The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1946-03-09

m ming Ct, and to the My Nsn 81 WI,
the City council, 'Ne'n0e's u
This is written in nroto..
OF Sunday Legislation. 0cement
I am in sympathy wiz,
motives which have promise ,1l certain Ia,
proposed action. Howeyer. p1eo hi,
like to point out briefly v,b,. would
involved. wang oanssu
In the first place our great =,
ton was founded upon t H. ma ma
ciple OF the separation Of T cb pslG
and state. The first amendrn. "u'ea
the constitution states that ''t ny. %
sress shall make no law resn.o Soa'
an establishment Of religine Is
prohibiting the free exercise sew, ,S., OF
Of. - '''sfe'
So far as Christianity i, ~,
cerned, it is made clear tb.t 'ua'
are to render unto Caesar W. We
things that are Caesars and rs We
God the things that are God, 1 1S.
Mark 1917. THE powers ths, w. y.
lie, the civil authorities) Ar. ~
dained of GOO" to legislate only !,
things pertaining to Caesar or N.
civil government. Romans ,s.1 :,
matters of conscience all ar. :.
have absolute freedom. II j, vrt
ten that "Whosoever will let him
take the water Of life freely" r.,
velation 22:l7. God spoke throuvb
Moses, saying that those who wor.
ship Him should do 50 Of their
"own voluntary will" Leyiti,w
1:3.
Any law which tends 10 eniorc.
even negative observance Of any
day is contrary to the spirit Of God
and His great law of love. In if,
amplified form Gods law is tovr5
in the Ten Commandments. Il
noteworthy that this law was in.
scribed on not one, but two tables
of stone. A careful investigation
will reveal that the first table con.
tanned the first four command.
ments which deal solely with ms,l
relationship to God Himself Inc
second table governs the relation.
ship between men upon the earth,
The civil power has for its purpose
the protection Of all its citizens. In
order to accomplish this, laws must
be made and enforced. Such laws
should concern only the second
table Of the decalogue, or the last
six commandments.
1t must always be stressed that
no human legislation should eve.
affect anyone's conscientious D.
bedience 10 Gods laws found on The
first table of stone. h Sunday law
would legislate in matter which
God has reserved unto Himself.
To many citizens, the proposed
legislation would cause them 10
be in conflict with the civil power
because of their conscientious D.
bedience to Gods Requirements,
If and when such a conflict should
arise we are told very clearly that
1--WE ought to obey. Gtd rather
than men," Acts 5:2s.
Freedom Of religion and worship,
which has been purchased and
maintained at such a cost, is en'
dangered by Sunday Legislation.
This would be step in the wrong
direction.
It is not at all insignificant that
the shameful period Of the Dark
Ages was prefaced by Sunday laws
These were followed by other
religious legislation and a unlond
the church and state. What was
the next stop? most bitter peE''
cution of all dissenters as hereia
who refused allegiance to the stan
church. 1t was this horrible nigS
OF despotic persecution continuing
for over one thousand years TIA!
gave birth to the Protestant Re-
formation. Protestants, Catholics
Jews, and all liberty-loving people
should again protest against this
proposed action. The words Of
James Madison, one Of our found
ing fathers, come ringing down 70
us today: "It Is proper to take
alarm at the first experiment on
our liberties"
1t is hoped and believed that
after a careful study of the issues
in Sunday Legislation, you
will act under God to remove from
the statute books any existing sun
day laws or any other law when
may likewise endanger our free
dom. May God grant to the Mayor
of Wilmington and to the City Coua
ell the high privilege Of guarantee
ing to its people a complete sepafa'
ton Of the church and civil AZ,
thority, thus providing liberty anu
Justice to all.
Respectfully submitted for !01'
earnest consideration,
T. J. JENKINS, a,t
Pastor of the 7th-day AdVeH''"