To the Public | AdventAI

S. D. A. Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 7, 1882

FromThe Signs of the Times, Vol. 8, No. 34; Special Edition, No. 1

To the Public.

You may wonder that we, a body of earnest Christians, who take no especial part in politics, take such an interest in the present campaign, and in the election. Have you wondered that an institution called “the Christian Sabbath,” has been taken up and made the political issue in this campaign? All who are acquainted with us know that we conscientiously and strictly observe the seventh day as the Sabbath. We find no commandment in the Bible for the observance of Sunday, and we do find a plain commandment to keep holy the seventh day. As Bible Christians we do not hesitate what to do. We must keep the seventh day.

No body of people in this State have greater interest in the present campaign than we. Shall we be permitted to obey the decalogue, the ten commandments, just as Jehovah spoke and wrote them? Or shall we be compelled by the laws of man to keep the Sunday, contrary to our conscientious convictions? The present Sunday Law grants us no exemption. We have not the same privilege as observers of God’s law, which is given to hotel-keepers, to keepers of livery stables; to barbers, etc. We made an effort to get the Republican Convention to speak a word in its platform in behalf of our claim—in behalf of our Constitutional rights. This it refused to do. It is well understood that the adherents to Sunday, while they asked the Republicans to indorse the present Sunday Law, are not themselves satisfied with it. What they ask this year is but a prelude to what they will ask next year. The Republicans unfortunately committed themselves fully, not only to the present demands, but also to those which may be made in future. They declare in favor of the present law, or “similar laws providing for the suspension of all unnecessary business on that day.” This is more than the Sunday people openly asked—not more than it was expected they would ask eventually.

We speak advisedly when we say that the Sunday advocates, with few exceptions, do not intend that there shall be any exception in our favor. We judge from the tone of the religious papers, and of sermons preached by representative men among them.

Who has a greater interest in the issue than we have?