Let's pray.
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Father in heaven,
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we come into Your
presence once more,
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requesting supernatural help
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as we open Your
Holy Book, the Bible.
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We ask, Lord, that You will be
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with us as we study
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this historical
experience of the past,
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that You will help us to see it
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in the light of what
You teach in Your Holy Word.
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And so be with us,
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take any
obstacle off of our hearts
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that is there that would keep us
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from embracing the truth.
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And we thank You
for hearing our prayer.
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We ask it in Jesus' name, amen.
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For those of you
who are watching this,
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this series of
programs on some TV,
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or perhaps on
other social media,
00:01:06.96\00:01:08.86
or on a DVD,
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you're probably saying this
is an overload of information.
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There is so much
information, how can I get it?
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Well, several years ago, I
did a series on Matthew 24,
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it had 14 presentations.
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And the manual,
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the study notes
originally were about 125 pages.
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Now, there are over 250 pages,
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so you can get the study notes
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from Secrets Unsealed,
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you'll see the address,
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the electronic
address on the screen.
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Now, some people think that
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it would be impossible
for a National Sunday law
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to be enacted
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in the United States of America.
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After all, this is
the land of the free
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and the home of the brave.
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We have a first
amendment that forbids Congress
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from making any law
that establishes religion,
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or that forbids the
free exercise thereof.
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However, folks, in
times of a national emergency,
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strange things happen.
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I'm going to go through
a historical period today
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that will teach us things
that will occur in the future.
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From 1861 to 1865, of course,
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those who are
well versed in history,
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know that there was
a national emergency
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in the United States of America.
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It's called the Civil War.
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During this
time, and afterwards,
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in the reconstruction,
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there was a strong
push in the United States,
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both among
ministers and politicians
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to establish a
National Sunday law.
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Now those who forget to learn
from the mistakes of history,
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are bound to
repeat those mistakes.
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This is why it
is indeed dangerous
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to erase the
reminders of the past.
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Now, my primary sources of study
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are from individuals
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who were
contemporaries of the events.
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I'll give you the resources,
volume five of the Testimonies,
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pages 711 to 718.
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The title of the chapter
is the impending conflict.
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Great Controversy, 582 to 592.
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The title of the chapter
is the Impending Conflict.
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And then we have a
book by A.T. Jones,
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who actually testified
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before the Senate or a
committee in the Senate,
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he wrote the book,
Civil Government and Religion.
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Then you have another
book, Views of National Reform,
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essays written by A.T.
Jones and E.J. Wagoner.
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And finally, the
book National Sunday law,
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which contains
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the actual
minutes of the discussion
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on this issue in
the Education Committee
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of the Senate of
the United States.
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We know that several times
because we have the transcript
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there in the
book, that several times
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during A.T. Jones' testimony,
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he was
interrupted by Senator Blair,
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who was the one who introduced
the legislation into Congress.
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Now let's talk about
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the origin of the
National Reform Movement.
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The National Reform Association
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came into existence
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at the end of the
Civil War in 1864,
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or towards the end of
the Civil War, I might say.
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The objective of
this organization
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of the National
Reform Organization
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was to declare
that the United States
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was a Christian nation
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and also to amend the
Constitution to include
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in the Constitution
a National Sunday law.
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The first national convention
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of the National
Reform Association
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was in Allegheny, Pennsylvania
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from January 27
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to January 28, 1864.
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Now the members
of the association
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were many and varied.
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The association had
120 vice presidents,
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an interesting fact in the light
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that in the Medo-Persian Empire,
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there were 120 satraps
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that actually trapped the king
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into giving a
decree to have Daniel
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thrown into the lions' den.
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The official
publication of the association
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was called the
Christian Statesman.
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The December 24, 1885
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issue of the Christian Statesman
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said that there
were 120 vice presidents,
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and among them, there
were 15 college professors,
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16 college
presidents, three ex governors,
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seven justices
of Supreme Courts,
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five justices
of Superior Courts,
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two judges
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of the United
States District Court,
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one judge of the
United States Circuit Court.
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And then it continued
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with such a
number of your honors,
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reverends, and
doctors of divinity
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that we could not
attempt to count them.
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So the National
Reform Association
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was a very
influential organization
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in that period of the
history of the United States.
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By 1888, the
objectives of the association
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had developed a
strong following,
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and their
objectives seemed reachable.
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Now the individual in the Senate
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that was pushing for
the National Sunday law,
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and the declaration
that the United States
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is a Christian nation
was called Henry W. Blair.
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On May 25, 1888,
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he introduced bill
number 2983 into Congress.
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In it was legislation
for a National Sunday law.
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You can read the
entire bill in the book,
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Civil Government and Religion,
pages 65 to 67 by A.T. Jones.
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On December 13, 1888,
just five or six months later,
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A.T. Jones appeared
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before the Education
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and Labor
Committee of the Senate
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to testify regarding the desire
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for a National Sunday law.
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Now, I want to go through
several historical details
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about this period
of history from 1864,
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all the way through
1865, the end of the Civil War,
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and through the
period of reconstruction
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after the Civil War.
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Roman Catholics were in
favor of this amendment.
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In fact, in 1889,
00:08:03.95\00:08:05.98
the National Catholic Congress
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that met in Baltimore,
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resolved to
unite with Protestants
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to secure proper
Sunday observance.
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It's noteworthy
that Protestants came up
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with the idea,
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and Catholics
provided the support.
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Pope Leo XIII, in 1885,
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in an encyclical
letter, wrote the following.
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"All Catholics
should do all in their power
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to cause the constitutions
of States and legislation
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to be molded on the
principles of the true church,
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and all Catholic writers
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and journalists
should never lose sight,
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for an instance, from the view
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of the above prescription."
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A very influential cardinal,
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Cardinal Gibbons
agreed with the Pope,
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and he added his
name to the list of those
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who desired a Sunday law.
00:09:02.94\00:09:04.71
And now I read
from Cardinal Gibbons.
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"I am most happy to add my name
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to those of the
millions of others
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who are laudably contending
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against the violation
of the Christian Sabbath
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by unnecessary labor,
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and we and who are endeavoring
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to promote its
decent and proper observance
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by judicious legislation."
00:09:26.26\00:09:29.30
So notice, once again,
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"I am most happy to add my name
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to those of the
millions of others
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who are laudably contending
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against the violation
of the Christian Sabbath,"
00:09:36.60\00:09:38.34
of course, he mean
Sunday, "by unnecessary labor,
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and who are endeavoring
to promote its decent
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and proper observance
by judicious legislation."
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Not only was there a union
by Catholics and Protestants
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in this particular project,
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but there also was a desire
for union of church and state.
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Jonathan
Edwards, at New York City,
00:09:58.93\00:10:01.80
the New York City
Convention on February 26,
00:10:01.83\00:10:04.37
and 27, 1873
stated the following.
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"We want State and religion,
and we are going to have it...
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The Christian oath
and Christian morality
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shall have in this land
'an undeniable legal basis.'
00:10:16.75\00:10:22.05
We use this word
religion in its proper sense,
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as meaning a man's
personal relation of faith
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and obedience to God."
00:10:28.52\00:10:30.73
M.A. Gault wrote in
the Christian Statesman,
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"Our remedy for all of
these malefic influences..."
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He's referring to
liquor, immorality, consumerism
00:10:37.97\00:10:40.77
and civil war,
00:10:40.80\00:10:42.57
so, "Our remedy for all
of these malefic influences
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is to have the Government
simply set up the moral law
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and recognize God's
authority behind it,
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and lay its hand on any religion
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that does not conform to it."
00:10:56.35\00:10:59.62
In a speech at
Elgin, Dr. Mandeville,
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one of the leaders of
the movement expressed
00:11:03.56\00:11:05.53
his view of the relationship
of church and state.
00:11:05.56\00:11:09.00
This is what he said.
00:11:09.03\00:11:10.63
"When the church of God awakes
and does its duty on one side,
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and the State on the other,
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we shall have no further trouble
00:11:18.37\00:11:20.51
in this matter."
00:11:20.54\00:11:22.48
Sam Small,
00:11:22.51\00:11:23.91
secretary of the
National Prohibition Convention
00:11:23.95\00:11:27.62
held in Indianapolis,
00:11:27.65\00:11:29.22
in 1888, said the following.
00:11:29.25\00:11:33.62
"I want to see the day come
00:11:33.66\00:11:36.12
when the church shall be
the arbiter of all legislation,
00:11:36.16\00:11:40.83
State, national, and municipal,
00:11:40.86\00:11:44.33
when the great
churches of the country
00:11:44.37\00:11:46.63
can come together harmoniously,
00:11:46.67\00:11:49.14
and issue their edict,
and the legislative powers
00:11:49.17\00:11:52.87
will respect it and
enact it into laws."
00:11:52.91\00:11:56.41
It could not be more explicit.
00:11:56.44\00:11:58.41
Regarding the
duties of the state,
00:11:58.45\00:12:00.68
Reverend J.M.
Foster, also belonging
00:12:00.72\00:12:03.45
to this movement suggested,
00:12:03.49\00:12:05.59
"That a constitutional provision
00:12:05.62\00:12:08.02
be made for recognizing
God as King of nations,
00:12:08.06\00:12:12.19
that a
constitutional recognition
00:12:12.23\00:12:14.23
be made that the State
00:12:14.26\00:12:15.90
is the divinely appointed
keeper of the moral law,
00:12:15.93\00:12:19.40
that a constitutional
provision be made detailing
00:12:19.43\00:12:22.44
the moral and
religious qualifications
00:12:22.47\00:12:25.47
of those who would
occupy an office of trust,"
00:12:25.51\00:12:28.41
that's a violation
of the 14th Amendment,
00:12:28.44\00:12:30.11
I might say,
"that the nation needed
00:12:30.15\00:12:32.35
to make a covenant with God,
00:12:32.38\00:12:34.25
that the nation must guard
00:12:34.28\00:12:35.68
and protect the
church by suppressing
00:12:35.72\00:12:38.32
all public
violation of the moral law,
00:12:38.35\00:12:40.89
by maintaining a
system of public schools,
00:12:40.92\00:12:43.59
indoctrinating their
youth in morality and virtue,
00:12:43.63\00:12:47.13
by exempting church
property from taxation,
00:12:47.16\00:12:50.50
and by providing her
funds out of the public treasury
00:12:50.53\00:12:54.07
for carrying on her
aggressive work at home
00:12:54.10\00:12:56.97
and in the foreign field."
