THERE is something wrong about the appearance of a clergyman posing as an advocate of Sabbath observance on purely civil grounds.AMS March 23, 1899, page 177.2

LAWS which cannot bind the conscience, have no business in the domain of conscience.AMS March 23, 1899, page 177.3

FREEDOM of conscience is the same for Protestant and Catholic, pagan or atheist, the world over.AMS March 23, 1899, page 177.4

THE best man on earth, if made an object of worship, would not be able to avoid being a despot.AMS March 23, 1899, page 177.5

WE may well view with suspicion any movement in which Pilate and Herod are made friends.AMS March 23, 1899, page 177.6

THE rest which pertains to the observance of a weekly Sabbath, is a religious rest, made so by the act of God at creation. The Sabbath must be observed religiously, or not at all.AMS March 23, 1899, page 177.7

WHEN the church submits to the government of Heaven, she will not wish to control the governments of earth.AMS March 23, 1899, page 177.8

THE study of theology is not calculated to make a person wise about politics.AMS March 23, 1899, page 177.9

EVERY effort to force men to do right is an interference with God’s purpose of winning men to the right.AMS March 23, 1899, page 177.10

THE only things concerning which man has a right to legislate in religion and morals, are those things which God forgot in his law to say anything about.AMS March 23, 1899, page 177.11

IF there had never been a religious Sabbath, there would never have been any thought of a “civil Sabbath.” The religious Sabbath is the parent, and the “civil” Sabbath must be of the same nature—religious.AMS March 23, 1899, page 177.12

WE cannot judge others without passing judgment upon ourselves.AMS March 23, 1899, page 177.13

“The Present Situation” American Sentinel 14, 12, pp. 178, 179.

ATJ

THE treaty of peace with Spain has been ratified. Porto Rico and the Philippines are thus confirmed to the United States. The United States is now no more the United States of America; it is, as Senator Daniel said it would be, “the United States of America and Asia.”AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.1

And how stands it as to principle with the United States of America and Asia? Immediately following the ratification of the treaty of peace, the following resolution was adopted by the Senate:—AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.2

“That by the ratification of the treaty of peace with Spain it is not intended to incorporate the inhabitants of the Philippine Islands into citizenship of the United States, nor is it intended to permanently annex said islands as an integral part of the territory of the United States; but it is the intention of the United States to establish on said islands a government suitable to the wants and condition of the inhabitants of said islands, to prepare them for local self-government, and in due time to make such disposition of said islands as will best promote the interests of the citizens of the United States and the inhabitants of said islands.AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.3

No inhabitant then of the Philippine Islands is, nor can be, a citizen of the United States. They are, and must remain, only subjects. But when the United States possess people who are not, and cannot be citizens, but are held and ruled only as subjects, it is no more a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, no more a government of “We the People,“—it is no more a republic, but “a government of some other form.”AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.4

That all this was intended in the very making of the treaty of peace is certain, as is shown by the words of Mr. Whitelaw Reid, one of the peace commissioners, in a speech in which he explained the difficulties and aims of the commissioners in the Paris convention. It was spoken in Chicago Tuesday night, February 14. His subject was “The Achievements of American Diplomacy.” As reported in the New York Herald he said:—AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.5

“The Pacific Ocean ... is in our hands now. Practically we own more than half the coast on this side, and have military stations in the Sandwich and Aleutian islands. To extend our authority over the Philippine archipelago is to fence in the China Sea. Rightly used it enables the United States to convert the Pacific Ocean almost into an American lake....AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.6

“Let us free our minds of some bugbears.... It is a bugbear that the Filipinos would be citizens of the United States. It is a bugbear that anybody living on the territory or other property of the United States must be a citizen.AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.7

“Brushing aside these bugbears, gentlemen, what are the duties sf [sic.] the hour?AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.8

“First—Hold what you are entitled to. If you are ever to part with it, wait at least till you have found out that you have no use for it. Next, resist admission of any of our new possessions as states or their organization on a plan designed to prepare them for admission. Make this fight easiest by making it at the beginning. Resist the first effort to change the character of the Union. We want no Porto Ricans or Cubans to be sending Senators and Representatives to Washington. We will do them good, if we may, all the days of our life, but, please God, we will not divide this Republic among them.AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.9

