p. 200, para. 6 | The American Sentinel, Vol. 7, No. 25 (June 23, 1892)

Earlier text: A Judicial Profession of Christianity for the Nation.

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........	1. The National Reformed Constitution	3 cts.*	........	29. Arguments on the Breckinridge Sunday Bill	10 cts.
........	2. Religious Liberty	1	........	30. A Civil Sabbath	1
........	3. Evils of Religious Legislation	1	........	31. Union of Church and State	1
........	4. The Blair Sunday Rest Bill	7	........	32. Civil Government and Religion, revised edition	25
........	5. The Blair Educational Amendment	3	........	33. The Edmunds Resolution	2
........	6. Purity of National Religion	1	........	34. Government and the Sermon on the Mount	2
........	7. National Reform and Rights of Conscience	2	........	35. A Dangerous League	2
........	8. The American Papacy	2	........	36. The Churches and the Public Treasury	4
........	9. The Salem Witchcraft	1	........	37. An Attempt to Christianize the Government	2
........	10. National Reform is Church and State	2	........	38. Congress and Sunday Legislation	2
........	11. What Think Ye of Christ?	1	........	39. God and Cæsar	1
........	12. Bold and Base Avowal	2	........	40. A Union Between Protestants and Catholics	1
........	13. The National Reform Movement an Absurdity	2	........	41. The Sunday-Law Movement	1
........	14. The Republic of Israel	1	........	42. Sunday Laws of the States and Territories	20
........	15. National Reformed Presbyterianism	4	........	43. Should Church Property be Taxed?	2
........	16. A Lutheran View of the National Reform Movement	3	........	44. “We Declare!” “We Demand!”	2
........	17. Religion and the Public Schools	4	........	45. An Unbiased Argument	1
........	18. The National Sunday Law	25	........	46. The Importance of Maintaining Our Principles	2
........	19. Rev. W. F. Crafts Against the Editors of the American Sentinel	10	........	47. Should Sabbath Observance be Enforced by Civil Law?	4
........	20. Romanism and Civil Liberty	4	........	48. Religious Toleration vs. Religious Rights	1
........	21. Why We Oppose Religious Legislation	3	........	49. The Prohibition Party and Freedom of Conscience	1
........	22. The American Sabbath Union and Human Rights	1	........	50. Not a Christian Nation	1
........	23. A Civil Sunday Holiday	1	........	51. Results of Church and State Union.	1
........	24. Blair's Sunday Rest Bill and Joint Resolution, introduced December 9, 1889, (Exact copies, with notes)	1	........	52.
........	25. Civil Government and the Decalogue	1	........	53.
........	26. National Reform Success Means Religious Persecution	1
........	28. A Religious Political Movement	1

BIBLE STUDENTS' LIBRARY.

No. 3. Views of National Reform—Pamphlet 15

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It seems a little strange that the courts of Tennessee hold that work done on Sunday by Seventh-day Adventists “is to the great annoyance and disturbance of the people, to the evil example of society, prejudicial to public morals, and a public nuisance to the citizens of the county, and against the peace and dignity of the State,” when the judges and attorneys who prosecute these cases for the State know that the Adventists are among the very best citizens of the State. Were the people of the State all as well disposed and as conscientious as are these Adventists there would be no need either of criminal courts or of prisons. Indeed, all courts might be disbanded, for whatever slight difficulties might arise would be settled by arbitration. Schools would abound, but saloons would be unknown. Is it reasonable that the example of such people is evil, and prejudicial to public morals?

THE fourth commandment puts a difference between the seventh day and all the other days of the week, and that for a purpose, namely, to distinguish the seventh as God's rest day, the memorial of his work in creating the heavens and the earth. To treat all days alike or to habitually treat two days alike by abstaining from work upon them is simply to violate the fourth commandment. It is just as impossible that the conscientious observer of the seventh day should also habitually observe the first day by laying aside all secular labor and business, as it is that he should labor on the Sabbath. Those who assert that Sunday laws do not invade the realm of conscience, lack either knowledge of the subject or candor to express their convictions.