00:12:57.01\00:12:58.34
Imagine the government
financing the churches.
00:12:58.37\00:13:01.31
Amazing.
00:13:01.34\00:13:02.74
The Cleveland
National Convention
00:13:02.78\00:13:05.38
adopted the
following resolution.
00:13:05.41\00:13:08.78
"Resolved, that we re-affirm
that this Religious Amendment,"
00:13:08.82\00:13:12.45
referring to
the Blair Amendment,
00:13:12.49\00:13:14.46
"instead of
infringing on any individual's
00:13:14.49\00:13:16.83
right of conscience,
00:13:16.86\00:13:18.19
or tending in the least degree
to a union of Church and State,
00:13:18.23\00:13:22.06
will afford the fullest security
00:13:22.10\00:13:24.13
against a corrupting
church establishment,
00:13:24.17\00:13:26.97
and form the strongest safeguard
00:13:27.00\00:13:29.40
of both the civil
00:13:29.44\00:13:30.77
and religious
liberties of all citizens."
00:13:30.81\00:13:33.61
Obviously, it was not possible.
00:13:33.64\00:13:36.38
Dr. McAllister spoke
00:13:36.41\00:13:38.51
the following words at
Lakeside, Ohio in July of 1887.
00:13:38.55\00:13:43.59
"Let a man be what he may, Jew,
00:13:43.62\00:13:47.59
Seventh-day observer,
or some other denomination,
00:13:47.62\00:13:51.13
or those who do not believe
in the Christian Sabbath,
00:13:51.16\00:13:53.96
let the law apply to everyone,
00:13:54.00\00:13:56.00
that there shall be
no public desecration
00:13:56.03\00:13:58.67
of the first day of the week,
00:13:58.70\00:14:00.27
the Christian Sabbath, the
day of rest for the nation.
00:14:00.30\00:14:03.94
They may hold any
other day of the week
00:14:03.97\00:14:05.94
as sacred and
observe it, but that day,
00:14:05.97\00:14:08.78
which is the one day in
seven for the nation at large,
00:14:08.81\00:14:12.51
let that not be
publicly desecrated
00:14:12.55\00:14:14.98
by anyone,
00:14:15.02\00:14:16.35
any officer in the government
or any private citizen,
00:14:16.38\00:14:19.25
high or low, rich or poor."
00:14:19.29\00:14:22.89
Interesting.
00:14:22.92\00:14:24.56
Calling Sunday,
the Christian Sabbath
00:14:24.59\00:14:27.46
and mandating that
there be no public desecration
00:14:27.50\00:14:31.73
on the first day of the week.
00:14:31.77\00:14:34.67
We find that Dr.
Mandeville of Chicago
00:14:34.70\00:14:38.81
in the Elgin
Sunday law Convention,
00:14:38.84\00:14:41.54
referred to the
experience of Nehemiah
00:14:41.58\00:14:44.18
to defend the enforcement
of the National Sunday law.
00:14:44.21\00:14:47.62
This is what he said.
00:14:47.65\00:14:49.25
"The merchants of
Tyre insisted upon
00:14:49.28\00:14:52.22
selling goods near
the temple on the Sabbath,
00:14:52.25\00:14:55.62
and Nehemiah
compelled the officers
00:14:55.66\00:14:58.19
of the law to do
their duty and stop it.
00:14:58.23\00:15:01.33
So we can compel the officers
of the law to do their duty."
00:15:01.36\00:15:06.84
These are incredible statements,
00:15:06.87\00:15:09.24
considering that the
Constitution at that time,
00:15:09.27\00:15:12.64
you know, the two
clauses of the First Amendment
00:15:12.67\00:15:16.61
of the Constitution
were actually enacted
00:15:16.64\00:15:18.98
way back in 1891
00:15:19.01\00:15:22.08
that they would actually say
that the church had to dictate
00:15:22.12\00:15:25.82
to the state
00:15:25.85\00:15:27.19
what the state should do
regarding the day of worship.
00:15:27.22\00:15:30.33
At a Sunday law mass
meeting that transpired
00:15:30.36\00:15:33.90
at Hamilton Hall in
Oakland, California,
00:15:33.93\00:15:36.56
in January of 1887,
00:15:36.60\00:15:39.30
Dr. Briggs of Nappa, California,
00:15:39.33\00:15:42.74
gave a speech
00:15:42.77\00:15:44.37
where he revealed to
the political leaders.
00:15:44.41\00:15:46.84
This is what he said,
00:15:46.88\00:15:48.51
"You relegate moral
instruction to the church,
00:15:48.54\00:15:52.68
and then let all go
as they please on Sunday,
00:15:52.71\00:15:56.69
so that we cannot get at them."
00:15:56.72\00:15:58.95
So what he's saying is,
00:15:58.99\00:16:00.42
you know, you
don't do your duty,
00:16:00.46\00:16:02.66
because you want us
00:16:02.69\00:16:04.03
to teach morality to the people,
00:16:04.06\00:16:05.76
and then you don't do
your duty of telling them
00:16:05.79\00:16:08.60
that they have to
go to church on Sunday,
00:16:08.63\00:16:11.23
and so that we can get at them,
00:16:11.27\00:16:13.20
so that they're required
00:16:13.23\00:16:14.57
to attend church in other words.
00:16:14.60\00:16:16.50
The leaders of this
movement, in other words,
00:16:16.54\00:16:18.44
wanted to corral all
the people on Sunday,
00:16:18.47\00:16:22.31
so that the preachers
would have access to them
00:16:22.34\00:16:25.38
in their churches.
00:16:25.41\00:16:26.95
Since when I asked
should the state force people
00:16:26.98\00:16:30.52
do go to church
00:16:30.55\00:16:31.89
so that
preachers can get at them?
00:16:31.92\00:16:34.69
You know, you go to
00:16:34.72\00:16:36.06
a Seventh-day
Adventist Church on Sabbath.
00:16:36.09\00:16:37.53
And let's suppose that
there are vendors outside,
00:16:37.56\00:16:39.96
like happened in
Puerto Rico several years ago,
00:16:40.00\00:16:42.43
when it was being discussed
to have a Sunday closing law.
00:16:42.46\00:16:45.40
You go to a
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:16:45.43\00:16:47.27
and there's vendors outside,
00:16:47.30\00:16:48.87
everybody goes out to church,
00:16:48.90\00:16:50.94
and the vendors
don't sell anything.
00:16:50.97\00:16:54.08
Why?
00:16:54.11\00:16:55.44
Because the state mandates
00:16:55.48\00:16:57.11
that you can't buy
or sell on Sabbath.
00:16:57.15\00:16:59.08
No, because Seventh-day
Adventists have the conviction
00:16:59.11\00:17:02.62
that the Sabbath
is the Lord's Day,
00:17:02.65\00:17:04.92
and that it should be kept.
00:17:04.95\00:17:07.26
And so the state
should not mandate
00:17:07.29\00:17:09.46
the observance of
Sunday as a day of rest.
00:17:09.49\00:17:13.16
Now, what reasons were given
for the National Sunday law?
00:17:13.19\00:17:18.03
Well, they were
actually aggravated that
00:17:18.07\00:17:20.94
the train functioned on Sundays
00:17:20.97\00:17:23.10
and that the newspaper
was published on Sunday.
00:17:23.14\00:17:26.51
You know, there
was lots of crime
00:17:26.54\00:17:28.54
and scandal and
gossip in the news.
00:17:28.58\00:17:31.71
And so Dr. Briggs
said the following,
00:17:31.75\00:17:35.38
"What a mélange!
00:17:35.42\00:17:37.25
What a dish to set down
before a man before breakfast
00:17:37.29\00:17:41.09
and after breakfast,
00:17:41.12\00:17:42.56
to prepare him for
hearing the Word of God!"
00:17:42.59\00:17:44.59
In other words,
he reads the paper
00:17:44.63\00:17:46.23
before he comes to church
00:17:46.26\00:17:47.60
and all he sees is
crime, scandal, gossip, news,
00:17:47.63\00:17:50.27
politics, etc.
00:17:50.30\00:17:52.10
He continued,
00:17:52.13\00:17:53.50
"It makes it
twice as hard to reach
00:17:53.54\00:17:56.04
those who go to the sanctuary
00:17:56.07\00:17:59.07
and keeps many away
00:17:59.11\00:18:00.78
from the house of
worship altogether.
00:18:00.81\00:18:03.35
They read the paper, the
time comes to go to church,
00:18:03.38\00:18:07.15
but it is said, 'Here
is something interesting,
00:18:07.18\00:18:10.49
I will read it, and
not go to church today.'"
00:18:10.52\00:18:14.29
So the purpose
of this Sunday law
00:18:14.32\00:18:15.82
was to get
people to go to church
00:18:15.86\00:18:17.19
so that they would be
00:18:17.23\00:18:18.56
willing to
listen to the ministers.
00:18:18.59\00:18:20.63
There was a strong demand
00:18:20.66\00:18:22.00
for the abolishment
of the Sunday paper.
00:18:22.03\00:18:25.13
Notice this quotation
00:18:25.17\00:18:26.67
which is in Civil
Government Religion,
00:18:26.70\00:18:28.54
page 96.
00:18:28.57\00:18:30.34
"The laboring class
00:18:30.37\00:18:32.44
are apt to rise
late on Sunday morning,
00:18:32.47\00:18:35.88
read the Sunday papers,
00:18:35.91\00:18:38.11
and allow the hour of
worship to go by unheeded."
00:18:38.15\00:18:43.75
At the Elgin
Convention, Dr. Everts
00:18:43.79\00:18:46.59
suggested the shutting
down of the Sunday train.
00:18:46.62\00:18:50.26
Notice what his argument was.
00:18:50.29\00:18:52.26
"The Sunday train
is another great evil.
