Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
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Father in heaven,
thank you once again
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for bringing us together.
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We thank You for Your word.
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It would be a terrible
thing to live in this world
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without any guidance as
to where everything is going.
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We ask, Father, that
as we study the events
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that transpired between
the year 1864 and the 1890s
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that Your Holy Spirit
will be with us and show us
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what can happen if the
circumstances are right.
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We ask, Father, that
you will help us to realize
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that we're living in
the last moments of time.
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And we thank you, Father,
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for being with us and
for answering our prayer.
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For we ask it in the
precious name of Jesus, amen.
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In our last study
together we noticed
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the prophetic
dimension of Matthew chapter 24.
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We dedicated a significant
amount of time to study
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the abomination of
desolation in prophecy.
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And we noticed that
there was a definite connection
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between the eagles of Rome
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and the eagle which was
adopted for the state of arms
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of the United States of America.
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We also noted that
according to Bible prophecy,
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eventually,
someday, we believe soon,
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there's going to be
in the United States
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a National Sunday law
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mandating the observance
of Sunday as the day of rest.
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And this will be the abomination
spoken of in prophecy
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which eventually
will lead to desolation.
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Another way of expressing it
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is that national apostasy
will lead to national ruin.
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Now many of those who are
here today probably are saying,
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"This could never happen in
the United States of America."
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This is the land of the
free and the home of the brave.
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This is the land that
has the greatest Constitution
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in the history of the world.
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We are the people
of the First Amendment.
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Congress shall make no law
respecting and establishment
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of religion or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof.
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The fact is, folks, that
we don't have to speculate
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about whether
this can happen or not.
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Because in the 1880s
we have an experience
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in the history
of the United States
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where something like
this almost transpired
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and that's what we
want to study about today.
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We want to go back to
1864 and we want to study
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through the end
of the 19th century
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to see how these events
transpired in our history.
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And in this way we're gonna see
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that this is not only possible
but it becomes very probable.
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Now in order to prepare for
what we're gonna study today
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we need to
remember that there were
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two sieges of the
city of Jerusalem.
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There was the first
siege by Cestius Gallus.
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He surrounded the
city in the year '66.
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The Romans placed
their standards in the ground
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and they worshipped them.
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But for some
unexplainable reason,
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we know it was
divine providence,
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Cestius Gallus withdrew
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and the Jews
followed the Roman armies.
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And there were many
casualties among the Romans
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when they
suddenly left Jerusalem.
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Of course,
Christians who were in the city
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saw that as the sign that
they were supposed to flee.
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And so the
Christians in the city,
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those who were attached to
the Lord Jesus Christ left.
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A while later, Titus,
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the new General
of the Roman army
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returned to the
city of Jerusalem
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and surrounded it once again.
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And this time
there was no withdrawal.
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The destruction of the
city of Jerusalem came.
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I believe that the same
thing is going to transpire
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in the United States of America.
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I believe that
what happened in 1888
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would be parallel to the
first siege of Jerusalem.
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It was a sign to God's
people that this was going
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to eventually take
place in the United States.
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And that we should
prepare for momentous events
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that are gonna take
place in the future.
00:05:06.35\00:05:09.81
Now I'd like to give you a few
of the sources that I've used
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in preparing the
material for our study today.
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And I'll go
through this quickly.
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There are some sources from
the writings of Ellen White.
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She lived during this
period. She actually wrote
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"The Great
Controversy" during this period.
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So we would need to
read from her writings
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especially the chapter
titled "The Impending Conflict"
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in the book, "The
Great Controversy."
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Also, volume 5 of
the "Testimonies,"
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pages 711 through 718.
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Besides this there
are some other sources.
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We have the book "Civil
Government and Religion"
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by A.T. Jones who
had to go and testify
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before the education committee
of the United States Senate.
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Also a book of essays written by
A.T. Jones and Pastor Waggoner.
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The title of that book is
"Views of National Reform."
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And then finally the last source
I'd like to mention is the book
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"National Sunday Law"
written by A.T. Jones.
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Actually it's a
transcript of his testimony
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before Congress appealing
to Congress to not impose
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this Sunday law
which was being proposed.
00:06:24.99\00:06:28.35
Incidentally, A.T.
Jones says in his book
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that Senator Blair who
was the one who was pushing
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for this national Sunday law
interrupted him many, many times
00:06:35.74\00:06:40.45
during the period in
which he was giving his speech.
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Now what I want to
do is I want to speak
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about what transpired back then.
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And for this I'm gonna
have to read several statements.
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I hope that you don't get bored
00:06:52.23\00:06:53.83
listening to
all these statements
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but I feel that I need to read
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what the religious leaders
of that day were actually saying
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about the proposed amendment
00:07:02.44\00:07:03.90
to the Constitution
of the United States.
00:07:03.93\00:07:06.81
However, before I
read these quotations
00:07:06.84\00:07:08.92
I need to tell you something
00:07:08.95\00:07:10.33
about the
National Reform Movement.
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This organization was
established in the year 1864.
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And the avowed purpose
was to amend the Constitution
00:07:18.91\00:07:23.01
so that the
Constitution would say
00:07:23.04\00:07:25.07
that the United
States is a Christian nation.
00:07:25.10\00:07:28.63
Also it was the purpose
00:07:28.66\00:07:30.86
of the National
Reform organization
00:07:30.89\00:07:33.46
to have Congress
write a national Sunday law
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and impose it by law
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upon the citizens
of the United States.
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The first
National Reform convention
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was held in
Allegheny, Pennsylvania,
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January 27 and
28 of the year 1864.
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According to the
sources there were
00:07:56.87\00:07:58.87
120 vice-presidents
of this organization.
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It kind of makes me
remember the 120 satraps
00:08:03.51\00:08:07.38
in Daniel
chapter 6 that ended up
00:08:07.41\00:08:10.23
throwing Daniel
in the lion's den.
00:08:10.26\00:08:12.89
By the way, they
had a publication,
00:08:12.92\00:08:15.09
the National Reform
Movement had a publication
00:08:15.12\00:08:17.91
called "The
Christian Statesman."
00:08:17.94\00:08:20.47
And this is a very,
very interesting publication
00:08:20.50\00:08:24.61
because it tells
what their objectives were
00:08:24.64\00:08:27.17
and what their
methods were as well.
00:08:27.20\00:08:31.23
The "Christian
Statesman" for December 24, 1885
00:08:31.26\00:08:37.67
said this about
those who composed
00:08:37.70\00:08:40.11
the National Reform
Movement in that year.
00:08:40.14\00:08:43.17
It stated that there
were 15 college professors,
00:08:43.20\00:08:46.38
16 college
presidents, 3 ex-governors,
00:08:46.41\00:08:50.06
7 justices of Supreme Courts,
5 judges of superior courts,
00:08:50.09\00:08:55.32
2 judges of the
United States District court,
00:08:55.35\00:08:58.36
1 judge of the
United States Circuit court
00:08:58.39\00:09:01.33
with many, many
others who you would address
00:09:01.36\00:09:04.96
as your honors, reverends,
and doctors of divinity.
00:09:04.99\00:09:10.04
Now the National Sunday
law was actually proposed
00:09:10.07\00:09:13.45
as a Bill to the
Senate of the United States
00:09:13.48\00:09:16.31
by Senator Henry W.
Blair of New Hampshire.
00:09:16.34\00:09:20.66
It was Bill number 2983.
00:09:20.69\00:09:23.67
And the idea was to
write a National Sunday law
00:09:23.70\00:09:29.51
that would be imposed upon
00:09:29.54\00:09:31.77
the citizens of
the United States.
00:09:31.80\00:09:34.10
In our next lecture
we're gonna notice that
00:09:34.13\00:09:36.66
something else
was happening in 1888.
00:09:36.69\00:09:39.58
There was a famous Congress
00:09:39.61\00:09:41.56
of the
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:09:41.59\00:09:43.18
being held in the
city of Minneapolis.
00:09:43.21\00:09:45.58
This is not a coincidence
00:09:45.61\00:09:47.60
as we're gonna
study in our next lecture.
00:09:47.63\00:09:50.27
While God was trying to
draw His people together,
00:09:50.30\00:09:54.79
Satan was working to
draw his people together.
00:09:54.82\00:09:58.11
In other words, the
battle lines were being drawn
00:09:58.14\00:10:01.66
in that very
year, the year 1888.
00:10:01.69\00:10:05.69
By the way, going
beyond a little bit,
00:10:05.72\00:10:07.95
a little beyond 1888, in 1889,
00:10:07.98\00:10:12.30
the National Catholic
Congress which met in Baltimore
00:10:12.33\00:10:17.44
resolved officially
to unite with Protestants
00:10:17.47\00:10:21.05
to secure proper
Sunday observance.
00:10:21.08\00:10:24.96
In the year 1892, the
United States Supreme Court
00:10:24.99\00:10:29.67
declared that the United
States is a Christian nation.
00:10:29.70\00:10:34.90
Allow me to say
that I don't believe
00:10:34.93\00:10:36.58
the United States
is a Christian nation.
00:10:36.61\00:10:38.70
I believe that the
United States is a nation
00:10:38.73\00:10:41.81
composed mostly of Christians.
00:10:41.84\00:10:44.69
It's very different to say
that it's a Christian nation
00:10:44.72\00:10:47.29
than to say that it's a nation
00:10:47.32\00:10:48.73
composed mostly of Christians.
