A GROWING TENDENCY by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 14, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 40.

A GROWING TENDENCY.

By Editor

THE idea that the Gospel ministry is commissioned to interfere in the matter of conducting governmental affairs on Sunday seems to be growing. This conclusion is once more impressed upon us by the following Chicago despatch, dated September 21:—

“Presbyterian ministers of Chicago are indignant over the fact that the work of excavating and putting in the foundation for the new Federal building at Clark and Jackson streets is being prosecuted on Sunday. At the weekly meeting of the Presbyterian Ministers’ Association, resolutions were passed and copies forwarded to President McKinley and Secretary of the Treasury Lyman T. Gage, expressing regret that the Christian sabbath is being violated by the building of the new post-office and custom-house, and requesting that officers having the building in charge order that the law of God be obeyed and all labor on or connected with the construction of said post-office be suspended on the Christian sabbath. The ministers are confident that the Federal authorities will act favorably in the matter.”

Any minister or association of ministers ought to know that government officials have no business to “order that the law of God be obeyed.” The Lord himself has commanded that, and there is no authority above his. It is the duty of every man, whether official or employe, to obey the law of God; but no human authority,—officer, or professed Gospel minister, or any aggregation of men,—has any authority to compel men to obey that law. So far as Sabbath observance or any other religious duty is concerned, “every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Rom. 14 : 12.