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Series Code: MAT
Program Code: MAT000016S
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00:20 Let's pray.
00:23 Father in heaven, 00:24 we come into Your presence once more, 00:28 requesting supernatural help 00:31 as we open Your Holy Book, the Bible. 00:35 We ask, Lord, that You will be 00:37 with us as we study 00:39 this historical experience of the past, 00:44 that You will help us to see it 00:45 in the light of what You teach in Your Holy Word. 00:49 And so be with us, 00:50 take any obstacle off of our hearts 00:53 that is there that would keep us 00:54 from embracing the truth. 00:57 And we thank You for hearing our prayer. 00:58 We ask it in Jesus' name, amen. 01:01 For those of you who are watching this, 01:04 this series of programs on some TV, 01:06 or perhaps on other social media, 01:08 or on a DVD, 01:11 you're probably saying this is an overload of information. 01:13 There is so much information, how can I get it? 01:16 Well, several years ago, I did a series on Matthew 24, 01:20 it had 14 presentations. 01:22 And the manual, 01:23 the study notes originally were about 125 pages. 01:26 Now, there are over 250 pages, 01:30 so you can get the study notes 01:32 from Secrets Unsealed, 01:34 you'll see the address, 01:36 the electronic address on the screen. 01:39 Now, some people think that 01:40 it would be impossible for a National Sunday law 01:43 to be enacted 01:44 in the United States of America. 01:46 After all, this is the land of the free 01:49 and the home of the brave. 01:51 We have a first amendment that forbids Congress 01:55 from making any law that establishes religion, 01:58 or that forbids the free exercise thereof. 02:02 However, folks, in times of a national emergency, 02:05 strange things happen. 02:09 I'm going to go through a historical period today 02:13 that will teach us things that will occur in the future. 02:18 From 1861 to 1865, of course, 02:23 those who are well versed in history, 02:25 know that there was a national emergency 02:27 in the United States of America. 02:29 It's called the Civil War. 02:32 During this time, and afterwards, 02:34 in the reconstruction, 02:36 there was a strong push in the United States, 02:41 both among ministers and politicians 02:44 to establish a National Sunday law. 02:49 Now those who forget to learn from the mistakes of history, 02:53 are bound to repeat those mistakes. 02:56 This is why it is indeed dangerous 02:59 to erase the reminders of the past. 03:03 Now, my primary sources of study 03:06 are from individuals 03:08 who were contemporaries of the events. 03:12 I'll give you the resources, volume five of the Testimonies, 03:16 pages 711 to 718. 03:20 The title of the chapter is the impending conflict. 03:24 Great Controversy, 582 to 592. 03:28 The title of the chapter is the Impending Conflict. 03:32 And then we have a book by A.T. Jones, 03:35 who actually testified 03:36 before the Senate or a committee in the Senate, 03:39 he wrote the book, Civil Government and Religion. 03:43 Then you have another book, Views of National Reform, 03:47 essays written by A.T. Jones and E.J. Wagoner. 03:51 And finally, the book National Sunday law, 03:55 which contains 03:56 the actual minutes of the discussion 03:59 on this issue in the Education Committee 04:03 of the Senate of the United States. 04:06 We know that several times because we have the transcript 04:10 there in the book, that several times 04:12 during A.T. Jones' testimony, 04:15 he was interrupted by Senator Blair, 04:18 who was the one who introduced the legislation into Congress. 04:24 Now let's talk about 04:25 the origin of the National Reform Movement. 04:30 The National Reform Association 04:32 came into existence 04:34 at the end of the Civil War in 1864, 04:38 or towards the end of the Civil War, I might say. 04:41 The objective of this organization 04:44 of the National Reform Organization 04:48 was to declare that the United States 04:51 was a Christian nation 04:54 and also to amend the Constitution to include 04:58 in the Constitution a National Sunday law. 05:02 The first national convention 05:04 of the National Reform Association 05:07 was in Allegheny, Pennsylvania 05:09 from January 27 05:11 to January 28, 1864. 05:16 Now the members of the association 05:18 were many and varied. 05:20 The association had 120 vice presidents, 05:24 an interesting fact in the light 05:26 that in the Medo-Persian Empire, 05:29 there were 120 satraps 05:31 that actually trapped the king 05:33 into giving a decree to have Daniel 05:35 thrown into the lions' den. 05:38 The official publication of the association 05:40 was called the Christian Statesman. 05:44 The December 24, 1885 05:46 issue of the Christian Statesman 05:49 said that there were 120 vice presidents, 05:54 and among them, there were 15 college professors, 05:57 16 college presidents, three ex governors, 06:02 seven justices of Supreme Courts, 06:04 five justices of Superior Courts, 06:08 two judges 06:09 of the United States District Court, 06:12 one judge of the United States Circuit Court. 06:15 And then it continued 06:16 with such a number of your honors, 06:20 reverends, and doctors of divinity 06:23 that we could not attempt to count them. 06:27 So the National Reform Association 06:29 was a very influential organization 06:34 in that period of the history of the United States. 06:38 By 1888, the objectives of the association 06:41 had developed a strong following, 06:44 and their objectives seemed reachable. 06:48 Now the individual in the Senate 06:50 that was pushing for the National Sunday law, 06:53 and the declaration that the United States 06:55 is a Christian nation was called Henry W. Blair. 07:00 On May 25, 1888, 07:03 he introduced bill number 2983 into Congress. 07:08 In it was legislation for a National Sunday law. 07:13 You can read the entire bill in the book, 07:16 Civil Government and Religion, pages 65 to 67 by A.T. Jones. 07:22 On December 13, 1888, just five or six months later, 07:28 A.T. Jones appeared 07:29 before the Education 07:31 and Labor Committee of the Senate 07:34 to testify regarding the desire 07:37 for a National Sunday law. 07:40 Now, I want to go through several historical details 07:44 about this period of history from 1864, 07:49 all the way through 1865, the end of the Civil War, 07:53 and through the period of reconstruction 07:56 after the Civil War. 07:59 Roman Catholics were in favor of this amendment. 08:03 In fact, in 1889, 08:06 the National Catholic Congress 08:08 that met in Baltimore, 08:10 resolved to unite with Protestants 08:13 to secure proper Sunday observance. 