Bible Readings — Bible Questions Answered

Sunday Law Advocates

Does the history of the United States show that religious organizations have attempted to secure legislation involving religion? BR-ASI9 195.1

Organizations such as the National Reform Association, the International Reform Federation, the Lord’s Day Alliance of the United States, the New York Sabbath Committee, and to a lesser degree, the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America, formed by professed Protestants, have for years worked to secure Sunday legislation. BR-ASI9 195.2

What, according to its constitution, is an avowed object of the National Reform Association? BR-ASI9 195.3

“To secure such an amendment to the Constitution of the United States as will . . . indicate that this is a Christian nation, and place all the Christian laws, institutions, and usages of our government on an undeniably legal basis in the fundamental law of the land.”—David McAllister, The National Reform Movement . . . a Manual of Christian Civil Government (1898 ed.), “Article II of Constitution,” pp. 15, 16. BR-ASI9 195.4

Note.—The general superintendent of the National Reform Association and editor of the Christian Statesman propounds the following amendment to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution: BR-ASI9 195.5

“How to take a most dangerous weapon out of the hands of secularists: Amend the highest written law of the land, our Federal Constitution, so that it shall plainly proclaim the will of the Lord of nations as the rule of our national life and the standard of our national conduct in dealing with all our problems—internal and external, national and international. As that Constitution now stands, the secularist is perpetually quoting it on his side, loudly proclaiming that there is in it nothing that warrants the Christian usages, and as loudly and persistently demanding that all these and their like shall go out of the latter that it may be brought into perfect harmony with the former. Our answer should be—Never! But we will instead change the written document that it may be in perfect harmony with the unwritten and so furnish an undeniably legal basis for all we have that is Christian in our national life and character and also for more of its kind that is still needed.”—Christian Statesman, August, 1921, p. 25. BR-ASI9 195.6

At first glance, such a statement as this might appear worthy of endorsement. But a closer examination reveals a reasoning basically the same as that employed by religious leaders of past ages, who persecuted all who differed with them. If the laws of the land should regulate religious observances, a man could be forced to attend church, to be baptized, or to pay for the support of the clergy. BR-ASI9 195.7

What has this association said on this point regarding the Catholic Church? BR-ASI9 196.1

“We cordially, gladly, recognize the fact that in South American Republics, and in France and other European countries, the Roman Catholics are the recognized advocates of national Christianity, and stand opposed to all the proposals of secularism. . . . Whenever they are willing to co-operate in resisting the progress of political atheism, we will gladly join hands with them in a World’s Conference for the promotion of National Christianity,—which ought to be held at no distant day—many countries could be represented only by Roman Catholics.”—Editorial, Christian Statesman (official organ of the National Reform Association), Dec. 11, 1884, p. 2. BR-ASI9 196.2

What has the pope commanded all Catholics to do in regards to government? BR-ASI9 196.3

“First and foremost it is the duty of all Catholics worthy of the name and wishful to be known as the most loving children of the Church . . . to endeavor to bring back all civil society to the pattern and form of Christianity which We have described.”—The Great Encyclical Letters of Leo XIII, “Encyclical Letter Immortale Dei, Nov. 1, 1885,” page 132. BR-ASI9 196.4

Note.—On September 7, 1947, Pope Pius XII declared that “ ‘the time for reflection and planning is past’ in religious and moral fields and the ‘time for action’ has arrived.” He said that “the battle in religious and moral fields hinged on five points: Religious culture, the sanctifying of Sunday, the saving of the Christian family, social justice and loyalty and truthfulness in dealings.”—Evening Star (Washington, D. C.), Sept. 8, 1947. BR-ASI9 196.5

What is the object of the International Reform Federation? BR-ASI9 196.6

“The Reform Bureau [now Federation] is the first ‘Christian lobby’ established at our national capital to speak to government in behalf of all denominations.”—History of the International Reform Bureau (1911), p. 2. BR-ASI9 196.7

Note.—The securing of compulsory Sunday legislation is one of the chief objects of this and other like organizations. BR-ASI9 196.8

What is the object of the Lord’s Day Alliance? BR-ASI9 196.9

“This organization proposes in every possible way to aid in preserving Sunday as a civil institution. Our national security requires the active support of all good citizens in the maintenance of our American Sabbath. Sunday laws must be enacted and enforced.”—Quoted as “principles contained in the Constitution” of the original organization (then called the American Sabbath Union), cited in The Lord’s Day Alliance, Twenty-fifth Annual Report (1913), p. 6. BR-ASI9 196.10

What was one of the first objectives stated by the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America? BR-ASI9 197.1

“That all encroachments upon the claims and the sanctities of the Lord’s Day should be stoutly resisted through the press, the Lord’s Day associations and alliances, and by such legislation as may be secured to protect and preserve this bulwark of our American Christianity.”—Resolution passed in the first meeting of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America (1908), in its first Biennial Report, p. 103. BR-ASI9 197.2

Note.—Thus it will be seen that the securing of laws for the enforcement of Sunday observance is a prominent feature in all these organizations in their efforts to “Christianize” the nation. In doing this many fail to see that they are repudiating the principles of Christianity, of Protestantism, and of the United States Constitution, and playing directly into the hand of that power which originated the Sunday sabbath—the Papacy. BR-ASI9 197.3