The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-31
.ADVfITISTS SEND
MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS
Petition That Body shall Refrain
From Legislation Which Interferes
With Religious liberty.

ligious legislation and against a one
man press censorship. was adopted
yesterday by the Seventh Day Ad-
ventist Conference. 1t is as fol-
lows:
A MEMORIAL
To the Honorable, the Senate and the
House of Representatives, of the
United States:
The ministers and lay delegates of
the Seventh-Day Adventist denomina-
ton of the Virginia Conference, as
sembled in annual convention at Rich
mond. May 25 to June 4. 1915, beg
leave to address the following me-
mortal to you concerning certain I'M
American bills now pending before
Congress.
As citizens OF the United States
who have the general welfare of the
nation at heart, we are exceeding
ly jealous that the fundamental prin-
ciples of civil and religious liberty
guaranteed to each individual by the
Federal Constitution be not jeopar-
died and overridden by the enact
ment of statutes which are in direct
opposition to these sacred guarantees
and immunities.
Three press bills-H. r. 4gi, II. r.
GAGS and II. X. 1377S-are now pend
ing before Congress, which. II enacted
into law, would create a one-man CEN
sorship OF the press. and might re-
suit in the complete destruction OF
the freedom of the press without re-
course to our courts.
Four religious measures are also
pending. viz: S. 645, S. 5677, s j. Res.
AZ. and H. r. $50, which. If enacted,
would commit Congress to the subject
of religious legislation, would estab-
fish the Christian religion and some
of its religious institutions as the legal
religion of the government. and
would penalize every dissenter and
noneonformist because of his faith and
practice.
We regret that Congress has ever
been asked to legislate in favor of a
religious institution concerning which
there Is so divergent a religious sents.
ment as the Sunday and Sabbath ques-
tons. We are in harmony with the
following sentiments expressed in the
Senate report on Sunday mails, by
Mr.. Richard Johnson. of Kentucky
who was chairman of rhe Senate Com
mtttee on Postoff1ce and Post Roads,
January 10, 1929:
The proper object of government
is to protect all persons in the en-
joyment of their religious as well as
civil rights, and not to determine for
any whether they shall esteem one
day above another, or esteem all days
alike holy. . 1t lis not the
legitimate province of the legislatures
to determine what religion is true,
or what false. Our government is a
civil, not a. religious. institution. Our
Constitution recognizes in every per-
son the right to choose his own re-
ligion, and to enjoy ii freely without
molestation.
Among all the religious persecu-
tons with which almost every page
or modern history is stained, no vic
tim ever suffered but for the violation
of what government denominated the
law of God. To prevent a similar
train of evils in this country, the Con-
stitution has wisely withheld from our
government the power OF defining the
divine law. IL the principle is
once established that religion or re-
ligious observanCes shall be inter-
woven with our legislative acts. we
must pursue IL to it's ultimatum."
We believe that the Sabbath ought
to be observed with piety and due
respect to God. but we do not believe
observe Sunday or any other day as
long as he is free moral creature
and has the liberty to be religious or
non-religious by choice. Enforced re-
ligion can only engender hypocrisy in
stead of true piety. 1t makes slaves
out OF free men. Congress has no
more right to prohibit legitimate and
honora bic business on Sunday because
the church demands it than it has to
prohibit church services on show day
because the show demands it,
We believe that Sunday laws are
not only American, but un-Chris-
tian. Neither Christ nor His apostles
sought at. any time to enforce their
teachings by the force of civil statutes
and penalties
We, as Seventh-Day Adventists.
feel that We have a just reason to
demonstrate against these compulsory
Sunday bills. The enactment into
law of Sunday legislation has sub
tected many OF our members to hard
ships and cruel prosecutions. A re-
vival of the Sunday blue laws always
opens the way for religious higotry
TO stir the smoldering embers of per-
secution, and IL is impossible to set a
bound beyond the limits which it dare
not go.
We therefore ask your honorabl
body TO refrain from any course which
may lead again to the persecution
Of individuals or sects who have the
divine and constitutional right to
differ on points of religious dogmas
and to enjoy the free exercise of their
religious functions in such a manner
and at such a time as they may
choose, provided the exercise of that
choice respects the same and equal
rights of their neighbours.
And we. your memorialists. beg
leave to assure you that we are kind
ly disposed to support the government
of our country and to maintain a due
submission to the lawful exercise of
it's authority in purely civil matters