08:16 It's noteworthy that Protestants came up 08:19 with the idea, 08:20 and Catholics provided the support. 08:23 Pope Leo XIII, in 1885, 08:27 in an encyclical letter, wrote the following. 08:31 "All Catholics should do all in their power 08:34 to cause the constitutions of States and legislation 08:39 to be molded on the principles of the true church, 08:44 and all Catholic writers 08:46 and journalists should never lose sight, 08:49 for an instance, from the view 08:51 of the above prescription." 08:55 A very influential cardinal, 08:57 Cardinal Gibbons agreed with the Pope, 08:59 and he added his name to the list of those 09:02 who desired a Sunday law. 09:04 And now I read from Cardinal Gibbons. 09:07 "I am most happy to add my name 09:11 to those of the millions of others 09:13 who are laudably contending 09:15 against the violation of the Christian Sabbath 09:18 by unnecessary labor, 09:20 and we and who are endeavoring 09:22 to promote its decent and proper observance 09:26 by judicious legislation." 09:29 So notice, once again, 09:31 "I am most happy to add my name 09:33 to those of the millions of others 09:35 who are laudably contending 09:36 against the violation of the Christian Sabbath," 09:38 of course, he mean Sunday, "by unnecessary labor, 09:41 and who are endeavoring to promote its decent 09:44 and proper observance by judicious legislation." 09:49 Not only was there a union by Catholics and Protestants 09:53 in this particular project, 09:55 but there also was a desire for union of church and state. 09:58 Jonathan Edwards, at New York City, 10:01 the New York City Convention on February 26, 10:04 and 27, 1873 stated the following. 10:09 "We want State and religion, and we are going to have it... 10:14 The Christian oath and Christian morality 10:16 shall have in this land 'an undeniable legal basis.' 10:22 We use this word religion in its proper sense, 10:25 as meaning a man's personal relation of faith 10:28 and obedience to God." 10:30 M.A. Gault wrote in the Christian Statesman, 10:34 "Our remedy for all of these malefic influences..." 10:37 He's referring to liquor, immorality, consumerism 10:40 and civil war, 10:42 so, "Our remedy for all of these malefic influences 10:46 is to have the Government simply set up the moral law 10:50 and recognize God's authority behind it, 10:53 and lay its hand on any religion 10:56 that does not conform to it." 10:59 In a speech at Elgin, Dr. Mandeville, 11:03 one of the leaders of the movement expressed 11:05 his view of the relationship of church and state. 11:09 This is what he said. 11:10 "When the church of God awakes and does its duty on one side, 11:16 and the State on the other, 11:18 we shall have no further trouble 11:20 in this matter." 11:22 Sam Small, 11:23 secretary of the National Prohibition Convention 11:27 held in Indianapolis, 11:29 in 1888, said the following. 11:33 "I want to see the day come 11:36 when the church shall be the arbiter of all legislation, 11:40 State, national, and municipal, 11:44 when the great churches of the country 11:46 can come together harmoniously, 11:49 and issue their edict, and the legislative powers 11:52 will respect it and enact it into laws." 11:56 It could not be more explicit. 11:58 Regarding the duties of the state, 12:00 Reverend J.M. Foster, also belonging 12:03 to this movement suggested, 12:05 "That a constitutional provision 12:08 be made for recognizing God as King of nations, 12:12 that a constitutional recognition 12:14 be made that the State 12:15 is the divinely appointed keeper of the moral law, 12:19 that a constitutional provision be made detailing 12:22 the moral and religious qualifications 12:25 of those who would occupy an office of trust," 12:28 that's a violation of the 14th Amendment, 12:30 I might say, "that the nation needed 12:32 to make a covenant with God, 12:34 that the nation must guard 12:35 and protect the church by suppressing 12:38 all public violation of the moral law, 12:40 by maintaining a system of public schools, 12:43 indoctrinating their youth in morality and virtue, 12:47 by exempting church property from taxation, 12:50 and by providing her funds out of the public treasury 12:54 for carrying on her aggressive work at home 12:57 and in the foreign field." 12:58 Imagine the government financing the churches. 13:01 Amazing. 13:02 The Cleveland National Convention 13:05 adopted the following resolution. 13:08 "Resolved, that we re-affirm that this Religious Amendment," 13:12 referring to the Blair Amendment, 13:14 "instead of infringing on any individual's 13:16 right of conscience, 13:18 or tending in the least degree to a union of Church and State, 13:22 will afford the fullest security 13:24 against a corrupting church establishment, 13:27 and form the strongest safeguard 13:29 of both the civil 13:30 and religious liberties of all citizens." 13:33 Obviously, it was not possible. 13:36 Dr. McAllister spoke 13:38 the following words at Lakeside, Ohio in July of 1887. 13:43 "Let a man be what he may, Jew, 13:47 Seventh-day observer, or some other denomination, 13:51 or those who do not believe in the Christian Sabbath, 13:54 let the law apply to everyone, 13:56 that there shall be no public desecration 13:58 of the first day of the week, 14:00 the Christian Sabbath, the day of rest for the nation. 14:03 They may hold any other day of the week 14:05 as sacred and observe it, but that day, 14:08 which is the one day in seven for the nation at large, 14:12 let that not be publicly desecrated 14:15 by anyone, 14:16 any officer in the government or any private citizen, 14:19 high or low, rich or poor." 14:22 Interesting. 14:24 Calling Sunday, the Christian Sabbath 14:27 and mandating that there be no public desecration 14:31 on the first day of the week. 14:34 We find that Dr. Mandeville of Chicago 14:38 in the Elgin Sunday law Convention, 14:41 referred to the experience of Nehemiah 14:44 to defend the enforcement of the National Sunday law. 14:47 This is what he said. 14:49 "The merchants of Tyre insisted upon 14:52 selling goods near the temple on the Sabbath, 14:55 and Nehemiah compelled the officers 14:58 of the law to do their duty and stop it. 15:01 So we can compel the officers of the law to do their duty." 15:06 These are incredible statements, 15:09 considering that the Constitution at that time, 15:12 you know, the two clauses of the First Amendment 15:16 of the Constitution were actually enacted 15:19 way back in 1891 15:22 that they would actually say that the church had to dictate 15:25 to the state 15:27 what the state should do regarding the day of worship. 