Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-01-23
ADVENTISTS vs.
JOHNSTON BILL
Local Church Pass Resolu-
tions Against Sunday Law.

The meeting at the local Seventh
Day Adventist church last night re-
solved itself into what might be
termed a mass meeting, when reso-
buttons were passed demonstrating
against proposed Sunday legislation
now before the United States senate
in congress in Washington, d. c. The
resolutions were brought before the
congregation by James D.. Johnson,
pastor of the church, and were pass
ed unanimously. They read as fol-
lows:
Whereas. the Johnston Sunday bill
now pending in the Senate of the
United States, Is religious in It's
character. in that 1t 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 reli-
gious 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 Sabbath,
and,
Whereas, religious legislation is
contrary both to the spirit and let
ter OF the constitution of the United
States, and II carried to it's logical
conclusion means a union of church
and state, and the persecution of
~dissenters; 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 before
the senate.
Similar resolutions were passed in
every one Of the 1000 Seventh Day
Adventist churches In the United
States, thus showing that about
10000 member, In this denomina-
ton alone are strongly opposed to
any kind of Sunday legislation.
Pastor Johnson said the reason
Seventh Day Adventists are 50 vigor-
ously opposed to the Johnston Sum
day bill In congress Is because the
passage Of it would be the first step
towards the union Of church and
state, which would ultimately bring
persecution upon dissenters. 1t was
state. that not only are Seventh Day
/ Adventists opposed to Sunday legis-
ldllOhs buI dloO tlOuoabuo VI Il
who love religious liberty.
In giving further reasons why his
denomination is opposed to Sunday
legislation, Pastor Johnson 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 religious laws; therefore we
are uncompromisingly opposed to all
legislation in belalf of Sunday OBJ
! %servance. Sunday is a religious in
stitution; its observance is a reli-
gious act; a law enforcing that OBJ
servance is a religious law; there
| fore we believe it should not exist in
this country. We would be uncom-
promisingly opposed to any legisla-
ton for the enforcement OF the sew
enth day of the week. The Sabbath
is a religious institution, and its OBJ
%servance is a religious act, and from
our standpoint it would be entirely
wrong for the state to attempt any
legislation for the observance OF the
seventh day of the week The same
may be said regarding baptism. pray
err, or anything else pertaining to re-
ligion. We believe that Christ, the
founder of the church, taught the
complete separation of the church
from the state; and tits, we believe,
should be the attitude OF every pro-
fessed follower of him.
Now, as to our attitude regarding
a law to close the saloons on Sunday:
1t Is well known by all who know
anything about Adventists that they
are uncompromisingly opposed to the
saloon on all days of the week. We
believe that they are a menac to
the welfare of the state, and that
they should not be permitted to carry
on their destructive work; therefore
we join in every movement to secure
laws for closing the saloons entire
ly."