00:10:48.76\00:10:50.78
It is a nation that is
based on divine principles.
00:10:50.81\00:10:55.94
The principle
that we need to render
00:10:55.97\00:10:58.16
unto Caesar that
which is Caesar's
00:10:58.19\00:10:59.89
and unto God
that which is God's,
00:10:59.92\00:11:02.27
upon the idea of full
civil and religious liberty,
00:11:02.30\00:11:06.49
upon the idea of the
separation of church and State.
00:11:06.52\00:11:09.71
These are Christian principles
upon which the nation is built.
00:11:09.74\00:11:13.46
However, the nation is not
as such a Christian nation.
00:11:13.49\00:11:19.59
Finally this led--this proposal
of a national Sunday law
00:11:19.62\00:11:24.21
led A.T. Jones to be sent
by the Seventh-day Adventist
00:11:24.24\00:11:28.13
denomination to
testify before the education
00:11:28.16\00:11:31.67
and labor committee of the
50th United States Congress.
00:11:31.70\00:11:35.75
This happened on
December 13, 1888.
00:11:35.78\00:11:39.44
And I believe that the arguments
00:11:39.47\00:11:41.53
that were
presented by A.T. Jones
00:11:41.56\00:11:43.60
were so
persuasive and so powerful
00:11:43.63\00:11:46.12
that the National
Sunday Law was placed on hold.
00:11:46.15\00:11:50.98
Now let's examine a few things
00:11:51.01\00:11:53.34
that the National
Reformers were saying
00:11:53.37\00:11:55.99
as we move from
1864 to the 1890s.
00:11:56.02\00:12:00.86
First of all, it's
important to notice
00:12:00.89\00:12:03.33
that Catholics were
behind this religious amendment,
00:12:03.36\00:12:07.76
this amendment to make
00:12:07.79\00:12:09.16
the United States
a Christian nation
00:12:09.19\00:12:10.65
and this amendment to
have a National Sunday Law.
00:12:10.68\00:12:14.67
In an Encyclical Letter in
1885, Pope Leo XIII said this,
00:12:14.70\00:12:21.66
All Catholics should
do all in their power
00:12:21.69\00:12:25.63
to cause the
constitutions of States,
00:12:25.66\00:12:31.42
and legislation to be modeled
00:12:31.45\00:12:34.05
on the principles
of the true church,
00:12:34.08\00:12:36.81
and all Catholic
writers and journalists should
00:12:36.84\00:12:40.26
never lose
sight, for an instant,
00:12:40.29\00:12:42.71
from the view of
the above prescription.
00:12:42.74\00:12:46.61
Also the famous
Henry Cardinal Gibbons
00:12:46.64\00:12:50.17
had this to say,
00:12:50.20\00:12:51.81
"I am most happy to add my name
00:12:51.84\00:12:54.83
to those of the
millions of others
00:12:54.86\00:12:57.32
who are laudably
contending against the violation
00:12:57.35\00:13:01.08
of the Christian
Sabbath by unnecessary labor,
00:13:01.11\00:13:05.23
and who are
endeavoring to promote
00:13:05.26\00:13:07.56
its decent and proper observance
by judicious legilsation."
00:13:07.59\00:13:12.98
So Gibbons is saying add my name
00:13:13.01\00:13:15.37
to the list of those who
want a national Sunday law.
00:13:15.40\00:13:19.21
Something very interesting
that was taking place
00:13:19.24\00:13:21.58
during this period
is that the ministers
00:13:21.61\00:13:24.54
that belonged to the
National Reform Movement
00:13:24.57\00:13:27.36
actually wanted to
join church and State.
00:13:27.39\00:13:31.77
They wanted to
amend the Constitution
00:13:31.80\00:13:33.71
to make this possible.
00:13:33.74\00:13:35.52
For example, Jonathan Edwards
00:13:35.55\00:13:38.12
at the New York City
convention which was held
00:13:38.15\00:13:40.79
on February 26 and
27 of 1873 said this
00:13:40.82\00:13:45.85
about what the ministers
and the churches wanted.
00:13:45.88\00:13:48.93
"We want State and religion,
and we are going to have it...
00:13:48.96\00:13:54.80
The Christian oath
and Christian morality
00:13:54.83\00:13:58.12
shall have in this land
an undeniable legal basis.'
00:13:58.15\00:14:04.51
We use this word
religion in its proper sense,
00:14:04.54\00:14:07.72
as meaning a man's
personal relation of faith
00:14:07.75\00:14:10.85
and obedience to God."
00:14:10.88\00:14:12.60
So what he's saying is
that State and religion
00:14:12.63\00:14:16.63
need to be placed on
an undeniable legal basis.
00:14:16.66\00:14:21.16
By the way, the word
legal means "by law."
00:14:21.19\00:14:25.74
Notice what Reverend
M.A. Gault had to say,
00:14:25.77\00:14:28.91
another one of the great
leaders of this movement.
00:14:28.94\00:14:31.46
He says, speaking
about all of the malefic
00:14:31.49\00:14:34.35
influences in society
like the problems with liquor
00:14:34.38\00:14:37.29
and immorality and materialism
00:14:37.32\00:14:40.35
and the problems with
the Civil War, he said this,
00:14:40.38\00:14:43.25
"Our remedy for all
these malefic influences
00:14:43.28\00:14:48.35
is to have the Government
simply set up the moral law,
00:14:48.38\00:14:54.01
and recognize God's
authority behind it,
00:14:54.04\00:14:57.58
and lay its hand on any religion
that does not conform to it."
00:14:57.61\00:15:04.59
Dr. Mandeville who was another
00:15:04.62\00:15:07.17
one of the great leaders
of this movement said this,
00:15:07.20\00:15:10.87
"When the church of God awakes
and does its duty on one side,
00:15:10.90\00:15:16.77
and the States on the other,
00:15:16.80\00:15:19.21
we shall have not
further trouble in this matter.
00:15:19.24\00:15:23.24
Of the matter of the
desecration of Sunday
00:15:23.27\00:15:26.90
which is-- is what
he's talking about.
00:15:26.93\00:15:29.34
Sam Small who was secretary
00:15:29.37\00:15:31.77
of the National Prohibition
Convention held in Indianapolis
00:15:31.80\00:15:35.89
in the year 1888
preached a sermon
00:15:35.92\00:15:38.93
in Kansas City
in January of 1888
00:15:38.96\00:15:42.38
where he said this, "I
want to see the day come
00:15:42.41\00:15:47.87
when the church shall be
arbiter of all legislation,"
00:15:47.90\00:15:52.88
Are you catching that?
00:15:52.91\00:15:55.01
He wants to "see the day
00:15:55.04\00:15:56.45
when the church shall be
the arbiter of all legislation,
00:15:56.48\00:16:00.28
State, national, and municipal.
00:16:00.31\00:16:04.51
When the great
churches of the country
00:16:04.54\00:16:07.17
can come together harmoniously,"
00:16:07.20\00:16:10.37
notice, when the
churches of the country
00:16:10.40\00:16:13.52
can come together harmoniously
00:16:13.55\00:16:16.03
"and issue their edict,
00:16:16.06\00:16:20.01
and the legislative
powers will respect it,
00:16:20.04\00:16:24.02
and enact it into laws."
00:16:24.05\00:16:27.57
Not much
camouflage there, is there,
00:16:27.60\00:16:29.73
about what their
motivations were?
00:16:29.76\00:16:32.25
Regarding the duties
00:16:32.28\00:16:33.65
of the State Reverend
J.M. Foster said this,
00:16:33.68\00:16:39.16
"That a
constitutional provision be made
00:16:39.19\00:16:42.47
for recognizing
God as King of nations,
00:16:42.50\00:16:45.95
that a constitutional
recognition be made
00:16:45.98\00:16:49.53
that the States is the
divinely appointed keeper
00:16:49.56\00:16:52.91
or the moral law,
that a constitutional,
00:16:52.94\00:16:55.67
provision be made detailing
00:16:55.70\00:16:58.10
the moral and religious
qualifications of those
00:16:58.13\00:17:01.31
who would occupy
an office of trust,
00:17:01.34\00:17:04.93
that the nation needed
to make a covenant with God,
00:17:04.96\00:17:08.14
and that the nation must
guard and protect the church...
00:17:08.17\00:17:11.85
by supressing all public
violation of the moral law,
00:17:11.88\00:17:15.34
by maintaining a
system of public schools,
00:17:15.37\00:17:18.62
indoctrinating their
youth in morality and virtue,
00:17:18.65\00:17:22.61
by exempting church
property from taxation,
00:17:22.64\00:17:26.53
and by providing her
funds out of the public treasury
00:17:26.56\00:17:30.20
for carrying on her
aggressive work at home
00:17:30.23\00:17:34.49
and in the foreign field.
00:17:34.52\00:17:36.49
Notice, what they
wanted the government to do?
00:17:36.52\00:17:38.53
What the church should do?
