Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-29
OPPOSE SUNDAY LAWS
MASS MEETING HELD BY THE
SEVENTH DAY ADvENTISTS.
Addresses Made by Members Of the
Church Should Not Be
Political Issue.

mass meeting was held last evening IN
Pythian Temple on 9th street northwest,
under auspices of the Seventh Day Adven-
lists, who regard Saturday as the Sabbath
day. to arouse public opinion against the
enactment of Sunday law for the Dis
trict of Columbia. A large number of per-
sons were present and addresses were made
by several prominent speakers of the
church.
The chairman of the meeting was K. G..
Russell. who spoke strongly against the
proposed measure. the ground that it
would be religious legislation which is bar
red by the Constitution
I'VE also believe" said Mr. Russell that
no step could be taken that would so COM
pietely demoralize the Sabbath or any 9TH
er religious question as it would be to intro
duce it into the arena of politics and
thus bring it down to the level of the most
secular and worldly things. 1t would also
be trailed in the dust and slime of trick
cry and scheming by INSCRIPTIONS poll
tIcians. as has been repeatedly demon
strated in the past.
But We're 1t right to legislate upon the
Sabbath question Sunday would have no
claim to 1t. for it is wholly without any
Bible authority. as every one may know
by taking the Bible. and the Bible alone
as every Protestant should as the stand
ard for his authority"
Mr.. Colcord's Address.
In an address on 1.-THE Logic of Sabbath
Legislation w. A. Colcord said the enact
ment of Sabbath laws means a great deal
more than many people think. He explain
ed this statement as follows:
Legislation on the part of civil govern
ment means compulsion. So bhath legisIa-
tlon, therefore, means compulsory Sabbath
observance. The Sabbath is religious. Sab
pain legislation, therefore, means religious
legislation Putting the two thoughts to-
gether, Sabbath legislation means compuI-
sorry religious legislation. The Sabbath in
stltution being religious, to establish a GER
tam day. by law, as the Sabbath, must con-
sequently mean the establishment of re-
hgion by law to that extent at least. But
1t means more than this. The Sabbath is
sign of religion. OF the Bible Sabbath
Goa says; And hallow my Sabbaths; and
they shall be sign between me and you
that We may know that l am the Lord your
God Sabbath legislation, therefore means
a religious establishment; in other words, a
union of church and state.
In civil government the majority rules
To make the question of Sabbath obser-
vance a matter of legislation in civil gov
eminent, therefore, means to establish by
law the religion of the majority. But, in
religion, the majority in this world always
have been, are and always will be wrong.
Sunday laws are needed it Is urged, in
order that laboring men who wish to keep
wages or loss of employment But if those
who observe Sunday need law compelling
all others to observe the day, then by
parity of reasoning those who observe any
other day need a law requiring all others
to observe that day. And the state cannot
grant such a law to one class and deny it
to another without enacting class legisla-
ton and making an unjust distinction be-
tween its citizens.
Controversy as to Sabbath.
Gas all are we'll aware" continued the
speaker. there is controversy as to which
day is the Sabbath the seventh or the first.
AS Sabbaths the two days stand as rival
institutions. For the state to say that
either the one or the other is the Sabbath
is for it to attempt to settle religious
controversy by law. According to the law
of God, Sunday is not the Sabbath.
From every standpoint, therefore, from
which the question nay be viewed, Sabbath
legislation on the part of civil government
is wrong"
Other numbers on the program were as
follows: Hymn, "All Hail." prayer, Luther
Warren; male quartet, 20 Bliss of the Pure
Ones" Messrs. Haynes, Leslie, Cobban.
Warner; History Repeating Itself in the
United States w. w. Prescott; THE Sab
duet, Come, Holy Spirit" Misses Russell
and Harris; Compulsory Religious Laws a
Hndrance to the Evangelization of the
World" W. A. Spicer; Sunday Legislation
in the District of Columbia" j. S. Wash
burn; male quartet. Awake, Fair Liberty.'
Messrs. Washburn, Leslie. Colcord Cob
ban; Candid Admissions of Eminent Men,"
G. b. Thompson; Christ and the Sabbath
Luther Warren: benediction, w. W. Pres