Evening journal., 1920-12-15
Peoples Column
CONVICTION VS.. CoMpuLsIoN.
TO The Editor Of The Evening Journal


To the Editor Of The Evening Journal.
Sir: When one reads the plans
proposed by the Sunday Blue Law ad-
vocates along the line OF Sabbath OBJ
servance, IL becomes evident that it
has not yet ceased TO be true that
eternal vigilance is the price OF lib
erty."
The Rev. Charles II. Spurgeon once
said: LET the Lords day be re-
spected by all means; and may the
day soon come when every shop shall
be closed on the Sabbath; but let II
be by force OF conviction, and not by
force OF policemen; let true religion
triumph by the power OF God In
mems hearts, and not. by power OF
fines and punishments."
Sabbath legislation on the part OF
the State deprives the individual OF
the right TO choose or change his re-
liglOn. Every person who submits
TO the State the right TO select a
Sabbath and to enforce Sabbath OBJ
servance, thereby virtually gives up
his right to select his own religion,
and to change his religious belief and
practice whenever he chooses 10 do
so. He places himself under condi-
ti0ns such as prevail in Russia and
other old world countries, where
preaching a new religion is treated as
crime. and departing from the es-
tablished faith a great 0ffense. There
fore, every true American should Op-
pose Sabbath legislation.
The establishment of a Sabbath by
law is therefore the entering wedge
TO the establishment OF religion by
law Who cannot see that the same
authority which can select a day OF
worship, can, with the same ease
choose a religion and set up a mode
Of Worship II the State, by a solemn
act OF legislation can. in one p0int
define the law OF God, or point out e
man one religious duty, Il may with
equal propriety, proceed to define
every part OF Gods word. and enforce
/ every religious obligation, even L
the forms and ceremonies OF wor
/ ship, the endowment OF churches
| and the support OF the clergy. II 4
| Is the duty Of the State to select thu
Sabbath which all the people SHOULD
| observe, 1t ought also to select thu
/ church to which they should all be
long, the creed which they should al
| profess, the mode OF baptism b,
which ell should be baptized, and, II
fact, determine every detail Of re
llgiOus faith and conduct. There Il
no escape from these conclusions
and what Is more, every governmen
that has taken the first step-that o
| Sabbath legislatiOn-has, sooner o.
later. taken the other steps-set nj
a creed, gone into the details OF re
ligious life, and in the end become
| prosecutor.
Sabbath legislation on the part o
| civil government is wrong. IL Is
usurpation by men OF the rights ant
| powers which belong alone to God
and altogether outside the prOpe
Jurisdiction Of civil authority. In tn
matter OF Sabbath observance, as II
all religious things, each one mus
give an account Of himself alone 4
God!-ROm. az {, ~, %, %. II Is no
the business Of the State TO say wha
day a man should observe, or whethe
he shall observe any day. A man ca
fulnll all the duties OF citizenshi
without keeping any day; and whe
he has fulfilled the duties OF citizen
ship, he has done all that the stat
has any right to require OF nm
Church and civil government sh0ul
be kept forever separate.
Again take the words OF Christ
Matt. 22:2i: Render therefore unit
Caesar the things that are Caesar
>. and unto God the things that al
Gods" That tribute money wa
) Caesars: IL bore his image and 81
prescription; IL was to be rendert
10 him Now, 10 Is a question OF rel
? | dering Sabbath observance, and IL
perfectly legitimate and indeed
necessary question 10 ask right herl
Is it lawful 10 render Lords Day ol
, servance to Caesar2 The reply ma
be in his own word: show me N