Sunday Legislation in Massachusetts by G. B. Starr

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 5, 1914

Sunday Legislation in Massachusetts

By G. B. Starr

A VERY interesting hearing was given by the joint committee on legal affairs, representing the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate, at the Statehouse in Boston, Wednesday, February 18. No less than eleven Sunday bills of various kinds were to be considered. Anticipating a live interest and a large audience, the committee selected Room No. 240, the largest committee room in the Capitol. The entire time from 10:30 A. M. to 1:30 P. M. and from 3:30 to 5:30 was devoted to this hearing.

We have never seen a committee give more respectful attention to this subject than did this committee. It was also very fair in the division of time, dividing it equally between those favoring such legislation and those opposing it. These eleven bills, with the exception of one, were all designated as acts respecting the observance of the Lord's Day. The following objects were sought by the bills: Permission to unload vessels on Sunday not to be granted except on a sworn affidavit that it is absolutely necessary; permission to fish with hook and line, the same forbidding fishing with nets or for commercial advantage; prohibition of concerts on the Lord's Day where admission fee is charged; permission in the city of Holyoke to play baseball on the Lord's Day; permission for baseball playing in all the public parks on Sunday between the hours of 2 and 6 P. M.; permission for professional baseball playing in all the cities on the Lord's Day; permission to sell flowers and plants on the Lord's Day to those who wish to decorate graves; authorization of labor on the Lord's Day in household gardens — this to permit a man to hoe in his own flower garden on Sunday without being arrested; but he must not hoe anything that is to be sold the next day.

It would have been of interest to the REVIEW readers to listen to all the arguments, pro and con, on these bills. Gentlemen of good address seriously pleaded with the committee for the privilege of working in their own gardens on Sunday without molestation. The officers of the Civic League pleaded for the youth of the large cities who are crowded into small quarters, that they might have the privilege of ball playing on Sunday, without arrest, similar to the privileges granted to people with automobiles and other means of obtaining pleasure and recreation. Eloquent appeals were made in behalf of these youth, and it was urged that engaging in such sports would keep them out of practices that are evil and injurious.

The representatives of the Lord's Day League and the Catholic priest representing Cardinal O'Connell, made their usual plea for the strict observance of the Lord's Day, as they termed it. The Catholic priest was very emphatic that the Lord's Day should not be desecrated by ball games, fishing, tennis, and work. He opposed all these bills and favored strict Sunday observance. He was followed by a young Catholic who represented the Associated Young Catholic Sports Societies.

He stood for strict Sunday observance, in harmony with the cardinal and the priest. His testimony, however, was entirely broken down by questions from a member of the committee, who clearly brought forth evidence that this same association that this young man represented plays baseball and tennis on Catholic grounds in Baltimore and Washington on Sunday.

The first talk representing our view of Sunday legislation followed these two last-mentioned appeals, and came just before the intermission. The position was taken that the titles of all the bills were ambiguous, and that in all legislation everything of that kind should be perfectly clear. An act to prohibit certain things on the Lord's Day without defining which day of the week is referred to was objected to. The claim was made that the question as to which day is the Lord's Day is a debatable one. It was urged upon the committee that they, recognizing the religious phase of the question, which had been emphasized by all the speakers, could not recommend action by the Massachusetts Legislature in any of these proposed measures.

The thought was emphasized that this committee representing the legislature of Massachusetts could not afford to make a crime, on any particular day, of that which on any other day was perfectly innocent and not a crime or misdemeanor.

It was claimed that baseball, fishing, tennis, work in the garden, and any other work are all innocent things in themselves, and cannot be made a crime or misdemeanor. It was also pointed out that laws prohibiting labor on the first day of the week are in direct opposition to the higher law of Jehovah, which forbids labor on the seventh day of the week, and that the enactment of such laws makes it difficult for the people to obey the law of God, obedience to which constitutes the whole duty of man.

Reference was made to the statement of the Catholic priest that Christians were forced to appear annually at these hearings to appeal for their rights for Sunday rest. To this Seventh-day Adventists objected, stating that the only right that any religious body could claim of any State legislature is the right of peaceable assemblage any day of the week. It was affirmed that we could meet in the center of Boston on Saturday afternoon and enjoy our worship unmolested, notwithstanding the traffic of the city. The chairman wished to know then if Seventh-day Adventists were in favor of the bills granting the privilege of ball playing, working in the garden, etc., to which this reply was made: "Most assuredly! All men should be left free to select their day of worship; no pressure should be brought to bear upon any mind, except the persuasion of the Word of God."

Four Seventh-day Adventists were given opportunity to speak on this bill,—Elders J. E. Jayne, H. C. Hartwell, and F. W. Stray, and the writer. The members of the committee were respectful and attentive to all our speakers. We were not subjected to close questioning as were some of the opposition. We really felt we had the sympathy of the best minds of the committee.

G. B. STARR.