St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-05
RIGHTS OF MAN.
Sunday Closing of the Worlds
Fair Held to Be an Invasion.
Thereof.
Strong Words on the Subject
From Early Defenders of the
Great Republic.

The [. 0. O. F. hall was quite well
filed last evening i'll response to the
call for a citizens meeting. Mime
apolis choir rendered the music for the
occasion. The address was given by IL.
E. Phelps, state press agent OF the
National Religious Liberty association.
The speaker said: 1--WE do hot cham
pion the cause of open or closed gates
at the worlds fair. but we do champion
the couse of the rights of the people.
There are principles that underlie this
question. In discussing the princl-
pies we may arrive at the right
conclusions. The first amendment to
the consultation forbade that action.
James Madison, Thomas Jeffer son and
George Washington. men who were at
the head of the nation, presented the
principles upon which we stand.
Said Mr.. Madison: The free exercise
of religion, according TO the dictates of
conscience, is something which every
man may demand as right, not some
thing for which he must ask as priv
lege."
Said George Washington: every man
who conducts himself as a good
citizen, is accountable alone to
God for his faith. and shonld
be protected in worshlplng God
according to the dictates of his own con-
science"
Not the conscience of congressmen.
but his own conscience. This act of
congress was an invasion of these
rights.
Said MI. Jefferson Every man has
freedom to do all that he wills, provided
that he infringes not the equal freedom
of any other man."
These rights include the aight to be-
lieve or not believe; to worship or not
worship. And no man, or set of men.
has any right to invade these rights.
This act OF congress was made possible
by the supreme court decision that this
is Christian nation;" de-
ciSion that was also men
ace at the free institutions of
the nation.f Justice Brewer said this
is Christian natiOn," and congress says
that the Sunday is from henceforth to
be the Sabbath OF the nation. AND
when congress OF the supreme court de-
cldes upon question. all the power of
the nation is back of it to enforce it by
civil penalties. Now, as congress says
Sunday is the Sabbath, the next step
will be to enforce its observance upon
all, irrespective of the conscience of the
individual. And this is but the begin
ming.
A religio-political organization is
seeking to so secure the control of the
civil power as to enforce the lnstitu-
tions of religion, and all others will be
accounted as atheists, and to these they
refuse to allow any rights. They may
! be tolerated upon some lone and desc
late island, where they NAY set up a
government of their own, in the name
of the devil and for the devil, and if
they can stand it stay there till they
die" And this from protested minis
ter of the gospel. Will the people
awake? This is the spirit that is abroad
everywhere, and unless the people do
awake our freedom is gone. 1t is the
right OF the citizen to demand repeal
of that act in the name of the rights OF
the people. Another meeting is APP
pointed for next Sunday, Dec. II, at
7:45 D. IN. The public are invited.