00:17:38.56\00:17:40.08
they wanted the State to perform
00:17:40.11\00:17:43.45
At the Cleveland
National Convention
00:17:43.48\00:17:46.36
we find this
resolution which was adopted,
00:17:46.39\00:17:49.71
"Resolved, That we re-affirm
that this Religious Amendment,
00:17:49.74\00:17:55.49
instead of
infringing on any individual's
00:17:55.52\00:17:58.23
right of conscience, or
tending in the least degree
00:17:58.26\00:18:02.49
to a union of Chruch
and State will afford
00:18:02.52\00:18:05.66
the fullest security against a
corrupting church establishment,
00:18:05.69\00:18:11.98
and form the
strongest safeguard of both
00:18:12.01\00:18:14.79
the civil and religious
liberties of all citizens.
00:18:14.82\00:18:18.67
One is left to ask
how would this be possible
00:18:18.70\00:18:23.09
if you're
declaring the United States
00:18:23.12\00:18:24.76
to be a Christian nation
00:18:24.79\00:18:26.28
and if by law
you're obligating everyone
00:18:26.31\00:18:30.13
to keep the first day of
the week as a day of rest.
00:18:30.16\00:18:33.82
Dr. McAllister, another one
of the leaders of this movement
00:18:33.85\00:18:37.53
in Lakeside Ohio in
July of 1887 had this to say,
00:18:37.56\00:18:42.98
"Let a man be what he may,-Jew,
00:18:43.01\00:18:46.30
seventh-day observer of
some other denomination,
00:18:46.33\00:18:49.40
or those who do not believe
in the Christian Sabbath,
00:18:49.43\00:18:52.31
let the law apply to every one,
00:18:52.34\00:18:55.00
that there shall be
no pubiic desecration
00:18:55.03\00:18:58.04
of the first day of the
wek, the Christian Sabbath,
00:18:58.07\00:19:01.24
the day of rest for the nation.
00:19:01.27\00:19:04.27
They may hold any other
day of the week as sacred,
00:19:04.30\00:19:06.52
and observe it, but that day
00:19:06.55\00:19:08.65
which is the one day
in seven for the nation
00:19:08.68\00:19:11.61
at large, let that not be
publicly desecrated by any one,
00:19:11.64\00:19:16.38
by officer in the Government,
or by private citizen,
00:19:16.41\00:19:20.20
high or low, rich or poor."
00:19:20.23\00:19:23.61
Do you notice
that a couple of times
00:19:23.64\00:19:25.61
in this statement he
speaks about the day of rest
00:19:25.64\00:19:28.97
for the nation at large?
00:19:29.00\00:19:31.24
This in other
words was a proposal
00:19:31.27\00:19:33.53
of a National
Sunday law by the churches.
00:19:33.56\00:19:36.57
And the State was supposed
to rewrite the Constitution
00:19:36.60\00:19:40.26
and mandate the observance
of this day as the day of rest.
00:19:40.29\00:19:46.41
In the Elgin
Sunday Law Convention,
00:19:46.44\00:19:49.41
Dr. Mandeville of
Chicago used the example
00:19:49.44\00:19:52.91
of Nehemiah in the Old Testament
00:19:52.94\00:19:55.19
to say what the State should do.
00:19:55.22\00:19:57.59
These are his words.
00:19:57.62\00:19:59.25
"The merchants of Tyre
insisted upon selling goods
00:19:59.28\00:20:03.64
near the temple on
the Sabbath, and Nehemiah
00:20:03.67\00:20:07.25
compelled the
officers of the law
00:20:07.28\00:20:10.42
to do their duty and stop it.
00:20:10.45\00:20:12.98
So we can compel the officers
of the law to do their duty."
00:20:13.01\00:20:19.86
Does that sound like
the voice of the dragon?
00:20:19.89\00:20:23.41
And this is not
happening in this day and age.
00:20:23.44\00:20:26.72
This was happening
back in the 1870s and 1880s.
00:20:26.75\00:20:32.88
Notice that the
national Sunday law mass meeting
00:20:32.91\00:20:37.53
held in Hamilton hall in
Oakland, California in fact,
00:20:37.56\00:20:41.14
January of 1887, Dr.
Briggs of Napa, California
00:20:41.17\00:20:46.43
spanked the political
leaders for not imposing
00:20:46.46\00:20:49.77
a national Sunday
law as a day of rest.
00:20:49.80\00:20:52.42
He said to them,
00:20:52.45\00:20:53.82
"You relegate moral
instruction to the church,
00:20:53.85\00:20:57.47
and then let all go
as they please on Sunday,
00:20:57.50\00:21:01.34
so that we cannot get at them."
00:21:01.37\00:21:03.64
In other words, you let them
00:21:03.67\00:21:05.54
go shopping and ride the
train and read the newspapers,
00:21:05.57\00:21:08.94
as we're gonna notice
in a few moments, on Sunday
00:21:08.97\00:21:11.93
and that way people
don't come to church
00:21:11.96\00:21:14.02
and we don't
have access to them.
00:21:14.05\00:21:15.42
So he's saying,
you political leaders
00:21:15.45\00:21:17.25
need to give a
national Sunday law
00:21:17.28\00:21:18.95
so that the people are
forced to come to church
00:21:18.98\00:21:21.15
so that we have access to them
00:21:21.18\00:21:23.02
so that we can then
moralize them, so to speak.
00:21:23.05\00:21:26.92
In other words,
they wanted the State
00:21:26.95\00:21:28.56
to corral all of the people and
bring them to church by force
00:21:28.59\00:21:32.18
on Sunday so that they
would have access to them.
00:21:32.21\00:21:36.07
Since when is
that the role of State
00:21:36.10\00:21:38.44
to get people to go to church
00:21:38.47\00:21:40.31
so that the pastors
can preach sermons to them
00:21:40.34\00:21:42.94
and moralize them, so to speak?
00:21:42.97\00:21:45.99
Now why did they want
this national Sunday law?
00:21:46.02\00:21:49.16
Well, actually, the reason why
00:21:49.19\00:21:51.83
is because they saw
society falling apart.
00:21:51.86\00:21:55.52
They saw an increase in crime.
00:21:55.55\00:21:57.99
By the way, this was in
the aftermath of the Civil War.
00:21:58.02\00:22:01.26
There were
tremendous societal problems.
00:22:01.29\00:22:03.70
There was problem
with liquor at that time.
00:22:03.73\00:22:06.99
So the prohibitionists arose.
00:22:07.02\00:22:08.93
And so they said in order
00:22:08.96\00:22:10.82
for the United States
to correct these problems
00:22:10.85\00:22:14.86
everybody needs to
get back to church.
00:22:14.89\00:22:17.47
And in order to
get back to church
00:22:17.50\00:22:19.39
there has to be a
national Sunday law.
00:22:19.42\00:22:23.09
In fact, I want you to notice
what Dr. Briggs had to say
00:22:23.12\00:22:27.07
about the Sunday newspaper.
00:22:27.10\00:22:30.70
He said this, "What a mélange!
00:22:30.73\00:22:33.43
What a dish to
set down before a man
00:22:33.46\00:22:38.42
before breakfast
and after breakfast."
00:22:38.45\00:22:40.84
He's talking about
the newspaper, he says,
00:22:40.87\00:22:43.01
"What a mélange!
What a dish to set down
00:22:43.04\00:22:45.08
before a man before
breakfast and after breakfast,
00:22:45.11\00:22:48.32
to prepare him for
hearing the word of God!
00:22:48.35\00:22:50.97
It makes it
twice as hard to reach
00:22:51.00\00:22:53.38
those who go to the sancturay,
00:22:53.41\00:22:55.36
and keeps many away from
the house of worship altogether.
00:22:55.39\00:23:00.26
They read the paper,
00:23:00.29\00:23:01.71
the time comes to go
to church, but it is said,
00:23:01.74\00:23:04.60
'Here is something
interesting, I will read it,
00:23:04.63\00:23:07.96
and not go to church today.'"
00:23:07.99\00:23:11.38
Another one the
leaders said this,
00:23:11.41\00:23:13.52
"The laboring class are apt
to rise late on Sunday morning,
00:23:13.55\00:23:18.58
read the Sunday
papers and allow the worsh--
00:23:18.61\00:23:22.32
the hour of
worship to go by unheeded."
00:23:22.35\00:23:26.11
And so the idea is
eliminate the Sunday newspaper
00:23:26.14\00:23:29.06
so people can't sit
down to read it at breakfast
00:23:29.09\00:23:31.54
and therefore, they
decide to go to church.
00:23:31.57\00:23:34.92
At the Elgin
Convention, Dr. Everts
00:23:34.95\00:23:38.13
who was one of the better known
personalities of the movement
00:23:38.16\00:23:42.24
said this about
the Sunday train.
00:23:42.27\00:23:44.33
You see, they wanted to
eliminate the Sunday train also.
00:23:44.36\00:23:47.10
This is what he said.
00:23:47.13\00:23:48.74
"The Sunday train
is another great evil.
00:23:48.77\00:23:52.51
They cannot
afford to run a train
00:23:52.54\00:23:54.79
unless they get a
great many passengers,
00:23:54.82\00:23:57.89
and so break up a
great many congregations.
00:23:57.92\00:24:02.43
The Sunday railroad trains
are hurrying their passengers
00:24:02.46\00:24:06.54
fast on to perdition.
00:24:06.57\00:24:08.78
What an outrage
that the railroad,
00:24:08.81\00:24:11.73
that great civilizer,
00:24:11.76\00:24:13.69
should destory
the Christian Sabbath!
