ITS ULTERIOR PURPOSE

By every count in the indictment then, it is demonstrated that the original, native, and inherent character of Sunday legislation abides ever the same—exclusively and specifically religious and ecclesiastical.SLOC 28.3

And the ulterior purpose in Sunday legislation is likewise ever the same. We have seen that in the original Sunday legislation the ulterior purpose was “the formation of a sacerdotal State, subordinating the secular to itself in a false and outward way”; and the making effective of “the determination” of the ecclesiastics “to make use of the power of the State for the furtherance of their aims.”SLOC 28.4

And that is precisely the ulterior purpose of it now. Congress and legislatures are constantly besieged; legislators are persistently pestered, and even threatened, by ecclesiastics now, as the imperial office was then, always for Sunday legislation, and more Sunday legislation. It matters not how much of such legislation there may be already on the statute books, still the persistent demand is that there shall be more, and more, and yet more; and it is all dictated, when it is not actually framed, by the interested ecclesiastics themselves, and in terms more and more approaching the Inquisition, precisely as by those other ecclesiastics at the first.SLOC 29.1

We need not follow the subject further here. The evidences here presented show that the character of Sunday legislation is ever only exclusively and specifically religious and ecclesiastical; that, therefore, in the United States it is unconstitutional and un-American; and that everywhere it is un-Godly and anti-Christian.SLOC 29.2

This Nation of the United States of America was planted and grew up “The Classic Land of Religious Liberty.” By this one thing above all others this Nation became the leader of the world unto the better, truer, and grander things that are most becoming to nations.SLOC 30.1

But instead of the States of the Union allowing themselves to be led into this better, truer, and grander way of the Nation, these have been swung back to the old way of religious legislation, of the recognition of religion in law and government, and of religious persecution.SLOC 30.2

And, not content with this, the ecclesiastical schemers for their own and governmental domination in religion are bending every energy to turn the Nation back into the same old way of religious legislation, of the recognition of religion in law and government, and of religious persecution.SLOC 30.3

And only California now remains true to the original, Christian, Protestant, and American principle of separation of religion and the State, of the inalienable rights of conscience, and of religious liberty. And now in this campaign year, and in this very campaign itself, there is being made a strenuous but subtle effort by combined ecclesiastical influences to bring California under ecclesiastical domination of the same old sort by trading with candidates for the legislature, ecclesiastical influence and votes for pledges to favor the enacting of Sunday legislation in this State, when the next legislature shall assemble in session.SLOC 30.4

Will the people of California allow to win, this latest effort of designing ecclesiastics “to make use of the power of the State for the furtherance of their aims?” Will the people of California preserve to themselves and for the world their rights of conscience and of religious liberty, or will they listlessly allow themselves to be robbed of these constitutional, inalienable, and inestimable rights?SLOC 31.1

The United States was set to lead, and has led, the world as “the classic land of religious liberty.” California is leading the United States. Of all the States and Nations of the world, to California alone belongs the high honor and noble distinction of having no religious legislation. California also alone possesses the equally honorable distinction of having upon her official records the only supreme court decision that was ever rendered in accord with the fundamental principle and Constitutional guaranty of the rights of conscience and religious liberty. And to the people of California there belongs the unique distinction as well as the splendid honor, of having, by their votes in a general campaign and election, actually and overwhelmingly swept out of existence in this State the religious despotism of Sunday Legislation.SLOC 31.2

Will California now throw away her position and honor of this splendid leadership of the world, and allow herself to be dragged down from her high and noble estate and made the tail-end of a weak and mewling train, ecclesiastically led, moving back and down to the old and hateful paths of ecclesiastical domination, religious despotism, and wicked persecution?SLOC 32.1

Nay, nay: Will not California the rather keep forever, and forever unsullied, her high and noble distinction of being at the head of the grand procession of the States and Nations of the world, to lead them on, and on, and on, in the bright pathway of religious liberty enlightening the world?SLOC 32.2

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This leaflet is the reprint of the last chapter of the latest book by Alonzo T. Jones—“The Divine Right of Individuality in Religion, or Religious Liberty Complete.”SLOC 32.3

The leaflet can be had on application to the author at any of the following addresses:SLOC 32.4

Battle Creek, Michigan.SLOC 32.5

3312 Harney Street, Omaha, Nebraska.SLOC 32.6

265 Main Street, Montrose, Colorado.SLOC 32.7

1060 Q Street, Fresno, California.SLOC 32.8