00:18:52.29\00:18:55.96
They cannot
afford to run a train
00:18:56.00\00:19:00.24
unless they get a
great many passengers,
00:19:00.27\00:19:03.00
and so break up a
great many congregations.
00:19:03.04\00:19:07.81
This Sunday railroad trains
00:19:07.84\00:19:10.01
are hurrying their passengers
00:19:10.05\00:19:12.35
fast on to perdition.
00:19:12.38\00:19:14.68
What an outrage
that the railroad,
00:19:14.72\00:19:17.39
the great civilizer,
00:19:17.42\00:19:19.15
should destroy the
Christian Sabbath!"
00:19:19.19\00:19:23.66
Let me just make
a parenthesis here.
00:19:23.69\00:19:26.03
What about climate change?
00:19:26.06\00:19:28.03
Is it just
possible that climate change
00:19:28.06\00:19:30.53
might be the
catalyst to say that
00:19:30.57\00:19:33.70
people should set aside
Sunday as the day of rest?
00:19:33.74\00:19:38.31
The Reverend M.A. Gault
00:19:38.34\00:19:40.34
of the National
Reform Association
00:19:40.38\00:19:42.14
published an article
00:19:42.18\00:19:43.61
in the Christian
Statesman on September 25, 1884,
00:19:43.65\00:19:48.52
where he
criticized the railroad.
00:19:48.55\00:19:51.12
This is what he
wrote, "This railroad,"
00:19:51.15\00:19:54.82
he was talking about the Chicago
00:19:54.86\00:19:56.22
and Rock Island Railroad,
00:19:56.26\00:19:57.69
"This railroad has been
running excursion trains
00:19:57.73\00:20:01.63
from Des Moines to
Colfax Springs on the Sabbath,"
00:20:01.66\00:20:05.23
he means Sunday, by
the way, "for some time,
00:20:05.27\00:20:08.57
and the ministers
complain that their members
00:20:08.60\00:20:11.97
go on these excursions."
00:20:12.01\00:20:14.28
In other words, the members
were not coming to church.
00:20:14.31\00:20:17.11
Dr. Joseph Cook,
00:20:17.15\00:20:19.31
in the Boston
Monday lectures in 1887,
00:20:19.35\00:20:23.49
stated that he did not
want mere civil legislation,
00:20:23.52\00:20:28.79
he wanted the government
00:20:28.82\00:20:30.23
to propose
religious legislation.
00:20:30.26\00:20:33.33
This is what he said,
00:20:33.36\00:20:36.30
"The experience
of centuries shows,
00:20:36.33\00:20:38.43
however, that you
will in vain endeavor
00:20:38.47\00:20:41.90
to preserve
Sunday as a day of rest,
00:20:41.94\00:20:45.04
unless you preserve
it as a day of worship.
00:20:45.07\00:20:48.41
Unless Sabbath
observance be founded
00:20:48.44\00:20:50.75
upon religious reasons,
00:20:50.78\00:20:52.78
you will not long maintain it
00:20:52.81\00:20:55.05
at a high standard on the basis
of economic and physiological
00:20:55.08\00:21:00.42
and political
considerations only."
00:21:00.46\00:21:03.02
So in other words, he's saying,
00:21:03.06\00:21:04.39
you know, we can't say that
00:21:04.43\00:21:05.76
we need a Sunday
law because of economic,
00:21:05.79\00:21:07.60
physiological and
political reasons.
00:21:07.63\00:21:09.36
It has to be a
religious Sunday Law.
00:21:09.40\00:21:13.40
The Elgin Convention
voted the following resolution.
00:21:13.44\00:21:17.27
"Resolved, that we
recognize the Sabbath,"
00:21:17.31\00:21:21.08
he's talking about Sunday,
00:21:21.11\00:21:22.68
"the Sabbath as an
institution of God,
00:21:22.71\00:21:25.48
revealed in
nature and the Bible..."
00:21:25.51\00:21:28.62
I'd like to know
where in the Bible
00:21:28.65\00:21:30.32
because the Bible doesn't say
00:21:30.35\00:21:31.85
anything about
recognizing Sunday
00:21:31.89\00:21:34.59
as an institution of God.
00:21:34.62\00:21:36.52
So once again, "Resolved,
00:21:36.56\00:21:37.93
that we recognize the Sabbath
as an institution of God,
00:21:37.96\00:21:40.73
revealed in
nature and the Bible,
00:21:40.76\00:21:43.37
and of perpetual
obligation on all men,
00:21:43.40\00:21:47.07
and also as a civil
and American institution."
00:21:47.10\00:21:52.74
In other words,
if you don't keep it,
00:21:52.77\00:21:54.11
you're not patriotic,
you're not good American.
00:21:54.14\00:21:57.31
"Bound up in vital
and historical connection
00:21:57.35\00:22:00.22
with the origin and
foundation of our Government..."
00:22:00.25\00:22:02.42
He's talking about
the period of the pilgrims
00:22:02.45\00:22:05.25
of the pre-puritans.
00:22:05.29\00:22:07.56
So once again, let
me go back a little bit,
00:22:07.59\00:22:09.39
let's go to the beginning,
00:22:09.42\00:22:10.76
"Resolve, that we recognize
00:22:10.79\00:22:12.13
the Sabbath as an
institution of God,
00:22:12.16\00:22:13.66
revealed in
nature and the Bible,
00:22:13.70\00:22:15.36
and of perpetual
obligation on all men,
00:22:15.40\00:22:18.17
and also as a civil
and American institution,
00:22:18.20\00:22:21.14
bound up in vital
and historical connection
00:22:21.17\00:22:23.87
with the origin and
foundation of our Government,
00:22:23.91\00:22:26.34
the growth of our polity,
00:22:26.37\00:22:28.38
and necessary to be maintained
in order for the preservation
00:22:28.41\00:22:32.85
and integrity of
our national system,
00:22:32.88\00:22:36.45
and therefore as
having a sacred claim
00:22:36.48\00:22:39.05
on all patriotic
American citizens."
00:22:39.09\00:22:42.26
So if you didn't keep Sunday,
00:22:42.29\00:22:43.96
you are not a
patriotic American citizen.
00:22:43.99\00:22:46.83
And he speaks about
a need for a Sunday law
00:22:46.86\00:22:49.46
for the preservation
00:22:49.50\00:22:51.07
and integrity of
our national system.
00:22:51.10\00:22:54.14
In other words, the
subsistence of the nation,
00:22:54.17\00:22:57.44
according to him,
00:22:57.47\00:22:59.11
this convention depended
on Sunday as the day of rest.
00:22:59.14\00:23:04.35
The same Elgin
Convention stated the following,
00:23:04.38\00:23:08.55
"That we look
with shame and sorrow
00:23:08.58\00:23:11.22
and the non-observance
of the Sabbath..."
00:23:11.25\00:23:13.79
Once again, all these people
00:23:13.82\00:23:15.22
are using the word
Sabbath for Sunday.
00:23:15.26\00:23:17.83
"That we look with shame
00:23:17.86\00:23:19.23
and sorrow on the non-observance
00:23:19.26\00:23:20.60
of the Sabbath by
many Christian people,
00:23:20.63\00:23:23.80
in that the custom prevails
00:23:23.83\00:23:25.57
with them of
purchasing Sabbath newspapers,"
00:23:25.60\00:23:28.30
that's Sunday newspapers,
00:23:28.34\00:23:29.80
"engaging in and patronizing
Sabbath business and travel,"
00:23:29.84\00:23:33.21
that's Sunday
business and travel,
00:23:33.24\00:23:35.04
"and in many instances,
giving themselves to pleasure
00:23:35.08\00:23:38.05
and self-indulgence,
00:23:38.08\00:23:39.95
setting aside by neglect
00:23:39.98\00:23:42.25
and
indifference the great duties
00:23:42.28\00:23:44.52
and privileges which
God's day brings them."
00:23:44.55\00:23:48.62
God's day brings them?
00:23:48.66\00:23:50.73
Where does the Bible say
that Sunday is God's day?
00:23:50.76\00:23:53.96
Absolutely nowhere.
00:23:54.00\00:23:56.26
Those who belong to this
movement also wanted that
00:23:56.30\00:23:59.53
the United States be
called by the Supreme Court,
00:23:59.57\00:24:03.24
a Christian nation.
00:24:03.27\00:24:05.37
They wanted to make it law that
this was a Christian nation.
00:24:05.41\00:24:08.91
I read here from
00:24:08.94\00:24:11.31
The Women's
Christian Temperance Union.
00:24:11.35\00:24:14.62
By the way, they
were an organization
00:24:14.65\00:24:17.22
that was allied with
the other organizations.
00:24:17.25\00:24:22.12
"The Women's Christian
Temperance Union, local, State,
00:24:22.16\00:24:25.26
national and worldwide,
has one vital organic thought,
00:24:25.29\00:24:30.63
one all-absorbing purpose,
00:24:30.67\00:24:33.17
one undying enthusiasm,
00:24:33.20\00:24:35.84
and that is that Christ shall be
00:24:35.87\00:24:38.51
this world's king, yea, verily,
00:24:38.54\00:24:42.08
THIS WORLD'S KING in its
realm of cause and effect,
00:24:42.11\00:24:45.98
King of its courts,
its camps, its commerce,
00:24:46.01\00:24:49.88
King of its
colleges and cloisters,
00:24:49.92\00:24:52.39
King of its customs
and constitutions...
00:24:52.42\00:24:55.12
The kingdom of Christ
00:24:55.16\00:24:56.52
must enter the
realm of law through
00:24:56.56\00:24:59.09
the gate-way of politics."
00:24:59.13\00:25:01.96
How interesting.
00:25:02.00\00:25:03.90
The Christian
Statesman, October 2, 1844
00:25:03.93\00:25:06.30
had this particular quotation,
00:25:06.33\00:25:08.74
"Give all men to understand that
00:25:08.77\00:25:11.17
this is a Christian nation,
00:25:11.21\00:25:13.48
and that believing that
without Christianity we perish,"
00:25:13.51\00:25:17.91
very interesting similar
to what Caiaphas said back
00:25:17.95\00:25:20.65
in the times of
Christ, "believing that
00:25:20.68\00:25:22.62
without Christianity we perish,
00:25:22.65\00:25:25.05
we must maintain by all right
means our Christian character.
