The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-06-13


The virginia Religious liberty A.
ISOLATION, 81 which ". C.. Moffstt =
secretary, has planned to hold . mass1
meeting IN the interssts Of religious
liberty principles 1t the city Audito-
rum ON Sunday afternoon. June ~,
the day that the "ouSter act" goes
into effect.
Mr.. Moffett, In speaising Of the COM
ing mAso-meeting, said that Professor
G.. 3. Longacre, OF Washington. d. G..
who ID the national secretary or the
Religious LAberty Association, has &C.
cepked IN invitation to make the prtn-
cipel address on that afternoon. He
said that the people Of Richmond need
to BE- educated ~ to the dangers In
volved. % far ~ taking away their
civil and religious rights are con-
cernsd. In the strict enforcement Of
the ''ouSter act" He said that Pro.
~sssor Loneacrs has lectured in nearly
MI Of tho big cities from Maine TO
California on the subject OF religious
liberty. and will give the people OF
Richmond some new thoughts that
will b. appropriate In view Of the Agf-
tation that II now going on through
out the state over the endorsement
Of the 'yblus law" ~ he styles the
"ousear act"
In giving his opinion on Sunday
laws, Mr.. Moffeft said:
The enactment and enforcement Of
Sunday laws are dangerous. because
Of what they will finally lead to. Their
enactment and enforcement are the
first steps towards . union q church
and state, and history testifies that
such q union has always been disas-
trous to both the church and the
STATE. History repeats itssif. and like
causes bring like resulta
RnmAn Law Recalled.
when our forefathers founded
Ehta goyernment the ead history OF
religious legislation in Rome, and dnr-
Ing Colonial days in this country warn
Cd them to place in the Constitution
safeguard against religious tyranny.
The United States Senate and House
Of Representatives through the Sun
day mail reports Of 1899 aid: The
proper object Of government - to pro.
stect all persons In the enjoyment OF
their religious ~ we'll - civil rtghtA
aid not to determine for any. whether
they shall esteem one day A60vU an
other. or esteem all days alike holy.
Extensive religious combinations to
effect . POLITICAL object are. in tho
opinion Of the committee, always dan
gsrous. All religious despotisn COM
menced by combination and influence.
And when that influence begins TO OPP
crate upon the political institutions Of
country. the civil power soon bends
beneath Il; and the catastrophe OF
othsr nations furnishes an awful warn
ing Of the consequences II the pr1n-
ciple 10 once established that religion.
or religious observances. shall b In
terwoven with our legislative acts. va
80 e. al {vrHs tssvrr
Opposes Church and State
The union Of church and State
With it, terrible consequences In Rome
was started by the enactment of q
Sunday law A. D.. al. by Constantine.
This was q mild law with exemption
clauses for certain classes. but II was
the first step. and others quickly fol-
lowed. Boon all places Of business
were closed. then all places Of amuse-
ment. and when that failed to bring
people TO church. the clergy. who have
been back Of all Sunday legislation.
demanded and obtained a law COM
peIlin9 church attendance. which 10
the real object OF all Sunday laws.
There was no stopping place till every
beile6 Of the estA hlished church was
lesislated into law and enforced. and
Europe plunged into the Dark Ares,
durinG which Europe was drenched
with the blood Of . hundred million
gnartvra
The same steps were again taken
10 Colonial days The Quskers and
Raptists were persecuted because they
were In the minority. All were COM
pellad to attend church and pay 1.-THE
whether church members or not.
Defeated In California.
III the now law 10 rigtdly enforced.
AL places Of business and amusement
Vii De closed on Sunday. even drug
stores. and Il win be tmpossible 10
bny even Newspaper on Sunday. Al
moN the same law wAs defeated iast
year IN California BY . majority vote
~ ovsr $4,000. Virginia should re-
1e9 tnse measure Patrick Henry
I'D: Liberty b the greatest Of ali
earthly blessings, Give " this pre-
scious 3swsi and ycu may take every
thing else.'"