SURPRISING! by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 14, 1889

"SURPRISING!"

By Editor

We clip the following from the California Prohibitionist of December 27:—

"A petition for a Sunday law being circulated in Santa Clara County is producing much agitation among the Seventh-day Advents, and they are actively at work with a counter petition. A small table has been placed at the principal street corner of San Jose for several days past, and workers have been present soliciting signatures to their protest. The number of signatures obtained belonging to the class of men not in sympathy with Christianity or its measures is surprising, and excites much comment that any class of Christians could unite with saloon keepers, infidels, drinking men, and worthless characters generally, in breaking down a Christian institution."

Is it "surprising" that men should love the liberty of conscience granted by the gospel of Christ? Is it "surprising" that any class of men should object to have thrust upon them an institution of another class? If a majority of the citizens of this country attempted to enforce Friday as the only weekly Sabbath, would not many first-day people find themselves opposing that institution by force of circumstances, with others whose characters otherwise they could not indorse?

But, on the other hand, is it not "surprising," in the light of an open Bible, that Christians should call Sunday "a Christian institution"? Where is the authority? And is it not more "surprising" that they should try to compel those whom they do not consider Christians to observe "a Christian institution"? If it be right to do this, why not compel all to partake of the Lord's supper and be baptized that other Christian institutions be not broken down? And is it not still more "surprising" that Christians should join hands with that class who have done more to pervert the gospel of Christ than all others,—Roman Catholics,—to force upon others an unchristian institution, the Sunday, for which there is no support in the word of God? Is it not because of this—because it has no support in the word of God—that its friends are so anxious for law in its behalf? The California Prohibitionist will please explain.