TO COMPEL IS SATANIC

It is a characteristic of Satan to compel, and every effort to compel in any way the consciences of men is Satanic. Every effort to compel the consciences of men in any way, whether it be the Sabbath or any other matter at issue, is Satanic. God wins by the power of love; God leaves every one free to choose; Satan tries to compel. And every law of any kind or nature tending to control, to bind men’s consciences in their relation to God, is purely Satanic. And every effort to put laws upon the statute books of this country, compelling any religious observance whatsoever, is an effort gotten up by, controlled by, and in the interest of, Satan. Every one who by vote or by voice helps on this work of compelling the consciences of men by law, is being used as an agent of Satan. It is purely Satanic from first to last, and the results will be Satanic. That is, these efforts will end in utter ruin and destruction; they will end in the utter ruin of any church that takes hold of them; they will end in the utter ruin of any State that is controlled by them; they will end in the utter ruin of every individual who yields obedience to them.CAS 38.2

In every country Sunday laws are coming to the front. At the present time the agitation is world-wide. Everywhere the enforcement of Sunday-keeping by law is being agitated. It is the manifestation of a rival power against Jesus Christ, and the question is for every one, To whom shall I yield my allegiance? and the mark of whose power shall I receive?CAS 38.3

The conception of a “civil Sabbath,” or the “civil side of the Sabbath,” is a recent invention, adopted under the stress of the situation, in order to open the door for Sunday laws.CAS 39.1

Every effort to compel the conscience is Satanic, and the results will be Satanic. But while there is this power now being manifested in the earth, attempting to control the consciences of men in this very matter of the observance of Sunday as the Sabbath, there is an increasing power in the love of Jesus Christ, and it is drawing souls to him. It is drawing true Christians of every name and denomination to rally around the standard of Prince Immanuel. It is drawing everywhere those who hear the truth; they gladly turn to Jesus Christ and his power in salvation. “There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.” Our hope can be well founded only when it is founded in Jesus Christ. And the Sabbath of the Lord, the day instituted by Jesus Christ himself, blessed by him, sanctified by him, hallowed by him, is the sign to every Christian of his power to save. It is the measure of his Christian experience, his growth in grace, and his knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.CAS 39.2

Receive Jesus Christ, the only Saviour, and receive his Sabbath, the sign of what he is to every one who believes in him.CAS 39.3

Declaration of Principles
-of The-
International Religious Liberty Association.

We believe in the religion taught by Jesus Christ.CAS 39.4

We believe in temperance, and regard the liquor traffic as a curse to society.CAS 39.5

We believe in supporting the civil government, and submitting to its authority.CAS 39.6

We deny the right of any civil government to legislate on religious questions.CAS 39.7

We believe it is the right, and should be the privilege, of every man to worship according to the dictates of his own conscience.CAS 39.8

We also believe it to be our duty to use every lawful and honorable means to prevent religious legislation by the civil government; that we and our fellow-citizens may enjoy the inestimable blessings of both religious and civil liberty.CAS 39.9