p. 7 | An Entering Wedge by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Apr 12, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 15.

An Entering Wedge.

By Editor

There has been introduced in the Wisconsin Legislature, a bill requiring all employers to give to their employees at least fifty-two rest-days each year—one in each week of the year—and not less than seven of such days to be on the first day of the week. Small as is the track of the advocate of enforced Sunday observance in this movement, it is there quite distinctly. It was designed to make the beginning of Sunday enforcement so small that it would appear insignificant, and therefore would not meet serious opposition.

It was designed to make the rest idea prominent and the Sunday proposition obscure; but the latter idea is sufficiently engrafted on the bill to give assurance of future growth, if the bill should become a law. The ultimate purpose of such a law is attested by two prominent points or marks: (1) It is advocated by the Wisconsin Sunday-Rest Association; (2) it specifies that a certain number of rest-days shall be on Sunday, and does not designate any other day. So the ultimate purpose of the desired legislation is, not that every one shall be enabled to enjoy a day of rest, but that every one shall be compelled to observe Sunday—every Sunday—as soon as sufficient sentiment can be aroused to fix the weekly rest-day on Sunday throughout the year. It is the nose of the camel which is pushing into the tent. Beware.