00:24:13.72\00:24:16.70
By the way, that
name for the day of rest,
00:24:16.73\00:24:20.46
Christian Sabbath is
definitely a misnomer
00:24:20.49\00:24:23.80
because there's
nothing Christian
00:24:23.83\00:24:25.23
about the first day of the week.
00:24:25.26\00:24:26.97
It is a pagan
day all the way back
00:24:27.00\00:24:29.85
as we've studied
to ancient Babylon.
00:24:29.88\00:24:33.27
The Reverend M.A. Gault of
the National Reform Association
00:24:33.30\00:24:39.02
published an article in
the "Christian Statesman"
00:24:39.05\00:24:42.34
of September 25,
1844-- 18--excuse me,
00:24:42.37\00:24:46.30
1884 where he said
this about the railroad.
00:24:46.33\00:24:50.10
"The railroad," he's
talking about the Chicago
00:24:50.13\00:24:52.76
and Rock Island railroad,
00:24:52.79\00:24:55.15
"has been
running excursion trains
00:24:55.18\00:24:57.80
from Des Moines
to Colfax Springs
00:24:57.83\00:25:00.65
on the Sabbath for some time,
00:25:00.68\00:25:02.58
and the ministers complain
00:25:02.61\00:25:04.60
that their members
go on these excursions."
00:25:04.63\00:25:09.30
So of course, you need
00:25:09.33\00:25:10.70
a national Sunday law
to shut down the trains,
00:25:10.73\00:25:13.64
to get rid of the newspapers
on the first day of the week
00:25:13.67\00:25:16.43
and that way people don't
have anything to do other than
00:25:16.46\00:25:19.83
go to church and listen
to the sermon by the pastor.
00:25:19.86\00:25:23.61
In the Boston Monday
lectures, Dr. Joseph Cook,
00:25:23.64\00:25:27.47
this was in the year 1887,
00:25:27.50\00:25:29.48
clearly said that the ministers
did not want a civil Sabbath.
00:25:29.51\00:25:35.73
They did not want
just a secular day of rest.
00:25:35.76\00:25:38.61
They wanted a
religious day of rest.
00:25:38.64\00:25:40.96
Notice his words.
00:25:40.99\00:25:42.52
"The experience
of centuries shows,
00:25:42.55\00:25:45.59
however, that you will in vain
00:25:45.62\00:25:47.88
endeavor to preserve
Sunday as a day of rest,
00:25:47.91\00:25:51.27
unless you preserve
it as a day of worship.
00:25:51.30\00:25:55.18
Unless Sabbath," and by the way,
00:25:55.21\00:25:56.90
when he says
Sabbath he's saying--
00:25:56.93\00:25:58.30
he's meaning Sunday,
00:25:58.33\00:25:59.70
"unless Sabbath observance be
founded upon religious reasons,
00:25:59.73\00:26:04.63
you will not long maintain it
00:26:04.66\00:26:06.70
at a high standard on
the basis of economic,
00:26:06.73\00:26:10.60
physiological, and
political considerations only."
00:26:10.63\00:26:16.93
It's interesting
that they saw that
00:26:16.96\00:26:19.30
anyone who's opposed to
this idea of mandating Sunday
00:26:19.33\00:26:24.33
as the day of rest will
be considered unpatriotic.
00:26:24.36\00:26:28.21
Notice the resolution
of the Elgin Convention.
00:26:28.24\00:26:31.91
The argument is that
the first day of the week
00:26:31.94\00:26:34.62
belongs to
natural law, biblical law,
00:26:34.65\00:26:37.75
civil law, and
is American besides.
00:26:37.78\00:26:41.63
This is what
this resolution said,
00:26:41.66\00:26:44.24
"Resolved, that we recognize
00:26:44.27\00:26:46.43
the Sabbath as an
institution of God,"
00:26:46.46\00:26:49.41
he means Sunday by the way,
00:26:49.44\00:26:51.12
"revealed in
nature and the Bible,"
00:26:51.15\00:26:54.70
by the way, it's not
revealed in nature or the Bible,
00:26:54.73\00:26:57.09
"and of perpetual
obligation on all men."
00:26:57.12\00:27:00.84
We believe that the Sabbath
00:27:00.87\00:27:02.24
is of perpetual
obligation upon all men.
00:27:02.27\00:27:05.41
And he continues saying,
the Convention continues saying,
00:27:05.44\00:27:08.99
"and also as a civil
and American institution,
00:27:09.02\00:27:14.69
bound up in vital
and historical connection
00:27:14.72\00:27:18.39
with the origin and
foundation of our government,
00:27:18.42\00:27:21.89
the growth of our polity
and necessary to be maintained,"
00:27:21.92\00:27:26.37
notice this, "in
order for the preservation
00:27:26.40\00:27:29.93
and integrity of
our national system,
00:27:29.96\00:27:33.73
and therefore as
having a sacred claim
00:27:33.76\00:27:37.00
on all patriotic
American citizens."
00:27:37.03\00:27:42.08
So the Sunday was
considered to be American.
00:27:42.11\00:27:45.26
Anybody against it was not
considered to be patriotic.
00:27:45.29\00:27:49.65
And it's
interesting that he says
00:27:49.68\00:27:51.06
that this institution was
in harmony with natural law,
00:27:51.09\00:27:54.50
biblical law,
civil law, and of course,
00:27:54.53\00:27:57.49
the history of blue
laws in the United States.
00:27:57.52\00:28:01.72
Also we notice at
the Elgin Convention
00:28:01.75\00:28:04.58
that they were
opposed to purchasing business
00:28:04.61\00:28:07.49
and travel on the
first day of the week.
00:28:07.52\00:28:10.25
This is what one
of the ministers said.
00:28:10.28\00:28:13.86
"That we look
with shame and sarrow
00:28:13.89\00:28:16.97
on the
non-observance of the Sabbath
00:28:17.00\00:28:19.60
by many Christian people,
00:28:19.63\00:28:21.81
in that the
custom prevails with them
00:28:21.84\00:28:24.65
of purchasing
Sabbath newspapers,
00:28:24.68\00:28:27.15
engaging in and patronizing
Sabbath business and travel,
00:28:27.18\00:28:31.26
and in many instances
giving themselves to pleasure
00:28:31.29\00:28:34.49
and self-indulgence,
setting aside by neglect
00:28:34.52\00:28:37.56
and indifference the
great duties and privileges
00:28:37.59\00:28:40.91
which God's day brings them."
00:28:40.94\00:28:44.97
Now there was also
as I mentioned the idea
00:28:45.00\00:28:47.09
that the United States
was a Christian nation.
00:28:47.12\00:28:49.24
They actually wanted
to amend the Constitution
00:28:49.27\00:28:51.85
so that the
Constitution would say
00:28:51.88\00:28:53.97
that the United States
was a Christian nation.
00:28:54.00\00:28:56.96
Notice for example, one
of the leaders who said this
00:28:56.99\00:29:01.44
"Give all men to understand
00:29:01.47\00:29:04.48
that this is a Christian
nation and that believing,"
00:29:04.51\00:29:08.28
now notice this,
00:29:08.31\00:29:09.68
"and that believing that
without Christianity we perish,
00:29:09.71\00:29:13.18
we must maintain by all right
means our Christian character.
00:29:13.21\00:29:19.19
Inscribe this
character on our Constitution.
00:29:19.22\00:29:23.46
Enforce upon all
that come among us
00:29:23.49\00:29:27.12
the laws of Christian morality."
00:29:27.15\00:29:31.31
And also in the "Statesman,"
the publication you find this,
00:29:31.34\00:29:35.21
"What the Statesman designates
as 'political atheism,
00:29:35.24\00:29:39.89
that is political
leaders who don't agree
00:29:39.92\00:29:42.31
with the national Sunday law,
00:29:42.34\00:29:44.03
"is nothing more nor less than
the present form of government,
00:29:44.06\00:29:48.95
and the present Constitution
of the United States."
00:29:48.98\00:29:51.84
They're saying
that the Constitution
00:29:51.87\00:29:53.38
as it was written
was political atheism.
00:29:53.41\00:29:57.06
Today it would be called
secular humanism, by the way.
00:29:57.09\00:30:00.55
The "Statesman"
continues saying,
00:30:00.58\00:30:02.41
"To oppose
National Reform is to them,"
00:30:02.44\00:30:05.71
that is to the National
Reformers, "sheer atheism.
00:30:05.74\00:30:09.84
And to oppose the
kind of government
00:30:09.87\00:30:11.74
which they endorse
is political atheism.
00:30:11.77\00:30:14.99
That no religious test shall
be required of a civil ruler,
00:30:15.02\00:30:19.31
is declared by
Reverend M.A. Gault to be
00:30:19.34\00:30:22.90
'the infidel
theory of Government.'"
00:30:22.93\00:30:26.91
Something else that the
leaders were doing is that
00:30:26.94\00:30:30.16
they were kind of
doing a type of voter guide.
00:30:30.19\00:30:33.15
Kind of telling
their church members
00:30:33.18\00:30:35.03
who they should vote
for and who they shouldn't.
00:30:35.06\00:30:37.23
Does this kind of ring a bell?
00:30:37.26\00:30:39.49
Notice the third resolution
of the Elgin Convention
00:30:39.52\00:30:43.12
that speaks about the need
00:30:43.15\00:30:44.58
to vote for certain candidates.
