St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1908-02-28
COMMUNICATED.

versal demand for religious legisla-
ton shows that people are forget
ting the grand and glorious prin-
ciples taught in Judea by the
author of liberty himself; and EN-
bodied in the constitution of this
government; and which have made
ii one of the best, If not indeed the
very best government in the world $
history. ! refer to the principles
of liberty and equal rights. Lib
erty includes freedom of action,
with a recognition of the equal
rights of others. Majorities have
no right to laws granting to them
selves privileges which are denied
the minority: for the principle oi
equality is thereby violated, and
unless this principle is recognized,
there Is no protection from the
tyranny of the majority in case
they choose to exercise it. The
golden rule is also violated by the
enforcement of religious laws.
How, for instance would our friends
who are advocating Sunday laws,
like to have laws enacted compel
ling them to refrain from labor on
some other day of the week; thus
imposing on them a tax equal tc
one-seventh of their incomel No;
Sunday laws work an injustice to
many and abridge the liberties OF
all, in that they deny the individ-
ual the right to choose or change
his religion. They are opposed to
the true spirit of christianity in
that they seek to compel religion
a thing that the author Of the
christian religion never did. His
gospel was and is: "Whosoever
will may Gomez and "Choose ye
this day whom ye will serve" He
sets before man the results Of his
choice but leaves him free to exer-
else II. One Of the arguments
made in favor Of Sunday laws is
that they are "for the good Of the
laboring man." but to compel a
man to refrain from labor or amuse-
ments "for his good" is to take
away his right of private Judgment
in matter that pertains solely to
his own good. OF course the labor
ing man has come to be quite a
pet lamb" especially when he is
wanted to "bleat" through his bal
lot at the polls.
Our councilmen are certainly to
be commended for the stand they
took regarding the recent proposed
Sunday ordinance. Councils are
no, created to decide religious con-
troversics. / say religious con-
troversies, because the question as
to whether Sunday is the Sabbath
or not is at least controverted one,
with the entire weight OF scripture
argument in favor Of a different
day. That Sunday laws are advo-
Gated because Of the supposed re-
ligious character Of the day and
from no other reason is too plain
to need contradiction. In the re.
cent agitation here for an ordinance
prohibiting skating rinks, billiard
parlors and pool rooms from oper-
ating on Sunday, the idea was
given that II was because OF the
noise made by the rink IN the
vicinity of some OF the churches
that disturbed worship. II that
was the reason why not have asked
that the ordinance also prohibit the
rink operating on Thursday night
when prayer meeting is heldl II
il had even been in the interests of
the young peoples morals, reason
would demand that these places of
a questionable character be closed
and not simply on Sun
day, thus tacitly admitting that It
is perfectly right for them to oper-
ate on all other days Of the week.
There is another phase OF the
question and that is that worship
ping congregations are already pro-
tected by law from real disturbance
on all days alike.
The fact is that the whole fabric |
Of religious legislation is built upon
the intolerant principle OF IL want
10, therefore you must.
l would not in the least impugn
the motives of those who are advo-
eating Sunday laws. Some of the
best people of our country are
in the cause; they see that
reforms are needed, and perhaps
heir time has been SO fully taken
up with other matters that they |
nave only looked on one side of
his question. To them l would
'ay; "You cannot make people re-
igious by civil law; you can make
by compelling them to
observe the forms OF
eligion; but true religion is mat
er of the heart aud conscience;
nd an individual is amenable to
Sod only, and not the civil powers,
or his religious belief" People
eed rest every day and it would be
lst as logical to compel certain
mount of rest each day as a GER
ain amount each week. Respect