15:30 At a Sunday law mass meeting that transpired 15:33 at Hamilton Hall in Oakland, California, 15:36 in January of 1887, 15:39 Dr. Briggs of Nappa, California, 15:42 gave a speech 15:44 where he revealed to the political leaders. 15:46 This is what he said, 15:48 "You relegate moral instruction to the church, 15:52 and then let all go as they please on Sunday, 15:56 so that we cannot get at them." 15:58 So what he's saying is, 16:00 you know, you don't do your duty, 16:02 because you want us 16:04 to teach morality to the people, 16:05 and then you don't do your duty of telling them 16:08 that they have to go to church on Sunday, 16:11 and so that we can get at them, 16:13 so that they're required 16:14 to attend church in other words. 16:16 The leaders of this movement, in other words, 16:18 wanted to corral all the people on Sunday, 16:22 so that the preachers would have access to them 16:25 in their churches. 16:26 Since when I asked should the state force people 16:30 do go to church 16:31 so that preachers can get at them? 16:34 You know, you go to 16:36 a Seventh-day Adventist Church on Sabbath. 16:37 And let's suppose that there are vendors outside, 16:40 like happened in Puerto Rico several years ago, 16:42 when it was being discussed to have a Sunday closing law. 16:45 You go to a Seventh-day Adventist Church, 16:47 and there's vendors outside, 16:48 everybody goes out to church, 16:50 and the vendors don't sell anything. 16:54 Why? 16:55 Because the state mandates 16:57 that you can't buy or sell on Sabbath. 16:59 No, because Seventh-day Adventists have the conviction 17:02 that the Sabbath is the Lord's Day, 17:04 and that it should be kept. 17:07 And so the state should not mandate 17:09 the observance of Sunday as a day of rest. 17:13 Now, what reasons were given for the National Sunday law? 17:18 Well, they were actually aggravated that 17:20 the train functioned on Sundays 17:23 and that the newspaper was published on Sunday. 17:26 You know, there was lots of crime 17:28 and scandal and gossip in the news. 17:31 And so Dr. Briggs said the following, 17:35 "What a mélange! 17:37 What a dish to set down before a man before breakfast 17:41 and after breakfast, 17:42 to prepare him for hearing the Word of God!" 17:44 In other words, he reads the paper 17:46 before he comes to church 17:47 and all he sees is crime, scandal, gossip, news, 17:50 politics, etc. 17:52 He continued, 17:53 "It makes it twice as hard to reach 17:56 those who go to the sanctuary 17:59 and keeps many away 18:00 from the house of worship altogether. 18:03 They read the paper, the time comes to go to church, 18:07 but it is said, 'Here is something interesting, 18:10 I will read it, and not go to church today.'" 18:14 So the purpose of this Sunday law 18:15 was to get people to go to church 18:17 so that they would be 18:18 willing to listen to the ministers. 18:20 There was a strong demand 18:22 for the abolishment of the Sunday paper. 18:25 Notice this quotation 18:26 which is in Civil Government Religion, 18:28 page 96. 18:30 "The laboring class 18:32 are apt to rise late on Sunday morning, 18:35 read the Sunday papers, 18:38 and allow the hour of worship to go by unheeded." 18:43 At the Elgin Convention, Dr. Everts 18:46 suggested the shutting down of the Sunday train. 18:50 Notice what his argument was. 18:52 "The Sunday train is another great evil. 18:56 They cannot afford to run a train 19:00 unless they get a great many passengers, 19:03 and so break up a great many congregations. 19:07 This Sunday railroad trains 19:10 are hurrying their passengers 19:12 fast on to perdition. 19:14 What an outrage that the railroad, 19:17 the great civilizer, 19:19 should destroy the Christian Sabbath!" 19:23 Let me just make a parenthesis here. 19:26 What about climate change? 19:28 Is it just possible that climate change 19:30 might be the catalyst to say that 19:33 people should set aside Sunday as the day of rest? 19:38 The Reverend M.A. Gault 19:40 of the National Reform Association 19:42 published an article 19:43 in the Christian Statesman on September 25, 1884, 19:48 where he criticized the railroad. 19:51 This is what he wrote, "This railroad," 19:54 he was talking about the Chicago 19:56 and Rock Island Railroad, 19:57 "This railroad has been running excursion trains 20:01 from Des Moines to Colfax Springs on the Sabbath," 20:05 he means Sunday, by the way, "for some time, 20:08 and the ministers complain that their members 20:12 go on these excursions." 20:14 In other words, the members were not coming to church. 20:17 Dr. Joseph Cook, 20:19 in the Boston Monday lectures in 1887, 20:23 stated that he did not want mere civil legislation, 20:28 he wanted the government 20:30 to propose religious legislation. 20:33 This is what he said, 20:36 "The experience of centuries shows, 20:38 however, that you will in vain endeavor 20:41 to preserve Sunday as a day of rest, 20:45 unless you preserve it as a day of worship. 20:48 Unless Sabbath observance be founded 20:50 upon religious reasons, 20:52 you will not long maintain it 20:55 at a high standard on the basis of economic and physiological 21:00 and political considerations only." 21:03 So in other words, he's saying, 21:04 you know, we can't say that 21:05 we need a Sunday law because of economic, 21:07 physiological and political reasons. 21:09 It has to be a religious Sunday Law. 21:13 The Elgin Convention voted the following resolution. 21:17 "Resolved, that we recognize the Sabbath," 21:21 he's talking about Sunday, 21:22 "the Sabbath as an institution of God, 21:25 revealed in nature and the Bible..." 21:28 I'd like to know where in the Bible 21:30 because the Bible doesn't say 21:31 anything about recognizing Sunday 21:34 as an institution of God. 21:36 So once again, "Resolved, 21:37 that we recognize the Sabbath as an institution of God, 21:40 revealed in nature and the Bible, 21:43 and of perpetual obligation on all men, 21:47 and also as a civil and American institution." 21:52 In other words, if you don't keep it, 21:54 you're not patriotic, you're not good American. 21:57 "Bound up in vital and historical connection 22:00 with the origin and foundation of our Government..." 22:02 He's talking about the period of the pilgrims 22:05 of the pre-puritans. 