Prosecution for Sunday Work in New Brunswick
By Stephen Belden Horton
ON May 9, Brethren Gilbert Graham and Robert Embleton were tried for Sunday work at Harvey Station, New Brunswick, before Magistrate J. W. Taylor, the charge being that "they did on Sunday, March 24 last, perform labor by hauling hay to Harvey Station, contrary to the provisions of the Lord's Day Act." The defendants pleaded guilty, but were given opportunity to make a statement before sentence was passed. They requested Elder J. A. Strickland, pastor of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, to speak for them. In his address Brother Strickland said:— "Your Honor, these men are well known to you and to all who are present in this court-room. They were born in this vicinity, and have been lifelong residents of this community. That they have always been law-abiding citizens of Canada and loyal British subjects none will deny. You and all the spectators here know them to be men of high moral character and sterling worth, your neighbors and trusted friends who have grown up with you from childhood. They deeply regret that a religious question should cause a cessation of the friendly feelings that have heretofore existed toward them. They sincerely respect the religious opinions of all, and grant to every man the right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience. "They conscientiously believe that the seventh day is the Sabbath, and that their Christian duty is to observe it, as it is commanded by God and contained in his eternal law. "They admit the charge against them, and are perfectly willing to go behind the prison-bars for their offense, if it is the desire of the professed Christians of this community. They will entertain no hard feelings against you, Your Honor, nor any one of His Majesty's servants who legally performs his duty. But as loyal Christians they have conscientiously observed the seventh day of the week, and they now take their stand with the apostle Peter, who said, 'Whether it be right in the sight of God to harken unto you more than unto God, judge ye;' but as for us, we hold that 'we ought to obey God rather than men.' Acts 4:19; 5:29. God, who commanded us to keep the seventh day, set the example for the First-day conduct, when he created the heavens and the earth on the first day." The magistrate said that, "owing to the seriousness of the charge," he would fine them $10 and costs, giving six days in which to settle; and in the event of failure to pay, their property would be levied on, and the amounts forcibly collected.19Doubtless the "seriousness" of the charge against these persons grows out of the fact that the question of religion is involved. And yet, had the following royal declarations by British sovereigns on civil and religious liberty been honored and adhered to, there would have been no prosecution—which in such cases is really persecution—of these brethren:— “Firmly relying on the truth of Christianity, we declare it to be our royal will and pleasure that none be in any wise favored, none molested or disquieted, by reason of their religious faith or observance.”—Queen Victoria. “It is my constant desire that religious and civil liberty should always be enjoyed by my subjects in all parts of the empire.”—King Edward VII, to the Plenary Council of the Roman Catholic Church in Quebec, Canada.