The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-02-17
SEVENTH DAY ADvENTrsrs.

known.
SEVENTH DAY ADYENTIsTs.
The Congress of the Seventh Day
lAdVentist5 at Battle Creek. Michigan,
on February Is, at Which delegates
were present from many countries
shows that the Adventist ideas are
spreading, and that the seventh day
Sabbath is being observed by great
many worthy people. This also brings
forward the fact that the Sabbath doc
trine of those people is getting them
into trouble with the secular authori-
ties in different parts of the United
States.
The Herald frequently receives pa
pers and communications relating
what the AdVenttsts consider are per-
Secutions on account of their religious
faith and practice. We have referred
to some Of them on several occasions.
The latest that has come to our at
tention is the case of. W. T. Gibson, of
Everett. Massachusetts, who was ar
rested for selling a half-pound of
candy on Sunday in violation of the
local law. On appearing in court to
answer the charge, the defendant, con-
Quoting his own case, claimed that he
had mot interfered With any natural
or constitutional right OF his neigh
borg and that he was not guilty of
! Keeping open his place of business
on the Lords day." the latter being
the charge against him.
Judge Pettingill at first declined TO
listen to the defendants Biblical ar
gument to show that Sunday is not
the Lords day." but on his explain
Ing that he was accused of an offence
which neeessitated his appeal to the
scriptures, the court allowed him to
proceed. Mr.. Gibson entered into an
elaborate scriptural plea for the seY-
enth day as the Sabbath Of the Old
Testament, and the Lords Day Of the
New Testament, and established his
position to his own satisfaction if not
to any other PERSONS. But the court,
nevertheless, fined him fifty dollars,
from which he took an appeal.
The weak point in the position as
suned by the Seventh Day Advent
lists is that they seem determined to
violate the law in relation to Sunday
observance. There is no interference
with their choice of a day for worship.
They may keep Saturday for the Sab
bath, as the orthodox Jews do, and
they will not be molested. That is not
the difficulty. 1t is that they will not
comply with the law as to the first
day Of the week, whether it is called
Sunday, the Lords Day or what not.
OF course the Sunday law is more
stringently executed in some places
than in others. In Salt Lake city,
for instance saloons must be
closed on sunday-at the front Some
people do say that drinkers may get
In at the back, but of that we are not
able to decide. In some other places
there is scarcely any restriction on
such resorts, while in still other places
very rigid watch is kept and viola
tors Of the law are promptly punished
when caught.
Candy-selling, however, is seldom
followed by the infliction of a penalty,
and in the case we have mentioned
was probably spiteWork and the re-
suit Of religious prejudice which Is the
spirit OF persecution. The heavy pen-
atty for SO small an offence smacks of
/ the asme spirit. Such things are to be
deprecated. Some respect might be
had for the religious views CT the de-
PENDANT.
But after all, it was within the power
Of the defendant to obey the law. and
that would scarcely be in violation of
his religious principles. For. while his
conscience might require him to shut
his shop on Saturday, his creed surely
would not compel him to open it on
Sunday. SO that while pressing the law
against him with Yigor might have the
faint Of persecution, fair execution of it
would be but proper prosecution.
The establishment Of Sunday laws is
for the preservation Of order and to
protect in their rights the great ma
Jority of the citizens, who desire to
preserve the day as a day of rest
and of worship. The majority
| rule in matters of public regulation.
| and While laws and ordinances are In
force against unnecessary labor and
business on Sunday, the Adventists and
/ the Jews, as we'll as secularists who
| care nothing for religion in any form.
as good citizens should observe those
regulations because they are the law.
There are two bodies Of Adyentists.
! Both of them believe in the literal and
immanent coming of the Savior to
reign over the world. But only one Of
! those bodies regard Saturday as the
I Sabbath and appear to take pride in
showing their contempt for Sunday as
the Christian Sabbath. It is unfortu-
nate for them that they will proceed
to such extremes. While they keep
what they believe to be the proper day.
I they will be secured in their right, But
when they so further, and refuse to be
governed by the laws framed by the
majority for the obedience of all. they
may expect to draw upon themselves
the ill-wiH of the Sabbatarians and
must take the consequences Of defyins
the laW.
| This cold snap has displayed won
| derful vitality Starting on the 9Th of