Sunday Laws and Religious Persecution
By Editor
What May Be Expected.—In our Outlook department will be found a short article from the Winters (Cal.) Express. The Sacramento Bee of September 7 gives a report of an interview with the justice, Peace Preston Berry, who sentenced Mr. Armstrong. Here is a part of what he said:— "In 1730, that's over 150 years ago, the Legislature of this State [Pennsylvania] passed a law forbidding any person or persons from moving on the first day of the week, which is known as the Lord's day, that is, the sabbath, commonly called Sunday. The law mentions these Seventh-day Adventists and was intended for them. You know they say Sunday isn't the Sabbath, that Saturday is, but the Constitution, and the statutes, and the laws of this State, say that the first day of the week, known as the Lord's day, commonly called Sunday, is the sabbath. That has been the law for over 150 years, and is the law yet." "He wanted a jury trial, but he could not have one under the law. He can't appeal either. My decision was final in this case. He had to pay up or go to jail, and that was the end of it. . . . Let him preach his doctrines in jail if he wants to. When they were taking him over, he said to me, 'I'm going to jail for Christ's sake.' 'And I'm sending you there for Christ's sake,' I told him." It is not worth while to point out the errors in simple fact in the justice's statement. We merely print what he said, that all may know what is likely to happen under a Sunday-law régime anywhere in these United States, for the Peace Preston Berrys are many. He did probably the best he could, and spoke conscientiously in his last sentence. The Constitution and laws of Pennsylvania, a "Christian" commonwealth in this "Christian" nation, are more to him than the law of God or the rights of man. Of course he did it for "Christ's sake"! Jesus truly said to his followers, "Whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service."