Earlier text: United States Senate ReportStrong Delusions
By T. E. Bowen
“Even Him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.” 2 Thess. 2: 9-11. HERE it is plainly revealed that God will not permit men and women to be deceived by strong delusions from Satan until they have had opportunity to receive the truth. It is only when men turn from the truth that strong delusion overtakes them so that they are led to believe a lie. The simple truths of God’s word have been shining forth for more than a half century with special clearness. Copies of the Bible have been multiplied as never before in the history of the world, and thus opportunity given those into whose hands it has fallen to know the truth. We have reached a time when to an alarmingly great extent contempt is being heaped upon the word of God. That blessed rule of life is counted as an obsolete volume, unreliable, and of little value in this day of great enlightenment and scientific progress (?). It is quite remarkable to note that when by a large class the Bible has been set aside, put out of sight — one of the most cherished schemes of the arch-enemy of God — at this time delusions are multiplying and apparently wonderful events taking place in the spiritualistic world. The time is here for the delusions mentioned by Paul to be manifested, and, true to the predictions of the word of God, they are appearing. In a recent issue of the Washington Times, Doctor Hausmann, a noted Spiritualist, sets forth that the phonograph will be used in the near future to form another link in the connection with the spirit world, so that a beautiful song from a Jenny Lind, or a soul-stirring speech from some great orator like Daniel Webster, may be given the public. “There is nothing astonishing to me,” Doctor Hausmann goes on to say, “in this thing, and the use of the talking-machine in recording what our spirit friends say. It is as logical as a problem in mathematics. The materialized voices of spirits have spoken to us for years past. I myself have had conversations with Homer in Greek. Of course we can not always make selection of the spirits who will talk to us, and make phonographic records. For instance, I attended a seance recently with my phonograph, hoping to secure some message from my own dear departed ones, or from some great and good person. I was only successful in getting a record from Sir Henry Morgan, the buccaneer, who, as you are probably aware, was not quite a blameless character.” To thus produce the actual voice of Abraham Lincoln, or Grant, so that some now living who heard these men speak can recognize and identify their voices, is considered to be an undisputable testimony to prove that these men are alive, and still able to think, talk, and, in fact, enjoy themselves beyond death. This would be considered a great achievement in the Spiritualistic realm. And no one can successfully dispute these claims, if he admits the one premise that the dead are conscious after death. But when one believes the simple statements of God’s word upon this vital subject, takes the instruction from God, who has been pleased to tell us just how it is, who can not lie, and has sworn by His holiness not to deceive men, there is no need of getting into difficulty over these new discoveries. “The living know that they shall die,” says the Lord, “BUT THE DEAD KNOW NOT ANYTHING.” “Their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.” Eccl. 9: 5, 6. No man can believe this scripture and at the same time believe that messages handed through some Spiritualistic medium come from departed friends — no, not even tho a voice purporting to be that of so distinguished a person as Abraham Lincoln, or U. S. Grant, or Grover Cleveland, be reproduced so accurately on a phonograph that even those who in life were closely associated with these men can plainly recognize the familiar tones of voice. The Doctor Hausmann mentioned above is reported to have said that the late President Cleveland wrote to him within twenty-four hours after his death, giving him his picture in crayon, and sending good wishes. A Mr. Randall is purported to have returned with the astonishing note that he had seen “the obsequies with mine own eyes over my own useless remains. O! O! what a remarkable incident.” But these are not messages from those who have died. It is the work of cunning, lying, wicked spirits which have gone forth to deceive those who do not cling to the truths of God’s holy word. The Lord says when a man dies he has no portion in anything that is after that done in the earth, nor in any place lighted by the sun. Angels have voices. They talk, and sing, and live, and act. Good angels do these things, and so do the bad, fallen angels. It is quite easy to mimic the tones of another. Even professional men can train themselves so closely to imitate another voice that it would be very difficult indeed to detect the deception. Let us not think that angels who once were in heaven itself, who still possess intelligence and wisdom (altho perverted), are not able to personate those who once lived among us, even to the handwriting and tone of voice. This is the very pith of deception. How comforting that it is after the working of the enemy, “with all power and signs and lying wonders,” that Jesus will come in the clouds of heaven, in all the glory of heaven, to gather unto Himself His faithful waiting people, that forever they may be with their Lord, delivered from these deceptions of the wicked one! The Federal Council and True Union.
