The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1915-01-23
SUNDAY CLOSING Law.

The editor is in receipt of the follow
ing letter and it is given in full for the
purpose of showing to what extent hyp-
ocrits, under the guise of their So
called religious faith will go to foster
on other people their religious beliefs
If introduced it should be dropped in
the wastebasket and consigned to the
flames so that it will never be resur-
rected.
To the Editor:
The Nevad legislature is to be asked
by Mr. c.. L. Tufts, of Berkley, Cali
fornia, of the Weekly Rest Day League.
ana by some of the ministers of Nevada,
to pass a Sunday law similar to the one
overwhelmingly defeated in California
according to recent reports. The mislead-
ing title to that bill was, IAN Act to
Provide for One Day in Seven as Day
of Rest In effect it was a SUNDAY
bill. Ii such "a law is passed, however,
it can bring only evil to our state.
Many good people are exercised over
the condition of the world today. be-
cause of the increase of crime and i'm
morality that prevails on every hand and
are seeking to remedy these conditions
But the cure is not to be found in sun
day laws.
The false idea that everything good
ought to be enforced by civil law, is COZ
trary to the bible and the principles up
on which our nation is founded. With
quest ,ons Cf religion and the conscience
the state has no right to meddle Prayer
is a highly commendabe act, but the
policeman has no right to stand over
the citizen with a club and say, IF you
won't pray, | will make you pray" The
Lords supper and baptism are both sa-
cred acts, and every christian should do
them voluntarily, but when the state
attempts to force them upon it's citizens,
it makes ether hypocrtes or martyrs of
all dissenters.
The Sabbath should be observed, but
If this is not voluntary act it is hy-
pocracy Christ said, MY kingdom is
not of this world else would my serv-
ants fight, but now is my kingdom not
from hence" His injunction is: "Rend-
or. therefore, unto Caeser (the civil
governmenD the things which are Gaze
sar's; and unto God the things that are
Gods. Jesus sanctions the payment o
taxes and obedience to civil law But
il religious matters, God, not the civil
government, is to be obeyed, for civil
government has no right to put it
self in the Place of God to the individ
ual When it enats Sunday laws, oil
any other religious laws 1T does this
A total separation of church and state
is proper. The first amendment to tn,
United States constitution is in per-
feet accord with this principle, enunci
ated by Christ 1t says that congress
shall make no law respecting an estab
lishment of religion, or prohibiting th'
free exercise thereof Sunday is al
establishment of religion.
If it is uncivil to do Sunday what
it is perfectly proper to do on othel
days of the week, it must be because o.
sacredness of the day, either assumed o
genuine. For that reason a Sunday lay
will enforce compliance with a religion
custom, and will be religious law
Religious laws always have been foun
to promote persecution. A Sunday lay
will prtect Sunday, not the citizen l
will make lawful acts crimes merel
because done on that day.
Sunday is not the Sabbath, for tn
commandment reads, 1.-THE seventh da
is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God,
and the seventh day is Saturday.
Sunday law would tend to give re
ligeous people some foundation for sun
day observance, for which there is n
command in Scripture. But when re
ligion must turn to the state fc
power which Heaven does not give i
that is sad day for religion.
The securing of a Sunday law is a
attempt to settle religious question b
civil law. 1t Is certain to be unsatl:
factory, md to make trouble, Tor
one religious law may rightfully
passed, others may be enacted. Iht
whose religious dogmas shall be Ell
forced? Naturally those of the chur'
in power This means the establishme
OF a state church But no Protesta
de sres to be forced by the state TO
tend Catholic services and adore Z
Host nor should they be. No Cathol
would wish to be forced by the poh
to be immersed, and it would be Wro'
to enact such a law. However, II I
legislature opens the flood-gates TO T
ligious laws by passing SUNDAY Id
they will have established a preceoei
and other religious enactments viii II
low Let the prosecutions by the Ru
sian state church, and those OF
Dark Ages. when the church ruled e'
pires, and Ignorance ana supers'''
prevailed as result, warn US asai
the passage of a Sunday law, one-u
rest in seven law or any other
ligious measure.
WFIRS