Sunday Agitation by R. J. Lawrence

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 12, 1860

Sunday Agitation

By R. J. Lawrence

BRO. SMITH : A copy of the Michigan Christian Herald, dated Nov. 24th, 1859, has fallen into my hands, in which is an article headed, ‐New York Correspondence,‐ from which I extract the following:

‐Old Brown, Harper’s Ferry, and Sunday laws, have lately agitated the public mind. In regard to the Sunday-law question, every Christian, and every lover of good order, must feel a deep interest. Our German and foreign element would destroy the sacredness of our Sabbaths, and it is a source of sadness to us that some of our large, and even respectable, papers should favor Sunday recreation, Sunday newspapers, and, of course, the breaking down of all legislation that makes distinction between the days of the week. Every one who sees how necessary it is that a people who rule themselves should be deeply grounded in religious principles, must deplore any such tendency or agitation. But the truth is, the battle on the Sabbath question has got to be fought. Let lovers of truth stand to their places. We trust the result will be, that the law of the Christian Sabbath will be established on more Christian grounds than formerly.‐

Some of the truths connected with the third angel’s message have been matters of faith, but are now becoming matters of fact; especially what will constitute the image. O that believers in present truth would gird on the whole armor, and prepare to stand in the day of battle.

Yours in the truth.

R. J. LAWRENCE.

Rochester, Mich.

NOTE. If there are any more ‐Christian grounds‐ for the ‐Christian Sabbath,‐ than have formerly been discovered, we should be no less happy to see them, than the correspondent of the Herald. But we apprehend that the agitation of the Sabbath question which must inevitably come, will reveal to the astonished gaze of multitudes that there are no grounds whatever for the so-called Christian institution. And what then ? Are religious bigots to be thwarted in their efforts to sustain an institution which they are resolved the Bible shall teach at all hazards ? Not they ; and when they find that the Bible will not uphold it, we apprehend tho decision will be that the laws of the land shall. Time will test the correctness of this conclusion.‐ED.