00:25:25.09\00:25:29.62
Inscribe this
character on our Constitution...
00:25:29.66\00:25:33.70
Enforce upon all
that come among us
00:25:33.73\00:25:36.53
the laws of Christian morality."
00:25:36.56\00:25:40.17
In the Christian Statesman,
00:25:40.20\00:25:42.14
December 24, 1885
we find these words.
00:25:42.17\00:25:46.44
"What the statesman designates
as 'political atheism,'
00:25:46.47\00:25:50.58
is nothing more nor less than
00:25:50.61\00:25:52.81
the present form
of Government..."
00:25:52.85\00:25:54.18
So they were
criticizing the government
00:25:54.22\00:25:55.65
because it would
not legislate religion,
00:25:55.68\00:25:57.45
they call it atheistic.
00:25:57.49\00:25:59.19
"What the Statesmen designates
as 'political atheism,'
00:25:59.22\00:26:02.22
is nothing more nor less than
00:26:02.26\00:26:03.96
the present form of Government,
00:26:03.99\00:26:05.89
and the present Constitution
of the United States.
00:26:05.93\00:26:09.33
To oppose National
Reform is to them sheer atheism,
00:26:09.36\00:26:13.90
and to oppose the
kind of Government
00:26:13.94\00:26:15.87
which they endorse
is political atheism.
00:26:15.90\00:26:18.94
That no religious test shall
be required of a civil ruler,
00:26:18.97\00:26:22.24
is declared by
Reverend M. A. Gault
00:26:22.28\00:26:25.21
to be 'the infidel
theory of Government.'"
00:26:25.25\00:26:30.55
Those who would
belong to this movement
00:26:30.59\00:26:32.89
also believed in voter guides.
00:26:32.92\00:26:35.42
In other words they said,
00:26:35.46\00:26:36.79
you need to
send out voter guides
00:26:36.83\00:26:38.76
so that people can pressure
00:26:38.79\00:26:40.80
the government to get
a National Sunday law.
00:26:40.83\00:26:43.97
I read from the third resolution
00:26:44.00\00:26:46.10
of the Elgin Convention
00:26:46.13\00:26:47.74
concerning this
particular issue.
00:26:47.77\00:26:50.31
"Resolved, that
we give our votes
00:26:50.34\00:26:53.07
and support to those candidates
00:26:53.11\00:26:55.54
or political officers
00:26:55.58\00:26:57.51
who will pledge themselves
to vote for the enactment
00:26:57.55\00:27:01.45
and enforcing of statutes
00:27:01.48\00:27:04.12
in favor of the civil Sabbath."
00:27:04.15\00:27:07.92
The Honorable John
Cole, from Tingley, Iowa,
00:27:07.96\00:27:12.43
wrote in the
Christian Statesmen,
00:27:12.46\00:27:14.43
September 16, 1886.
00:27:14.46\00:27:17.30
"If Congress does not find
in our Constitution a basis
00:27:17.33\00:27:21.24
for Sabbath legislation,
00:27:21.27\00:27:23.14
then let us elect a Congress
who will find such a basis."
00:27:23.17\00:27:28.54
We also find that they promoted
00:27:28.58\00:27:31.61
writing letters
to the legislators
00:27:31.65\00:27:33.72
and putting the pressure
on them for a Sunday Law.
00:27:33.75\00:27:37.35
Let's notice this a
particular quotation
00:27:37.39\00:27:39.85
from Christian
Statesmen, September 6, 1888.
00:27:39.89\00:27:43.56
"Let us begin without delay
00:27:43.59\00:27:45.66
the circulation of petitions,
00:27:45.69\00:27:48.43
to be furnished in
proper form by the Association,
00:27:48.46\00:27:52.23
and let an opportunity be
00:27:52.27\00:27:53.94
given to all
parts of the country
00:27:53.97\00:27:56.10
to make up a roll of petitions
00:27:56.14\00:27:58.74
so great that it
will require a procession
00:27:58.77\00:28:02.24
of wheelbarrows to trundle
00:28:02.28\00:28:04.55
the mighty mass
into the presence
00:28:04.58\00:28:06.48
of the
representatives of the nation
00:28:06.51\00:28:08.32
in the House of Congress.
00:28:08.35\00:28:09.88
Let a mass of convention,
00:28:09.92\00:28:12.12
a mass convention of the friends
00:28:12.15\00:28:14.56
of the cause be
held in Washington,"
00:28:14.59\00:28:17.36
this is a mass meeting,
00:28:17.39\00:28:19.03
"when the Blair resolution
shall be under discussion,
00:28:19.06\00:28:22.20
to accompany with its influence
00:28:22.23\00:28:24.87
the
presentation of the petitions
00:28:24.90\00:28:26.84
and to take such other action
00:28:26.87\00:28:28.90
as may be deemed
best to arouse the nation
00:28:28.94\00:28:32.24
to a genuine enthusiasm
00:28:32.27\00:28:33.94
in behalf of our
national Christianity."
00:28:33.98\00:28:37.25
These are the
words of John Alexander,
00:28:37.28\00:28:39.31
father of the
National Reform Movement.
00:28:39.35\00:28:42.48
So you'll notice here that
00:28:42.52\00:28:43.99
they wanted to
circulate petitions,
00:28:44.02\00:28:46.52
they wanted to
have so many petitions
00:28:46.55\00:28:47.99
from so much of the populace
00:28:48.02\00:28:50.13
that they would
actually need wheelbarrows
00:28:50.16\00:28:51.99
to take them to Washington
00:28:52.03\00:28:53.36
and then they said
gather all the people together
00:28:53.40\00:28:55.30
to pressure the politicians.
00:28:55.33\00:28:58.03
The Reverend
J.C.K. Milligan wrote
00:28:58.07\00:29:00.84
in the Christian Statesmen,
00:29:00.87\00:29:02.34
July 26, 1888,
00:29:02.37\00:29:04.74
"By letters to senators
00:29:04.77\00:29:06.57
and representatives in Congress,
00:29:06.61\00:29:08.48
by petitions numerously
signed and forwarded to them,
00:29:08.51\00:29:14.05
by local, State, and
national conventions held,
00:29:14.08\00:29:17.29
and public meetings
in every school district,
00:29:17.32\00:29:19.92
such an influence can
quickly be brought to bear
00:29:19.95\00:29:22.99
as will compel our
legislators to adopt the measure
00:29:23.02\00:29:27.20
and enforce it by
the needed legislation.
00:29:27.23\00:29:30.63
The Christian
pulpits, if they would,
00:29:30.67\00:29:33.70
could secure its adoption
before the dog-days end."
00:29:33.74\00:29:38.87
In the same issue of
the Christian Statesmen,
00:29:38.91\00:29:41.54
the Reverend
J.C.K. Milligan wrote,
00:29:41.58\00:29:44.68
"The changes will come gradually
00:29:44.71\00:29:47.02
and probably only
after the whole framework
00:29:47.05\00:29:49.95
of Bible legislation has
been thoroughly canvassed
00:29:49.98\00:29:53.49
by Congress and
State Legislatures,
00:29:53.52\00:29:56.42
by the Supreme
Court of the United States
00:29:56.46\00:29:58.83
and of the several States,
and by lawyers and citizens,
00:29:58.86\00:30:02.50
an outpouring of the
Spirit might soon secure it."
00:30:02.53\00:30:07.20
The Lansing Republican
rebuked this particular desire
00:30:07.24\00:30:11.57
for a Sunday law.
00:30:11.61\00:30:12.94
This is one of the few voices
00:30:12.97\00:30:15.84
that was against
this particular law.
00:30:15.88\00:30:18.51
This is what the
Lansing Republicans said,
00:30:18.55\00:30:21.48
this was a
magazine or newspaper.
00:30:21.52\00:30:24.25
"Thousands of men if called
00:30:24.29\00:30:25.82
upon to vote for
such an Amendment
00:30:25.85\00:30:28.22
would hesitate
to vote against God,
00:30:28.26\00:30:31.16
although they might not believe
00:30:31.19\00:30:32.63
that the Amendment is necessary,
00:30:32.66\00:30:34.30
or that it is right...
00:30:34.33\00:30:36.03
such an
amendment would be likely
00:30:36.06\00:30:38.93
to receive an affirmative vote
00:30:38.97\00:30:41.17
which would by no means
00:30:41.20\00:30:42.60
indicate the true
sentiment of the people.
00:30:42.64\00:30:45.24
Men who make politics
a trade would hesitate
00:30:45.27\00:30:48.58
to record their names
00:30:48.61\00:30:49.94
against the proposed
Constitutional Amendment,
00:30:49.98\00:30:52.41
advocated by
00:30:52.45\00:30:53.78
the great religious
denominations of the land."
00:30:53.82\00:30:56.62
In other words, the politicians
would feel pressured.
00:30:56.65\00:30:59.55
If they didn't go along,
they wouldn't be elected.
00:30:59.59\00:31:02.02
It continues.
00:31:02.06\00:31:03.46
Let me go back a little ways,
"Men who make politics a trade
00:31:03.49\00:31:06.63
would hesitate to
record their names
00:31:06.66\00:31:08.23
against the proposed
Constitutional Amendment,
00:31:08.26\00:31:10.80
advocated by the great religious
00:31:10.83\00:31:12.40
denominations of the land,
00:31:12.43\00:31:13.97
and endorsed by such
men as Bishop Simpson,
00:31:14.00\00:31:18.61
Bishop
McIlvaine, Bishop Eastburn,
00:31:18.64\00:31:21.11
President
Finney, Professor Lewis,
00:31:21.14\00:31:23.78
Professor Seelye,
Bishop Huntington,
00:31:23.81\00:31:26.65
Bishop Kerfoot, Dr. Patterson,
00:31:26.68\00:31:28.92
Dr. Cuyler, and
many other divines
00:31:28.95\00:31:31.85
who are the representative
00:31:31.89\00:31:33.22
men of their
respective denominations."