By W. H. Heckman
We can not express our heartfelt regrets that the basis of true union in Christ was entirely ignored by this great council — “The keeping of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” It is only too true that7 the vast majority of professed Christians will reject the simplicity and the unpopularity of this platform and perfect union. But let it be borne in mind that the “little flock” of which the word of God speaks so solicitously — the remnant church — will be loyal to all of God’s commandments and will be perfectly at one in matters of doctrine. Reader, are you a member of the man-made union of churches called “Protestant” in the twentieth century, or do you belong to the true church of Christ which is united in all its parts? Seeing Life, Seeing Death
“WHEN a young man starts out to ‘see life’ he may see death instead.” The Ten Commandments.
By Mrs. E. M. H. Gates
Down the ages long departed,
For a moment look and wonder;
Listen to the Ten Commandments,
Louder far than Sinai's thunder;
Hear a voice which speaks to thee,
“Thou shalt have no gods but Me.” See the clouds are round about Him,
And the awful trumpet soundeth,
While the Lord upon the mountain,
His unchanging law propoundeth;
“Jealous is thy God, and thou
To an idol shalt not bow.” Lo! He rides upon the tempest!
Death and hell themselves do fear Him!
All the worlds He hath created!
When He speaketh let us hear Him!
“Never shalt thou take the name
Of the Lord thy God in vain.” Standing by the quaking mountain,
All the hosts of Israel tremble!
In the presence of the Holy
Who can trifle or dissemble?
“Thou shalt mind the Sabbath day,
Keep it holy,” hear Him say. King of Kings, Jehovah-jireh!
Thou art God, there is no other,—
From of old we hear Thee saying,
“Thou shalt honor father, mother,
That thy days full long may be
In the land God giveth thee.” Awful words from Sinai sounding,
Who shall question or gainsay them?
Perfect laws forever binding,
Who shall dare to disobey them?
There “Thou shalt not kill” was writ,
“Nor adultery commit.” Lo! He looks through all disguises;
Tears each flimsy veil asunder!
Like the lightning are His glances
And His voice is like the thunder!
And to us He doth reveal
This His will,—“Thou shalt not steal.” “No false witness ‘gainst thy neighbor
Shalt thou bear: and thou shalt never
Covet aught that he possesseth,”
Saith the Lord who lives forever.
The great God who, from on high,
Waits to judge thee by and by.
MRS. E. M. H. GATES. Becoming and Living a Christian.
THE apostle Paul in giving his Christian experience said: "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." Gal. 2: 20. This is the experience of every true, intelligent Christian. He may not know just how or when or where the work was done, only he knew that Christ died for him and rose for him. By faith he accepted Christ's death for his death, because death comes by sin, and on Christ were laid the sins or iniquities of us all. He who thus chooses Christ yields to Christ all his sins. He keeps none himself. Christ "gave Himself for our sins" (Gal. 1: 4), and we yield the sins to Him who thus purchased and bore them. By faith we are crucified with Him, by faith we die with Him for the sins. But this crucifixion is not a theory, but a fact. We renounce all sin, we separate from that in which we formerly walked, from the old man, to whom we were once married; the old man, the body of sin, dies and is buried forever, or should be. We rise with Christ to walk in the new life; for He not only gave Himself for our sins, but He died for us, that we might live through Him. "He was delivered for our offenses, and was raised for our justification," our righteousness. In His death we die by faith. In His life we live by faith. His death was for our sins. His life is for our righteousness. Christ's life was one of willing, faithful, perfect obedience to all of God's commandments. He "did no sin," because He kept His Father's commandments. Knowing them in their fulness, because He knew the Father in His fulness, He kept those commandments — God's righteousness (Isa. 51: 7; Ps. 119: 172) — in their fulness, and so possessed a character complete in the righteousness of God. And He did all this that He might save mankind. All this is abundantly taught in Christ's own life and in the epistles to the Romans, Philippians, and Colossians, and elsewhere. "For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell." "For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power." It is "Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God," and "the righteousness of God," and to them who accept Him by faith He is "wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption," "the way, the truth, and the life." All this Christ is to those who yield all to Him, and accept Him for all to them. They have then of "His fulness;" and He bears their infirmities. Such will esteem it a privilege to put on their Redeemer before the world. "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Baptism is the marriage bond before men between the saved soul and Christ. "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law [to its transgression, sin, Rom. 6: 2, 11] by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." Rom. 7: 4. The old man is slain and buried; we die, and rise, and are planted with Christ. As a prince, who is not prevented by a human morganatic law in taking a peasant for his wife from the lower walks of life, bestows on her all his own royal prerogatives and privileges, so Christ does to every soul who will yield to Him. He gives them His righteousness and His life. They walk in newness of life, and therefore they bring forth fruit unto God. As before their union with Him they brought forth sin, or transgression of God's law, unto death, united with Him they live His life and bring forth righteousness, or obedience to the law. Rom. 6: 16-23. He kept God's commandments (John 15: 10), so will they (1 John 5: 3). They will walk as He walked (1 John 2: 6), if Christ dwells within. They can not do otherwise, because they have no desire so to do. The Second Advent—The Manner of It.
