p. 16 | ANOTHER SUNDAY BILL by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 12, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 19.

ANOTHER SUNDAY BILL.

By Editor

FEBRUARY 15 Hon. Jacob H. Gallinger, Senator from New Hampshire, introduced, by request, in the Senate the following bill (known as Senate Bill 1628), which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Education and Labor:—

A BILL

TO PROTECT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, COMMONLY CALLED SUNDAY, AS A DAY OF REST AND WORSHIP, IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That on the first day of the week, known as the Lord's day, set apart by general consent in accordance with divine appointment as a day of rest and worship, it shall be unlawful to perform any labor, except works of necessity and mercy and work by those who religiously observe Saturday, if performed in such a way as not to involve or disturb others; also to open places of business or traffic, except in the case of drug stores for the dispensing of medicines; also to make contracts or transact other commercial business; also to engage in noisy amusements or amusements for gain, or entertainments for which admittance fees are charged; also to join in public processions, except funerals, which last shall not use music; also to perform any court service, except in connection with arrests of criminals and service of process to prevent fraud."

We have only to remark what we have stated so many times, and what must be apparent now to the casual reader, that the object or motive of all Sunday laws is religious, not civil. When this was told the Sunday-law people years ago, it was stoutly denied. They contended that it was purely "civil." But it would seem that this would not now be denied by the most unscrupulous deceiver. The battle is on. The government, with all its branches, has already committed itself to a union of Church and State, and we have no idea that they will do otherwise than pursue to the destructive end the course they have begun.