22:07 So once again, let me go back a little bit, 22:09 let's go to the beginning, 22:10 "Resolve, that we recognize 22:12 the Sabbath as an institution of God, 22:13 revealed in nature and the Bible, 22:15 and of perpetual obligation on all men, 22:18 and also as a civil and American institution, 22:21 bound up in vital and historical connection 22:23 with the origin and foundation of our Government, 22:26 the growth of our polity, 22:28 and necessary to be maintained in order for the preservation 22:32 and integrity of our national system, 22:36 and therefore as having a sacred claim 22:39 on all patriotic American citizens." 22:42 So if you didn't keep Sunday, 22:43 you are not a patriotic American citizen. 22:46 And he speaks about a need for a Sunday law 22:49 for the preservation 22:51 and integrity of our national system. 22:54 In other words, the subsistence of the nation, 22:57 according to him, 22:59 this convention depended on Sunday as the day of rest. 23:04 The same Elgin Convention stated the following, 23:08 "That we look with shame and sorrow 23:11 and the non-observance of the Sabbath..." 23:13 Once again, all these people 23:15 are using the word Sabbath for Sunday. 23:17 "That we look with shame 23:19 and sorrow on the non-observance 23:20 of the Sabbath by many Christian people, 23:23 in that the custom prevails 23:25 with them of purchasing Sabbath newspapers," 23:28 that's Sunday newspapers, 23:29 "engaging in and patronizing Sabbath business and travel," 23:33 that's Sunday business and travel, 23:35 "and in many instances, giving themselves to pleasure 23:38 and self-indulgence, 23:39 setting aside by neglect 23:42 and indifference the great duties 23:44 and privileges which God's day brings them." 23:48 God's day brings them? 23:50 Where does the Bible say that Sunday is God's day? 23:54 Absolutely nowhere. 23:56 Those who belong to this movement also wanted that 23:59 the United States be called by the Supreme Court, 24:03 a Christian nation. 24:05 They wanted to make it law that this was a Christian nation. 24:08 I read here from 24:11 The Women's Christian Temperance Union. 24:14 By the way, they were an organization 24:17 that was allied with the other organizations. 24:22 "The Women's Christian Temperance Union, local, State, 24:25 national and worldwide, has one vital organic thought, 24:30 one all-absorbing purpose, 24:33 one undying enthusiasm, 24:35 and that is that Christ shall be 24:38 this world's king, yea, verily, 24:42 THIS WORLD'S KING in its realm of cause and effect, 24:46 King of its courts, its camps, its commerce, 24:49 King of its colleges and cloisters, 24:52 King of its customs and constitutions... 24:55 The kingdom of Christ 24:56 must enter the realm of law through 24:59 the gate-way of politics." 25:02 How interesting. 25:03 The Christian Statesman, October 2, 1844 25:06 had this particular quotation, 25:08 "Give all men to understand that 25:11 this is a Christian nation, 25:13 and that believing that without Christianity we perish," 25:17 very interesting similar to what Caiaphas said back 25:20 in the times of Christ, "believing that 25:22 without Christianity we perish, 25:25 we must maintain by all right means our Christian character. 25:29 Inscribe this character on our Constitution... 25:33 Enforce upon all that come among us 25:36 the laws of Christian morality." 25:40 In the Christian Statesman, 25:42 December 24, 1885 we find these words. 25:46 "What the statesman designates as 'political atheism,' 25:50 is nothing more nor less than 25:52 the present form of Government..." 25:54 So they were criticizing the government 25:55 because it would not legislate religion, 25:57 they call it atheistic. 25:59 "What the Statesmen designates as 'political atheism,' 26:02 is nothing more nor less than 26:03 the present form of Government, 26:05 and the present Constitution of the United States. 26:09 To oppose National Reform is to them sheer atheism, 26:13 and to oppose the kind of Government 26:15 which they endorse is political atheism. 26:18 That no religious test shall be required of a civil ruler, 26:22 is declared by Reverend M. A. Gault 26:25 to be 'the infidel theory of Government.'" 26:30 Those who would belong to this movement 26:32 also believed in voter guides. 26:35 In other words they said, 26:36 you need to send out voter guides 26:38 so that people can pressure 26:40 the government to get a National Sunday law. 26:44 I read from the third resolution 26:46 of the Elgin Convention 26:47 concerning this particular issue. 26:50 "Resolved, that we give our votes 26:53 and support to those candidates 26:55 or political officers 26:57 who will pledge themselves to vote for the enactment 27:01 and enforcing of statutes 27:04 in favor of the civil Sabbath." 27:07 The Honorable John Cole, from Tingley, Iowa, 27:12 wrote in the Christian Statesmen, 27:14 September 16, 1886. 27:17 "If Congress does not find in our Constitution a basis 27:21 for Sabbath legislation, 27:23 then let us elect a Congress who will find such a basis." 27:28 We also find that they promoted 27:31 writing letters to the legislators 27:33 and putting the pressure on them for a Sunday Law. 27:37 Let's notice this a particular quotation 27:39 from Christian Statesmen, September 6, 1888. 27:43 "Let us begin without delay 27:45 the circulation of petitions, 27:48 to be furnished in proper form by the Association, 27:52 and let an opportunity be 27:53 given to all parts of the country 27:56 to make up a roll of petitions 27:58 so great that it will require a procession 28:02 of wheelbarrows to trundle 28:04 the mighty mass into the presence 28:06 of the representatives of the nation 28:08 in the House of Congress. 28:09 Let a mass of convention, 28:12 a mass convention of the friends 28:14 of the cause be held in Washington," 28:17 this is a mass meeting, 28:19 "when the Blair resolution shall be under discussion, 28:22 to accompany with its influence 28:24 the presentation of the petitions 28:26 and to take such other action 28:28 as may be deemed best to arouse the nation 28:32 to a genuine enthusiasm 28:33 in behalf of our national Christianity." 28:37 These are the words of John Alexander, 28:39 father of the National Reform Movement. 28:42 So you'll notice here that 28:44 they wanted to circulate petitions, 28:46 they wanted to have so many petitions 28:48 from so much of the populace 28:50 that they would actually need wheelbarrows 28:52 to take them to Washington 28:53 and then they said gather all the people together 28:55 to pressure the politicians. 28:58 The Reverend J.C.K. Milligan wrote 29:00 in the Christian Statesmen, 29:02 July 26, 1888, 29:04 "By letters to senators 29:06 and representatives in Congress, 29:08 by petitions numerously signed and forwarded to them, 29:14 by local, State, and national conventions held, 29:17 and public meetings in every school district, 29:19 such an influence can quickly be brought to bear 29:23 as will compel our legislators to adopt the measure 29:27 and enforce it by the needed legislation. 