00:31:33.25\00:31:37.53
There was also a desire
among Protestant denominations
00:31:37.56\00:31:40.46
to unite among themselves.
00:31:40.50\00:31:42.56
We find in the
Christian Statesmen,
00:31:42.60\00:31:44.57
February 7, 1884,
00:31:44.60\00:31:46.30
the following words,
00:31:46.33\00:31:47.67
"We are different
divisions of Immanuel's army.
00:31:47.70\00:31:51.41
The Methodists are
the charging cavalry,
00:31:51.44\00:31:54.41
the Presbyterians
the fighting infantry,
00:31:54.44\00:31:57.08
the Covenanters the
batteries upon the heights.
00:31:57.11\00:32:00.42
We have one Commander-in-Chief,
and under Him, we go forward,
00:32:00.45\00:32:04.39
one united phalanx
against the common enemy.
00:32:04.42\00:32:07.66
And when the victory is
gained, the army will be one,
00:32:07.69\00:32:10.99
and the Leader is one."
00:32:11.03\00:32:13.13
Ecumenism among the
Protestant denominations.
00:32:13.16\00:32:18.27
They also wanted
the pastors to be
00:32:18.30\00:32:20.64
the moral leaders of the nation.
00:32:20.67\00:32:24.31
I read from
Reverend Mr. Milligan,
00:32:24.34\00:32:27.11
who described pastors
00:32:27.14\00:32:28.64
as the moral
conscience of society
00:32:28.68\00:32:32.61
through the
instrumentality of the state.
00:32:32.65\00:32:35.42
This is found in the
book, Views of National Reform,
00:32:35.45\00:32:38.15
pages 9 and 10.
00:32:38.19\00:32:40.66
"The churches and the
pulpits have much to do
00:32:40.69\00:32:43.56
with shaping
and forming opinions
00:32:43.59\00:32:46.09
on all moral questions,
00:32:46.13\00:32:48.16
and with
interpretations of Scripture on
00:32:48.20\00:32:50.43
moral and civil as
well as on theological
00:32:50.47\00:32:53.44
and ecclesiastical
points, and it is probable that
00:32:53.47\00:32:56.91
in the most universal gathering
of our citizens about these,
00:32:56.94\00:33:01.64
the chief discussions
00:33:01.68\00:33:03.24
and the final
decision of most points
00:33:03.28\00:33:06.25
will be developed there."
00:33:06.28\00:33:08.68
And basically what it's saying,
the churches and the pulpits
00:33:08.72\00:33:11.42
will determine
the laws to be passed.
00:33:11.45\00:33:13.69
"Many nations shall come...
00:33:13.72\00:33:15.06
Now he quotes scripture.
00:33:15.09\00:33:16.59
"Many nations
shall come and say,
00:33:16.62\00:33:18.66
'Come, let us go up to
the mountain of the Lord,
00:33:18.69\00:33:22.03
and to the house
of a God of Jacob,
00:33:22.06\00:33:24.83
and he will
teach us of his ways,
00:33:24.87\00:33:28.17
and we will walk in his paths,
00:33:28.20\00:33:30.27
for the law shall
go forth of Zion.'"
00:33:30.31\00:33:33.17
And then, after the
quotation, we find these words,
00:33:33.21\00:33:36.21
"There certainly is
no class of citizens
00:33:36.24\00:33:38.61
more intelligent,
patriotic, and trustworthy
00:33:38.65\00:33:43.89
than the leaders and
teachers in our churches."
00:33:43.92\00:33:48.69
So basically, the
leaders of the churches
00:33:48.72\00:33:50.63
would pressure the people.
00:33:50.66\00:33:51.99
So the people and the ministers
00:33:52.03\00:33:54.10
would pressure the government
00:33:54.13\00:33:55.46
to impose this
National Sunday law
00:33:55.50\00:33:57.93
and the declaration that
00:33:57.97\00:33:59.30
the United States
is a Christian nation.
00:33:59.33\00:34:02.44
Also, they wanted to redefine
00:34:02.47\00:34:06.11
the Establishment
Clause of the Constitution.
00:34:06.14\00:34:10.08
In 1874, the
Pittsburgh Convention,
00:34:10.11\00:34:14.42
Professor Blanchard described
00:34:14.45\00:34:16.69
his view of the
union of church and state.
00:34:16.72\00:34:20.02
And, of course,
he's discussing here
00:34:20.06\00:34:21.76
the meaning of the
establishment clause.
00:34:21.79\00:34:24.03
We understand the
establishment clause
00:34:24.06\00:34:26.36
to mean that Congress can make
00:34:26.39\00:34:29.13
no law having anything to
do with a religious observance.
00:34:29.16\00:34:33.20
But here is a
reinterpretation of it.
00:34:33.23\00:34:35.60
"But union of church
and state is the selection
00:34:35.64\00:34:38.91
by the nation of one church,
00:34:38.94\00:34:41.71
the endowment of such a church,
00:34:41.74\00:34:43.98
the appointment of its officers,
00:34:44.01\00:34:46.31
and oversight of its doctrines.
00:34:46.35\00:34:48.62
For such a union
none of us plead.
00:34:48.65\00:34:51.32
To such a union,
we are all opposed."
00:34:51.35\00:34:54.76
So in other
words, he's saying that
00:34:54.79\00:34:56.62
what the first Amendment forbids
00:34:56.66\00:34:58.93
is selecting one
church as a national church
00:34:58.96\00:35:02.83
above all other churches.
00:35:02.86\00:35:04.77
W.J. Coleman,
another one of those
00:35:04.80\00:35:07.24
who belong to this movement
00:35:07.27\00:35:09.14
gave his meaning of
the establishment clause.
00:35:09.17\00:35:12.71
"The first sentence of
Article 1 of Amendments reads,
00:35:12.74\00:35:16.44
'Congress shall make
00:35:16.48\00:35:17.81
no law respecting an
establishment of religion,
00:35:17.85\00:35:20.28
or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof.'
00:35:20.32\00:35:23.49
This would be made consistent
00:35:23.52\00:35:25.85
with a proposed
Amendment by substituting
00:35:25.89\00:35:28.96
the words 'a
church' for 'religion',
00:35:28.99\00:35:31.86
making it read,
00:35:31.89\00:35:33.29
'Congress shall
make no law respecting
00:35:33.33\00:35:36.00
an establishment of a church.'
00:35:36.03\00:35:38.63
This is what the
Reform Association
00:35:38.67\00:35:40.64
believes should be
00:35:40.67\00:35:42.20
the rule in a
rightly constituted state.
00:35:42.24\00:35:45.31
There should be
religion, but no church.'"
00:35:45.34\00:35:46.78
In other words,
00:35:46.81\00:35:48.14
Congress can make
laws regarding religion,
00:35:48.18\00:35:50.91
they just cannot
establish national church.
00:35:50.95\00:35:53.42
I hope that you are
listening to all of this,
00:35:53.45\00:35:55.85
because we're going to see that
00:35:55.88\00:35:57.22
in the 1980s and 1990s,
00:35:57.25\00:36:00.36
there was a
very similar movement
00:36:00.39\00:36:02.86
in the United States of America.
00:36:02.89\00:36:05.46
Also, we find
that those individuals
00:36:05.49\00:36:08.13
who wanted this Sunday law
00:36:08.16\00:36:10.70
embraced Roman
Catholic principles.
00:36:10.73\00:36:13.84
I want you to notice
00:36:13.87\00:36:15.20
what one individual wrote
in the Christian Statesmen,
00:36:15.24\00:36:17.47
December 11, 1884.
00:36:17.51\00:36:19.61
"We cordially, gladly,
recognize the fact that
00:36:19.64\00:36:23.41
in South American Republics,
00:36:23.45\00:36:25.61
and in France,
00:36:25.65\00:36:27.08
and in other European countries,
00:36:27.12\00:36:28.98
the Roman
Catholics are the recognized
00:36:29.02\00:36:31.65
advocates of
National Christianity,
00:36:31.69\00:36:34.66
and stand opposed
00:36:34.69\00:36:36.22
to all the
proposals of secularism."
00:36:36.26\00:36:39.16
So the enemy was
secularism, the 1980s and 1990s,
00:36:39.19\00:36:42.93
that was called
secular humanism.
00:36:42.96\00:36:46.13
So there's
nothing new under the sun.
00:36:46.17\00:36:49.20
The National Reformers
00:36:49.24\00:36:50.57
and others
wanted the same system
00:36:50.61\00:36:52.64
that Catholicism has
00:36:52.67\00:36:54.94
in Latin America, and in Europe.
00:36:54.98\00:36:58.25
A national
religion enforced by law.
00:36:58.28\00:37:02.65
I want you to
notice another statement,
00:37:02.68\00:37:04.25
Christian
Statesmen, December 11, 1884.
00:37:04.29\00:37:08.86
"Whenever they,"
that is Roman Catholics,
00:37:08.89\00:37:11.06
"are willing to cooperate
00:37:11.09\00:37:13.03
in resisting the
progress of political atheism,"
00:37:13.06\00:37:16.77
or secular humanism,
"we will gladly join hands."
00:37:16.80\00:37:20.87
That's an
interesting expression.
00:37:20.90\00:37:22.50
"We will gladly
join hands with them."
00:37:22.54\00:37:26.78
The Reverend
Sylvester F. Scovell,
00:37:26.81\00:37:29.44
a leading national reformer,
00:37:29.48\00:37:31.45
supported uniting
with Roman Catholics
00:37:31.48\00:37:33.98
for a National Sunday law.
00:37:34.02\00:37:35.98
Surprisingly, the suggestion
00:37:36.02\00:37:38.25
was that Protestants recruit
the help of Roman Catholics
00:37:38.29\00:37:42.26
for National Sunday law.
00:37:42.29\00:37:43.93
This is how the
suggestion reads,
00:37:43.96\00:37:47.40
"The common interest,"
00:37:47.43\00:37:49.23
that is of all
religious people in the Sunday,
00:37:49.26\00:37:52.33
"ought both to strengthen
our determination to work
00:37:52.37\00:37:55.60
and our readiness to
cooperate in every way
00:37:55.64\00:37:58.91
with a Roman
Catholic fellow-citizens.