A “WITCH” has been sentenced to death in Sonora, Mexico. The victim is a girl only twenty years of age, and her only offense is being credited by the people with miraculous powers in the healing of disease, for which she steadfastly refused to accept any compensation. But this is in Mexico.

IN Tennessee, conscientious, Christian men, observing the Bible Sabbath, are taken from their families and fined and imprisoned, and executions issued against their property to pay the fees of their official persecutors. And their only offense is quietly working on Sunday in order that they may provide things honest in the sight of all men. This is not in Mexico, but in the United States, “the home of the free!”.

But it is according to law—and so are the witchcraft proceedings in Mexico, and so they were in Massachusetts two hundred years ago.

IT is a matter of testimony in the late Tennessee Sunday cases that while none of the witnesses were disturbed they had “heard some complaints.” What the nature of the complaints were we are left to surmise, except for a slight clew given by one witness who stated that “some thought the work ought to be stopped.” This indicates that the annoyance was only of that hazy sort always occasioned in narrow minds by the knowledge that everybody does not agree with them. It could be felt just as keenly fifty or a hundred miles from the scene of the work as within sight or sound of it; and is, in fact, no annoyance of which the State has a shadow of just right to take cognizance.

It may not be amiss to remind the readers of THE SENTINEL that in their zeal for the morals of the country the supporters of Sunday-Sabbath sacredness by law, sent in from the States of Ohio and Michigan petitions purporting to represent nearly two millions more people than the total population of both States!

THE Christian Nation and Christian Statesman in their notes on the International Sunday-school lessons on the third and sixth chapters of Daniel, both justify disobedience to civil law when it contravenes the law of God. How then can they condemn conscientious observers of the seventh day for obeying that part of the commandment which says, “Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work”?

It is announced that now, “after an agitation of a quarter of a century, the Hungarian Chamber of Deputies has adopted a resolution which commits that country to religious equality by binding the Government to introduce bills, making it possible, among other things, for Christians and Jews to intermarry, and for Christians to become Jews in faith.” This is all plain enough, but not so the statement also made that “the new legislation will affirm the supremacy of the law; State over all creeds.” That is, that whereas in the past a single creed has ruled the State, now the State is to rule all creeds. And this is heralded to the world as a victory for religious liberty! Will people ever come to understand that while the Church is supreme in its sphere, and the State supreme in its sphere, that those spheres no more touch than do Polaris and Crucis.

THE National Prohibition Convention will meet in Music Hall, Cincinnati, at 10 A. M., June 29. This is the sixth national convention of the party. In his circular letter to the press, Oscar B. Todhunter, Chairman of the Press Committee, says that “the policy of the party is well settled in its previous platforms.” If anybody is in doubt as to the policy of the Prohibition Party he should read No. 49 of the Sentinel Library (advertised on another page of this paper).

“THE chief interest at this Convention,” says Mr. Todhunter, “is likely to relate to a proposition to change the name of the party, and to fraternize or coalesce with other reform parties.” This is significant, but not altogether reassuring. Some day enough of these National Reform forces will get together to accomplish something for their own aggrandizement, and for the overthrow of liberty of conscience.

The “luxuries” which this imprisoned Adventist has, and of which the sheriff must deprive him and his family to satisfy the majesty of Tennessee law, are a spring wagon used for going to meeting, and for general trucking about—marketing light farm products, etc.—and a cottage organ, the property of his wife. It has then come to this in Tennessee that Seventh-day Adventists can have only the necessaries of life. The “luxuries” are only for those who honor the Sunday. It is well to have the issues clearly joined and the situation fully understood.

It seems that the Attorney-General for the Northwestern District of Tennessee means to make good his threat to prosecute the Adventists to the full extent of the law; for, not content with sending some of them to jail for quietly pursuing their vocations on Sunday, he is endeavoring to take their property for the payment of costs. However, only one of the imprisoned men has, we believe, property that can be taken under the law of Tennessee. A homestead, and necessary farming implements are, we understand, exempt from execution, even for costs.