The Strike and the Sabbath.
By Editor
The recent railway strike has aroused anew the zeal of the Sunday-law advocates. Rev. W. W. Case, of the Howard Street Methodist Episcopal Church, San Francisco, as reported in the Chronicle of July 16, declared that "they [the railway companies] have done more to overthrow one of the pillars of God Almighty than any other influence, and that pillar is, 'Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.'" This is a similar strain to many others which have been heard throughout the length and breadth of the land; and yet it would be well if these learned divines would but ask themselves the question whether they themselves are not doing more to overthrow this very pillar than are even the railway companies, when they teach that the seventh day means the first day, virtually saying to the people that God does not mean what he says. We had purposed in this number to write more fully upon this point, but this we shall have to defer until a later time. We wish to present just what God in his word predicted eighteen centuries ago concerning this very movement, just how it was foretold over forty years ago that this very thing which we now see before us would take place, and how many of these champions for Sunday observance are fulfilling the prophecy. We believe most heartily in Sabbath observance, true Sabbath observance. We believe in doing just what the Lord said, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy;" but God has not made holy the first day of the week, and we cannot keep holy that which he has not made holy, nor can man be compelled by civil law to keep any day holy. The civil law can in no way aid one in keeping holy the Sabbath day. That can be done only by the sanctifying power of the Spirit of Christ in the heart.