The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1905-01-21
ObSERvANCEO OF SUNDAY
Continued from FIRST Page.

5Oub plluo uiO III uuHBCI VI uclhB SA-
terminated by either foreigners or ma
tives; II religious or other meetings
are being disturbed by unusual or UNI
called for powder explosions, let us
have laws for the protection OF these
interests every day in the week. Sure
ly II these excuses are valid, We need
the protection al the time. But the
fact that Sunday laws give protection
on one day only and that day Sunday
is positive proof that real underlying
reason for them is the religious, sacred
idea which attaches TO ii In the minds
OF some people, and these good people
want to compel other people to be good
and act according to their own stan
dard of goodness and righteousness,
SO with more zeal than knowledge they
appeal to the power Of this world to
enact and enforce Sunday laws.
In the language Of some OF the most
Jealous advocates Of Sunday law en-
forcement separate it from the religi-
Gus foundation and the bottom would
fall out at once. - There would be no
force in them. And this is the reason
why Sunday laws on our statute books
for more than a century have practic.
ally been a dead letter, aud thus It
follows that certain sections which
could not be enforced against money
kings have to be eliminated or repeal
ed and new ones enacted with penalties
to enforce this modern demand for the
socalled righteousness.
Then that FIRE government may be
hoodwinked and committed TO uncon.
stitutional action, the religious phase
is largely kepti in the background and
the Sunday bills desired to be enacted
into law are connected with the tenn
perance question, the fish and game
laws or some other necessary and USE
full legislation in order to insure their
passage.
1t is fortunatelthat the present law
under di cussion was not enacted as
first introduced in the Senate which
contained provision for giving one
half the 800 fine TO the informant.
Thus for consideration" we would
have had an effective system where by
overwhelmingly law-criminals could
be speedily brought to answer for pre-
suming to differ with their neighbors
in matter as to what constitutes true
righteousness. 1t might work a little
hard on the fish and game wardens in
the line OF emoluments but on the other
hand they would be compensated part
ly in relief from their burdensome
duties the main object, however,
would be accomplished, and undoubt-
edly the hearts of the John Cotton's
and Cotton Mather's Of the present
time would leap for JOY.
Unfortunately there are many good
people who are persuaded to believe
that in securing the power Of the state
to enforce religious customs on every
body are doing Gods service. Two
passages of Scripture are here present.
ed for their careful and candid con-
slider ton. Matt 7:l2; Luke 1926.
The leaders and chief promoters,
however, know full WE'LL as they also
admit, that there is no divine authori-
ty or command for Sunday obser-
yance-that it is simply a command.
ment of men," Marx III, 8, 49, And
therefore having only the authority OF
men for its foundation there is no
promise nor assurance of power from
divine source to impress its supposed
sacredn ness on the human heart and
without which its observance is only
vanity Hence the appeals for power
to enfore it, to the only power within
their reach-worldly power. History
both sacred and profane give to us
the fearful results of the unholy ALI.
ance. 81 have chosen We out of the
world therefore the world hateth you. y
Our forefathers took warning from
the history of the examples of the past
and wisely withheld the power Of the
state from the church when they laid
the foundation for the best earthly
government the world has eyer seen.
But it is just as true now as in their
day that eternal vigilance is the price
OF liberty" 1t is therefore incumbent
on everybody now to carefully and
candidly study with deep concern the
principles underlying these Sunday
laws. However good may be the
motives of their champions from the
first one enacted by the pagon Emper.
or Constantine in A. d. 32l to the last
one at Montpelier Dec 1905 they tend
only to breed lawlessness, anarchy
and in the end destruction to every
thing connected with them what saith
the Scripture? See Rev bills; 14:9-
II; 1872; 1920.
Yours for law and order, without
compromise, but for an infinitely high
err kind than ever was or ever can be