1. How definite is the assurance that Christ will return to earth? "If I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME AGAIN, and receive you unto Myself." John 14: 3. 2. This is in harmony with the plan of salvation. "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He APPEAR THE SECOND TIME without sin unto salvation." Heb. 9: 28. 3. How early in the history of the world did prophets speak of His coming? Enoch, "the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, THE LORD COMETH with ten thousand of His saints" [literally, "His holy myriads"]. Jude 14, 15. 4. What description is given of His coming? "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, SHALL SO COME IN LIKE MANNER as ye have seen Him go into heaven." Acts 1: 11. 5. How did He go into heaven? Being assembled together with the disciples at Bethany, "He lifted up His hands and blessed them. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven." "While they beheld, He was taken up; and A CLOUD RECEIVED HIM out of their sight." Luke 24: 50, 51; Acts 1: 9. NOTE THAT AS HE was taken up into heaven, personally, on a cloud, in the sight of men, so will He come again, personally, on a cloud, in the sight of men. 6. How sure was Job concerning this event? "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that HE SHALL STAND AT THE LATTER DAY UPON THE EARTH; WHOM I SHALL SEE FOR MYSELF, and mine eye shall behold, and not another." Job 19: 25-27. 7. How did the Saviour Himself describe His coming? "They shall see the SON OF MAN COMING IN THE CLOUDS of heaven with power and great glory." Matt. 24: 30. "He shall come IN HIS OWN GLORY, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels." Luke 9: 26. 8. How will His appearing be heralded? "The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and WITH THE TRUMP OF GOD." 1 Thess. 4: 16. 9. How widely will His coming be known? "Behold, He cometh with clouds; and EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM." Rev. 1: 7. NOTE.—Not "in the secret chamber," "in the desert," in some great movement, in some cult or "ism," in some local, human agent, or at the hour of death,—not in any of these ways will the Saviour appear; but "with a shout" which will call forth the sleeping dead, attended by all the angelic hosts of heaven, with the glory of all the universe, "and every eye shall see Him." No Eminence by Fence-Climbing
"You can not attain eminence by climbing on the fence." Let in the Light.
By Russell H. Conwell
I WAS in a train and heard a remark made by a gentleman who I concluded was building a house. It was made to his architect or carpenter, who asked him what rooms of the house he should wire for electric lights. The answer went back as the train drew out of the station: “Wire every room in the house. Wire every closet.” O, “Thy kingdom come;” but when it does come, every room in the house of the soul will be illuminated by the light of Christ. There will be no part of our lives that will not be bright. That man wanted to have an electric bulb put in every china closet, in every wardrobe, in every part of the cellar, and every portion of the attic, so that no part of his mansion should be without illumination. Wire your whole house! Wire your whole soul! And let the light of God’s love shine into everything that you do, into all you think, into every influence which you exert over other people. There should be no night here.—Russell H. Conwell. WHAT is done is done; has already blended itself with the boundless, ever living, ever working universe, and will also work there for good or evil, openly or secretly, throughout all time.—Thomas Carlyle. The Essential Elements of Giving
By Mark Hopkins
THE essential elements of giving are power and love — activity and affection — and the consciousness of the race testifies that in the high and appropriate exercise of these is a blessedness greater than any other. In Our Lord Jesus Christ.
