The Sunday Movement and Church-State Union
ONE or two statements which we recently took down from the lips of Mr. Shepard, president of the American Sabbath Union, should be preserved for future reference. One of them was this: “It is useless for anyone to claim that the Sabbath has any rights except as they place themselves on the divine commandment.” This is true in itself. We believe it. We believe that the only basis for Sabbath keeping is the fourth commandment, and that outside of that there is no authority for it. But the fourth commandment does not authorize human governments to make laws enjoining Sabbath observance; and when Colonel Shepard advocates a law compelling Sunday observance, he is doing one of two things; he is either taking himself entirely away from the divine commandment, or he is advocating the putting of the government in the place of God, and making it execute the divine decrees. This is in fact just what he is doing; and by this statement he shows that the Sunday movement is first and last a religious movement, and a movement for the securing of governmental aid to advance certain theories of religion. In other words, he is working for a movement to secure a union of Church and State. Another thing which Mr. Shepard said, should be remembered, so that he and his fellow-workers may be confronted with it. Said he, “Governments do not derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. God is the only lawgiver. His laws are made clear and plain in his word, so that all nations may know what are the laws which God ordained to be kept.” This statement coming from the chief officer of the American Sabbath Union shows that that association is identical with the National Reform Association, though they have different officers, and different names, and their constitutions are differently worded; the object for which they work is the same, and they are to all intents and purposes one party. It shows that they are working for a theocracy, and that they wish to have the officers of the government stand as the exponents of the divine will. We have no objection to a theocracy, if God himself is the governor, but we would have most serious objections to self-appointed vicegerents of God. Mr. Shepard’s statement shows that he and those allied with him in his work are disloyal to the government of the United States. They are at heart traitors. They traduce the Constitution of the United States, and openly flaunt their disrespect for it. We are glad that there are still some in this country who are loyal citizens,—men and women who honor the great charter of American liberty,—for we know that with all such people self-styled national reformers can find no sympathy.