The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-01-24
DAY ADvENT|STS
OPPOSE SUNDAY LAWS
From Mondays Daily.

From Mondays Daiiy.
The meeting at the local Seventh
Day Adventist church last Saturday,
resolved Itself into what might be
termed a massmeeting, when resolu-
| lions were passed demonstrating
against proposed Sunday legislation
now before the United States senate
| in congress. The resolutions were
brought before the congregation by
M. Leatherman, elder of the church,
and were passed unanimously. They
read as follows:
bill, now pending in the senate of
the United States, is religious in its
character, in that it is designed to
foster the religious observance of
Sunday, and,
Whereas, the exemption clause at
| tached TO one of the sections of this
bill indicates most clearly its re.
ligious character, by eXempting from
the application of this section those
who belong to a religious society
which observes some other day of
the week than Sunday as a Sab,
bath, and,
Whereas, religious legislation is
contrary to the spirit and letter of
the Constitution of the United States,
and if carried to its logical conclu,
sion means a union of church and
state, and the persecution of dissent.
ers; therefore,
Resolved, that we respectfully, but
earnestly, demonstrate against the
passage of this BILL or any other bill
requiring the observance of Sunday
as a rest day which may come be
fore the senate"
Similar resolutions were passed in
every one of the 1000 Seventh Day
Adventist churches in the United
States, thus showing that about 70,
alone are strongly opposed to any
kind of Sunday legislation.
Reason For Opposition.
Elder Leatherman said the reason
Seventh Day Adventists are so vigor
ously opposed to the Johnston Sunday
bill in congress is because the pas
sage of it would be the first step
| towards the union of church and
state, which would ultimately bring
persecution upon dissenters. 1t was
stated that not only are Seventh Day
Adventists opposed to Sunday legis
lation, but also thousands of Others
who love religious liberty.
In giving further reasons why his
denomination is opposed to Sunday
legislation, Elder Leatherman said:
Our denomination has always stood
for the entire separation of church
and state, and has earnestly opposed
all attempts at religious legislation
Sunday laws we believe to be re
figious laws; therefore we are un
compromisingly opposed to all leg
islation in behalf of Sunday observ
ance. Sunday is a religious institu
ton; its observance is a religious
act; a law enforcing that observance
is a religious law; therefore we be
lieye it should not exist in this coun
try. We would be uncompromisingly
opposed to any legislation for the en-
forcement of the seventh day of the
week.
Sabbath Religious Institution.
"The Sabbath is a religious insti
tuition, and its observance is a reli
gious act, and from our standpoint
it would be entirely wrong for the
state to attempt any legislation fol-
the observance of the seventh day
Of the week. The same may be sale
regarding baptism, prayer, or any
thing else pertaining to religion. We
believe that Christ, the founder o.
the church, taught the complete sep
aration of the church from the state
and this, We believe, should be the
attitude CT every professed follower
of Him.
Nov, as to our attitude regarding
a law to close the saloons on Sun
day: 1t is well known by all wht
know anything about Adventists thai
they are uncompromisingly opposed
TO the saloons on all days of the
week. We believe that they are &
menace to the welfare of the state
and that they should not be permit
ted to carry on their destructive
work; therefore We join in every
n0vomont IN cac,rra lawc for olocipc