“Resist the crazy extension of the doctrine that government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed to an extreme never imagined by the men who framed it, and never for one moment acted upon in their own practice.”AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.10

That is plain enough, and is stated plainly enough— to show to all, without any argument, that the principles of American republicanism have been repudiated, and intentionally repudiated, formally and officially by the United States, and that now it is a government of another sort.AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.11

What sort of a government it now is, as compared with what it was when it was founded and while it adhered to its original principles, is pretty well illustrated in the speeches of Senators Hoar and Hale against the resolution quoted in this article.AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.12

“Senator Hoar opposed it because it gave no hope of liberty or self-government to the islands. He said it was an infamous declaration.”AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.13

Senator hale said:—AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.14

“Confess will adjourn and the war will go on, and there is not a man who will not realize in three months that it is a war of conquest and subjugation.AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.15

“And yet, we are told that we are traitors and are held up and blacklisted in the newspapers because we want to give those people a chance at least to show that they are friendly and can set up a government of their own.AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.16

“Instead we kill them, not by scores, not by hundreds, but by thousands. More Filipinos have been killed by the guns of our army and navy than were patriots killed in any six battles of the Revolutionary war. It has become a gigantic event. The slaughter of people in no way equal to us, meeting us with bows and arrows and crawling into the jungles by hundreds, there to die, has stupefied the American mind. No one has said that our mission of commerce and of the gospel was to be preceded by the slaughter of thousands of persons.”AMS March 23, 1899, page 178.17

Ichabod! The only word that now remains is Ichabod. A. T. J.AMS March 23, 1899, page 179.1

“The Spirit of It” American Sentinel 14, 12, p. 179.

ATJ

IN the annual report of the New York Sabbath Committee for 1897-8, it is stated that “For some time past, the Catholic pastors of Rome have been carrying on a campaign in favor of Sunday rest. They urged their people as good Catholics to close their shops on Sundays and on religious festivals. Subsequently some of them reinforced this appeal with the assurance that good Catholics would deal only with the shops which assented to this arrangement.AMS March 23, 1899, page 179.1

“The civil authorities regarded this action as in violation of the provision of the Penal Code which punishes with fine and imprisonment all threats or intimidation meant to interfere with another’s liberty. The cures were summoned before the police and enjoined to cease their efforts in this direction. In reply, they declared that they had in view only the observance of God’s commandments, and that their action in no way impaired the liberty of labor.AMS March 23, 1899, page 179.2

“Special orders were given by the vicarate of Rome to all the religious communities to deal only with the shops which close on Sunday; an effective measure, because those communities are numerous, and their patronage valuable. The cures also announced that they would publish a list of those who agreed to close their shops for all day on Sunday.”AMS March 23, 1899, page 179.3

This shows plainly enough the animus of the Sunday movement. Its spirit is that of “rule or ruin.” It says to the shopkeeper, “Close up on Sunday or I will ruin your business! What you believe or wish in the matter counts for nothing.” It will work through the civil authorities if it can; and it will proceed without these, and even in defiance of them, if it can. What it has done in Italy it would do in America; it is the same movement in both countries.AMS March 23, 1899, page 179.4

Notice further, that what is compelled of these shopkeepers under threat of boycott, is homage to the Catholic Church. That church expressly declares in her books of doctrine that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday by authority of the church, and rests upon no other basis. Hence it is not a command of God, but a command of the Catholic Church, that these shopkeepers must obey in Sunday closing. The Catholic Church is, by threats of boycott, compelling the shopkeepers of Rome to pay her homage.AMS March 23, 1899, page 179.5

What the Catholic Church is doing in Rome, she would do in America if she had the power. She would compel American shopkeepers to boy to her decrees here, as she does Italian shopkeepers in Rome. And the Sunday movement is putting just this power into her hands.AMS March 23, 1899, page 179.6

Sunday enforcement is enforced homage to the church of Rome; and Rome joins in the movement expressly to secure such homage to herself. But it is homage to Rome whether enforced by Rome herself, or by a “Sabbath association” calling itself Protestant.AMS March 23, 1899, page 179.7

“The Church Will ‘Get the State’” American Sentinel 14, 12, pp. 179, 180.