THE only means of salvation is Jesus Christ. No works of men can avail. "By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in His sight," "for all have sinned." Rom. 3: 20, 23. God's law is the standard of His righteousness. It comprehends in its exceeding breadth of spirituality all righteousness and goodness, and condemns all sin. The fulness of its righteousness is the fulness of the righteousness of God's character. God is love; His law is the law of love. As it is impossible for finite man to comprehend infinite righteousness and love, it is impossible for him to comprehend the requirements of God's law to the full. Therefore he can not intelligently do the law. This would be true of man if he had never sinned. When he sinned he unfitted himself even more for obedience. He became the slave of sin. His very impulses to good are brought into grievous bondage by the power of sin within him. He can not rescue himself from his cruel master, because he has within himself only the power of self to do it, and self is the very thing which brought him into bondage. He by himself can not lift himself above himself, or out of himself. His case in himself is absolutely "without hope," because he is "without hope." Here meet us the wonderful condescension and love of God; "for when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." And He "died for all." He "came to save sinners." He "died for the ungodly." How does He do this? — In a way so simple that all may partake of the blessing; it is simply faith. God asks no more. "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness." Gen. 15: 6; Rom. 4: 3. "Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was reckoned unto him; but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification." Rom. 4: 23-25. Simply faith! God asks no more. He does not say, "Wait till you are better before I accept you." No, indeed. "Come now, just as you are, all laden with iniquity, all covered with filth, all filled with the leprosy of sin, deceitful above all things, and desperately sick. Come, and I will undo the heavy burden; I will cleanse you from filth; I will heal your disease; I will give you a new heart and new spirit; I will clothe you with My spotless robe of righteousness; I will call you by My name. I have bought you as you are; I will take what I purchase, and make it to the praise of the glory of My grace." This is our Lord's message to you. Will you not believe Him and yield all to Him? If not, why not? A Constitutional Amendment.
By T.
Proposed Invasion of the Natural Rights of the Citizens of California.
ON Jan. 8, 1909, there was introduced in the assembly of the Legislature of California a proposed amendment to the constitution of this state, the leading portion of which reads: "The necessity of encouraging and fostering the observance of one day in seven as a day of rest is hereby recognized as essential to the welfare of the state, and to that end it is hereby provided: (1) That the keeping open of bars, saloons, race-courses, and coursing grounds on the first day of the week is prohibited; and the Legislature shall provide penalties for the violation of this provision, and for the proper enforcement of the same. (2) That the Legislature may provide that stores, workshops, banking-houses, and other places of business, of any class or calling, shall not keep open on the first day of the week, and shall provide penalties for the violation thereof." The majority of the people believe that it is right to give a certain regard for Sunday because they have been taught from infancy that it is a sacred day and that it is not right to perform common labor upon it. And with this education in the mind it is perfectly natural to think that we ought to have a law to compel men to be quiet and refrain from labor on Sunday. But consider one great fact that lies right at the very threshold of this proposed amendment, and that fact is stated in the "Declaration of Rights," which prefaces the Constitution of California, the same thing being stated in substance in the declaration of rights of the National Constitution, and also of the constitutions of the other states of the Union. The words expressing it are, "All men are by nature free and independent, and have certain inalienable rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty; acquiring, possessing, and protecting property; and pursuing and obtaining safety and happiness." The foregoing is one of the many forms of stating a great fundamental principle of government that has been recognized in this nation ever since our fathers of the Revolution cemented that principle with their own hallowed blood into the corner-stone of this the greatest and the grandest republic that has ever been builded among the sons and daughters of men. That declaration of an inalienable right recognizes that a man is born to enjoy not only liberty, but life itself. Life and liberty are an intertwined pair that can not be separated