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Story
May 18, 1830
Daily Richmond Whig
Richmond, Virginia
What is this article about?
The Christian Journal argues against suppressing Sunday mails, viewing it as an improper union of church and state that undermines true Christianity. Such efforts are seen as misguided zeal potentially leading to government opposition to religion, emphasizing persuasion over coercion for Sabbath observance.
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OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The Christian Journal has given to the public an excellent article in relation to the effect of the attempts to suppress Sunday mails. The substance of the article is, that "unadulterated christianity disclaims all connexion with, and all dependence upon, the secular power;" that for the extension of her cause, and the enforcement of her precepts, "she accepts of no other aids than those derived from the authority of her omnipotent founder:" that all efforts to assimilate civil government and religion "have only proved subversive of the latter:" that the endeavors to bring government into a union with christianity, "to support the sanctity of the Sabbath," are "a virtual hostility to the religion of the divine Redeemer," and would "lead to more vigorous endeavors for a still closer alliance, till at last the carcase of the christian church would be embraced by the State, while her soul, her life, her purity, had died forever."
The Journal stigmatises the measures taken to unite Church and State as a "blind infatuation, equally impolitic and hopeless." "That such is the character of all the recent movements with regard to Sunday mails, there is not a vestige of doubt;" and "the like movements, if persisted in by the frenzy of misguided zeal, may excite the civil government, which has so long kindly tolerated the christian religion, to an open and declared opposition to its progress." Men are to be persuaded to observe the christian sabbath: No authority to coerce its observance is to be found in the Scriptures, reason or common sense.
The truth is, and every reflecting man must perceive it, that the persevering and pressing efforts to induce government to suspend its operations on Sunday, with a view to enforce the sanctity of that day, are no better in spirit than the attempts in former times to propagate the Gospel by fire and sword, and are, with apparent justice, ascribed by the Christian Journal to "occult views to the future aggrandizement of a particular sect."
The Christian Journal has given to the public an excellent article in relation to the effect of the attempts to suppress Sunday mails. The substance of the article is, that "unadulterated christianity disclaims all connexion with, and all dependence upon, the secular power;" that for the extension of her cause, and the enforcement of her precepts, "she accepts of no other aids than those derived from the authority of her omnipotent founder:" that all efforts to assimilate civil government and religion "have only proved subversive of the latter:" that the endeavors to bring government into a union with christianity, "to support the sanctity of the Sabbath," are "a virtual hostility to the religion of the divine Redeemer," and would "lead to more vigorous endeavors for a still closer alliance, till at last the carcase of the christian church would be embraced by the State, while her soul, her life, her purity, had died forever."
The Journal stigmatises the measures taken to unite Church and State as a "blind infatuation, equally impolitic and hopeless." "That such is the character of all the recent movements with regard to Sunday mails, there is not a vestige of doubt;" and "the like movements, if persisted in by the frenzy of misguided zeal, may excite the civil government, which has so long kindly tolerated the christian religion, to an open and declared opposition to its progress." Men are to be persuaded to observe the christian sabbath: No authority to coerce its observance is to be found in the Scriptures, reason or common sense.
The truth is, and every reflecting man must perceive it, that the persevering and pressing efforts to induce government to suspend its operations on Sunday, with a view to enforce the sanctity of that day, are no better in spirit than the attempts in former times to propagate the Gospel by fire and sword, and are, with apparent justice, ascribed by the Christian Journal to "occult views to the future aggrandizement of a particular sect."
What sub-type of article is it?
Historical Event
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Sunday Mails
Church State Separation
Sabbath Observance
Religious Policy
Christianity Purity
What entities or persons were involved?
Christian Journal
Story Details
Key Persons
Christian Journal
Story Details
The Christian Journal critiques attempts to suppress Sunday mails as harmful unions of church and state, arguing that true Christianity relies on divine authority alone, not secular power, and such efforts could lead to the corruption or opposition to religion.