The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-06-17

their protest, which denied the right OF
the civil rulers TO legislate In matters
between the soul and God, they said IN
closing, "We therefore reject the yoke
that is imposed upon u.s." To further
show the spirit of r Professionalism
the speaker read from the History OF the
Reformation the following words from
Luther: at Is with the Word we must
contend, and by the Word we must re-
flute and expel what has gained q footing
by violence. | would not resort to force
against such as are superstitious, nor
ever against unbellevers. Let there be
no compulslon. Liberty is the essence
OF faith" In strong contrast with this
spirit was held up before the audience
the course of the church leaders and
managers Of this country, in appealing
TO the law IN enforcing their dogmas,and
ever petitioning the president to call
out the troops to enforce the religious
enactment Of congress, closing the
worlds fair on Sunday. To further show
the gross departure of these men from
the spirit of the gospel, the following
quotation from the Christian Statesman
OF February 4, 1893, was read: "The
National Reform Association does not
aim at the individual, but at the nation.
It's specific purpose Is to bring the whole
people, not as 80 many individuals, but
as one organized body, being a living,
active, moral person, to confess the Lord
Jesus Christ as it's king" And again in
its issue of December 10, 1892: ut is
the purpose of law to make it as easy as
possible to do right, and as hard as pos
sible to do wrong" The position of
Seventh Day Adventists was stated to
be that the duty of the state is to pro-
tect liberty of conscience, and this is the
limit of it's authority in matters Of reli-
gion. To show the danger Of resorting
to force in religious matters. the speaker
quoted from p. 267 of Young's Govern
ment Glass Book, the following: 'The
right to use force implies the right to
take the life of those who make resist
ance." From all these considerations 1t
was clearly shown that u constitution
was framed according to the Christian
and Protestant idea of government,
which is purely civil, and therefore. as
all our officers are sworn to uphold and
defend the constitution, all who are Pc
titioning for religious legislation are ask
OF office, and all who concede to their
demands by laboring and voting for such
measures are violating their oath OF Of
fee. What then becomes OF their claim
to being the "best people" and "law-
abiding citizens" in face Of the fact that
they are openly violating the supreme
law of the land? Or the other hand
they charge those who oppose religious
legislation with anarchy and revolution.
In a work entitled The Great Contro-
versy, published by S. ID. Adventists in
1885, on p. 400, occur the following
words: Those who honor the Bible
Sabbath will be denounced as enemies
of law and order, as breaking down the
moral restraints of society," causing an
archy and corruption, and calling down
the judgments of God upon the EARTH
In fultillment of this, listen to the fol
lowing utterances at a mass meeting in
Chicago, December ID, 1892 Said the
Rey. H. H. George, in a speech against
Adventists, at is only anarchy and
nothing else. 1t is like the thing yon
had in Haymarket some time ago. No
law at ALL" And Rev. j. X. Day said:
lit is religious anarchy. 1t is calculated
to break our rest day, destroy the peace
OF heaven down on the land"