14. What is the purpose of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America?
“That the great Christian bodies of our country should stand together” in dealing with “questions like those of marriage and divorce, Sabbath desecration, social evils.” etc.—“Report of Federal Council” (1908), pages 5, 6.
15. How does it propose that the matter of “Sabbath desecration” shall be dealt with?
“That all encroachments upon the claims and the sanctities of the Lord's day should be stoutly resisted through the press, the Lord's day associations and alliances, and by such legislation as may be secured to protect and preserve this bulwark of our American Christianity.”—Id., page 103.
Note.—Thus it will be seen that the securing of laws for the enforcement of Sunday observance is a prominent feature in all these organizations in their efforts to “Christianize” the nation. In doing this many fail to see that they are repudiating the principles of Christianity, of Protestantism, and of the United States government, and playing directly into the hand of that power which originated the Sunday sabbath, and gained control of the civil power through Sunday legislation—the Papacy.
16. What action of the American Federation of Catholic Societies indicates that Catholics will gladly “join hands” with Protestants in enforcing Sunday observance by law?
“Our societies in the various parts of the United States have been urging the abolition of Sunday labor, and have indorsed and assisted the movement of closing the post-office on Sunday.”—Tenth Annual Convention of American Federation of Catholic Societies, Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 20-24, 1911.
Notes.—With the active cooperation of the Lord's Day Alliance of the United States, a Protestant organization, a proviso was attached to the post-office appropriation bill, 1912, requiring that “hereafter post-offices of the first and second classes shall not be opened on Sundays for the purpose of delivering mail to the general public.”
The following resolution was adopted by the Boston Archdiocesan Federation of Catholic Societies:—
“We are unalterably opposed to any relaxation of the Sunday laws. Sunday is a day of rest to be devoted to the praise and service of God. We hold the safest public policy at present is to adhere to the rigid observance of the laws now safeguarding the sanctity of the Lord's day.”—Boston Pilot, official organ of Cardinal O'Connell, March 16, 1912.