American State Papers Bearing on Sunday Legislation

MAPS SHOWING PREVALENCE OF SUNDAY LAWS

Part VII - Sunday Laws Before the Bar of Reason.

BACKWARD STATES

ALEXANDER CAMPBELL ON SUNDAY ENFORCEMENT

SPURGEON ON SUNDAY LEGISLATION

WHY SUNDAY LAWS ARE WRONG

IN CONFLICT WITH INALIENABLE RIGHTS

WHAT IS THE EQUIVALENT?

Do SUNDAY LAWS PRESERVE A NATION?

SUNDAY ENFORCEMENT RUINOUS

TESTIMONY OF JUDGE BARLOW

THE PRINCIPLE APPLIED

VERDICT OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE

VERDICT OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

VIEWS OF DR. ALBERT BARNES

SUMMARY BY HON. WM. F. VILAS

Part VIII- History of Sunday Legislation.

HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF SUNDAY LEGISLATION FROM 321 A. D.

EDITOR'S PREFACE.

POLITICAL history is a most interesting study;

and of all the political history of the world, no other has been so full of interest, so pregnant with matter for thought, as that of America for the last two centuries. The irrepressible spirit of liberty in the early Americans and the philosophical ideas on government characteristic of the times, united to bring forth a government more grand, more in accordance with human rights, more in harmony with the principles. of Christ, than any the world had ever seen.

Political history an interesting study.

Inception of American institutions.

Religiopolitical revived.

There is, however, a reaction taking place. And the revival of the religio-political ideas of medieval times, the practical operation of which, as declared by ideas being the United States Senate, "has been the desolating scourge of the fairest portions of the Old World," calls for the republication of American State Papers which have marked the successive steps in our political American history.

Republication of

State Papers demanded.

Influence of character

The influence of Roger Williams,1 of Washington, of Jefferson, of Madison, and of their fellow-states- istic Amer

1 From the publications of the Narragansett Historical Society, we take the following:

icans.

Roger

Roger Williams, says Professor Gervinus, in his recent 'Introduction to the History of the Nineteenth Century' (Translated from Williams. the German. H. G. Bohn, London, 1853, page 65), founded, in 1636, a small new society in Rhode Island, upon the principles of entire liberty of conscience, and the uncontrolled power of the majority ir

Statue

men, has been felt throughout the world. The free institutions established by them have made the name "America" a synonym of " liberty." The famous Barute to Amer- tholdi "Statue of Liberty," presented to America by France, is a fitting tribute to the Utopia of nations.

of Liberty

a fitting trib

ica.

American institutions.

America

the first to free herself

from superstition.

Theories

of the schools of philosophy. A vain prophecy.

Influence of Rhode Island's free institutions.

The world has marked with astonishment the unprecedented advancement of American institutions, founded, as they are, upon theories more in accordance with the principles of absolute civil and religious liberty-theories which, previous to the establishment of American institutions, had existed only in the schools of philosophy - theories evidently deducible from the principles of abstract justice and incontrovertible logic, but which had never had practical application.

A new nation, proud of Anglican liberty,- proud of our English political philosophers and statesmen of the past few centuries, who have so manfully asserted human rights,-- proud of insuring to the minority their rights, was the first to free itself from the superstitious ideas which had made governments restrict or entirely disregard the rights which

secular concerns.

The theories of freedom in church and state taught in the schools of philosophy in Europe, were here brought into practice in the government of a small community. It was prophesied that the democratic attempts to obtain universal suffrage, a general elective franchise, annual parliaments, entire religious freedom, and the Miltonian right of schism, would be of short duration. But these institutions have not only maintained themselves here, but have spread over the whole Union. They have superseded the aristocratic commencements of Carolina and New York, the high-church party in Virginia, the theocracy in Massachusetts, and the monarchy throughout America; they have given laws to one quarter of the globe; and, dreaded for their moral influence, they stand in the background of every democratic struggle in Europe."

of govern

ments.

they were instituted to protect.1 In striking contrast Contrast with the older governments, America has stood before an astonished world as a refuge for the persecuted, a home for the oppressed, the land of the free. Shall these institutions which have thus benefited humanity be supplanted in this enlightened age by stitutions be the church-and-state dogmas of past centuries?

It is true that some of the States have never given up the idea that religion and the state must have some legal connection.2 But, in contrast with this,

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Shall American in

maintained?

Some States still retain unAmerican ideas.

Right of individuality.

Divine assertion of

Motive our political underlying system.

Relics of

state.

'Vindicating the right of individuality even in religion, and in religion above all, the new nation dared to set the example of accepting in its relations to God the principle first divinely ordained in Judea. It left the management of temporal things to the temporal power; but the American Constitution, in harmony with the people liberty. of the several States, withheld from the federal government the power to invade the home of reason, the citadel of conscience, the sanctuary of the soul; and, not from indifference, but that the infinite spirit of eternal truth might move in its freedom and purity and power." History of the Formation of the Constitution," book v, chapter 1. In Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Maryland all persons who deny the existence of a Supreme Being, and in Pennsylvania and Tennessee, those who deny a “future state of rewards and punishments," are excluded, by church and Constitutional provision, from holding public office. See Part V of this work, and Cooley's Constitutional Limitations," fifth edition, page 197, note. The Constitutions of Ohio, North Carolina, and Arkansas declare that " religion, morality, and knowledge" are essential to good government." The Constitution of New Hampshire still authorizes the State Legislature to make adequate provision . . . for the support and maintenance of public Protestant teachers of piety, religion, and morality;" and that of Vermont declares that every sect or denomination of Christians ought to observe the Sabbath, or Lord's day, and keep up some sort of religious worship." The Constitution of Delaware asserts that "it is the duty of all men frequently to assemble together for the public worship of Almighty God;" and that of Connecticut, while providing that no person shall by law be compelled to join or support any congregation, church, or religious association, says that "every person now belonging to such congregation, church, or religious association, shall remain a member

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Sabbath

observance and public worship de

clared to be duties.

Churchregulated. membership

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