The record-union., 1891-02-12
FOR AND AGAINST.
The Sunday Law Bill Gets Lively
Shaking Up.
Arguments in Its Favor, and Others
Made Against 1t by Seventh
Day Adventists.

were several clergymen, a large number OF
prominent church members and others
present, including many ladies. The
Chairman of the Assembly committee
presided
The provisions of the bill are as follows:
Any person who, on Sunday, gets up, eX-
hibits, opens, or maintains, or aids in getting
up, exhibiting. opening, or maintaining any
bull, bear, cock, or prize fight, horse race,
circus, gambling-house, saloon, or any bar
conducts, or exhibits any theater melodeon,
dance-house, or cellar, or other place of musi-
cal, theatrical, or operate performance, spec
tacle, or representation where any wines,
liquors, or any other Intoxicating drink or
drinks are bought, sold, used, drank, or given
away, or who purchases any ticket of admis-
sion, or directly or indirectly pays any adj
mission fee to or for the purpose of witnessing
or attending any such place, amusement,
spectacle, performance, or representation, is
guilty of q misdemeanor.
Every person who Keeps open on Sunday
house or other place of business, for the pur-
pose of transacting business therein, is
punishable by fine not more than $50 nor less
than So.
The provisions of the last preceding section
do not apply to persons who, on Sunday, keep
open hotels, boarding-houses, barber-shops,
baths, markets, restaurants, livery stables, or
retail drug stores, for the legitimate business
OF each; or to such manufacturing establish
ments as are necessarily and usually kept in
continued operation; or, except as to keeping
open q bar or a saloon, to persons who, on ac-
count OF conscientious scrupes, observe and
conform to the provision of said last preced-
Ing section on q day OF the week other than
Sunday.
The first speaker of the evening was
Rev. Mr.. Thomson, representative of
the American Sabbath Union. He opened
his remarks by fiattering alluSion to
the intelligence and responsibility of the
members of the present Legislature. The
gentleman'S address was substantially
the same as that delivered at the Seventh
street M. E. Church South on Sunday
evening last, synopsis of which was
published in the RECoRD-UNIoN on the
following morning. The law should, he
held, in the cause of religious liberty,
secure to every man, however humble,
the same privileges that are guaranteed
to the President, the Judiciary and other
branches of the Government. People
who want to enjoy religious liberty and
equal rights should have the protection
of law, which many of them are not now
permitted to do. The bill now before the
Legislature provides that all classes of
business shall be placed on an equality,
so far as Sunday observance is concerned
no discrimination was made against
saloons or any other class OF business.
OPPOSED TO sUMPTUARY LAWS.
Mr.. Putnam, replying to Mr.. Thomson,
said that a Sunday law was in conflict
with the Federal Constitution, which
guaranteed perfect religious liberty to
every man. \ Sunday law was manda-
tory and compelled persons to do certain
things against their will If man wished
to go hunting or fishing on Sunday, it
was his perfect right to do so, or pass his
Sunday as he pleased. Sumptuary laws
are repugnant to the Constitution. If
Sunday law can be enforced so can bap
tiSm, and so can any other religious SyS-
tenn. There must be a total separation of
church and State. If newspaper offices
are kept open on Sunday, or stationery,
or other stores, or if a man sees fit to go
fishing or hunting on Sunday, that does
their Sunday just as they please. 1t is no
interference with anybody.
Talking of Sunday law to protect peO-
pies health is absurd. People should be
able to take care of their own health. AS
well pass law to make a man take pills,
whether he wanted to or not. The advocates
of Sunday law could present no proofs
in support of the assertion that its OBJ
servance is necessary to health. AS to the
morality of the thing-that which it is
wrong to do on Sunday it would be wrong
to do on any other day. All the argu-
ments of the Sunday law advocates were
based ON false premises entirely.
SPECIAL LEGISLATION.
Senator Carpenter said the Constitution
of the State prohibits special legislation,
while the bill in question specifies certain
ayocations which it is proposed to pro-
hibit on Sunday. He would like to have
some of those interested in it's passage
explain, if they could, how it was pro-
posed to harmonic the provisions of the
bill with those of the Constitution.
There was no response.
THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH.
Rev. J. B. Silcox, pastor of the Congre-
gational Church, favored the enactment
of the proposed law. The nation, he
said, was first settled by people who rec
ognized the Christian Sabbath. Expert
ence had shown that men who labor can
do better work and their health is con-
served by observing a day of rest in the
week
would it promote morality? Most as
suredly it would; hence it would be a
wise thing to place it on the statute
books. The churches are great edu-
Gators and trainers in morality, and they
need protection from institutions and
customs that tend in the opposite direc-
ton. "A Sunday law is demanded also
for the welfare of the workingmen.
Even in Toronto, city of churches, the
labor organizations have stopped the run
ming of street cars on Sunday. If God
did not intend that men should have one
days rest i'll seven, he would SO consti-
tute them that they could work on in
definitely, which they now cannot do.
TOO MUCH oNE-sIDED.
Rev. Mr.. Cuddy said that, as minister
of the gospel, he was opposed to the pas
sage of the bill. He believed in that pre-
cept which counseled each person to do
unto others that which they would have
done unto themselves. He was brought
up a Roman Catholic, but had deserted
that faith for reasons which he believed
sufficient. There is two much Roman
ism painted on most of the various de-
nominations of the day. He knew from
his own experience that people had been
sorely prosecuted under the workings of
Sunday law. While he was not there to
represent any particular denomination
only mankind in general-he was a
Seventh Day Adventist, and denied the
right of any denomination or class to
compel him to pass his Sunday in any
way other than as he saw fit to do.
He said he once knew of man being
arrested for painting his house on Sun
day, under the operation Of a Sunday
law, and while he1ay in Jail his wife and
child died. Those who say that people
must believe in their Bible and in their
creeds-those who would force religion
into people, and fine and imprison them
for working on Sunday-are agents of
the Devil! He claimed to be a Christian,
and denied the assertion that this is
Christian nation. There is not Chris
tian nation ON the face of the earth. In
all the United States there is not one hun
dred Christians, If the advocates of this
bill would study Christianity, they would
not come here asking the enactment of
such q law.
RELIEF FOR LADoRERs.
The bill was advocated by gentleman
who claimed to have had opportunities to
observe the condition of the workingmen
in San Francisco and elsewere. He
claimed that men who labor in the gas
works, on the docks, on street railways
and many other kinds of work were en-
titled to Sunday law for their protection.