00:37:58.94\00:38:01.58
We may be subjected
00:38:01.61\00:38:03.45
to some rebuffs in
our first proffers,
00:38:03.48\00:38:07.12
and the time is not yet come
00:38:07.15\00:38:10.45
when the Roman Church
will consent to strike hands
00:38:10.49\00:38:13.72
with other churches..."
00:38:13.76\00:38:15.09
That's another
interesting expression.
00:38:15.12\00:38:16.76
"Strike hands with
other churches, as such,
00:38:16.79\00:38:20.16
but the time has come
to make repeated advances,"
00:38:20.20\00:38:23.10
this is
Protestants towards Catholics,
00:38:23.13\00:38:25.27
"and gladly to
accept cooperation
00:38:25.30\00:38:27.57
in any form in
00:38:27.60\00:38:28.94
which they may be
willing to exhibit it.
00:38:28.97\00:38:31.41
It is one of the
necessities of the situation."
00:38:31.44\00:38:35.54
They also wanted to
introduce religious curriculum
00:38:35.58\00:38:39.51
into the public schools.
00:38:39.55\00:38:41.88
Notice what
Senator Blair proposed.
00:38:41.92\00:38:44.62
This is the Senator
00:38:44.65\00:38:45.99
that was proposing
the National Sunday law.
00:38:46.02\00:38:48.16
"I believe that a
text-book of instruction
00:38:48.19\00:38:51.73
in the principles of virtue,
00:38:51.76\00:38:53.43
morality and of
the Christian religion,
00:38:53.46\00:38:56.33
can be prepared for
use in public schools,
00:38:56.36\00:38:59.80
by the joint effort
of those who represent
00:38:59.83\00:39:02.37
every branch of
the Christian church,
00:39:02.40\00:39:04.21
both Protestant and Catholic,
00:39:04.24\00:39:06.44
and also those who are not
00:39:06.47\00:39:08.24
actively
associated with either."
00:39:08.28\00:39:10.28
In other words,
Catholics and Protestants
00:39:10.31\00:39:12.11
and those who have no religions,
00:39:12.15\00:39:13.48
they could get
together and prepare books
00:39:13.52\00:39:16.08
that promote the
Christian religion
00:39:16.12\00:39:17.79
in public schools.
00:39:17.82\00:39:19.85
The Women's
Christian Temperance Union,
00:39:19.89\00:39:22.46
which was allied in many ways
00:39:22.49\00:39:24.69
with the National
Reform Association,
00:39:24.73\00:39:27.00
in its monthly
reading September 1, 1886
00:39:27.03\00:39:31.27
has this statement.
00:39:31.30\00:39:32.83
"A true theocracy is yet to come
00:39:32.87\00:39:37.41
and the enthronement
00:39:37.44\00:39:38.77
of Christ in law and law-makers,
00:39:38.81\00:39:41.68
hence I pray devoutly,
00:39:41.71\00:39:43.81
as a Christian
patriot, for the ballot
00:39:43.85\00:39:47.05
in the hands of
women, and rejoice that
00:39:47.08\00:39:49.75
the National Women's
Christian Temperance Union
00:39:49.78\00:39:53.46
has so long
championed this cause."
00:39:53.49\00:39:57.93
They also wanted a theocracy
00:39:57.96\00:40:00.03
like in the colonial period,
00:40:00.06\00:40:01.93
where the ministers
influenced the state
00:40:01.96\00:40:04.57
to propose
religious legislation.
00:40:04.60\00:40:07.90
Professor Blanchard
in the Elgin Convention
00:40:07.94\00:40:11.37
shared his view of
the role of ministers
00:40:11.41\00:40:13.98
in this new theocracy
that was being proposed.
00:40:14.01\00:40:17.75
I quote, "In this work,
00:40:17.78\00:40:20.72
we are
undertaking for the Sabbath,
00:40:20.75\00:40:24.09
we are the
representatives of God."
00:40:24.12\00:40:27.16
That's what Professor Blanchard
is saying, we the ministers,
00:40:27.19\00:40:29.92
the teachers, we are
the representatives of God
00:40:29.96\00:40:32.69
in this work of
getting a Sunday law.
00:40:32.73\00:40:36.26
Also we find this statement,
00:40:36.30\00:40:39.17
"The government of
Israel was a theocracy,
00:40:39.20\00:40:42.74
the will of God was
made known to the ruler
00:40:42.77\00:40:44.87
by the prophets,
00:40:44.91\00:40:46.47
the ruler compelled
00:40:46.51\00:40:48.28
the officers of the
law to prevent the ungodly
00:40:48.31\00:40:51.31
from selling
goods on the Sabbath.
00:40:51.35\00:40:53.45
The government is
to be made a theocracy,
00:40:53.48\00:40:56.42
the preachers are the successors
00:40:56.45\00:40:58.15
of the prophets,
00:40:58.19\00:40:59.52
and they are to compel
the officers of the law
00:40:59.55\00:41:02.96
to prevent all selling of goods
00:41:02.99\00:41:05.23
and all manner
of work on Sunday."
00:41:05.26\00:41:07.53
The ministers
influencing the politicians
00:41:07.56\00:41:11.43
for religious legislation.
00:41:11.47\00:41:13.37
Dr. Crafts, the
general secretary
00:41:13.40\00:41:16.50
for the National
Sunday Law Union,
00:41:16.54\00:41:19.07
said the following,
00:41:19.11\00:41:20.48
"The preachers
are the successors
00:41:20.51\00:41:23.31
of the prophets."
00:41:23.35\00:41:24.98
In the Cincinnati
National Reform Convention,
00:41:25.01\00:41:27.92
Professor J. R. W.
Sloane, doctor in divinity,
00:41:27.95\00:41:32.89
this was in 1872,
said the following,
00:41:32.92\00:41:36.52
"Every
government by equitable laws
00:41:36.56\00:41:38.89
is a government of God.
00:41:38.93\00:41:40.70
A republic thus governed
is of Him through the people,
00:41:40.73\00:41:45.17
and is as truly
really a theocracy
00:41:45.20\00:41:48.04
as the commonwealth of Israel."
00:41:48.07\00:41:49.60
In other words,
they wanted a theocracy
00:41:49.64\00:41:51.21
in the United States
00:41:51.24\00:41:52.57
just like existed
during the colonial period.
00:41:52.61\00:41:56.75
The president's annual address
00:41:56.78\00:41:59.08
in the Nashville
Convention of 1887,
00:41:59.11\00:42:02.48
we find these words,
00:42:02.52\00:42:04.75
"The Women's Christian
Temperance Union, local, State,
00:42:04.79\00:42:08.79
national and worldwide,
00:42:08.82\00:42:10.83
has one vital, organic thought,
00:42:10.86\00:42:13.40
one all observing purpose,
00:42:13.43\00:42:15.40
one undying enthusiasm,
00:42:15.43\00:42:17.70
and that is that Christ shall be
00:42:17.73\00:42:19.20
this world's King, yea, verily,
00:42:19.23\00:42:21.84
THIS WORLD'S KING,
00:42:21.87\00:42:23.24
in its realm of
cause and effect,
00:42:23.27\00:42:25.24
King of its courts, its camps,
00:42:25.27\00:42:27.24
its commerce,
00:42:27.28\00:42:28.61
King of its
colleges and cloisters,
00:42:28.64\00:42:30.48
King of its
customs and constitutions.
00:42:30.51\00:42:33.11
The kingdom of Christ
00:42:33.15\00:42:34.48
must enter the realm of law
00:42:34.52\00:42:36.65
through the gateway of politics.
00:42:36.69\00:42:39.59
We pray Heaven to give no rest,
00:42:39.62\00:42:42.89
until they shall
swear an oath of allegiance
00:42:42.92\00:42:45.66
to Christ in politics,
00:42:45.69\00:42:47.50
and march in one great army
00:42:47.53\00:42:49.66
up to the polls to worship God."
00:42:49.70\00:42:53.57
They also were teaching that
they needed to disenfranchise
00:42:53.60\00:42:57.21
those who disagreed
with the National Sunday law.
00:42:57.24\00:43:00.14
The Reverend E.B. Graham,
at the National Convention
00:43:00.18\00:43:03.95
in York, Nebraska,
stated the following,
00:43:03.98\00:43:07.28
"We might add, in all justice,
00:43:07.32\00:43:09.98
if the opponents of the Bible
00:43:10.02\00:43:11.55
do not like our government
and its Christian features,
00:43:11.59\00:43:14.66
let them go to some
wild, desolate land,
00:43:14.69\00:43:18.26
and in the name of the devil,
and for the sake of the devil,
00:43:18.29\00:43:21.66
subdue it, and set up
00:43:21.70\00:43:23.60
a Government of their own
on infidel and atheistic ideas,
00:43:23.63\00:43:28.74
and then, if they can stand
it, stay there till they die."
00:43:28.77\00:43:34.28
The Reverend John
Calvin Knox Milligan
00:43:34.31\00:43:37.01
wrote in the
Christian Statesmen,
00:43:37.05\00:43:40.35
"When the Amendment is adopted,
00:43:40.38\00:43:42.52
how will it act upon the civil
00:43:42.55\00:43:44.82
and political rights
of infidels, Jews, etc.?"
00:43:44.85\00:43:48.09
In other words,
how's the Amendment
00:43:48.12\00:43:49.46
going to affect these people?
00:43:49.49\00:43:51.43
And then he answers,
00:43:51.46\00:43:52.79
"This depends
largely upon themselves.
00:43:52.83\00:43:55.23
The worst result will
be to disenfranchise them."
00:43:55.26\00:44:00.87
The Reverend M.A. Gault,
00:44:00.90\00:44:02.87
a district
secretary of the association,
00:44:02.90\00:44:05.74
said the following,
00:44:05.77\00:44:07.11
"Our remedy
00:44:07.14\00:44:08.48
for all these malefic influences
00:44:08.51\00:44:10.35
is to have the Government
00:44:10.38\00:44:11.71
simply set up the moral law
00:44:11.75\00:44:13.62
and recognize God's
authority behind it,
00:44:13.65\00:44:16.52
and lay its hand on any religion
00:44:16.55\00:44:18.95
that does not conform to it."