00:30:44.61\00:30:47.22
"Resolved, that
we give out votes
00:30:47.25\00:30:50.22
and support to those
candidates or political officers
00:30:50.25\00:30:55.18
who will pledge themselves
to vote for the enactment
00:30:55.21\00:30:59.06
and enforcement of statutes
in favor of the civil Sabbath."
00:30:59.09\00:31:04.22
And the Honorable
John Cole of Kingsley, Iowa
00:31:04.25\00:31:08.73
in the Christian Statesmen,
September 16, 1886 said this,
00:31:08.76\00:31:13.85
"If Congress does not
find in our Constitution
00:31:13.88\00:31:17.46
a basis for Sabbath legislation,
00:31:17.49\00:31:20.23
then let us elect a Congress
who will find such a basis."
00:31:20.26\00:31:27.34
They were also promoting
having rallies in Washington DC
00:31:27.37\00:31:31.76
as the amendment was being
considered to put the pressure
00:31:31.79\00:31:35.93
on the legislators to
enact the National Sunday Law.
00:31:35.96\00:31:40.54
Notice this for example.
00:31:40.57\00:31:43.17
"Let us begin without delay
the circulation of petitions,
00:31:43.20\00:31:47.61
to be furnished in
proper form by the Association,
00:31:47.64\00:31:50.92
by the National
Reform Association,
00:31:50.95\00:31:53.53
and let an opportunity be given
to all parts of the country
00:31:53.56\00:31:57.40
to make up a roll
of petitions so great
00:31:57.43\00:32:01.33
that it will require a
procession of wheelbarrows
00:32:01.36\00:32:04.78
to trundle the mighty mass
00:32:04.81\00:32:06.71
into the presence
of the representatives
00:32:06.74\00:32:08.97
of the nation in
the House of Congress.
00:32:09.00\00:32:12.05
Let a mass
convention of the friends
00:32:12.08\00:32:14.96
of the cause be
held in Washington,
00:32:14.99\00:32:17.63
when the Blair resolution
shall be under discussion,
00:32:17.66\00:32:20.75
to accompany with its influence
00:32:20.78\00:32:23.09
the
presentation of the petition,
00:32:23.12\00:32:25.81
and to take such other
action as may be deemed best
00:32:25.84\00:32:29.56
to arouse the nation
to a genuine enthusiasm
00:32:29.59\00:32:33.28
in behalf of our
national Christianity."
00:32:33.31\00:32:36.94
Notice also what the
Reverend JCK Milligan said
00:32:36.97\00:32:41.62
in the Christian
Statesman, July 26, 1888,
00:32:41.65\00:32:45.53
about the idea of
electing individuals
00:32:45.56\00:32:48.39
that would be in favor
of the National Sunday Law.
00:32:48.42\00:32:51.07
He said this, "By
letters to senators
00:32:51.10\00:32:54.59
and representatives in Congress,
00:32:54.62\00:32:56.86
by petitions numerously
signed and forwarded to them,
00:32:56.89\00:33:01.51
by local, State, and
national conventions held,
00:33:01.54\00:33:05.20
and public meetings in
every school district--"
00:33:05.23\00:33:08.22
That's
interesting that they have
00:33:08.25\00:33:09.62
the school districts involved.
00:33:09.65\00:33:11.18
"Such an
influence," he continues,
00:33:11.21\00:33:13.65
"Can quickly be brought to bear
00:33:13.68\00:33:15.60
as will compel our legislators
to adopt the measure,
00:33:15.63\00:33:20.36
and enforce it by
the needed legislation.
00:33:20.39\00:33:24.17
The Christian
pulpits, if they would,
00:33:24.20\00:33:26.84
could secure its adoption
before the dog-days end."
00:33:26.87\00:33:33.27
In another
statement we find this,
00:33:33.30\00:33:35.67
"The changes will
come gradually and probably
00:33:35.70\00:33:38.91
only after the whole framework
of Bible legislation has been
00:33:38.94\00:33:43.77
thoroughly canvassed by
Congress and State legislators
00:33:43.80\00:33:48.28
by the Supreme
Court of the United States
00:33:48.31\00:33:50.80
and of the several states
and by lawyers and citizens
00:33:50.83\00:33:54.91
an outpouring of the
spirit might soon secure it.
00:33:54.94\00:33:59.45
Now as they're
talking about taking over
00:33:59.48\00:34:01.16
all of the braches of Government
00:34:01.19\00:34:03.42
to secure this
National Sunday Law.
00:34:03.45\00:34:06.30
By the way, back then
00:34:06.33\00:34:07.84
the party that
was pushing for this
00:34:07.87\00:34:09.84
were the Democrats
not the Republicans.
00:34:09.87\00:34:12.33
Notice this interesting
piece of an article written
00:34:12.36\00:34:16.35
in the Lansing
Republican from back then,
00:34:16.38\00:34:20.09
they're criticizing this idea.
00:34:20.12\00:34:22.58
Thousands of men--
speaking about those
00:34:22.61\00:34:25.48
who vote for certain candidates
00:34:25.51\00:34:27.33
and the candidates giving in
because of political pressure,
00:34:27.36\00:34:30.55
"Thousands of men if called upon
to vote for such an Amendment,
00:34:30.58\00:34:35.21
would hesitate
to vote against God,
00:34:35.24\00:34:39.57
although they might not believe
that the Amendment is necessary,
00:34:39.60\00:34:43.51
or that it is right.
00:34:43.54\00:34:45.92
Such an Amendment
would be likely to receive
00:34:45.95\00:34:48.50
an affirmative vote
which would by no means
00:34:48.53\00:34:51.81
indicate the true
sentiment of the people.
00:34:51.84\00:34:54.58
Men who make politics a trade
00:34:54.61\00:34:57.00
would hesitate to
record their names
00:34:57.03\00:34:59.88
against the proposed
Constitutional Amendment,
00:34:59.91\00:35:02.89
advocated by the great religious
denominations of the land,"
00:35:02.92\00:35:08.15
today we call them religious
conservatives, by the way.
00:35:08.18\00:35:11.22
"And indorsed by such
men as Bishop Simpson,
00:35:11.25\00:35:14.84
Bishop
McIlvaine, Biship Eastburn,
00:35:14.87\00:35:17.66
President
Finney, Professor Lewis,
00:35:17.69\00:35:20.03
Professor Seelye,
Bishop Huntington,
00:35:20.06\00:35:22.90
Bishop Kerfoot, Dr. Patterson,
00:35:22.93\00:35:25.37
Dr. Cuyler, and
many other divines
00:35:25.40\00:35:28.13
who are the representative men
00:35:28.16\00:35:29.83
of their
respective denominations."
00:35:29.86\00:35:33.18
They also spoke about uniting
00:35:33.21\00:35:34.87
all of the
protestant denominations.
00:35:34.90\00:35:36.98
Notice this interesting
statement in the publication
00:35:37.01\00:35:41.16
Christian
Statesman, February 7, 1884.
00:35:41.19\00:35:45.10
"We are different
divisions of Emmanuel's army.
00:35:45.13\00:35:48.72
The Methodist are
the charging cavalry,
00:35:48.75\00:35:51.58
the Presbyterians,
the fighting infantry,
00:35:51.61\00:35:54.35
the Covenanters,
battery's upon the heights.
00:35:54.38\00:35:57.81
We have one commander-in-chief
00:35:57.84\00:35:59.67
and under him we go
forward, one united phalanx
00:35:59.70\00:36:03.55
against the common enemy.
00:36:03.58\00:36:05.22
And when the victory is gained
00:36:05.25\00:36:06.93
the army will be
one and the leader one."
00:36:06.96\00:36:11.67
Notice the idea of
uniting in this common cause.
00:36:11.70\00:36:16.43
Notice what Reverend Milligan
had to say about the pastors
00:36:16.46\00:36:21.96
being the moral
conscience of the nation.
00:36:21.99\00:36:25.21
He said this, "The churches
and the pulpits have much to do
00:36:25.24\00:36:30.75
with shaping and forming
opinions on all moral questions,
00:36:30.78\00:36:35.92
and with
interpretations of Scripture
00:36:35.95\00:36:38.66
on moral and civil as well as
00:36:38.69\00:36:41.02
on the theological
and ecclesiastical points.
00:36:41.05\00:36:44.36
And it is probably that in
the most universal gathering
00:36:44.39\00:36:48.37
of our citizens about these,
00:36:48.40\00:36:50.66
the chief discussions
and the final decision
00:36:50.69\00:36:54.10
of most points will
be developed there."
00:36:54.13\00:36:57.46
In other words, the
ministers are actually
00:36:57.49\00:37:00.08
going to be the ones
who are going to write
00:37:00.11\00:37:02.04
and formulate theologically
what this law would say.
00:37:02.07\00:37:07.26
And then I want you to
notice the text that is used.
00:37:07.29\00:37:11.06
"Many nations
shall come, and say,
00:37:11.09\00:37:13.42
Come, let us go up to
the mountain of the Lord,
00:37:13.45\00:37:16.78
and to the house
of the God of Jacob.
00:37:16.81\00:37:19.20
And he will teach us his ways,
and we will walk in his paths.
00:37:19.23\00:37:23.41
For the law
shall go forth of Zion.
00:37:23.44\00:37:25.60
There is
certainly--" Now notice this.
