RELIGIOUS LEGISLATION by C. P. B.

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 21, 1889

RELIGIOUS LEGISLATION.

By C. P. B.

At the concluding meeting of the Christian Ministerial Association of California, held in San Francisco on the 3d instant, "The Lord's Day" was one of the topics discussed. It was subdivided thus: The authority for and proper manner of its observance; The religious value of a day of rest; Are Sunday laws beneficial and desirable? The published report of the meeting says: "R. N. Davis, of Napa, read a carefully prepared paper showing the traditions and customs of the early Christians in the observance of the day. He did not approve of legislating with a view of compelling men to observe Sunday. The Lord's day being a spiritual institution, civil laws have no jurisdiction with reference to the manner of its observance."

In this Mr. Davis has expressed the correct view in regard to Sunday laws. Sunday is a religious institution, and legislation regarding Sunday is religious legislation, no matter by what other name it may be called. A civil law enjoining a religious act is a law concerning religion and regulating its exercise, notwithstanding all that Sunday-law advocates have said to the contrary; and all liberty-loving citizens,

of whatever religious belief, do well to oppose such legislation.

But Mr. Davis was scarcely consistent, for "legislation to close saloons on Sundays he considered right, and he believed in legislating to restrain the wicked citizen, and for the preservation of law and order, in order that the preacher might have an opportunity to reach the citizen who is liable to be tempted." So says the report.

We have no word to say in favor of liquor selling; it is evil and only evil continually, and ought to be prohibited on all days; but to single out Sunday and close saloons upon that day simply that men may go to church instead of going to the saloons is entirely beyond the proper sphere of civil government. But the plea may be made that the saloons ought to be closed on Sunday, not on religious grounds but because more men being idle upon that day more men patronize them. Then it ought to be extended to all holidays. The real truth is that men advocate Sunday closing of saloons because of a religious regard for the day, more than because of opposition to liquor selling. And such laws tend far more to the exaltation of Sunday as a religious institution than they do toward the suppression of the liquor traffic.

C. P. B.