00:44:18.99\00:44:21.66
We find in the
Christian Statesmen,
00:44:21.69\00:44:23.46
October 2, 1844,
00:44:23.49\00:44:25.03
these words, "Give
all men to understand that
00:44:25.06\00:44:28.46
this is a Christian nation,
00:44:28.50\00:44:30.97
and that believing that
without Christianity we perish,
00:44:31.00\00:44:34.00
we must maintain by all means
00:44:34.04\00:44:36.30
our Christian character.
00:44:36.34\00:44:37.81
Inscribe this
character on our Constitution.
00:44:37.84\00:44:41.44
Enforce upon all
who come among us
00:44:41.48\00:44:44.65
the laws of Christian morality."
00:44:44.68\00:44:48.52
W. J. Coleman,
on November 1, 1883,
00:44:48.55\00:44:52.55
wrote in a publication called
00:44:52.59\00:44:54.62
The Truth Seeker, the following,
00:44:54.66\00:44:57.03
"What effect would the adoption
00:44:57.06\00:44:59.03
of the Christian
Amendment together
00:44:59.06\00:45:00.73
with the proposed
changes in the Constitution,
00:45:00.76\00:45:03.53
have upon those who
deny that God is sovereign,
00:45:03.57\00:45:06.13
Christ is the Ruler
and the Bible the law?
00:45:06.17\00:45:09.57
This brings up the
conscience question at once...
00:45:09.60\00:45:12.84
The classes who would object
are as 'Truth Seeker' has said,
00:45:12.87\00:45:17.61
Jews, infidels,
atheists and others.
00:45:17.65\00:45:21.22
These classes are
perfectly satisfied
00:45:21.25\00:45:23.65
with the Constitution as it is.
00:45:23.69\00:45:25.99
How would they stand towards it
00:45:26.02\00:45:28.09
if it recognized the authority
of our Lord Jesus Christ?
00:45:28.12\00:45:31.99
To be perfectly plain,
00:45:32.03\00:45:33.93
I believe that the existence
of a Christian Constitution
00:45:33.96\00:45:37.27
would disenfranchise
00:45:37.30\00:45:39.17
every logically
consistent infidel."
00:45:39.20\00:45:43.27
In a letter dated
December 14, 1887,
00:45:43.30\00:45:47.11
the Reverend W. T.
McConnell of Youngstown, Ohio,
00:45:47.14\00:45:51.48
published in the
Christian Nation,
00:45:51.51\00:45:53.05
an open letter to the
editor of the American Sentinel.
00:45:53.08\00:45:58.35
This is what he wrote,
00:45:58.39\00:45:59.95
"The fool-hardy fellow
00:45:59.99\00:46:02.09
who persists in
standing on a railroad track,
00:46:02.12\00:46:05.76
may well anticipate trouble
00:46:05.79\00:46:07.46
when he hears the
rumble of the coming train.
00:46:07.50\00:46:10.27
If he shall read
the signs of the times
00:46:10.30\00:46:12.87
in the screaming
whistle, and flaming head-light,
00:46:12.90\00:46:16.14
he may change his position
00:46:16.17\00:46:17.64
and avoid the danger,
00:46:17.67\00:46:19.17
but if he won't be
influenced by these,
00:46:19.21\00:46:21.41
his most gloomy forebodings
00:46:21.44\00:46:23.18
of trouble will be realized
00:46:23.21\00:46:25.11
when the express
train strikes him."
00:46:25.15\00:46:27.78
Now comes the comparison.
00:46:27.82\00:46:29.48
"So you, neighbor,
if, through prejudice
00:46:29.52\00:46:32.15
or the enmity of
unregenerate hearts,
00:46:32.19\00:46:34.99
you have determined
00:46:35.02\00:46:36.36
to oppose the
progress of this nation,
00:46:36.39\00:46:38.86
in fulfilling its
vocation as an instrument
00:46:38.89\00:46:42.10
in the divine work of
regenerating human society,
00:46:42.13\00:46:45.53
you may expect trouble.
00:46:45.57\00:46:47.67
It will be sure to come to you."
00:46:47.70\00:46:51.67
What was the
conclusion of this push
00:46:51.71\00:46:55.81
for a National Sunday law?
00:46:55.84\00:46:58.21
Persecution, folks,
00:46:58.25\00:47:00.08
because whenever
that church influences
00:47:00.12\00:47:02.75
the state to enact its laws,
00:47:02.78\00:47:06.05
the immediate
result is persecution.
00:47:06.09\00:47:08.29
All throughout history,
this is very, very clear.
00:47:08.32\00:47:11.53
The National
Reform WCTCU Convention
00:47:11.56\00:47:15.36
at Lakeside, Ohio in 1887,
00:47:15.40\00:47:18.13
had someone make
this particular statement.
00:47:18.17\00:47:21.20
"There is a law in the State
of Arkansas enforcing Sunday
00:47:21.24\00:47:25.81
observance among the people,
and the result has been that
00:47:25.84\00:47:30.01
many good persons have
not only been imprisoned,
00:47:30.05\00:47:34.52
but have lost their
property and even their lives."
00:47:34.55\00:47:39.05
To which Dr. McCallister,
one of the individuals
00:47:39.09\00:47:42.29
who was pushing for
the Sunday law replied,
00:47:42.32\00:47:45.19
"It is better than
a few should suffer
00:47:45.23\00:47:48.20
than that the whole
nation should lose its Sabbath."
00:47:48.23\00:47:50.83
Do you hear
Caiaphas here by any chance?
00:47:50.87\00:47:54.64
In other words, for
the good of the nation,
00:47:54.67\00:47:56.50
the few who keep the Sabbath,
00:47:56.54\00:47:59.07
the real biblical
Sabbath need to suffer.
00:47:59.11\00:48:03.81
In 556 AD, Pope Pelagius
00:48:03.85\00:48:08.62
called upon narcists
to compel certain parties
00:48:08.65\00:48:12.65
to obey the pope's commands.
00:48:12.69\00:48:15.56
Narcists objected to
which the pope responded,
00:48:15.59\00:48:19.96
"Be not alarmed at
the idle talk of some,
00:48:20.00\00:48:23.33
crying out against persecution,
00:48:23.37\00:48:25.70
and reproaching the church
00:48:25.73\00:48:27.57
as if she delighted in cruelty
00:48:27.60\00:48:30.07
when she punishes evil
00:48:30.11\00:48:31.51
with wholesome severities
00:48:31.54\00:48:33.17
or procures the
salvation of souls.
00:48:33.21\00:48:36.01
He alone persecutes
who forces to do evil.
00:48:36.04\00:48:41.05
But to restrain
men from doing evil,
00:48:41.08\00:48:43.99
or to punish
those who have done it,
00:48:44.02\00:48:46.35
is not persecution or
cruelty, but love of mankind."
00:48:46.39\00:48:50.53
Unbelievable.
00:48:50.56\00:48:52.23
John Cotton,
during the colonial period
00:48:52.26\00:48:55.30
have these words,
00:48:55.33\00:48:56.87
"Persecution is
not wrong in itself.
00:48:56.90\00:48:59.77
It is wicked for
falsehood to persecute truth,
00:48:59.80\00:49:03.20
but it is a sacred duty
00:49:03.24\00:49:04.97
of truth to
persecute falsehood."
00:49:05.01\00:49:08.64
Thus, in the Virginia Sunday law
00:49:08.68\00:49:10.98
of 1610, during
the colonial period,
00:49:11.01\00:49:14.42
attendance at church
was required on Sunday,
00:49:14.45\00:49:19.22
twice a day with
economic fines for the two,
00:49:19.25\00:49:23.56
first two offenses
00:49:23.59\00:49:25.39
and to suffer
death for the third.
00:49:25.43\00:49:28.80
A minister in Selma, California
00:49:28.83\00:49:30.53
just a short
ways from here stated
00:49:30.57\00:49:32.80
in September 1888,
00:49:32.83\00:49:34.90
"We have laws to punish
00:49:34.94\00:49:37.31
the man who steals our property,
00:49:37.34\00:49:39.67
but we have no
law to prevent people
00:49:39.71\00:49:42.04
from working on Sunday.
00:49:42.08\00:49:44.38
It is right that
the thief be punished,
00:49:44.41\00:49:47.25
but I have more
sympathy for that man
00:49:47.28\00:49:50.09
than I have for him
that works on that day."
00:49:50.12\00:49:53.62
More sympathy for the thief
00:49:53.66\00:49:56.22
than for someone
who works on Sunday.
00:49:56.26\00:49:58.79
Are you catching
the mood of the time?
00:49:58.83\00:50:01.50
Amazing.
00:50:01.53\00:50:02.90
In the United States of America,
00:50:02.93\00:50:04.80
the land of the free
and the home of the brave,
00:50:04.83\00:50:07.57
forget the lessons of history.
00:50:07.60\00:50:09.80
And those lessons of
history will be repeated.
00:50:09.84\00:50:13.48
Seventh-day
Adventists were persecuted
00:50:13.51\00:50:15.51
during this period.
00:50:15.54\00:50:17.05
In Arkansas and Tennessee,
Seventh-day Adventists
00:50:17.08\00:50:20.82
were persecuted
during these times
00:50:20.85\00:50:23.59
for not observing
Sunday as the day of rest.
00:50:23.62\00:50:26.89
Their property was confiscated,
and many had to pay fines.
00:50:26.92\00:50:32.16
Others were imprisoned,
and some even lost their lives.
00:50:32.19\00:50:36.80
You say, "Well,
how do you know this?"
00:50:36.83\00:50:38.90
Well, if you really
want the documentation,
00:50:38.93\00:50:41.30
go to the book Civil Government
and Religion by A.T. Jones,
00:50:41.34\00:50:44.91
who was the person who testified
00:50:44.94\00:50:46.54
before this Senate committee.
