The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-05-22
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n SUNDAY LEGISLATION. 8
70
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not be mistaken about a thing that
looks right TO you.
God honors right principles, thnu-o
they are to be found in the iufidcl
Some people often wonder wh'
the minister of the gospel who ia
a god praying Christian must mourn
over sons who can justly be called
"scapeguccs," while his infIdri
neighbor can boast OF gcntlcmcnly
upright boys and girls
The difference Is often that the
infidol enforced correct principles,
while the minister enforced none.
There is a nice discrimination be.
tween civic righteousness and rg,l-
gious righteousness.
The Savior had a hand time '''-
ting His own loved disciples to
understand that Ills kingdom was
not of this world. and that lie had
nothing to say IN regard to the
management of cidl government.
There is a mystery Of Godlincss
and mystery of iniquity which
was at work even In Christ's day.
The mystery OF iniquty under the
cloak of religion opened the flood
gates of religious persecution. It
commenced with Constantine the
Great His opening wedge was a
Sunday law and It finally developed
into the Papacy
The Sabbath Is not an institution
Of civil government, but was made
for man at creation and stands In
the very center of Gods law, in
fact, it Is the seal of the law, inas-
much as Il tells who is the lawgiyet
and why He has authority TO give
law.
Now. friends. II Is not your bus
ness or mine to enforce one Of
Gods laws. and We are responsible
to Him alone as 10 whether We
obey IL or not. because II Is one
of those that does not concern or
define duty TO our neighbor.
Many have defended and are now
defending the cause OF religious leg.
islation, because they are prompted
by desire to see society elevated
To "A higher plane. They think that
II so splendid a result could he
brought about by civil legislation, II
would De most desirable. All these
things were done during the Dark
Ages for the purity OF the faith
and those who were most sincere
Went % the greatest lengths in per
scouting those whom they regarded
as herctics. II Is not, therefore, dit
ficult TO see what the logical resmi
will be when n is admitted that legis
lation upon religious matters is ir
the interests OF the church,
While tAe true churrn Is seeking
the power of the Holy Spirit "a
enable its members TO eNcmpHfy u
their lives the principles OF the gos
pei, and 10 prumulglte IL rs It Is
manifested in the life OF Christ, a
church separated from Christ and
shorn Of His Spirit, seeks to obtain
che same results boy securing and
making use OF the power Of the
state.
Adopting the mistaken view that
the cause Of religion may be adj
vanccd by religious legislation, il is
easy to conclude that the more We
have OF such legislation the better
It will be for society
II Is this false idea that has led
multtudes Of honest persons TO seek
so earnestly for Sunday legislation
Many think that to prohibit on
Sunday. by the civil law, eycrything
which is not strictly a work of ne
Cessity or charity, would prove a
great blessing 20 the cause of re
ligion, and would nI the church
with worshipers The idea is held
that Sunday closing should embrace
al kinds OF business, labor ant
amusements. the closing of public
parks. art galleries. libraries, etc.
the prohibiting Of running eXcur
sions, the publishing Of newspapers
and even the running of street ears
so nothing would be left for people
10 do, but stay at home or atten,
church.
Il is. therefore, evident that th,
demand for compulsory reSt-da,
Is a demand for compulsory religion
which is not a religion that woul'
ever belong to Christs kingdom,
This is not an extreme position
once the Sunday-law premise is ad
mitted, for the same authority tina
uan require a person 10 refrain frou
all secular pursuits on Sunday, car
with equal consistency. define wha