29:30 The Christian pulpits, if they would, 29:33 could secure its adoption before the dog-days end." 29:38 In the same issue of the Christian Statesmen, 29:41 the Reverend J.C.K. Milligan wrote, 29:44 "The changes will come gradually 29:47 and probably only after the whole framework 29:49 of Bible legislation has been thoroughly canvassed 29:53 by Congress and State Legislatures, 29:56 by the Supreme Court of the United States 29:58 and of the several States, and by lawyers and citizens, 30:02 an outpouring of the Spirit might soon secure it." 30:07 The Lansing Republican rebuked this particular desire 30:11 for a Sunday law. 30:12 This is one of the few voices 30:15 that was against this particular law. 30:18 This is what the Lansing Republicans said, 30:21 this was a magazine or newspaper. 30:24 "Thousands of men if called 30:25 upon to vote for such an Amendment 30:28 would hesitate to vote against God, 30:31 although they might not believe 30:32 that the Amendment is necessary, 30:34 or that it is right... 30:36 such an amendment would be likely 30:38 to receive an affirmative vote 30:41 which would by no means 30:42 indicate the true sentiment of the people. 30:45 Men who make politics a trade would hesitate 30:48 to record their names 30:49 against the proposed Constitutional Amendment, 30:52 advocated by 30:53 the great religious denominations of the land." 30:56 In other words, the politicians would feel pressured. 30:59 If they didn't go along, they wouldn't be elected. 31:02 It continues. 31:03 Let me go back a little ways, "Men who make politics a trade 31:06 would hesitate to record their names 31:08 against the proposed Constitutional Amendment, 31:10 advocated by the great religious 31:12 denominations of the land, 31:14 and endorsed by such men as Bishop Simpson, 31:18 Bishop McIlvaine, Bishop Eastburn, 31:21 President Finney, Professor Lewis, 31:23 Professor Seelye, Bishop Huntington, 31:26 Bishop Kerfoot, Dr. Patterson, 31:28 Dr. Cuyler, and many other divines 31:31 who are the representative 31:33 men of their respective denominations." 31:37 There was also a desire among Protestant denominations 31:40 to unite among themselves. 31:42 We find in the Christian Statesmen, 31:44 February 7, 1884, 31:46 the following words, 31:47 "We are different divisions of Immanuel's army. 31:51 The Methodists are the charging cavalry, 31:54 the Presbyterians the fighting infantry, 31:57 the Covenanters the batteries upon the heights. 32:00 We have one Commander-in-Chief, and under Him, we go forward, 32:04 one united phalanx against the common enemy. 32:07 And when the victory is gained, the army will be one, 32:11 and the Leader is one." 32:13 Ecumenism among the Protestant denominations. 32:18 They also wanted the pastors to be 32:20 the moral leaders of the nation. 32:24 I read from Reverend Mr. Milligan, 32:27 who described pastors 32:28 as the moral conscience of society 32:32 through the instrumentality of the state. 32:35 This is found in the book, Views of National Reform, 32:38 pages 9 and 10. 32:40 "The churches and the pulpits have much to do 32:43 with shaping and forming opinions 32:46 on all moral questions, 32:48 and with interpretations of Scripture on 32:50 moral and civil as well as on theological 32:53 and ecclesiastical points, and it is probable that 32:56 in the most universal gathering of our citizens about these, 33:01 the chief discussions 33:03 and the final decision of most points 33:06 will be developed there." 33:08 And basically what it's saying, the churches and the pulpits 33:11 will determine the laws to be passed. 33:13 "Many nations shall come... 33:15 Now he quotes scripture. 33:16 "Many nations shall come and say, 33:18 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, 33:22 and to the house of a God of Jacob, 33:24 and he will teach us of his ways, 33:28 and we will walk in his paths, 33:30 for the law shall go forth of Zion.'" 33:33 And then, after the quotation, we find these words, 33:36 "There certainly is no class of citizens 33:38 more intelligent, patriotic, and trustworthy 33:43 than the leaders and teachers in our churches." 33:48 So basically, the leaders of the churches 33:50 would pressure the people. 33:52 So the people and the ministers 33:54 would pressure the government 33:55 to impose this National Sunday law 33:57 and the declaration that 33:59 the United States is a Christian nation. 34:02 Also, they wanted to redefine 34:06 the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. 34:10 In 1874, the Pittsburgh Convention, 34:14 Professor Blanchard described 34:16 his view of the union of church and state. 34:20 And, of course, he's discussing here 34:21 the meaning of the establishment clause. 34:24 We understand the establishment clause 34:26 to mean that Congress can make 34:29 no law having anything to do with a religious observance. 34:33 But here is a reinterpretation of it. 34:35 "But union of church and state is the selection 34:38 by the nation of one church, 34:41 the endowment of such a church, 34:44 the appointment of its officers, 34:46 and oversight of its doctrines. 34:48 For such a union none of us plead. 34:51 To such a union, we are all opposed." 34:54 So in other words, he's saying that 34:56 what the first Amendment forbids 34:58 is selecting one church as a national church 35:02 above all other churches. 35:04 W.J. Coleman, another one of those 35:07 who belong to this movement 35:09 gave his meaning of the establishment clause. 35:12 "The first sentence of Article 1 of Amendments reads, 35:16 'Congress shall make 35:17 no law respecting an establishment of religion, 35:20 or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.' 35:23 This would be made consistent 35:25 with a proposed Amendment by substituting 35:28 the words 'a church' for 'religion', 35:31 making it read, 35:33 'Congress shall make no law respecting 35:36 an establishment of a church.' 35:38 This is what the Reform Association 35:40 believes should be 35:42 the rule in a rightly constituted state. 35:45 There should be religion, but no church.'" 35:46 In other words, 35:48 Congress can make laws regarding religion, 35:50 they just cannot establish national church. 35:53 I hope that you are listening to all of this, 35:55 because we're going to see that 35:57 in the 1980s and 1990s, 36:00 there was a very similar movement 36:02 in the United States of America. 