THE MODERN WAY TO PRESERVE THE GOSPEL.
By Editor
A BROTHER writes of a Sunday-law convention in Santa Barbara as follows:— On the 11th ultimo there was a "sabbath" convention held in this city. This was the result of the recent labors of Rev. A. W. Holt, a secretary of the American Sabbath Union. The convention consisted of church pastors, church officers, and Sunday school officers and teachers. A local Union was duly organized, to work as an auxiliary to the American Sabbath Union. There was not a word of opposition spoken against the movement until near the close of the convention, although the spirit of the "dragon" leaked out all through. Many short speeches were made, to the effect that there must be effective "Sabbath" laws, or the work of the gospel would come to an end, and the world go to the devil. One minister said: "Our movement has many opposers, and the worst class of opposition comes from the Seventh-day Adventists." He then explained what he meant, by telling that the Adventists refuse to obey the law of the land, and persist in filling the country with their literature. Another minister said: "As for these Seventh-day Adventists, why, there is only a handful of them anyway, and as for me, I waste no time with them. I don't regard them as worth the powder and shot that would blow them up." Rev. Mr. Holt considered some folks very ignorant, or they might see that Sunday was really the seventh day. He then offered an elaborate argument (?) to prove that the first day of the week is the seventh. A member of the Presbyterian Church then said: "I would state in behalf of these seventh-day people that I know them to be honorable citizens, and just as good Christians as we are. I want to see fair dealings with everybody." A stranger then said: "I am a minister of the precious gospel of the Lord Jesus, which is the power of God unto salvation, unto everyone that believeth. Beginning the work ten years ago, I have talked with all classes, and of every shade of political and religious belief, and must say that my study and experience have made me skeptical as to any good coming to the cause of Christianity through legislation upon a religious institution. As workers together with the Lord Jesus, I am persuaded that the less we look to the State for laws that will reform morals, and the more we look to the teaching and power of the gospel, the more effective will be our labors, and the more we will see of the salvation of God." He also spoke of Luther's work in contrast to that of Zwingie, claiming that Luther's faith and trust in God were worthy of imitation by the laborers in the vineyard to-day. The dampness caused by the last speaker was soon dispelled by Rev. Holt. He said that it was true that Church and State were closer together than most people were aware, "but the constitutionality of Sabbath laws," said he, "is no longer a question." He then showed how that had been settled by the Supreme Court, by reading a part of its decision, and exhorted the supporters of the movement to be workers, and, to give an example of how energetically to labor, he referred to the "little denomination of Seventh-day Adventists" and how they stirred the people everywhere by sending colporters loaded with tracts and literature to give to everybody who was interested enough to read. The convention closed at once. The above well illustrates the spirit so rapidly developing in a great part of the religious world to-day. Just think of it, that there must be effective sabbath laws, or Sunday laws, or any other human laws, or the work of the gospel would come to an end, and the world go to the devil! Think of it. Is the gospel of God dependent upon human laws? Was it in the days of Christ or of Paul? Is it not the same gospel of the same God to-day? Certain kings of Judah thought that that kingdom could be kept only by an alliance with Egypt, but the human prop on which they leaned broke and pierced them, and trusting in it proved their destruction. Those who seek to save the world or support the gospel by such means as the American Sabbath Union are laboring for, are driving the world to the devil as fast as possible, and are rejecting Jesus Christ, who declares that all power for the propagation of his religion is in him, and he vouchsafed his power to everyone who trusts in him.