ATJ

FOR years the church and the workingmen in this country have been drifting apart. The basis of unity between them which once existed has been lost, and no great effort has been put forth to restore it. From that basis the church, led by those who love money more than men, and the higher criticism more than the higher life, is daily moving further away.AMS March 23, 1899, page 179.1

But a new basis of union has been found, upon which the church and the workingmen can get together, although not to serve what were once the chief interests of church work. Apparently, the ends to be attained are a secondary consideration compared with the fact that the church and workingmen can once more stand together. The new basis is that of regard for the observance of Sunday.AMS March 23, 1899, page 179.2

In the cities of Pittsburg and Allegheny, Pa., this projected union has begun to take definite shape. Recently there was formed there a confederation of the churches, about 180 in number, to work up public sentiment in favor of more rigid enforcement of the Sunday laws. February 19, this federation, in conjunction with the “Christian Alliance,” called a mass meeting of workingmen in one of the city theaters, and succeeeded [sic.] in forming a coalition with the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers. The president of the Association made a speech, in which he said:—AMS March 23, 1899, page 179.3

“What we have long sought assiduously has come in part. The church and the laboring men have come together. We will soon get the state, and with the church, the state, and the laboringmen united in a common cause, man’s inhumanity to man will cease. All recognize the fact that the Sabbath is being desecrated by labor in the mills. The remedy for this wrong lies in unity and coöperation. If this is not the remedy, it is the only force that can apply the correct remedy. The man who cavils at organization is weak or foolish. The church, the state, the nation are examples of its power. Legal enactments and independent political action for the preservation of the Sabbath will not be effective without the organization of labor. Would that all men could see this! I trust the results of this meeting may be as effective in throwing down the walls of the modern Jericho [Johnstown] as was the sound of the ram’s horns in throwing down those of Jericho of old. May it result in the unification of all forces.AMS March 23, 1899, page 179.4

“Church and labor organizations are together in part only, because the church and labor organizations in coöperating simply wait that the trio may be complete. We want the state. Thus armed we shall be enabled to make war upon every Sunday desecrator. Organize, unite and coöperate. What we are after now are the largest firms; these once fixed, the smaller ones will easily be brought into line. This meeting will really be the start of public work on the subject. The idea is to get public sentiment aroused.”AMS March 23, 1899, page 179.5

First, the churches formed a federation to work up public sentiment against Sunday desecration. They called a mass meeting and secured the coöperation of a great labor union. Next they will “get the state,” and then they will be fully prepared to “make war upon every Sunday desecrator.” The churches inaugurated the movement, then they led on the workingmen; and next they will lead on the state. The church will make war on Sunday desecrators through the agency of the state. And what kind of a proceeding will this be? Every student of history can answer this question.AMS March 23, 1899, page 180.1

When the church leads the state against those who will not regard a religious institution, nothing more can be wanting to constitute a complete union of church and state.AMS March 23, 1899, page 180.2

And then, when the churches shall “get the state” to do their bidding, “man’s inhumanity to man will cease.” Will it? History does not so testify. On the contrary, from what history does testify, we may be certain that “man’s inhumanity to man” will go on worse than before. Man’s inhumanity to man was never more fully shown than under a union of church and state.AMS March 23, 1899, page 180.3

Are the American people willing that a combination of churches shall “get the state”? Do they want a government which will be under direction of the churches? These are live questions for the people of Pennsylvania, and for the people everywhere, for the same influence is everywhere at work.AMS March 23, 1899, page 180.4

It is well that all people should observe the Sabbath,—but God’s Sabbath, not man’s, and in God’s way and by God’s power; not in man’s way and by man’s power.AMS March 23, 1899, page 180.5

March 16, 1899

March 30, 1899