It is doubtless true that but few politicians care anything about a Sunday law, and many have no regard for Sunday. They do not believe in religious legislation. Because of this many secular newspapers argue that there is no danger of religious legislation or religious persecution in this country. But this is not by any means a legitimate conclusion. If politicians were all honest and would declare their principles and vote for them, the conclusion would be correct. But, unfortunately, the average politician has but little or no principles to which to stand. He is moved by policy. He is a time-server. If religionists wish to crystallize into cold law some scheme, and he thinks that its advocacy, even though he knows it to be based on a false principle, will insure his election or increase his popularity, he will enthusiastically champion its cause. This is what Dr. Henson said at the recent Sunday Association meeting in Chicago, reported in the Advance of the 26th ult.:—
“The politicians are beginning to feel a sort of ground swell from below; it makes them shake in their boots, and they will begin to cry presently, ‘Earthquake, earthquake!’ and they will swear by all that is sacred that they always were in favor of the Sabbath. I should not wonder if a certain paper in this city should burn its back numbers and insist that it was always a Sabbatarian.”
Now is the time for those who are true to show their colors, and now is the time for the friends of religious liberty to do earnest and energetic work.