of this line of work, and Mrs. Nicholas had consulted with Archbishop Ireland, who said that he did not consider there could be a more fitting subject chosen for Easter Sunday than that of the Lord’s day. This, certainly, is a very reasonable conclusion, since Easter and Sunday are both institutions of the Catholic Church. It seems that Senator Nelson, from this state, has been receiving protests from some of his constituents against the passage of certain bills now pending in Congress, involving religious legislation. And Mr. Nelson, as the servant and representative of his constituency, has presented these protests in Congress; against which act these representatives of latter-day reformers take exceptions. The report says:— “A protest was made by all present against the action of Senator Nelson, March 2, when he presented petitions at Washington, of citizens of Minnesota against Sunday observance legislation. It was decided to appoint a committee to write to Senator Nelson, asking him to state more clearly his views, the union giving him the benefit of the doubt.” It is one of the rights of the American citizen to petition or protest for or against any measure presented in our legislative halls; and it is the duty, and often the pleasure, of these representatives to receive and present such. But these religious zealots would protest against this right of protest. Then why are they exercising this right in protesting? But it may be wondered if there would have arisen any protest from this same source if the protests presented by Mr. Nelson had been petitions from their side. But do not these people know, can they not see, that all these demands that the public officials and political aspirants shall define themselves upon religious matters, is a violation to the National Constitution, which says, “No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or position of trust under the United States”? Do they not know that they are requiring a religious test? This is evident; for if they are found upon the side of these would-be reformers, they will give their votes; but if otherwise, it is a political boycott that will follow. And do not these people know that such a course is only opening the way for even the most contemptible, time-serving politician to declare himself religiously, and enter the churches? And are they ready and willing to extend the right hand of fellowship to such as these? And will not such a course continued, persistent to the end, fulfill the word concerning mystic Babylon, that she “has become the cage of every unclean and hateful bird”? Then is not the cry now in place, “Come out of her, my people”? It is encouraging to know that all of our representatives are not time-serving politicians, but that some have the martyr spirit, and would rather die than yield the principles of religious liberty under such class legislation as is constantly being urged forward. H. F. PHELPS.