The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1894-08-03
The 9e,uorrat.
No Union Of Church And State.

No Union Of Church And State.
II has been customary TO refer to Ameri-
Gu as the ''land of liberty" and the home
Of freedom, an asylum for the oppressed of
all nations, country whose constitution
and laws grant the fullest liberty of con-
science to all its subjects of whatever re-
ligious persuasion or belief. People have
generally supposed that religious persecu-
tion was a thing of the past; and that the
spirit of bigotrv and intolerance that have
characterized other ages and other lands,
would never be seen here. But that is al
together mistaken idea. The following
item from the San Francisco Examiner
shows unmistakably that the bitter spirit
of persecuion is not yet dead in this fair
land:
"Down in Maryland, an Adventist
preacher whose conscience and creed die
tated that he should observe Saturday as a
day of rest, has been put in Jail for work
ing in his garden on Sunday. Maryland,
it seems necessary to remark, is one of the
United States, and the present date Is
1894"
1t may be necessary to remark further
that Maryland has on her statute book a
Sunday law dating from colonial days;
aud, although long since dead letter, it
has been revived of late, and is being used
in the interest of religious intolerance.
Under this infamous statute, peaceable
and law abiding PEOPLE are being arrested,
tried and fined, and, in default, commit
| tel to Jail. simply, because, in obedience
to the 4,h commandment Of the decalogue.
they devote the seventh day 10 rest and
worship, and then go about their usual
avocations on the FIRST day of the week, OF
Sunday.
But Maryland is not the only state where
these cruel outrages have been perpetra,ed
under cover of law. Arkansas. Tennessee,
and Georgia have each hal hand in thi;
barbarous procedure. In Tennessee, a
farmer named Caps, has just been sent ,c
the Jail to serve sentence of fifteen months
for the crime (?) of plowing in his corn-
ieli on Surday The popularity of the
case, and that which stamps it. at once. as
religious persecution is the fact that Capp.
is Seven Day Adventist, and while other
travel. work. hunt, and fish on Sunday
they are mol molested. a few months
since, three men of the Adventist sec, wer'
imprisoned for Sunday work and made Il
work on the streets OF Paris. Tennessee, il
the chain gang with common criminals.
There things emphasize the folly an'
Wickedness of attsnr ing 10 regulate re
ligion by civil law. Sunday laws are sim
ply relics of the church and systems of th'
pas, and should have no place in the eivi
codes Of the nin,eenih century. Atou, al
they ever amount to is TO afford religion
bigots an opportunity 10 w'eak th,ir spit
on those whc hold and practice opinion
ldiiieTeat from their oxn. Employing tn
civil power TO eniotcs rsligloas eoot'ine
always means persecution OF those VIII
calm the right 10 think for themselves i
mat ers OF religion.
Every safe. excepting CalifOEni-. hs
some forms OF Sunday law. Lu; they are II
most Of the states dead letter, simply &c
cause public sentiments does not deman
their entorcem sn;s. Il wouid se to tn
everlasting good of th= ~ho'e people
IAey were iortyer suf-re 10 remain deat
Try that there are 10 it now many dsngeroU
foes Of liberty. A certain class Of misg uide
Prosestan. Rom1nizers are woss ing 20 ovel
throw tie Constitution aud iGauguI AT
gain a church d safe system. Th
Nalionl Reform Association and the Amer
can Sabbath Union exist for NJ other Pur
pose it's The puIposs of The ioI mer orgar
ization as stated la iis soEstisuiior, 81
sscut= such 40 amendment TO The consIiiJ
tion of the L Uni,ed State, will declare Ii
na'ion's allegiance 10 Jrsus Chris., and Il
acceptance ct the mora laws Of the Ckiis
tan religion. and so ir1ieate iha- this is
Christian nation, ard PLACE all CETistis
avs. institutions and ussRes on an uhdurs
bic legal asis In The fundamental laws {
the land" Here is ARCHER one OF the
u,tefanc.s: "OIr remedy { r all thei
malehc influence Is TO have the Govern
ment simply Sc; u2 the moral law and rec
ogniz= Gods authority behind l., and Ia
its hand on any religion that does not COT
firm" Let the reader poader veil wh
hese things mean,a ,and then decide wheih,
he is ready to see rhzrn to church an
: state. the inquisiiion and the dark eyes.
DYE.