36:05 Also, we find that those individuals 36:08 who wanted this Sunday law 36:10 embraced Roman Catholic principles. 36:13 I want you to notice 36:15 what one individual wrote in the Christian Statesmen, 36:17 December 11, 1884. 36:19 "We cordially, gladly, recognize the fact that 36:23 in South American Republics, 36:25 and in France, 36:27 and in other European countries, 36:29 the Roman Catholics are the recognized 36:31 advocates of National Christianity, 36:34 and stand opposed 36:36 to all the proposals of secularism." 36:39 So the enemy was secularism, the 1980s and 1990s, 36:42 that was called secular humanism. 36:46 So there's nothing new under the sun. 36:49 The National Reformers 36:50 and others wanted the same system 36:52 that Catholicism has 36:54 in Latin America, and in Europe. 36:58 A national religion enforced by law. 37:02 I want you to notice another statement, 37:04 Christian Statesmen, December 11, 1884. 37:08 "Whenever they," that is Roman Catholics, 37:11 "are willing to cooperate 37:13 in resisting the progress of political atheism," 37:16 or secular humanism, "we will gladly join hands." 37:20 That's an interesting expression. 37:22 "We will gladly join hands with them." 37:26 The Reverend Sylvester F. Scovell, 37:29 a leading national reformer, 37:31 supported uniting with Roman Catholics 37:34 for a National Sunday law. 37:36 Surprisingly, the suggestion 37:38 was that Protestants recruit the help of Roman Catholics 37:42 for National Sunday law. 37:43 This is how the suggestion reads, 37:47 "The common interest," 37:49 that is of all religious people in the Sunday, 37:52 "ought both to strengthen our determination to work 37:55 and our readiness to cooperate in every way 37:58 with a Roman Catholic fellow-citizens. 38:01 We may be subjected 38:03 to some rebuffs in our first proffers, 38:07 and the time is not yet come 38:10 when the Roman Church will consent to strike hands 38:13 with other churches..." 38:15 That's another interesting expression. 38:16 "Strike hands with other churches, as such, 38:20 but the time has come to make repeated advances," 38:23 this is Protestants towards Catholics, 38:25 "and gladly to accept cooperation 38:27 in any form in 38:28 which they may be willing to exhibit it. 38:31 It is one of the necessities of the situation." 38:35 They also wanted to introduce religious curriculum 38:39 into the public schools. 38:41 Notice what Senator Blair proposed. 38:44 This is the Senator 38:46 that was proposing the National Sunday law. 38:48 "I believe that a text-book of instruction 38:51 in the principles of virtue, 38:53 morality and of the Christian religion, 38:56 can be prepared for use in public schools, 38:59 by the joint effort of those who represent 39:02 every branch of the Christian church, 39:04 both Protestant and Catholic, 39:06 and also those who are not 39:08 actively associated with either." 39:10 In other words, Catholics and Protestants 39:12 and those who have no religions, 39:13 they could get together and prepare books 39:16 that promote the Christian religion 39:17 in public schools. 39:19 The Women's Christian Temperance Union, 39:22 which was allied in many ways 39:24 with the National Reform Association, 39:27 in its monthly reading September 1, 1886 39:31 has this statement. 39:32 "A true theocracy is yet to come 39:37 and the enthronement 39:38 of Christ in law and law-makers, 39:41 hence I pray devoutly, 39:43 as a Christian patriot, for the ballot 39:47 in the hands of women, and rejoice that 39:49 the National Women's Christian Temperance Union 39:53 has so long championed this cause." 39:57 They also wanted a theocracy 40:00 like in the colonial period, 40:01 where the ministers influenced the state 40:04 to propose religious legislation. 40:07 Professor Blanchard in the Elgin Convention 40:11 shared his view of the role of ministers 40:14 in this new theocracy that was being proposed. 40:17 I quote, "In this work, 40:20 we are undertaking for the Sabbath, 40:24 we are the representatives of God." 40:27 That's what Professor Blanchard is saying, we the ministers, 40:29 the teachers, we are the representatives of God 40:32 in this work of getting a Sunday law. 40:36 Also we find this statement, 40:39 "The government of Israel was a theocracy, 40:42 the will of God was made known to the ruler 40:44 by the prophets, 40:46 the ruler compelled 40:48 the officers of the law to prevent the ungodly 40:51 from selling goods on the Sabbath. 40:53 The government is to be made a theocracy, 40:56 the preachers are the successors 40:58 of the prophets, 40:59 and they are to compel the officers of the law 41:02 to prevent all selling of goods 41:05 and all manner of work on Sunday." 41:07 The ministers influencing the politicians 41:11 for religious legislation. 41:13 Dr. Crafts, the general secretary 41:16 for the National Sunday Law Union, 41:19 said the following, 41:20 "The preachers are the successors 41:23 of the prophets." 41:25 In the Cincinnati National Reform Convention, 41:27 Professor J. R. W. Sloane, doctor in divinity, 41:32 this was in 1872, said the following, 41:36 "Every government by equitable laws 41:38 is a government of God. 41:40 A republic thus governed is of Him through the people, 41:45 and is as truly really a theocracy 41:48 as the commonwealth of Israel." 41:49 In other words, they wanted a theocracy 41:51 in the United States 41:52 just like existed during the colonial period. 41:56 The president's annual address 41:59 in the Nashville Convention of 1887, 42:02 we find these words, 42:04 "The Women's Christian Temperance Union, local, State, 42:08 national and worldwide, 42:10 has one vital, organic thought, 42:13 one all observing purpose, 42:15 one undying enthusiasm, 42:17 and that is that Christ shall be 42:19 this world's King, yea, verily, 42:21 THIS WORLD'S KING, 42:23 in its realm of cause and effect, 42:25 King of its courts, its camps, 42:27 its commerce, 42:28 King of its colleges and cloisters, 42:30 King of its customs and constitutions. 42:33 The kingdom of Christ 42:34 must enter the realm of law 42:36 through the gateway of politics. 