without destroying them both. You may take away a man's liberty, and still leave him breathing, but the fire and the sentiments of manhood are all gone, and he is nothing more than so much driftwood floating aimlessly along to the sea of oblivion. Now just as soon as it is admitted that it is a governmental right that one seventh of our time may be prescribed and bound about by civil law, a great bulwark has been swept away, and we are still further compelled to admit that if one seventh may be taken, then two sevenths may also be taken and so on until a man is made an abject slave to the state. His time is not his own, and he must worship the state as his deity. All that slavery ever did anywhere was to compel men to surrender their whole time to some master. This proposed amendment asks us to become at least one-seventh part of a slave to the state by surrendering to it one-seventh part of our time. There is no avoiding the conclusion that we can not separate our life from our time. Whatever takes any part of our time takes just that much of our lives. Liberty must be clear-cut and absolute or it is no liberty at all. No man can admit that any portion of his time can be appropriated contrary to his wishes without allowing himself to become a slave. For if we are put in bondage on one day of the week we are to a certain extent in bondage all the time. It is well to think of these things, for the fathers thought these principles of enough importance to embody them in our great national declaration of rights, from which they have been drawn with most becoming propriety by so many of the states of the Union. There is another provision in this proposed amendment that should have due attention. It reads: "Provided, however, that any law or ordinance passed or adopted under the second or third subdivision of this section shall not apply to persons who conscientiously believe that the seventh day of the week should be observed as the Sabbath, and who actually refrain from opening their places of business on that day." Why single out for exemption only those "who conscientiously believe that the seventh day of the week should be observed as the Sabbath, and who actually refrain from opening their places of business on that day"? The great majority may have a certain regard for Sunday, and a large part of this majority may have a conscience concerning its observance. A small minority observe the seventh day. But what about the intermediate class that do not regard any day? Are they to be considered as having no rights? Must they surrender one-seventh part of their time when they desire to use it for themselves? There are several thousand Seventh-day Adventists, a small number of Seventh-day Baptists, with the bare possibility that there9 may be some Jews, in California who conscientiously keep the seventh day. But these are far outnumbered by those who are absolutely indifferent to any day, and who want their time that they may spend it in the way that brings them the most pleasure. Are we to say that these shall have one seventh of their time taken and no regard paid them? The man who conscientiously keeps the seventh day as a period of rest and worship does so voluntarily because it is his desire and his joy to do so. The man who keeps Sunday in the same spirit also takes his rest voluntarily and receives his reward in the consolation that it brings to his conscience. But the great class who have no respect for any day are asked to help hedge themselves about, not by a mere statute of the Legislature, but by constitutional enactment, so that their pleasures and privileges for one whole seventh of their time shall be handed out to them on the prescription of the civil state. Such a procedure is unbecoming, unjust, and unchristian. But in saying all this in regard to an amendment to the state constitution the right to keep Sunday or any other day is fully recognized. If men desire to observe a day of rest and worship, it is their privilege and their exalted right. But if there is just one lone man in the state who chooses to regard no day at all, it is his equal right, and he should be fully protected in it. For just governments are not instituted for the purpose of allowing an overwhelming majority to ride ruthlessly over a weak minority, but to protect that minority in its rights, just because of its weakness. The fathers of the republic recognized these principles as so fundamental that they voluntarily laid their lives upon the altar to establish and sustain them. Shall we, their children, throw away such an invaluable heritage? T. The California Sunday-Rest Bill.
PERHAPS it ought to be called the Tufts bill, as the Rev. G. L. Tufts is, it is said, proud to be known as its author. It was introduced into the assembly by Mr. Grove L. Johnson, who favors it. It was introduced into the Senate by request. The Bill reads word for word, line for line, as follows: No. 37
INTRODUCED BY MR. JOHNSON OF SACRAMENTO,
JANUARY 8, 1909.