00:37:25.63\00:37:28.78
"There certainly is no class
of citizens more intelligent,
00:37:28.81\00:37:33.54
patriotic and
trustworthy than the leaders
00:37:33.57\00:37:37.51
and teachers in our churches."
00:37:37.54\00:37:41.11
Isn't that interesting that
they would have the ministers
00:37:41.14\00:37:44.26
be the driving force
behind the politicians
00:37:44.29\00:37:47.44
to redact or
write this Sunday law
00:37:47.47\00:37:50.41
and have it
imposed upon the people.
00:37:50.44\00:37:53.01
Another interesting
thing that they were doing
00:37:53.04\00:37:55.12
is they were playing games
with the establishment clause.
00:37:55.15\00:37:58.94
In fact they were saying
that the establishment clause
00:37:58.97\00:38:01.73
simply forbids the Government
from establishing a church,
00:38:01.76\00:38:05.73
a national church
but it does not forbid
00:38:05.76\00:38:07.70
the Government from
establishing religion.
00:38:07.73\00:38:10.20
Notice that at the
Pittsburg Convention
00:38:10.23\00:38:12.37
which was held in 1874,
00:38:12.40\00:38:14.50
Professor
Blanchard had this to say.
00:38:14.53\00:38:17.72
"But union of Church and State
00:38:17.75\00:38:20.25
is the selection by
the nation of one church,
00:38:20.28\00:38:24.22
the endorsement
of such a church,
00:38:24.25\00:38:27.11
the appointment of its officers
and oversight of its doctrines.
00:38:27.14\00:38:31.87
For such a union
none of us plead.
00:38:31.90\00:38:34.65
To such a union we
are all of us opposed."
00:38:34.68\00:38:39.09
In other words we were
opposed according to him
00:38:39.12\00:38:41.20
to the idea that the Government
should select our leaders
00:38:41.23\00:38:44.53
and should dictate
what happens in the church.
00:38:44.56\00:38:46.42
But that doesn't
mean that the Government
00:38:46.45\00:38:48.26
cannot establish religion
in general terms for everyone.
00:38:48.29\00:38:53.66
WJ Coleman had this to say
about the Establishment Clause.
00:38:53.69\00:38:59.27
The first sentence of
article I of Amendments reads,
00:38:59.30\00:39:03.88
"Congress shall make no law
00:39:03.91\00:39:05.60
respecting an
establishment of religion
00:39:05.63\00:39:08.05
or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof."
00:39:08.08\00:39:11.39
No he explains what that means.
00:39:11.42\00:39:13.26
"This would be made consistent
with the proposed amendment
00:39:13.29\00:39:18.37
by substituting the words
'a church' for 'religion,'
00:39:18.40\00:39:24.52
making it read,
'Congress shall make
00:39:24.55\00:39:26.90
no law respecting an
establishment of a church.'"
00:39:26.93\00:39:31.07
In other words they wanted
to amend the first amendment
00:39:31.10\00:39:33.43
to say that Congress
cannot establish a church,
00:39:33.46\00:39:37.22
not necessarily religion.
00:39:37.25\00:39:41.13
Then he says this.
00:39:41.16\00:39:42.53
This is what the
reform association believes
00:39:42.56\00:39:45.08
should be the rule in a
rightly constituted state.
00:39:45.11\00:39:49.26
"There should be
religion but no church."
00:39:49.29\00:39:53.33
There was also an embracing of
Roman Catholics by Protestants.
00:39:53.36\00:39:58.22
Notice in the
Christian Statesman,
00:39:58.25\00:40:00.39
December 11, 1884, this.
00:40:00.42\00:40:04.84
"We cordially,
gladly recognize the fact
00:40:04.87\00:40:09.00
that in South America
republics and in France
00:40:09.03\00:40:13.19
and other European countries,
00:40:13.22\00:40:15.35
the Roman Catholics are
the recognized advocates
00:40:15.38\00:40:18.80
of national
Christianity and stand opposed
00:40:18.83\00:40:22.76
to all the
proposals of secularism."
00:40:22.79\00:40:25.65
Now as they are saying,
00:40:25.68\00:40:27.05
the Catholic
church is just like us,
00:40:27.08\00:40:28.78
they're opposing secularism
00:40:28.81\00:40:30.49
by establishing
national religion,
00:40:30.52\00:40:33.25
not a national religion
00:40:33.28\00:40:34.77
but establishing
religious observances.
00:40:34.80\00:40:37.05
And they said this is
exactly what we want here.
00:40:37.08\00:40:39.68
Have you ever heard of the image
00:40:39.71\00:40:41.46
to the beast in
Revelations Chapter 13,
00:40:41.49\00:40:43.71
that's exactly what Revelations
Chapter 13 is talking about.
00:40:43.74\00:40:47.28
Now I want you to
notice another statement.
00:40:47.31\00:40:49.50
And there is a very significant
couple of words here.
00:40:49.53\00:40:52.43
This is Christian
Statesman, December 11, 1884.
00:40:52.46\00:40:56.26
"Whenever the Roman Catholics
are willing to co-operate
00:40:56.29\00:41:00.87
in resisting the
progress of political atheism--"
00:41:00.90\00:41:04.92
You understand what that means,
00:41:04.95\00:41:06.32
political atheism, right?
00:41:06.35\00:41:07.89
That means the Government
00:41:07.92\00:41:09.29
does not become
involved in religion at all.
00:41:09.32\00:41:11.52
"Whenever they--"
that is Roman Catholics,
00:41:11.55\00:41:14.00
"Are willing to
co-operate in resisting
00:41:14.03\00:41:15.85
the progress of
political atheism,
00:41:15.88\00:41:18.61
we will gladly join hands--"
00:41:18.64\00:41:22.91
I want you to remember that.
00:41:22.94\00:41:24.31
"We will gladly
join hands with them.
00:41:24.34\00:41:28.45
Sylvester F. Scovel said
this about the co-operation
00:41:28.48\00:41:33.30
between Protestants
and Roman Catholics.
00:41:33.33\00:41:36.10
He says, "This
common interest ought both
00:41:36.13\00:41:40.40
to strengthen our
determination to work,
00:41:40.43\00:41:43.14
and our readiness to
co-operate in every way
00:41:43.17\00:41:47.57
with our Roman
Catholic fellow-citizens.
00:41:47.60\00:41:50.34
We may be subjected to some
rebuffs in out first proffers,
00:41:50.37\00:41:54.85
and the time is not yet come
00:41:54.88\00:41:56.63
when the Roman Church
will consent to strike hands
00:41:56.66\00:42:00.91
with other churches, as such.
00:42:00.94\00:42:03.49
But the time has come
to make repeated advances
00:42:03.52\00:42:07.32
and gladly to accept
co-operation in any form
00:42:07.35\00:42:11.63
in which they may be
willing to exhibit it.
00:42:11.66\00:42:14.27
It is one of the
necessities of the situation."
00:42:14.30\00:42:19.28
This is not a case of Catholics
00:42:19.31\00:42:21.05
seeking the
co-operation of the Protestants.
00:42:21.08\00:42:23.02
This is a case of Protestants
00:42:23.05\00:42:24.96
seeking the
co-operation of Roman Catholics.
00:42:24.99\00:42:28.40
There was also
talk of establishing
00:42:28.43\00:42:30.70
religious
instruction in public schools.
00:42:30.73\00:42:34.34
Notice Senator Blair--
what Senator Blair had to say
00:42:34.37\00:42:37.99
about religious textbooks.
00:42:38.02\00:42:39.76
He said, "I believe that
a textbook of instruction
00:42:39.79\00:42:44.33
in the principles
of virtue, morality,
00:42:44.36\00:42:47.58
and of the Christian
religion can be prepared
00:42:47.61\00:42:51.07
for use in the public
schools by the joined efforts
00:42:51.10\00:42:55.53
of those who represent every
branch of the Christian Church,
00:42:55.56\00:43:00.29
both Protestant and
Catholic and also those
00:43:00.32\00:43:04.05
who are not actively
associated with either."
00:43:04.08\00:43:08.18
Another
interesting aspect is that
00:43:08.21\00:43:11.38
this bad cause of trying to
get a national Sunday law passed
00:43:11.41\00:43:17.16
was linked with
other good causes.
00:43:17.19\00:43:19.85
Like for example the
need to overcome alcoholism,
00:43:19.88\00:43:24.58
it's known as prohibition.
00:43:24.61\00:43:26.27
In fact Sam Jones, a
third party prohibitionist,
00:43:26.30\00:43:29.65
in July of 1888 in a talk
that he gave in Windsor, Canada,
00:43:29.68\00:43:34.37
which was composed mostly of
Americans there had this to say.
00:43:34.40\00:43:38.30
"Now I tell you, I
think we are running
00:43:38.33\00:43:41.24
the last political
combat on the lines
00:43:41.27\00:43:44.85
we have been running them on.
00:43:44.88\00:43:47.03
It is between the republicans
and the democrats this contest
00:43:47.06\00:43:51.03
and it is the
last the republicans
00:43:51.06\00:43:53.19
will make in America.
00:43:53.22\00:43:54.83
The democrats are
going in overwhelmingly.
00:43:54.86\00:43:58.14
4 years from now
the prohibition element
00:43:58.17\00:44:00.64
will break the solid south.
