WHO ARE THE "ANARCHISTS"?
"ANARCHY" is defined by "The Standard" as being "absence or utter disregard of government." The Christian Citizen, of Chicago, for October, has the following editorial items on its first page:— "Sabbath-breaking begins Anarchy." "A nation of Sabbath-breakers will soon become a nation of Anarchists. The records of the Old World bear out this statement. Germany and France furnish us with examples." "Who are the enemies of the Christian Sabbath? The Christian who says he remembers it to keep it holy and then breaks it, or the Anarchist who rails at it and then breaks it?" In view of these statements it is well to ask: (1) Now disregard of what government is Sabbath-breaking? (2) Whose is the Sabbath—the "Christian Sabbath"? and what day is it? (3) Who are the worst Sabbath-breakers, and according to the above, Anarchists? What Christian answers from the Christian Book—the Bible—can be given to these questions? 1. God's government has a Sabbath. The law enjoining it is found in Ex. 20: 8-11. It declares, "Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy. . . . The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." That is the original Sabbath law. All others are copies, counterfeits or perversions. 2. The Sabbath is the Lord's. He made it (Gen. 2: 2, 3); he commanded it (Ex. 20: 8-11); and he did it all in behalf of man, all mankind (Mark 2: 27). The Christian Sabbath must be the day that Christ instituted, the Sabbath that he kept, and this was the seventh day. The Sabbath is therefore the Lord's and the day is the seventh day. 3. The worst Sabbath-breakers, therefore, must be those who not only do not observe the day appointed, but presumptuously put another day, concerning which God has not spoken, in its place, and persistently do all in their power to degrade the day given of God. According to the word of God as regards the Sabbath and the above quotations as regards Anarchy, who are the Anarchists? Rest and Dissipation, or What?
One of the great claims that Sunday-law people put forth is that they are laboring in the interests of the working man, to relieve him from the stress of seven days' toil. On the other hand, it has been pointed out that he who conscientiously desired to observe Sunday could do so. No one can by law be compelled to work on that day; and for him who loses his place for conscience' sake the Lord will work. But for those who do not regard the observance of the day as a religious duty, the dissipation upon that day will be much worse for the workingman from the standpoint of his pecuniary, physical, and moral interests. This is recognized by those who range themselves on the Sunday side of the question. No less a personage than W. W. Attebury, D.D., for years prominently connected with the Sunday reform movement, writing from Geneva, Switzerland, to the Independent of September 24, 1896, says:— "It should, however, be added that among thoughtful men everywhere, it is recognized that Sunday rest brings its peculiar perils; its leisure may be abused, and, doubtless, often is. A prominent journal that can not be suspected of clericalism, Independence Belge, warns against the rest of Sunday becoming a pretext for drunkenness and debauchery." But it will, nevertheless, as another prominent Sunday-law man said: "You take the religion out, and you take the rest out." Exactly; and how may this be remedied?—By another law, which must logically follow in this religious reform-by-law, compelling these men to be religious, attend church, etc., etc. Such a law is a direct sequence of a law-enforced Sunday rest. It will then be Rest and Dissipation or Persecution and Hypocrisy. Our Sunday-law reformers may mean well, but they are entering upon a path which will end only in the renewal of the Inquisition and capital punishment for religion's sake. The Roman Catholic Church is now posing as the champion of religious liberty in the United States. Chancellor Yorke, of San Francisco, said in a recent address: "No matter how we may differ on the money question, no matter whether we are for a gold standard or the free coinage of silver, as Americans, we prize above all the right to worship God according to the dictates of our own consciences." Such utterances are quite the fad in all circles, for it is a sentiment that men of every shade of opinion can truthfully and safely express for themselves without special committal. Every one, even the most bigoted sectarian, prizes such a right for himself; but the true test of patriotism and Christian charity lies in prizing the right for other people. The spirit of true religious liberty acknowledges the right not to worship at all, and ignores all human assumption of right to compel any semblance of worship, or form of observance of any religious institution. These are days of predictions, especially in politics. Both of the great parties are very sure their candidate will be elected. Each general chairman reckons up his majority of votes in the electoral college. And yet we may venture a prediction that one of them will be disappointed and his candidate defeated. But there are other predictions which are equally sure and much more important. Jesus Christ is coming again to reign over this world. Before his presence the kingdoms of earth will fall to rise no more. Those who are his, who yield submission to his righteous will now, will then be made immortal and reign eternally in a kingdom divided not by political strife or men-made creeds, where no fraud nor oppression e'er comes, but where right rules eternally. To share that coming kingdom and reign he invites all. "These words are true and faithful." If we love Jesus Christ now, we will love his coming. Think of a child saying, "I love my father," who might be absent, and yet never anxious to have that father return, never inquiring as to when he was coming, and, in fact, becoming offended or afraid if his coming is said to be imminent! Would we not say that such love consisted only in words? that there was no heart in it? And yet this is about the way that many professed children of Christ talk: "O, yes, I love him," we hear on every hand; but if you love him, you will desire to see him. Love longs for the personal presence of the one loved. The two can not be separated. If we truly love Jesus Christ we can truly pray, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus," in response to his—"Surely, I come quickly."