00:50:46.57\00:50:49.44
In his book,
00:50:49.48\00:50:51.35
he documents 21 specific cases
00:50:51.38\00:50:56.32
with proper names
of the accused, places,
00:50:56.35\00:51:01.52
names of the judges, the
charges and the penalties
00:51:01.56\00:51:07.50
for Seventh-day Adventists
00:51:07.53\00:51:09.16
who were not abiding by the idea
00:51:09.20\00:51:11.13
that there needed
to be a Sunday law.
00:51:11.17\00:51:14.50
In The Century of
Publication for April 1888,
00:51:14.54\00:51:18.51
Mr. Kennan described
the statutes of Russia
00:51:18.54\00:51:22.21
on the subject of
crimes against the faith.
00:51:22.24\00:51:25.11
He quoted statute after statute
in the statutes of Russia.
00:51:25.15\00:51:30.99
And I want you to notice exactly
00:51:31.02\00:51:33.02
what he had to say,
00:51:33.05\00:51:35.42
"Providing that whosoever
00:51:35.46\00:51:37.13
shall censure the
Christian faith..."
00:51:37.16\00:51:39.33
This is the Russian
statutes back at that time.
00:51:39.36\00:51:43.13
"Providing that
whoever shall censure
00:51:43.16\00:51:46.00
the Christian faith,
00:51:46.03\00:51:47.37
or the Orthodox Church,"
00:51:47.40\00:51:48.74
which was the
church there in Russia,
00:51:48.77\00:51:50.27
"or the Scriptures,
00:51:50.31\00:51:51.64
or the holy sacraments,
00:51:51.67\00:51:53.01
or the saints, or their images,
00:51:53.04\00:51:55.68
or the Virgin
Mary, or the angels,
00:51:55.71\00:51:58.41
or Christ, or God,"
00:51:58.45\00:52:01.15
what needs to
be done with people
00:52:01.18\00:52:03.22
who centers the Christian faith
00:52:03.25\00:52:06.29
or the Orthodox
Church, here's the answer,
00:52:06.32\00:52:08.82
"shall be deprived
of all civil rights,
00:52:08.86\00:52:11.96
and exiled for life
00:52:11.99\00:52:13.93
to the most
remote parts of Siberia.
00:52:13.96\00:52:18.20
This is the system in
Russia, and it is in direct line
00:52:18.23\00:52:22.57
with the wishes
00:52:22.60\00:52:23.94
of the National
Reform Association."
00:52:23.97\00:52:25.77
This is someone who is critical
00:52:25.81\00:52:28.11
of what the National
Reform Movement wanted.
00:52:28.14\00:52:31.11
He's saying that
what was done in Russia
00:52:31.15\00:52:34.48
is what the National
Reform Movement wanted.
00:52:34.52\00:52:37.25
So once again, "This
is the system in Russia,
00:52:37.29\00:52:40.86
and it is the
direct line of the wishes
00:52:40.89\00:52:43.66
of the National
Reform Association,
00:52:43.69\00:52:46.39
with this difference, however,
00:52:46.43\00:52:48.36
that Russia is content to
send dissenters to Siberia,
00:52:48.40\00:52:53.17
while the National Reformers
00:52:53.20\00:52:54.80
want to send them to
the Devil, straight."
00:52:54.84\00:52:59.47
You know, the
Soviet Union organize
00:52:59.51\00:53:01.31
the citizens so
that they would snitch
00:53:01.34\00:53:04.48
on potential
enemies of the state.
00:53:04.51\00:53:07.58
Is this any
different than people today
00:53:07.62\00:53:10.99
snitching to those
who do not wear masks,
00:53:11.02\00:53:14.42
or those who do not
practice social distancing?
00:53:14.46\00:53:17.83
Local and state governments
even have phone numbers
00:53:17.86\00:53:20.70
and websites, where neighbors
can snitch on neighbors
00:53:20.73\00:53:24.33
and citizens on citizens.
00:53:24.37\00:53:27.04
The Reverend W.M. Greer
00:53:27.07\00:53:30.07
of Due West, South Carolina,
00:53:30.11\00:53:33.24
at the Philadelphia
Convention wrote this,
00:53:33.27\00:53:36.58
"Every sin, secret
or public, against God,
00:53:36.61\00:53:41.15
is a sin against our country,
00:53:41.18\00:53:43.95
and is high
treason against the State."
00:53:43.99\00:53:49.09
Wow.
00:53:49.12\00:53:50.83
This might have been
information overload for you.
00:53:50.86\00:53:54.33
Because I've read
many, many statements,
00:53:54.36\00:53:56.90
you know, it's
difficult to just be here
00:53:56.93\00:53:59.17
and read because on the screen,
00:53:59.20\00:54:00.97
you're gonna see graphic
after graphic after graphic,
00:54:01.00\00:54:03.91
but the reason why I did this is
00:54:03.94\00:54:06.27
because you need to
see the documentation
00:54:06.31\00:54:09.61
of what was happening back then.
00:54:09.64\00:54:11.65
I could tell you
that it was going on.
00:54:11.68\00:54:14.08
And you would say,
00:54:14.12\00:54:15.45
"Well, you know, what
he's saying isn't true."
00:54:15.48\00:54:17.45
But when you
have the documentation
00:54:17.49\00:54:19.15
straight in front of you,
00:54:19.19\00:54:20.59
you can know what
happened during that time.
00:54:20.62\00:54:24.83
So strange things, folks,
00:54:24.86\00:54:27.06
happen in a time
of national emergency.
00:54:27.10\00:54:30.97
Back then, it was a
Civil War and Reconstruction.
00:54:31.00\00:54:35.04
And you'll notice that
00:54:35.07\00:54:36.40
there was problems with
liquor and with tobacco,
00:54:36.44\00:54:39.31
and with partying and
with crime in society.
00:54:39.34\00:54:43.21
And so they said
the best way to deal
00:54:43.24\00:54:45.01
with this is to get the
nation to come back to God.
00:54:45.05\00:54:47.95
And keep Sunday like happened
during the colonial period,
00:54:47.98\00:54:51.49
on the part of the pilgrims,
00:54:51.52\00:54:53.02
on the part of the puritans
as they came to be called.
00:54:53.05\00:54:57.13
And so, folks, you say,
"Well, you know, this is past.
00:54:57.16\00:55:00.80
This happened back
in the 19th century.
00:55:00.83\00:55:04.83
But we're living
in the 21st century.
00:55:04.87\00:55:07.77
And this could never happen
00:55:07.80\00:55:09.14
in the United States of America,
00:55:09.17\00:55:10.51
you know, we
have a Supreme Court,
00:55:10.54\00:55:12.21
we have First Amendment
to the Constitution, Congress
00:55:12.24\00:55:15.34
shall make no law respecting
an establishment of religion,
00:55:15.38\00:55:18.65
nor forbidding the
free exercise thereof.
00:55:18.68\00:55:20.82
So we're secure, we
are not going to go through
00:55:20.85\00:55:25.59
the same experience again."
00:55:25.62\00:55:28.69
Folks, those who forget
the lessons of the past,
00:55:28.72\00:55:34.33
will repeat those lessons,
negative lessons in the future.
00:55:34.36\00:55:40.34
So it's very important
for us to study history,
00:55:40.37\00:55:44.04
because history has a
tendency to repeat itself.
00:55:44.07\00:55:47.61
Now in our next study together,
00:55:47.64\00:55:51.91
we are going to take a
look at events that took place
00:55:51.95\00:55:57.85
in the 1980s and the 1990s,
00:55:57.89\00:56:01.32
and even early into the 2000s.
00:56:01.36\00:56:04.66
And we're going to notice that
00:56:04.69\00:56:06.56
many of the same
arguments that were used
00:56:06.59\00:56:09.96
by the National
Reformers back in the 1880s,
00:56:10.00\00:56:15.60
were used during
that time period as well.
00:56:15.64\00:56:18.91
That includes joining
forces with Roman Catholics.
00:56:18.94\00:56:22.28
It includes getting
Protestant denominations
00:56:22.31\00:56:25.11
to work together.
00:56:25.15\00:56:26.48
It includes having
00:56:26.51\00:56:27.95
the United
States be a theocracy.
00:56:27.98\00:56:30.59
It includes
including religious instruction
00:56:30.62\00:56:34.22
into the Constitution,
or into our public schools.
00:56:34.26\00:56:37.99
It includes having voter guides.
00:56:38.03\00:56:40.50
It includes all of
these characteristics
00:56:40.53\00:56:42.73
that we had back in the 1880s.
00:56:42.76\00:56:47.80
They also were
proposing that it was necessary
00:56:47.84\00:56:50.87
for the church to return
to the observance of Sunday
00:56:50.91\00:56:54.01
as the day of rest.
00:56:54.04\00:56:55.94
Now we're going to
take a look at that,
00:56:55.98\00:56:57.88
once again, I'm going to share
00:56:57.91\00:57:00.02
with you many, many quotations,
00:57:00.05\00:57:03.59
because it's important that
00:57:03.62\00:57:04.95
you have these resources right
00:57:04.99\00:57:07.52
before your eyes
so that you know that
00:57:07.56\00:57:09.56
I'm not just
creating these things,
00:57:09.59\00:57:12.33
that you know that
they are well documented,
00:57:12.36\00:57:15.36
and they actually took place.
00:57:15.40\00:57:17.67
And so, folks, Ellen White
once said some very wise words.
00:57:17.70\00:57:23.34
She said that those
who forget the past.
00:57:23.37\00:57:27.98
I'm just paraphrasing.
00:57:28.01\00:57:29.58
Those who forget the
past will be in deep trouble.
00:57:29.61\00:57:33.98
Specifically she says that
00:57:34.02\00:57:39.05
if we forget how God has led us,
00:57:39.09\00:57:42.39
and His teaching in
the past, we have nothing,
00:57:42.42\00:57:46.36
we have everything
to fear in the future.
00:57:46.39\00:57:51.13
But if we remember the past,
00:57:51.17\00:57:53.77
we have nothing to
fear of the future.
00:57:53.80\00:57:56.40
So don't miss our next study
in this series on Matthew 24.
00:57:56.44\00:58:01.31