The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-04-02


Jhat the majority Of the people have the
right to pass and to enforce law, hav'
ing for lis object the maintenance OF
Christianity, because you introduce a
precedent and principle by which you
leopardiso your own personal liberty.
There are about 100000 Jews in this
country. There are at least .OOO, OOO
intidels and agnOstics, and 4,OOO,OOo or
, 600, OC0 more who do not care cent
for Christianity. 1t is conceivable and
possible that this class OF people may
some day be in the majority. And II
we have the constitutional right to shut
up their shops and stores, and to com
pei them by law to recognize our re-
igious opinion on this subject, simply
because We are the strongest, then
should they become the stronger, they
would have the equal. right to compel
us by law to recognize their opinions
and to shut up our churches on Sunday.
If might makes Il constitutional right,
then if hc,Jcwt we're strong enough he
would have the right to abolish Sunday
and compel Us to keep his Sabbath /;
and if the aguostic were strong enough
he would have the constitutional right
to abolish both the Sabbath and the
Sunday, and compel US to keep all days
alike. don't see how any sensible
man eau avoid the conviction that the
Sunday law IS, per Sc, party legislation
on Il religious question, which curtalls
the personal rights and restrains the
liberties Of thousans Of good citizens,
and is, therefore, per Sc, unconstitu-
tional. 1t is hased entirely on that in
iquitous.principle by which the Roman
Catholic. could, If strong enough, estab-
lish by law his religion, and compel
conformity thereto by which the Jew
and Seycnth-day Baptists, if strong
enough, could abolish sunday and com
pei all Christians to observe their Sab
bath day or by which the Episcopal
Ian could, if strong enough enact such
laws as would compel the religious OBJ
scryancc of Good Friday and the Lentcn
season. The State has nothing to do
with questions Of religion. That ought
to be left entirely to the individual con
science and history shows that when
ever the State has meddled with reli-
gious matters she has only damaged the
cause she undertook to guard
Now, in regard to Sunday laws, ii
does lie in tie province Of the State to
protect by law her citizens in the peace
able and undisturbed enjoyment Of their
religion. believe in II Sunday law to
that extent and no further Public
worship should not be allowed to be dis
turncd, either on Sunday or any Other
day. Whatever inlerieres with thai
should be abated as a nuisance, becaus,
it intcrfcres with the rights and lihertie
of the citizens. But the Requirement
by law Of all cessation from business
that is carried on in Il quiet and peacea
bic way, utterly transcends that objec
and is iniquitous in its operation. Sec
how it affects the jew. 1t absolutely
compcls him not only to keep n day il
which he does not believe, but practi
caIIy compcls him to violate II day il
which he does religiously believe. Ne
conscientious jew can make an honest
living in this country. The law com
peliing him to keep our Sunday as {
Sabbath compels him to keep two days
in the week, or to deliberately immo
late his conscience So with the Sew.
cnth-day Christian Baptist Thus the
Sunday law stands in eternal defiance
Of the fundamental principles of person
al liberty, and gives the emphatic lie tC
the Constitution Of this country, and tn,
very genius of civil rights. 1t is II pos
tive disgrace to Il Government and ma
lion such as ours.
Against the Pre- idcnt Of the Taxing
District | have not word to say in
criticism. The law is in the statut,
b On. 1t is no doubt his dlty to en-
{ roe it. He is as a sworn officer of the
law bound to enforce. But it has NJ
business on the statute book, and it is
the duty of NIL good citizens to have il
stricken from the book, and make tho
very place where it has stood an ever
lasting blot.
believe in Christian Sunday to be
kept by Christian people; day of rest,
Of worship and OF holy meditation We
need it and we cannot do without il.
The inmost wants and nature of our
souls demand it. Bat we have not the
right to force that day on others, or to
demand that they should keep it rs we
do. "l.ot every man be fully persua'
died. in his own mind"
! expect some people to be shocked
by these remarks, and to criticise them
with red.hot iervor. 1t is only natural
that they should be. But let me i'm
press il on your memory that in the ut
tcrance of these opinions | am not he
re,cal whatever else you may say of
me. Don't forget that | am strictly or
thodox. ! stand with Luther, Xwingle,
Knox and even Calvin, and last. and
by no means least, With all the ancient
fathers Of the Church, from the Apostle
Paul to Constantine the Great, and |
will venture the prediction that in less
than 30 years from now the entire
Christian Church will stand upon this
question exactly as | stand tonight.
Many of the best, most pious and learn
cd men upon the globe are standing
now exactly as stand, and they are
gathering numbers daily.
- %
n