42:39 We pray Heaven to give no rest, 42:42 until they shall swear an oath of allegiance 42:45 to Christ in politics, 42:47 and march in one great army 42:49 up to the polls to worship God." 42:53 They also were teaching that they needed to disenfranchise 42:57 those who disagreed with the National Sunday law. 43:00 The Reverend E.B. Graham, at the National Convention 43:03 in York, Nebraska, stated the following, 43:07 "We might add, in all justice, 43:10 if the opponents of the Bible 43:11 do not like our government and its Christian features, 43:14 let them go to some wild, desolate land, 43:18 and in the name of the devil, and for the sake of the devil, 43:21 subdue it, and set up 43:23 a Government of their own on infidel and atheistic ideas, 43:28 and then, if they can stand it, stay there till they die." 43:34 The Reverend John Calvin Knox Milligan 43:37 wrote in the Christian Statesmen, 43:40 "When the Amendment is adopted, 43:42 how will it act upon the civil 43:44 and political rights of infidels, Jews, etc.?" 43:48 In other words, how's the Amendment 43:49 going to affect these people? 43:51 And then he answers, 43:52 "This depends largely upon themselves. 43:55 The worst result will be to disenfranchise them." 44:00 The Reverend M.A. Gault, 44:02 a district secretary of the association, 44:05 said the following, 44:07 "Our remedy 44:08 for all these malefic influences 44:10 is to have the Government 44:11 simply set up the moral law 44:13 and recognize God's authority behind it, 44:16 and lay its hand on any religion 44:18 that does not conform to it." 44:21 We find in the Christian Statesmen, 44:23 October 2, 1844, 44:25 these words, "Give all men to understand that 44:28 this is a Christian nation, 44:31 and that believing that without Christianity we perish, 44:34 we must maintain by all means 44:36 our Christian character. 44:37 Inscribe this character on our Constitution. 44:41 Enforce upon all who come among us 44:44 the laws of Christian morality." 44:48 W. J. Coleman, on November 1, 1883, 44:52 wrote in a publication called 44:54 The Truth Seeker, the following, 44:57 "What effect would the adoption 44:59 of the Christian Amendment together 45:00 with the proposed changes in the Constitution, 45:03 have upon those who deny that God is sovereign, 45:06 Christ is the Ruler and the Bible the law? 45:09 This brings up the conscience question at once... 45:12 The classes who would object are as 'Truth Seeker' has said, 45:17 Jews, infidels, atheists and others. 45:21 These classes are perfectly satisfied 45:23 with the Constitution as it is. 45:26 How would they stand towards it 45:28 if it recognized the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ? 45:32 To be perfectly plain, 45:33 I believe that the existence of a Christian Constitution 45:37 would disenfranchise 45:39 every logically consistent infidel." 45:43 In a letter dated December 14, 1887, 45:47 the Reverend W. T. McConnell of Youngstown, Ohio, 45:51 published in the Christian Nation, 45:53 an open letter to the editor of the American Sentinel. 45:58 This is what he wrote, 45:59 "The fool-hardy fellow 46:02 who persists in standing on a railroad track, 46:05 may well anticipate trouble 46:07 when he hears the rumble of the coming train. 46:10 If he shall read the signs of the times 46:12 in the screaming whistle, and flaming head-light, 46:16 he may change his position 46:17 and avoid the danger, 46:19 but if he won't be influenced by these, 46:21 his most gloomy forebodings 46:23 of trouble will be realized 46:25 when the express train strikes him." 46:27 Now comes the comparison. 46:29 "So you, neighbor, if, through prejudice 46:32 or the enmity of unregenerate hearts, 46:35 you have determined 46:36 to oppose the progress of this nation, 46:38 in fulfilling its vocation as an instrument 46:42 in the divine work of regenerating human society, 46:45 you may expect trouble. 46:47 It will be sure to come to you." 46:51 What was the conclusion of this push 46:55 for a National Sunday law? 46:58 Persecution, folks, 47:00 because whenever that church influences 47:02 the state to enact its laws, 47:06 the immediate result is persecution. 47:08 All throughout history, this is very, very clear. 47:11 The National Reform WCTCU Convention 47:15 at Lakeside, Ohio in 1887, 47:18 had someone make this particular statement. 47:21 "There is a law in the State of Arkansas enforcing Sunday 47:25 observance among the people, and the result has been that 47:30 many good persons have not only been imprisoned, 47:34 but have lost their property and even their lives." 47:39 To which Dr. McCallister, one of the individuals 47:42 who was pushing for the Sunday law replied, 47:45 "It is better than a few should suffer 47:48 than that the whole nation should lose its Sabbath." 47:50 Do you hear Caiaphas here by any chance? 47:54 In other words, for the good of the nation, 47:56 the few who keep the Sabbath, 47:59 the real biblical Sabbath need to suffer. 48:03 In 556 AD, Pope Pelagius 48:08 called upon narcists to compel certain parties 48:12 to obey the pope's commands. 48:15 Narcists objected to which the pope responded, 48:20 "Be not alarmed at the idle talk of some, 48:23 crying out against persecution, 48:25 and reproaching the church 48:27 as if she delighted in cruelty 48:30 when she punishes evil 48:31 with wholesome severities 48:33 or procures the salvation of souls. 48:36 He alone persecutes who forces to do evil. 48:41 But to restrain men from doing evil, 48:44 or to punish those who have done it, 48:46 is not persecution or cruelty, but love of mankind." 48:50 Unbelievable. 48:52 John Cotton, during the colonial period 48:55 have these words, 48:56 "Persecution is not wrong in itself. 48:59 It is wicked for falsehood to persecute truth, 49:03 but it is a sacred duty 49:05 of truth to persecute falsehood." 49:08 Thus, in the Virginia Sunday law 49:11 of 1610, during the colonial period, 49:14 attendance at church was required on Sunday, 49:19 twice a day with economic fines for the two, 49:23 first two offenses 49:25 and to suffer death for the third. 49:28 A minister in Selma, California 49:30 just a short ways from here stated 49:32 in September 1888, 49:34 "We have laws to punish 49:37 the man who steals our property, 49:39 but we have no law to prevent people 49:42 from working on Sunday. 49:44 It is right that the thief be punished, 49:47 but I have more sympathy for that man 49:50 than I have for him that works on that day." 49:53 More sympathy for the thief 49:56 than for someone who works on Sunday. 49:58 Are you catching the mood of the time? 50:01 Amazing. 50:02 In the United States of America, 50:04 the land of the free and the home of the brave, 50:07 forget the lessons of history. 50:09 And those lessons of history will be repeated. 50:13 Seventh-day Adventists were persecuted 50:15 during this period. 50:17 In Arkansas and Tennessee, Seventh-day Adventists 50:20 were persecuted during these times 50:23 for not observing Sunday as the day of rest. 50:26 Their property was confiscated, and many had to pay fines. 