Sunday-Law Arrogance by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 9, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 35.

Sunday-Law Arrogance.

By Editor

The Australian soldiers during their Easter encampment at Langwarrin were allowed by their commandant to hold a concert on "Easter Sunday," after religious service in the morning. This stirred up the Presbyterian Assembly, which was shortly after that in session, and their Committee on Public Questions presented a report through Dr. Rentoul. And he thus stated the position of the religious people, according to the Melbourne Age: "They [the Sunday people], as a body, had in their hands a power of which the commandant never dreamed, a power to tilt him out of his place if the occasion absolutely demanded it. (Hear, hear.) They must see that the public money must not be used to prejudice religion in the minds of the young people of the colony."

The commandant, Major A. B. Tulloch, very properly said: "As commandant, I must protest against the members of any council or sect whatever endeavoring to force on other persuasions of men under my command their ideas, customs, or beliefs."

And this language was called by Dr. Rentoul "insolent." He further says: "The commandant had no right to attempt to dictate, instead of taking his instructions from the opinions of the people of the colony. (Hear, hear.) Such an attitude was not becoming in one appointed by the State and supported by the State."

Indeed! But what business has the Church with matters of the State? Whence came her authority? The above shows the growing arrogance of religious bodies, the determination to dictate to the State its duty. In fact, such a spirit is always manifest in connection with Sunday legislation.