p. 12 | BASEL, SWITZERLAND

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

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 53.

BASEL, SWITZERLAND.

ELDER H. P. HOLSER, of Basel, Switzerland, writes to the Review of October 30, giving the decision of the Supreme Court in Switzerland in regard to the Sunday fines, the chief items of which are as follows: Last August the publishing house there was fined for the eighth time for Sunday work. The fine was three weeks’ imprisonment and $38.45 for the director, or in default of this forty days’ imprisonment. From that decision Elder Holser, the director, appealed to the Court of Appeals of Basel City, and, that court sustaining the decision of the lower court, the case was carried to the Federal Supreme Court. Here appeals must be made in writing. The appeal was made with an introduction, and fifty thousand copies circulated in all parts of Switzerland. Public sentiment was favorable generally, and many articles appeared in the journals in favor of religious liberty, some very decidedly condemning the decision of the Basel courts. Scarcely had this appeal been circulated when the case was set for October 10 by the Supreme Court, the appellant not even being informed by the court, but learning it from a friend of one of our brethren. The clerk stated that the appeal presented a better idea of freedom of conscience than the judges would have who decided the case. The Supreme Court of Switzerland consists of fourteen judges, in two divisions of seven judges each. Nine of these judges are Catholics. The division before whom the appeal came was composed of three Protestants and four Catholics. Each case that comes before this court is referred to one of the judges, who is expected to study it and present it to the court with his opinion. The case of Brother Holser was referred to Judge Blaesi, Old Catholic. He, however, did not present the appeal in full, but gave a summary of it, and read some portions of it, especially those that spoke of its being antichristian and papal to use force in matters of religion. His presentation of the case was fair, considering his position, but his opinion was that the appeal must be rejected on the ground that rights of conscience were not violated. The law did not punish us for being Adventists, but for violating the Sunday law, which is civil. Judge Cornaz, Protestant, stated as his opinion that Sunday laws did rest on a religious basis, that it was a fact that the State works on Sunday by exercising its soldiers, allows others to work in restaurants, railways, bowling alleys, hunting, etc., and that therefore it should allow the Adventists to work, who, like the Salvation Army, were a quiet, orderly people. He stated that the Adventists were right in their opinion, and were it in their capacity he would move that their rights be sustained, but that this was a question with which the Federal Assembly only could deal.

The sum of the matter was that the appeal was rejected, the cost of which will be borne by the State. The fact that the costs were laid upon the State shows the good will of the court. In the other cases the costs were laid upon the appellant. One gentleman remarked that if the Supreme Court decided to reject the appeal, he would be the first to petition the Federal Assembly in favor of our brethren.

Here is another court decision in a land of boasted religious freedom. The evidences show that we are rapidly nearing the time when Revelation 13 will be filled up. God will use all this to further his work, and that is the chief desire of our workers there. May the Lord bless our brethren who take joyfully the spoiling of their goods, and give them wisdom to know how to use all these means so as to glorify the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.