00:44:00.67\00:44:02.55
The issue then
will be, God or no God,
00:44:02.58\00:44:05.99
drunkenness or sobriety,
00:44:06.02\00:44:08.24
Sunday Sabbath or no
Sabbath, heaven or hell.
00:44:08.27\00:44:12.44
That will be the issue.
00:44:12.47\00:44:13.99
Then we will wipe up the
ground with the democratic party
00:44:14.02\00:44:18.23
and let God rule
America from that time on."
00:44:18.26\00:44:23.72
Does that sound like
the voice of the dragon?
00:44:23.75\00:44:26.18
This is in the
1880s not in 2007.
00:44:26.21\00:44:32.24
The Women's Christian
Temperance Union of that time
00:44:32.27\00:44:35.14
was pushing for prohibition
00:44:35.17\00:44:37.43
but they were also
very strong supporters
00:44:37.46\00:44:39.90
of the National Sunday Law.
00:44:39.93\00:44:41.93
Actually what they
wanted was a theocracy,
00:44:41.96\00:44:44.14
like in colonial times.
00:44:44.17\00:44:45.65
Notice this, "A true
theocracy is yet to come
00:44:45.68\00:44:50.72
and the enthronement of
Christ in law and lawmakers.
00:44:50.75\00:44:54.92
Hence I pray
devoutly, as a Christian patriot
00:44:54.95\00:44:59.10
for the ballot in the
hands of women and rejoice
00:44:59.13\00:45:03.93
that the National Women's
Christian Temperance Union
00:45:03.96\00:45:07.32
has so long
championed this cause."
00:45:07.35\00:45:11.58
So they are longing for
the day that women can vote
00:45:11.61\00:45:15.09
so that they can vote
not only for prohibition
00:45:15.12\00:45:17.31
but also for a
National Sunday Law.
00:45:17.34\00:45:21.83
Most of the
leader of this movement
00:45:21.86\00:45:23.72
actually wanted a
theocracy in the United States.
00:45:23.75\00:45:26.62
A theocracy means
that the civil Government
00:45:26.65\00:45:29.25
will be ruled by the
wishes of the church.
00:45:29.28\00:45:32.30
Allow me to read
you some statements
00:45:32.33\00:45:33.76
where they
express this view overtly.
00:45:33.79\00:45:37.12
Professor Blanchard
at the Elgin Convention
00:45:37.15\00:45:40.65
spoke about the
role of ministers
00:45:40.68\00:45:42.72
in this so-called new theocracy.
00:45:42.75\00:45:45.24
He said, "In this work we
are undertaking for the Sabbath
00:45:45.27\00:45:49.64
we are the
representative of God."
00:45:49.67\00:45:52.52
He says the ministers are
the representatives of God.
00:45:52.55\00:45:56.14
Here's another statement.
00:45:56.17\00:45:57.55
"The Government of
Israel was a theocracy.
00:45:57.58\00:46:00.17
The will of God was made known
to the ruler by the prophets.
00:46:00.20\00:46:04.13
The ruler compelled the
offices of the law to prevent
00:46:04.16\00:46:06.56
the ungodly from
selling goods on the Sabbath.
00:46:06.59\00:46:09.79
This Government is
to be made a theocracy."
00:46:09.82\00:46:12.91
He's saying in his day and age,
00:46:12.94\00:46:14.31
"This Government is
to be made a theocracy.
00:46:14.34\00:46:17.34
The preachers are the
successors of the prophets.
00:46:17.37\00:46:20.26
And they are to compel
the officers of the law
00:46:20.29\00:46:23.94
to prevent all selling of goods
00:46:23.97\00:46:25.98
and all manner
of work on Sunday."
00:46:26.01\00:46:31.59
Dr. Crafts, general secretary
00:46:31.62\00:46:34.52
of the National
Sunday Law Union said this.
00:46:34.55\00:46:37.35
"The preachers are the
successors of the prophets."
00:46:37.38\00:46:43.41
The President's annual
address at the convention
00:46:43.44\00:46:46.54
held in Nashville in
1887 had this to say.
00:46:46.57\00:46:51.09
"The Women's Christian
Temperance Union local,
00:46:51.12\00:46:54.00
state, national, and world wide
has one vital organic thought,
00:46:54.03\00:47:00.52
one all-absorbing
purpose, one undying enthusiasm.
00:47:00.55\00:47:05.82
And that is that Christ
shall be this world's king."
00:47:05.85\00:47:11.66
Kind of sounds like the
Mount of Temptation, doesn't it?
00:47:11.69\00:47:14.20
"Yea, verily
this world's king--"
00:47:14.23\00:47:17.67
And that's in capital letters.
00:47:17.70\00:47:19.38
"In its realm of cause and
effects, kings of its courts,
00:47:19.41\00:47:23.87
its camps, its commerce, king
of its colleges and cloisters,
00:47:23.90\00:47:29.15
king of its customs
and its constitutions,
00:47:29.18\00:47:32.34
the kingdom of Christ
must enter the realm of law
00:47:32.37\00:47:35.61
through the gateway of politics.
00:47:35.64\00:47:38.88
Interesting, the
kingdom of Christ must enter
00:47:38.91\00:47:41.80
the realm of law
through the gateway of politics.
00:47:41.83\00:47:45.55
We pray heaven to
give the all parties
00:47:45.58\00:47:49.18
no rest until they
shall swear an oath
00:47:49.21\00:47:52.48
of allegiance to
Christ in politics
00:47:52.51\00:47:55.09
and march in one great army
00:47:55.12\00:47:57.40
up to the poles to worship God."
00:47:57.43\00:48:00.68
In fact, they spoke about
this in franchising people
00:48:00.71\00:48:04.63
who did not agree with them,
00:48:04.66\00:48:06.03
in other words people
would lose their citizenship.
00:48:06.06\00:48:08.52
Notice what EB Graham
00:48:08.55\00:48:10.68
of the National
Reform Convention
00:48:10.71\00:48:12.63
of York, Nebraska had to say.
00:48:12.66\00:48:15.10
"We might add, in all justice,
00:48:15.13\00:48:18.04
if the opponents of
the Bible do not like
00:48:18.07\00:48:21.29
our Government and
its Christian features,
00:48:21.32\00:48:24.59
let them go to some
wild, desolate land.
00:48:24.62\00:48:27.83
And in the name of the devil,
00:48:27.86\00:48:29.99
and for the sake of
the devil subdue it,
00:48:30.02\00:48:32.65
and set up a
government of their own
00:48:32.68\00:48:35.34
on infidel and
atheistic ideas, and then,
00:48:35.37\00:48:39.48
if they can stand it,
stay there till they die."
00:48:39.51\00:48:44.64
John Calvin, Max
Milligan another minister
00:48:44.67\00:48:47.87
that was in favor of
this movement said this.
00:48:47.90\00:48:51.29
"When the
amendment is adopted--"
00:48:51.32\00:48:54.07
And by the way he was thinking
00:48:54.10\00:48:55.55
it was going to be
adopted in 1888 but we know that
00:48:55.58\00:48:58.69
it's going to be
adopted in the future.
00:48:58.72\00:49:00.35
"When the amendment is
adopted how will it act
00:49:00.38\00:49:03.43
upon the civil and
political rights of infidels,
00:49:03.46\00:49:06.30
Jews, etcetera," he asked.
00:49:06.33\00:49:07.98
How--what effect
will it have on them?
00:49:08.01\00:49:10.17
He says, "This depends
largely upon themselves.
00:49:10.20\00:49:13.14
This worst result will
be to disenfranchise them."
00:49:13.17\00:49:19.60
M. A. Gault, district secretary
of the association said this.
00:49:19.63\00:49:24.35
"A remedy for all
these malefic influences--
00:49:24.38\00:49:28.89
the turmoil in
society he's talking about,
00:49:28.92\00:49:31.87
is to have the government
simply set up the moral law
00:49:31.90\00:49:35.08
and recognize
God's authority behind it
00:49:35.11\00:49:37.59
and lay its hand on any religion
that does not conform to it."
00:49:37.62\00:49:43.18
Christian
Statesman, October 2, 1884,
00:49:43.21\00:49:46.55
"Give all men to understand
that this is a Christian nation
00:49:46.58\00:49:50.16
and that believing that
without Christianity we perish"
00:49:50.19\00:49:55.38
Those are the words of Caiaphas,
by the way, in John Chapter 11.
00:49:55.41\00:49:58.66
"We must maintain by all
means our Christian character.
00:49:58.69\00:50:02.75
Inscribe this
character on our constitution
00:50:02.78\00:50:05.28
and force upon
all who come among us
00:50:05.31\00:50:08.42
the laws of Christian morality."
00:50:08.45\00:50:12.57
Well, what eventually
would come as a result of this?
00:50:12.60\00:50:18.83
The result would be persecution
00:50:18.86\00:50:21.33
against those who did not agree.
00:50:21.36\00:50:23.27
Notice at the national reform
00:50:23.30\00:50:26.30
Women's Christians
Temperance Union convention
00:50:26.33\00:50:32.50
which was held at
Lake Sidoarjo in 1887.
00:50:32.53\00:50:36.07
Notice these words.
00:50:36.10\00:50:37.61
"There is a law in
the State of Arkansas
00:50:37.64\00:50:40.37
enforcing Sunday
observance upon people
00:50:40.40\00:50:43.97
and the result has
been that many good persons
00:50:44.00\00:50:46.98
have not only been imprisoned
00:50:47.01\00:50:49.20
but have lost their
property and even their lives."
