p. 19 | J. W. BOYNTON by J. W. Boynton

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 2, 1902

J. W. BOYNTON

By J. W. Boynton

Alberta

TUESDAY, November 4, Brother J. L. Hamren, of Wetaskiwin, was called before the justice court, and fined $2 and costs, amounting to $3.45 in all, for doing ordinary farm labor on the “Lord’s day.”

The Lord’s day ordinance of this territory does not mention Sunday, Sabbath, or first day of the week, but calls it “Lord’s day.” The police testified that he had visited Brother Hamren on Sunday, had found him at work, and had warned him of the consequences. This was admitted by Brother Hamren, who spoke for himself; but he told the court that as their law did not definitely state which day was the “Lord’s day,” he appealed to the Bible, and there found that the seventh day is the “Lord’s day.” The justice ruled otherwise, and sentenced him as above, with the alternative of two weeks in Fort Saskatchewan prison.

The justice advised us to appeal the case, which we concluded to do. It will now go before the supreme court at its next sitting in February or March. This will give us a few weeks in which to educate the people in the principles of religious liberty. This case means much to the people and to the work of God in this territory, as it is the first one of the kind, and will be used as a precedent. Elder C. W. Flaiz and the writer were present at the trial, and were permitted to ask questions of the justice, and freely to state our position. We need the prayers of God’s people that we may “know what Israel ought to do.”

There are but few in the States who can realize the veneration of the Canadian people for Sunday. This town (Ponoka) has placards posted in public places, entitled, “God’s Law, and Man’s Law,” quoting the fourth commandment in full, and then giving the “Lord’s day” ordinance of this territory, trying to support first-day observance by the Sabbath law.

But thus will it be in all parts of the world in a little while from this. May we all be ready to stand firm for God and his truth when we are put to the test.