Sunday and Religious Liberty
But the institution itself throughout all its history has stood for a union of church and state, for compulsory observance by law, for intolerance and religious tyranny. Let men keep it if they will, but let them not try to force it upon others. If a religious institution of any kind has not enough of the life of God in it, if there is not benefit enough connected with it, to win devotees, let it die, and die forever. With this abstract principle most people will agree. Why not apply it concretely to the Sunday. All over this land men are demanding that Sunday as a religious institution, for it is nothing if not that, should be protected by law, and men should be compelled to observe it. This is contrary to Christianity, contrary to true Americanism. Are Americans going to yield to the demand? It matters not what day a man keeps, if he believe in true religious liberty, it is liberty for the man who does not believe as he does.