The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-07-12
AnasEson 9atesl19eneea.
GOOD MEN AppEALTo CONSCIENCE
BY BISHOP "A. G. HAYaooD, D. b.
Southern Christian. Advocate.

Paul "appealed to Casar" in case
involving his rights as Roman citi.
zen he did not appeal to Caesar to
settle by an imperial decree any ques.
tion of doctrine or morals.
A great question has been pending
for some weeks before high courts. on
the question of Sunday opening Of
the Worlds Fair in Chicago. The
first decision was, as it seemed, favor.
able. to Sabbath observance. The
telegrams Of the week tell us that the
Court Of Appeals, Chief Justice Full
ler presiding, "has decided unani-
mously in favor Of Sunday opening" !"
This sort Of statement is misleading
md framed in the interests of the
Philistines. The Associated Press is
given to this kind Of deviltry. The
Court Of Appeals did not say it favor
ed Sunday opening it really deliver
ed no opinion whatever upon the
Sabbath question. The Court simply
affirmed that, Under the law, it had
no authority to close the gates: :on5the
Sabbath day. The Court interpreted
the law ; it decided no question con-
cerning religion or morals.
As it seems to this writer, to de-
nounce Chief Justice Fuller, or the
United States Court, would be silly
thing. The Court is under:' oath to
interpret the law of the land, and not
the Word of God. It would be very
unfair to say that the Court set itself
against the Christian Sabbath, when it
simply affirmed that il had no author.
ity, under the law, to close the gates
Of the big show upon the Sabbath day.
It is true that the Philistines will
take comfort from this decision, but
it should be- remembered that the
Court interpreted the law; it makes
no contribution to the anti-Sabbath ar
gument,
It is not the business Of court to
make law; its function is thelinter-
probation of law. IF the people do not
like their laws, they have this remedy !:
they can change them.
Bus it is well worth considering,
whether the Christian doctrine oon.
cerning the Lord day can be- setsup
and maintained by civil law or the sec
ular courts. I offer no opinion as to
the right of government to pass laws
concerning the Sabbath, and make no
argument on that subject. In most
Of the States Of the Union Caesar has
decreed abstenation from ordinary la
Dor on the Sabbath day.
In some States, the laws concerning
the Sabbath day are stringent. But at
bottom, the State enters into the Sab
bath questions for reasons other than
those that control the consciences Of
Christian men. Just as the State
guarantees the right of worship, and
Furnishes those who interfere with it,
on civil, and not on religious grounds.
The State has nothing to do with re.
ligion except as it protects the citizen
in his rights. The State can forbid a
man who-does not believe in the sane
tity of the Sabbath from interfering
with the rights Of those who do be-
lieve in its sanctity, but it cannot
force him to keep the Sabbath ac-
cording to his neighbor's view Of it,
any more than it can compel the &C.
ceptance Of any theory Of the atone
ment, or of any other Christian doc.
trine.
1t may be that we have trusted
overmuch in the law Of the land to
secure moral results, and not enough
in the power Of the truth Of God
that alone makes the soul of man.
Possibly, if we had expended as
much force in teaching the truth Of
the Bible on the Sabbath question as
we have exerted in seeking DEGREES
from the civil courts, we might have
had, by this time, more Sabbath OBJ.
servance. In the long run, nothing
secures conformity to the laws of God
except teaching the people the laws
of God. Moral reforms always move
upon the lines Of moral teaching. The
principle applies to many other than
the Sabbath question.
AS to the Chicago show and Sunday
opening, the Church has an appeal to
a court not bound by statute law, OF
by the Constitution of the United
States. In the cases just determined,
the Church to all intents and purposes
the plaintiff; but for the Church the
case would not have been made or
heard. No doubt, the Chief Justice
and those sitting with him has given
us an honest Interpretation of the
law. Before this Court the Church
failed it had not the necessary ju-
risdiction.. But Christian conscience
has ample jurisdiction.
What can the Church do? Stay
away from the Fair {?
Its managers have acted dishonora-
bly.to the last degree. They appealed
to the Nation, as represented in Con-
gress, for large gift Of money. The
grant was made, with the distinct un-
derstanding that the gates Of the big
show were to be closed upon the. Sab