The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-21
The sunday Law :. Tennessee.

To THE EDTroR OF THE SUN-Sir: I note In
THE SUN of Oct. s. under the heading of " The
Sunday Law In Tennessee" an account OF my
Imprisonment and liberation. / do not doubt
but your statements as to my case and the or
gantsation that defended me are Just as the
matter was represented to you, yet some Of them
are quite incorrect, and beg permission TO give
an exact statement OF the case.
You were quite right In saying that am a
Seventh-day Adventist. ! observe the seventh
day instead of sunday; and until i began such
observance was undisturbed by any one In my
walks of life But when began the observance
OF the seventh day prejudce arose against
ma, and on June 4, ls93, | was arrested for
working In my field on sunday, and was tried be-
fore the Circuit Court OF Weakley county Tenn,
the 27th OF the same month. Being Door man,
l was unable to employ counsel, and the Inter-
national Religious Liberty Association, a large
part OF whoseln embership are also Seventh-day
Adventists, came to my rescue, and employed
able counsel, who defended me In the courts.
The case went against me and was fined $40
and costs The association, at its own expense
appealed the case to the supreme Court OF Ten
nsssee, but all efforts for my freedom were of
no avail The decision of the lower court
affirmed May "a, 1894 the fine and total
costs amounting 20 S72.a5, and l was thrown
In prison IN Dresden, Tenn.
lie FttIBlOus l-iDcTl1 WAS at an
expense Of about $500 in the case, which was OF
course much more than the amount OF my fine
and costs which was unable and unwilling to
pay. With me and with them the whole matter
was q question of conscience and of religious
conviction; and tn have paid the fine TO escape
Imprisonment would have been TO acknowledge
that had done wrong In working upon the first
day Of the week. which, In allegiance to God or
In justice TO my fellow men, had not. To have
paid my fine for exercising my aOd-giyen right
To labor upon that day would be To surrender
that right. II unjust enRctments can take away
one right they can take away all rights. We
are not ready for that yet In America.
Indeed, IL was In direct obedience to the ex-
press command Of God ito Whom render rever-
ent servicel that | was laborlnR upon the first
day of the week, for which was declared guilty
and thrown into prison. TO me the Bible 10 the
revelation OF the Divine will, The fourth pre-
ospt expressing that will says. Remember the
sabbath keep i holy Sy days lay shalt
sabbath OF the Lord thy God; h. l. thou shalt
not do any work" Now, when civil authorities
the first day OF the week they attempt 10 make
me dsowP my sllesianos 70 TOD and disohey His
command 20 labor on that day We ought to
still, further, It Is not because labor on sun
10 cease seventh-day observance and 10 rest On
sunday that ali this stir Is made; Whsn was
SUNDAY keeper tOulu llhNh iaDtifNu every uay
In the week. as hundreds do all around me now,
aRd no one would have malesled mo but AS
snOn as began "a observe tue day commanded
OF God | was singled out as = target, and ear
nest etfnFts were made To prevent nay sunday la
Dor, could not yield 10 this demand, Accord
ing "a Gods Word sunday Is D rival institution
tUIiod's sabbath, And the religious denomiRa-
t0R with which ! am cO9heotsd have belleye'l
far forty years that the Word OF God teaches
that iD this country this rival and false Sabbath
will be forced by law upon the people.
My case IL proof and example OF the
fulflment of this very thing; and Il Is only ons
OF many. The efforts 10 enforce Sunday sacred
suffered much as have. and to-day four OF thfm
are uudeF arrest Ia Maryland. and will be
brought To trial ia few days.
As neither | nor my brethren could CpgtsUien-
tiouslY pay my nne, the only alternative for mo
as a peaesabe CtiEsn was to quietly go Ia
prison. which did. 10 serve out my sentence OF
S72.eh at 25 cents day, have no word OF re-
pruach for my DerseeutnFs or accusation 10
brlne against them. | am willing Ia suffer for
trutl's AAke. Hut in the name OF freedom, in
the name at that one word Of America lib
Crty 90 I appeal To those who love their fellow
mfn 10 faithfully maintain the rights Of others.
MANY hewspapeFs throughout the tnlLed
States have nOlily defended ny cause. aud de-
nounoed thu injustice done nae. Ny case came
10 the attention of the IiaCrtcan HehTfte of your
city. This paper raised fund 90 secure my re-
Lease. not understanding my religious conyio;
lions an the matter and altar ] had lain in jail
BT days thus pay ing S24. Is Of my sentence, the
aIafFieau HfbTeH, with kindest Intentions. sent
the mOaey 20 the authorities ~ Dresden. and ON
the lsl Of the present month ] was released.
Quits a liberal amount .ss also tarnsd over u
this pApaE for the support 0f my family, which
had been cared for during my Imprisonment b.
the Religious IAbsrty Assoeiatlon- | most SIN