Human Laws Cannot Make Men Godly
By Editor
The San Francisco County Sunday-school Association was organized last week, and the brief report in the Chronicle reveals the fact that there is at least one man in San Francisco who has a level head. The report says:— "Mrs. Gray, of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, wanted the society to take hold of a petition to the Legislature urging it to pass a Sunday law, and a law prohibiting the sale of tobacco to children; but no action was taken in the matter, Chairman Anthony stating that he had no confidence in the average legislator doing anything to promote godliness." If Mr. Anthony had only said that he had no confidence in any legislator doing anything in his official capacity to promote godliness, he would have been exactly right. Godliness is obedience to God, and not to man. Human laws concerning religion can never make men godly, nor can they have any tendency in that direction; but if they are severe enough, and are rigidly enforced, they can make first-class hypocrites.