The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-04-08
Sunday Laws.

The Sunday law question, or the
question of enforcing the observance
of the Sabbath by law, is seemingly
vexed and difficult one. But it i.
made so solely by the influence o.
custom, of traditional notions and Of
religious feeling and prejudice. III
~ itself it is a very simple question
and one which all intelligent, truly
liberal and right thinking persons
will agree, however widely they may
differ in religious feeling. One Of
the fundamental principles Of this
government is that of the separation
of church and State. 1t has been
observed in form bat not entirely in
spirit. There has never been any
State church. But there have been
some religious laws. Now, the prov
inces of law and and of religion are
distinct, or at least, each has its own
peculiar province. The former has
to do only With this life; the latter
has to do with the life to come. Of
course religion objects this life, but
then its influence upon this life and
its regulation Of it are only inciden
tai to its great purpose Of preparing
for the life to come. The appropriate
object Of the law is to protect life,
property and personal and civil
rights, and to maintain social and
civil order. 1t can with propriety
enjoin or prohibit whatever is neces-
sary to secure these objects, but
nothing more. 1t bases it's prohibi-
tons and its requirements OIL the
necessities of good government and
social order, and not upon the needs
of any religion. 1t forbids certain
immoral acts-excessive drunken
ness, boisterous profanity and OBJ
scenity, social impurity, and so on
because those things disturb the
public peace and threaten the exis.
tence of society, and not because
they are contrary to the commands
Of teachings of any religion. The
law cannot with propriety prohibit
any act or any course of conduct,
simply because the same is prohibit
ed by the Christian religion or any
other religion. Neither can it enioin
any act simply because it is enjoined
by the rules of religion. To these
propositions all persons will assent.
the differences of opinion arise only
as to their proper application.
The requirements of good govern.
nent and the requirements of a
good religion naturally, in many
things coincide. Hence, the laws of
the State and the rules of religion
will necessarily often enjoin or pro-
hibit the same thing; but they do so
for different purposes, one solely to
protect rights, maintain order and
secure happiness in this world; the
other, to prepare for happiness in
the world beyond. By keeping
steadily in view this difference in
purpose, the confusion that has been
created can easily be avoided. The
civil and the divine law both pro-
hfbft murder, because that crime is
a violation of the most sa-
cred OF personal rights and an Of
tense toward God. They both pro-
hibit adultery, because that offense
is alike ruinous to social order and
personal godliness. But there are
some of the requirements of the di.
vine law lightly or only indirectly
affecting this life and relating chief.
y to the life to come, which the civil
law clearly cannot enforce. The first
commandment enjoins love to God.
the civil law cannot order
this. The divine law prohibits COW
etousness IS condition of securing
happiness in the life to come. This
Is an ofense that the civil law can
not touch, at least not until it deyel-