00:50:49.23\00:50:55.15
This was back in 1888.
00:50:55.18\00:50:57.97
Now this was an
objection by some that belonged
00:50:58.00\00:51:00.55
to the Women's
Christian Temperance Union.
00:51:00.58\00:51:02.45
Notice the
answer of Dr. McAlister,
00:51:02.48\00:51:05.02
one of the
leaders of the movement.
00:51:05.05\00:51:06.76
He says, and these
words are prophetic.
00:51:06.79\00:51:09.20
"It is better that
a few should suffer--"
00:51:09.23\00:51:13.52
You know where that
comes from? John 11.
00:51:13.55\00:51:16.43
"It is better that
a few should suffer
00:51:16.46\00:51:18.91
than that the whole
nation should lose its Sabbath."
00:51:18.94\00:51:23.98
By the way,
those words of Caiaphas
00:51:24.01\00:51:25.70
were fulfilled by
the rejection of Christ.
00:51:25.73\00:51:28.19
The nation was taken away
and the nation was destroyed.
00:51:28.22\00:51:32.80
In the year 556 Pope Pelagius
called upon an individual
00:51:32.83\00:51:38.06
called Narses to command people
00:51:38.09\00:51:42.57
to obey the Pope's
commands by force of law.
00:51:42.60\00:51:46.55
Narses, you know,
complained to the Pope.
00:51:46.58\00:51:49.15
He says, "We
shouldn't have to use force
00:51:49.18\00:51:50.92
to compel people to
do what the Pope says."
00:51:50.95\00:51:54.26
Notice what
Pelagius wrote back to him.
00:51:54.29\00:51:57.27
"Be not alarmed at
the idle talk of some.
00:51:57.30\00:52:00.88
Climb out against persecution
and reproach in the church
00:52:00.91\00:52:04.94
as if she delighted in cruelty
00:52:04.97\00:52:08.06
when she punishes evil
with wholesome severities
00:52:08.09\00:52:11.76
or procures the
salvation of souls."
00:52:11.79\00:52:15.23
And now notice this.
00:52:15.26\00:52:16.63
"He alone persecutes
who forces to do evil."
00:52:16.66\00:52:21.96
Is that true? Persecution is
only when you persecute evil?
00:52:21.99\00:52:29.74
He says, notice,
00:52:29.77\00:52:31.14
"He alone persecutes
who forces to do evil
00:52:31.17\00:52:34.24
but to restrain
man from doing evil
00:52:34.27\00:52:38.39
or to punish
those who have done it
00:52:38.42\00:52:40.62
is not persecution or
cruelty but love of mankind."
00:52:40.65\00:52:45.61
In other words to persecute
error is not persecution.
00:52:45.64\00:52:50.34
That's incredible.
00:52:50.37\00:52:51.79
But it's not so incredible
because even in Colonial times--
00:52:51.82\00:52:54.68
have you ever
heard of John Cotton?
00:52:54.71\00:52:57.32
He was one of the prominent
00:52:57.35\00:52:58.80
religious
leaders in Colonial times
00:52:58.83\00:53:01.56
and this is what he had to say.
00:53:01.59\00:53:03.67
"Persecution is
not wrong in itself.
00:53:03.70\00:53:07.39
It is wicked for
falsehood to persecute truth,
00:53:07.42\00:53:10.99
but it is the
sacred duty of truth
00:53:11.02\00:53:14.03
to persecute falsehood."
00:53:14.06\00:53:17.08
And that's exactly what
happened in Colonial times.
00:53:17.11\00:53:20.05
The question is,
is Sunday falsehood?
00:53:20.08\00:53:24.52
But those who were teaching
it were saying it was the truth.
00:53:24.55\00:53:27.65
That's why you have to
have freedom of conscience,
00:53:27.68\00:53:30.41
to worship God
according to the dictates
00:53:30.44\00:53:32.74
of your own conscience and not
as people perceive the truth.
00:53:32.77\00:53:38.22
Interestingly enough
there was a Virginia Sunday Law
00:53:38.25\00:53:41.48
which was enacted in
1610 which required attendance
00:53:41.51\00:53:46.64
at the divine
service twice a day
00:53:46.67\00:53:49.28
with economic fines
for the first two offenses
00:53:49.31\00:53:52.90
and to suffer
death for the third.
00:53:52.93\00:53:56.27
This is in Colonial America.
00:53:56.30\00:53:58.78
First two times you missed
00:53:58.81\00:54:00.18
the Sunday
service, economic fines.
00:54:00.21\00:54:03.40
The third time you missed,
00:54:03.43\00:54:04.94
the sentence
was to suffer death.
00:54:04.97\00:54:08.49
A minister in
Samoa, California--
00:54:08.52\00:54:10.81
interestingly enough,
right around the corner,
00:54:10.84\00:54:12.76
September of
1888 had this to say.
00:54:12.79\00:54:16.14
"We have laws to punish the
man who steals our property.
00:54:16.17\00:54:20.72
But we have no law to prevent
people from working on Sunday.
00:54:20.75\00:54:24.64
It is right that
the thief be punished.
00:54:24.67\00:54:27.21
But I have more
sympathy for that man
00:54:27.24\00:54:29.40
than I have for him
who works on that day."
00:54:29.43\00:54:34.17
Do you know that in
Arkansas and in Tennessee
00:54:34.20\00:54:36.94
Seventh-day
Adventists were persecuted
00:54:36.97\00:54:39.33
for not observing
Sunday as the day of rest.
00:54:39.36\00:54:43.20
Property was confiscated.
00:54:43.23\00:54:45.69
They were fined.
They were imprisoned.
00:54:45.72\00:54:48.37
And some of them
even lost their lives.
00:54:48.40\00:54:51.68
In fact, A.T Jones in the book
"Civil Government and Religion"
00:54:51.71\00:54:56.43
documents 21 cases
with names of the accused,
00:54:56.46\00:55:00.79
places, names of
judges, charges, and penalties
00:55:00.82\00:55:05.60
that were enacted
as a result of people
00:55:05.63\00:55:08.33
who simply wanted to follow
the dictates of their conscience
00:55:08.36\00:55:11.23
and keep the
Sabbath as the day of rest.
00:55:11.26\00:55:14.08
And you don't think that
00:55:14.11\00:55:15.48
that can happen
again in the United States?
00:55:15.51\00:55:17.29
Most of the Sunday
laws, most of the Blue laws
00:55:17.32\00:55:20.10
have never been
taken off the books.
00:55:20.13\00:55:23.54
They are there. They are latent.
00:55:23.57\00:55:25.22
Just waiting to be enacted.
00:55:25.25\00:55:27.86
Finally I would like
to read from "The Century"
00:55:27.89\00:55:30.49
which is a
publication for April 1888.
00:55:30.52\00:55:34.61
A Mr. Kenan described
the statutes of Russia
00:55:34.64\00:55:39.01
and the subject of
crimes against the faith.
00:55:39.04\00:55:41.30
What he's going to say
is that the United States
00:55:41.33\00:55:44.30
at that day and age
was very similar to Russia.
00:55:44.33\00:55:48.12
Notice, he says this.
00:55:48.15\00:55:51.06
He quoted a
statute after statute.
00:55:51.09\00:55:54.95
And I quote, "Providing
that whoever shall ensure--"
00:55:54.98\00:55:59.26
Excuse me.
00:55:59.29\00:56:00.66
"Providing that whoever shall
censure the Christian faith
00:56:00.69\00:56:03.99
or the Orthodox
Church or the Scriptures
00:56:04.02\00:56:07.59
or the Holy
Sacraments or the Saints
00:56:07.62\00:56:10.71
or their images
or the Virgin Mary
00:56:10.74\00:56:13.83
or the angels or Christ or God
00:56:13.86\00:56:18.01
shall be deprived
of all civil rights
00:56:18.04\00:56:21.05
and exiled for life to the
most remote parts of Siberia.
00:56:21.08\00:56:26.57
This is the system
in Russia," he says.
00:56:26.60\00:56:29.40
"And it is in the
direct line of the wishes
00:56:29.43\00:56:33.18
of the National
Reform Association.
00:56:33.21\00:56:36.48
With this difference
however that Russia is content
00:56:36.51\00:56:40.36
to send dissenters to Siberia
while the National Reformers
00:56:40.39\00:56:44.85
want to send them
to the devil straight."
00:56:44.88\00:56:49.76
One final statement
from the Christian Statement,
00:56:49.79\00:56:51.87
August 8, 1888,
"Every sin, secret or public,
00:56:51.90\00:56:56.79
against God, is a
sin against our country,
00:56:56.82\00:57:00.51
and is high
treason against the state."
00:57:00.54\00:57:05.74
Did you know all this was
happening around that time?
00:57:05.77\00:57:08.72
Probably most of us didn't.
00:57:08.75\00:57:11.28
Can something
like this happen again
00:57:11.31\00:57:13.81
in the United States of America?
00:57:13.84\00:57:15.87
Not only can it happen,
00:57:15.90\00:57:18.99
but according to what we
studied it will happen again.
00:57:19.02\00:57:22.57
So we must be certain
00:57:22.60\00:57:24.87
that we are keeping
God's true day of rest.
00:57:24.90\00:57:29.55