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC MORALS. To AMEND THE PENAL CODE BY ADDING A NEW CHAPTER TO TITLE IX OF PART I THEREOF; TO PRESERVE ONE DAY IN THE WEEK AS A DAY OF REST, AND TO PROMOTE HEALTH, MORALS AND THE PUBLIC WELFARE. The people of the State of California, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows: SECTION 1. A new chapter is hereby added to Title IX of Part I of the Penal Code to read as follows:
CHAPTER VI A. OF OFFENSES AGAINST HEALTH, MORALS AND THE PUBLIC WELFARE. Every person, firm, association or corporation who shall keep open on Sunday any shop, store, building or place of business where goods, wares or merchandise are sold or kept for sale, or who shall engage in any business, trade, or sale of goods, wares, or merchandise, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars, or shall be imprisoned in the county jail not to exceed thirty days; provided, however, that this section does not apply to hotels or restaurants in furnishing lodging or meals, to livery stables or garages, to bath or boat houses, to the sale of medicine or sick room supplies between the hours of 9:00 and 11:00 o'clock in the forenoon and 5:30 and 7:30 o'clock in the afternoon, except in cases of emergency, to the quiet sale and delivery of daily newspapers, or to any other place of business necessary to work as herein-after provided for. 300. Any person, firm, association or corporation who employs any employee, apprentice, servant or other person to labor or to engage in any trade, calling, avocation or business, except works of necessity, mercy, or charity or requires them to engage in such work or labor on Sunday, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than ten dollars nor more than two hundred dollars or be imprisoned in the county jail not to exceed thirty days and upon each subsequent conviction by both such fine and imprisonment; except, however, in case of corporations the penalty of imprisonment when imposed shall be imposed upon all officers or agents in the state committing such offense or causing the same to be committed; provided that this section does not apply:— (a) To persons, firms, associations or corporations owning or operating telegraph, telephone or electric light plants; boats, vessels, vehicles, cars, or regular trains for the transportation of passengers, live stock or perishable freight, and the continuance to their destination of trains and vessels in transit when Sunday begins, or the collection and delivery of baggage for the same; but nothing herein shall legalize special Sunday excursions. (b) To such manufacturing establishments or industrial processes as must be kept in continuous operation to prevent serious loss. (c) To unavoidable work essential to the protection of mines or property in imminent danger of destruction or serious injury. (d) To the sale and delivery of milk. (e) To any person who regularly observes some day during the week other than Sunday as a day of rest. But provided further that, except in cases of emergency, said employee, apprentice, servant or other persons shall not be employed on Sunday unless allowed twenty-four consecutive hours without labor during said week. 301. Every person, firm, association or corporation who shall keep open on Sunday any bar, saloon or dramshop, or any place of any kind or description, where spirituous, malt, or fermented liquors or wines, or any admixture thereof, are sold, given away or served, or kept for sale; or who shall sell, give away or serve any spirituous, malt, or fermented liquors, or wines or any admixture thereof, on Sunday, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than thirty dollars nor more than two hundred dollars, and be imprisoned in the county jail not less than five nor more than ninety days, and upon a second conviction, in addition to said fine and imprisonment, any license which may have been granted for opening and maintaining such place of business shall be void and shall not be renewed within two years next thereafter for said place or to said person, firm, association, or corporation. 301a. Every person, firm, association or corporation who shall keep open on Sunday any place of public amusement to which an admission fee is directly or indirectly charged; or who shall conduct or take part in any said public amusement shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars, or be imprisoned in the county jail not to exceed thirty days, and upon a second conviction by both such fine and imprisonment. 301b. It shall be the duty of the prosecuting attorney, sheriff, constable, city or town marshal, or any and all public or peace officers in this state to inform against and diligently prosecute any and all persons guilty of the violations of the provisions of this act either upon credible information or upon reasonable cause to believe that there has been any such violation. Any said officer who shall refuse or wilfully neglect to inform against and prosecute offenders against this act, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars and the court before which said officer shall be tried shall declare the office or appointment held by the said officer vacant, and said officer shall not be re-elected or appointed to fill said vacancy. 