Note and Comment by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park, Washington, D. C. · Sep 19, 1912

Note and Comment

By Editor

Appeal to Religious Prejudice

It is to be expected that politicians will take advantage of religious prejudices to advance the interests of their cause. That through the advocacy of some political party religious measures will be passed in the future, resolving this country into a church-and-state power, as indicated in the prophecy of Scripture, is most reasonable to expect. Through the influence of what political party this will be brought about, we can not, of course, anticipate. To the point in this connection is the recent utterance of Col. Theodore Roosevelt, in a speech delivered at Point of Pines, Boston, Aug. 17, 1912. Speaking of the proposals of the Progressive party to secure social and industrial justice, according to the Atlantic Gleaner of August 28, he said:—

In the first place, we set forth definitely what we mean to try to secure at the present time in the way of social and industrial justice; for instance, to secure by law one day's rest in seven for all wage-workers. . . . We do not intend to let either executive or legislative officers forbid us to have such laws; and, my friends, neither do we intend to let the judges forbid us to have such laws. Therefore, in our platform we have stated that we intend to provide easier and more expeditious methods of amending the federal Constitution.

In this statement Mr. Roosevelt does not specify that his one day's rest in seven should come on Sunday. But with the demand that is coming up from every quarter for Sunday legislation, and the custom of the majority of the people in regarding Sunday either as a holiday or holy day, there can be no question as to which day would be selected. Nor would it greatly matter to the Sunday-law advocates whether the first day of the week was recognized by legal enactment as a civil sabbath, a sabbath for physical rest, or as a sacred day, which they believe it to be. Legislation once secured on almost any basis, and a precedent is established whereby further and more restrictive legislation may be passed. Congress has no right to enforce Sunday rest on any basis, spiritual, physical, economic, or from any other standpoint

whatever. When this is done, it clearly oversteps the bounds of its civil jurisprudence, and begins legislation on questions of man's inherent rights bestowed by his Creator, which any government can not of right confer upon its subjects, and of which it can much less deprive them.