50:32 Others were imprisoned, and some even lost their lives. 50:36 You say, "Well, how do you know this?" 50:38 Well, if you really want the documentation, 50:41 go to the book Civil Government and Religion by A.T. Jones, 50:44 who was the person who testified 50:46 before this Senate committee. 50:49 In his book, 50:51 he documents 21 specific cases 50:56 with proper names of the accused, places, 51:01 names of the judges, the charges and the penalties 51:07 for Seventh-day Adventists 51:09 who were not abiding by the idea 51:11 that there needed to be a Sunday law. 51:14 In The Century of Publication for April 1888, 51:18 Mr. Kennan described the statutes of Russia 51:22 on the subject of crimes against the faith. 51:25 He quoted statute after statute in the statutes of Russia. 51:31 And I want you to notice exactly 51:33 what he had to say, 51:35 "Providing that whosoever 51:37 shall censure the Christian faith..." 51:39 This is the Russian statutes back at that time. 51:43 "Providing that whoever shall censure 51:46 the Christian faith, 51:47 or the Orthodox Church," 51:48 which was the church there in Russia, 51:50 "or the Scriptures, 51:51 or the holy sacraments, 51:53 or the saints, or their images, 51:55 or the Virgin Mary, or the angels, 51:58 or Christ, or God," 52:01 what needs to be done with people 52:03 who centers the Christian faith 52:06 or the Orthodox Church, here's the answer, 52:08 "shall be deprived of all civil rights, 52:11 and exiled for life 52:13 to the most remote parts of Siberia. 52:18 This is the system in Russia, and it is in direct line 52:22 with the wishes 52:23 of the National Reform Association." 52:25 This is someone who is critical 52:28 of what the National Reform Movement wanted. 52:31 He's saying that what was done in Russia 52:34 is what the National Reform Movement wanted. 52:37 So once again, "This is the system in Russia, 52:40 and it is the direct line of the wishes 52:43 of the National Reform Association, 52:46 with this difference, however, 52:48 that Russia is content to send dissenters to Siberia, 52:53 while the National Reformers 52:54 want to send them to the Devil, straight." 52:59 You know, the Soviet Union organize 53:01 the citizens so that they would snitch 53:04 on potential enemies of the state. 53:07 Is this any different than people today 53:11 snitching to those who do not wear masks, 53:14 or those who do not practice social distancing? 53:17 Local and state governments even have phone numbers 53:20 and websites, where neighbors can snitch on neighbors 53:24 and citizens on citizens. 53:27 The Reverend W.M. Greer 53:30 of Due West, South Carolina, 53:33 at the Philadelphia Convention wrote this, 53:36 "Every sin, secret or public, against God, 53:41 is a sin against our country, 53:43 and is high treason against the State." 53:49 Wow. 53:50 This might have been information overload for you. 53:54 Because I've read many, many statements, 53:56 you know, it's difficult to just be here 53:59 and read because on the screen, 54:01 you're gonna see graphic after graphic after graphic, 54:03 but the reason why I did this is 54:06 because you need to see the documentation 54:09 of what was happening back then. 54:11 I could tell you that it was going on. 54:14 And you would say, 54:15 "Well, you know, what he's saying isn't true." 54:17 But when you have the documentation 54:19 straight in front of you, 54:20 you can know what happened during that time. 54:24 So strange things, folks, 54:27 happen in a time of national emergency. 54:31 Back then, it was a Civil War and Reconstruction. 54:35 And you'll notice that 54:36 there was problems with liquor and with tobacco, 54:39 and with partying and with crime in society. 54:43 And so they said the best way to deal 54:45 with this is to get the nation to come back to God. 54:47 And keep Sunday like happened during the colonial period, 54:51 on the part of the pilgrims, 54:53 on the part of the puritans as they came to be called. 54:57 And so, folks, you say, "Well, you know, this is past. 55:00 This happened back in the 19th century. 55:04 But we're living in the 21st century. 55:07 And this could never happen 55:09 in the United States of America, 55:10 you know, we have a Supreme Court, 55:12 we have First Amendment to the Constitution, Congress 55:15 shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, 55:18 nor forbidding the free exercise thereof. 55:20 So we're secure, we are not going to go through 55:25 the same experience again." 55:28 Folks, those who forget the lessons of the past, 55:34 will repeat those lessons, negative lessons in the future. 55:40 So it's very important for us to study history, 55:44 because history has a tendency to repeat itself. 55:47 Now in our next study together, 55:51 we are going to take a look at events that took place 55:57 in the 1980s and the 1990s, 56:01 and even early into the 2000s. 56:04 And we're going to notice that 56:06 many of the same arguments that were used 56:10 by the National Reformers back in the 1880s, 56:15 were used during that time period as well. 56:18 That includes joining forces with Roman Catholics. 56:22 It includes getting Protestant denominations 56:25 to work together. 56:26 It includes having 56:27 the United States be a theocracy. 56:30 It includes including religious instruction 56:34 into the Constitution, or into our public schools. 56:38 It includes having voter guides. 56:40 It includes all of these characteristics 56:42 that we had back in the 1880s. 56:47 They also were proposing that it was necessary 56:50 for the church to return to the observance of Sunday 56:54 as the day of rest. 56:55 Now we're going to take a look at that, 56:57 once again, I'm going to share 57:00 with you many, many quotations, 57:03 because it's important that 57:04 you have these resources right 57:07 before your eyes so that you know that 57:09 I'm not just creating these things, 57:12 that you know that they are well documented, 57:15 and they actually took place. 57:17 And so, folks, Ellen White once said some very wise words. 57:23 She said that those who forget the past. 57:28 I'm just paraphrasing. 57:29 Those who forget the past will be in deep trouble. 57:34 Specifically she says that 57:39 if we forget how God has led us, 57:42 and His teaching in the past, we have nothing, 57:46 we have everything to fear in the future. 57:51 But if we remember the past, 57:53 we have nothing to fear of the future. 57:56 So don't miss our next study in this series on Matthew 24. |
Revised 2021-09-24