St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-23

Religious Liberty Association Dis
cusses Pending Legislation.
The announcement of meeting at
Odd Fellows hall last night to discuss
the claims of House File No. ~, being
bill to repeal certain sections of the
penal code relating to business, traffic
and sport OH Sunday, brought out
large attendance. Rev. A. j. Breed
acted. as chairman. The principal
speaker was II. F. Phelps, of the Ma
tional Religious Liberty association.
Other speakers were Rev. n. w. Allen.
of st. Paul, and Rev. q. B. Tripp,
OF Minneapolis. Mr.. Phelps said:
I'VE are not here in the interests of ire
ligion, for we believe in the Christian
religion and i'll the power of that relig-
ion. We are not in favor of anarchy,
but do revere the principles of our gov
eminent, and teach loyalty to these
principles" He advocated the princi-
pie of individual rights Of conscience i'll
all matters of religion. and declared
that to install the institutions of relig.
ion into the common law. and to enforce
the observance of these institutions,
was but the spirit of despotism, and
putting man in the place OF God and
acting as judge. The speaker quoted
the words of the Great Teacher:
Judge not, that We be not judged,
Judge, We shall be Judged" And
Judge nothing before the time" and
said Christ Himself did not judge, but
reserving all judgment to the future,
left every man free to make his own
choice as to religion. From quotations
from the founders OF our government
he argued the unalienable rights of all
men TO equal protection from the state.
Mr.. Phelps then passed to the eXamina-
ton of the constitution of the state, and
found this instrument in exact harmony
with the principles. He then read
that part of the penal code which
relates to the Sabbath and said: at
does not take much of critic to see
that these laws are in exact conflict
with the rights of the citizen, either in
civil or religious matters, and a fiat con-
tradiction to the constitution itself.
The same power that can enact law
to favor one class of religioniStS, or one
church Institution, may enact law to
favor others. And if we allow the right
to enact law favoring one day because
observed religiously by one class, the
same power may be invoked to
compel a hush in every line OF
business on all church holidays,
as Good Friday, or forty days Lent.
or at a MONDAY service" The argu-
ments were well put. and the conclu-
sions logically drawn. At the conclu-
sion the following resolution was latter
an interesting discussion, adopted:
Being believers in the Christian re-
ligion, and believing that all questions
of religion should be left to the in
dividual conscience, and not to DEGREES
of councils, courts or legislative bodies,
and believing that 1t is the duty of the
state to protect all in their Individual
rights-freedom of conscience-in all
matters of religion. and that this is the
limit of It's authority in religious QueS-
tons; therefore
Resolved, That we declare in favor of
non-unlon of church and state, not
only in name, but in fact, and to this
end we do favor the repeal of all relig-
ious laws enacted by the state.
This resolution was of the nature Of a
compromise. M. E. Murray, president
of the BARRIERS union, was present, and
with Scott Mcdonald, made a fight
against the proposed resolution which
Endorsed the house file now pending,
which proposes to permit the opening
OF barber shops on Sunday.