The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-08
To the Editor OF The Post.

lpf INC opinion lull Jul iiOSiNi'" ~ -
danger from the wave OF religious mod
ding that from time to time tries to FORCE
laws into our statutes that are unjust,
unconstitutional and tyrannical. refer
to laws generally styled; Laws to pre-
vent the Dissertation of the sabbath
The editor of The Pos, gave us sp.en-
did editorial on tho subject and was eriti-
cibed by DR.. A. l.. Wray. Now 1t Is my
intention to more fully elaborate the edi.
tors position and show the constitutional
grounds for opposition TO such laws, and
ct the same time show Dr. Wray some oil
his errcrs
Perhaps Sunday laws are not sumptuary
LEGISLATION, but they are paternalistlc,
which, IL anything. is worse, and as they
are intended to prevent people from at
tending games and sports at which an
admission fee is charged they may be
safely styled sumptuary to that extent
at least.
Why is it any worse to keep theators.
beer gardens and other places Of similar
character open on Sunday than it is any
other day of the week?
Is not thing that is bad one day, bad
all the time?
Is 1t any worse TO steal. lie. swear. set
drunk, murder or swindle on Sunday than
week?
May II not be retorted TO tho advocates
OF Sunday laws that they wish to prohibit
all amusements on that day 50 that the
people having nowhere else to 80 will come
TO church and drop their money into the
contribution box?
OF course the State has no right to desfg
nate a day of religious worship.
Here Ia good proof that 1t has not Ar
ticle |, amendment to our National const-
tuition: Congress shall make no law re-
spectlng an establishment OF religion or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof"
Our National treaty with Tripol, signed
| in 1881. says The government of the
United States OF America is not In any
sense founded on the Christian religion"
| Article L. section 2. of the constitution,
says; This constitution and tho laws OF
tho United States, which shall be made
/ in pursuance thereof. and all treaties made.
or which shall be made under the author
| ity of the United states, shall be the SUI
preme law Of the land. and the judges in
| every state shall be bound thereby, any
thing in the constitution or laws OF any
State to the contrary Notwithstanding.
| BY carefully studying these quota
tions Or. Wray will sec that all laws to
designate any day day of religious
| observance IS contrary to our Constltu
| ton.
TWO kinds OF laws may be made for Sun
day that would hold good. One would be
TO prohibit all kinds of work on Sunday.
| but as this would include the preacher
it will not he urged by Or. Wray or other
advocates of Sunday laws, and II an ex-
| ception is in the favor Of churches. then
the law becomes unconstitutional as class
legi Station"
The other way would be to prohibit com
pulsory labor and at the same time allow
every person to spend the day 10 suit him
self, subject to the same laws that are In
force other days against robbery, etc.
This would allow the Protestant to pray,
the Catholic to count beads. the Saliva
ton Army to beat drums, the ball player
TO play ball. the hunter to shoot, and while
protecting the rights Of all. would interfere
with the liberties of none. This is the
kind of law favored by the editor Of The
| Post and Is the only just one eveis pro-
posed OF course. DR.. Wray knows that the
command was given for the whole day. but
hat day was Saturday. All the early
Christians. including Martin Luther. main
| tnnct that Sunday laws should not be
enforced
sunday laws were common when We had
the divine right OF kings, but when gov
ornments derived their just power from
The consent Of the governed they became
unconstitutional.
mp when we ask, 'Shall man have the right
10 worship God according to the dictates
NJ his conscience, or shall he do it accord
Ing to the dictates of some one else,
whether conscientious or not?" In this
matter The Post stands on the side of our
constitution, while Dr.. Wray and others
of his way OF thinking are to all intenis
and purposes trying to destroy our lib
critics and nullify our constitution.
! The ball PLAYER has "a murh natural
right TO play bail for pay on Sunday as
the preacher has 10 preach for pay on sun
day and all liberty loving people will
stand by ths Sc rights, When man pro-
tests against these laws he does nothing
to violate decency nor does h. show the
! least trace Of insincerity. These qualities
ought to be looked for In tn defenders
OF patornal laws. am amused at Or.
| WraNs blunier about the Augustan age.
! Augustus was born siXty-thrce years r.
1 G.. end died II \. ~ As s., Paul says.
that tho gods OF the heather are devils we
nave Dr. Wray asserting that because they
forgot the devil and despised his laws
4 forever,
Or Wray has about as clear perccp-
tIcn Ct this as he has of the justness OF
/ sunday laws. Thomas Jefferson said II
consider the government of the United
states as in'eriio,ed by the constitution
/ from lntermeddlng with religious instiin-
tons, their doctrines discpliues or ex-
crciscs."
! benjamin Franklin said: when a re-
/ llHiun is good | conceive that IL will sun.
! port Itself, and when 1t can not support
itself and God does not take care TO supporl
! II so Us professors are obliged to call ~
help from the civil power. 1t Is n sign. /
apptohcnd. Of its being a bad cno."
| We should agree with Benjamin.
| President Madison said; ''Relig on is M,
In tho purylcw Of government. RELIGION 10
essentially distinct from government and
exempt from its cogulance. A connection
between them is Injurious to both
| President Garfield said: The divorce.
between church and state ought to be ah.
! solute" ""-
| President Grant said Keep the churc,
/ ana state forever separate"
! With quotation from the sturdy oia
reformer. Marlin Luther. VIII closo. a.
regerds tho Sabbath or sunday. thore is
n" necessity Of Keeping ii. The Sabbath
/ IN no way por,ained 10 the gentle. /,
was nor commanded TO them, nor observed
by them. Even Paul and the onostio,
!