301c. All fines collected from the violation of sections 299, 300, 301, 301a, 301b, of this Code shall be paid into the common school fund of the county. It is not our purpose to enter into an extended discussion of what can be done under the proposed law by one class or another. That is a secondary matter. It is the principle underlying such legislation. This bill is but the small end of the wedge. Yet it may be of interest to present just what the author of the Bill, Mr. G. L. Tufts, has to say. He writes to the SIGNS OF THE TIMES under date of Dec. 3, 1908, as follows: "What An Adventist Might Do On Sundays Under the Proposed Law." "The rights of every Seventh-day Adventist are just as dear to him as those of any other class of men, and they should be just as sacred in the eyes of the law, which is not supposed to discriminate against any citizen however humble. A law that affects one-seventh of our time is a matter of considerable interest to all. What would those who observe Saturday as their day of rest and worship be permitted to do on Sundays without violating the proposed Sunday rest law? "They could work in a hotel, restaurant, livery stable, or garage. They could be employed in the fire or police department, in operating trains, electric lines, boats, stages, or delivering baggage to the same. They could work in a telegraph or telephone office, in an electric light plant, a sugar plant, an oil refinery, or pumping the mines. They could engage in selling medicines, milk, daily papers, or run an ice-cream parlor. They could attend to their office work, or do any kind of work on their ranches or about the home the same as other days of the week. In short, any kind of private employment would not be under the ban of the law, or any work of necessity. "The bill does not propose any union of church and state, and in no sense is it 'religious legislation.' If it were, it would be unconstitutional and the courts would so declare it. In religious matters, all stand on a par before the laws of the land. "Neither is it against 'personal liberty,' unless it can be shown to be unnecessary for the public welfare. Our Federal Court declares it to be the chief province of law 'to promote the public health and the public morals.' These are the two prime objects of the proposed legislation, and the history of nations proves that a civil statute for a weekly rest day is essential to secure these ends. Whatever, then, is for the public welfare is no infringement upon personal liberty. The law is to prohibit crimes against men. "G. L. TUFTS,
"Author of the Sunday Rest Bill." Mr. Tufts truly says that "a law which affects one seventh of our time is a matter of considerable interest to all." He also says that "the bill does not PROPOSE any union of church and state, and in no sense is it 'RELIGIOUS LEGISLATION.'" Let us see. 1. THE BILL PROPOSES RELIGIOUS LEGISLATION. It proposes not only to make a legal weekly rest day, but to make a RELIGIOUS day the legal weekly rest day. Mr. Tufts' letter-head is that of the "International Reform Bureau." That letter-head declares: "We fight four great sins—intemperance, impurity, Sabbath-breaking, and gambling." The very term "Sabbath" is religious, and it is religion which deals with SIN. Civil law can deal only with CRIME. Further, that letter-head of the Bureau to which Mr. Tufts belongs declares concerning the four sins named above: "We fight these evils by four means—legislation, letters, lectures, and literature." In other words, Mr. Tufts fights SABBATH-BREAKING with LEGISLATION. Again: Mr. Tufts is reported in the Sacramento "Bee" of January 11, as saying the previous Sunday in the United Brethren Church of that city: "Instead of a holiday Sunday we should have a hallowed Sunday, when men would remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. It should be the kind of a Sunday that the Puritan fathers brought with them on the 'Mayflower.'" It is needless to say that the Puritan Sunday was both RELIGIOUS and CIVIL as far as intolerant civil enactment and more intolerant civil enforcement could make it. Therefore according to Mr. Tufts he is working for religious legislation. Unfortunately, Mr. Tufts' proposed legislation, letters, lectures, and literature do not agree. Furthermore, (Continued on next page.) The Church-and-State Disease Germ
THERE ARE SOME DISEASE GERMS which are found almost everywhere in civilized lands, like the bacteria of tuberculosis, for instance. They are quite harmless so long as people where the germs circulate are normally well. But let the people live below a health standard, with life force non-resistant, and they become a prey to the deadly bacteria. The church-and-state disease germ has been prevalent in this world since sin entered. At various times when spiritual life is at low ebb, the disease has become epidemic, thousands have died in consequence, and both church and state have been ruined. There are remedies for prevention and cure of most diseases; there are also for the church-and-state phobia. But the remedy must be applied early, thoroly, repeatedly, emphatically, drastically, let the consequences be what they may. The most effectual remedy in California just now for the Sunday-law fever is to let it and its zealous promoters entirely alone. Let it die of inanition. It does not belong to the sphere of the legislator or statesman. Let him not seek to warm into life such a serpent. WE PLEAD NOT for liberty for ourselves, but for each and every man,—for our neighbor, be he infidel or believer, Protestant or Catholic, Jew or Gentile. As long as the liberty of the individual is secured, the liberty of all is safe.