If the reader would understand the agencies to be employed in the soon-coming contest, he has but to trace the record of the means which Rome employed for the same object in ages past. If he would know how papists and Protestants united will deal with those who reject their dogmas, let him see the spirit which Rome manifested toward the Sabbath and its defenders.

September 14, 2022

in Opinion Quoted And Adopted For Reproof and Correction

It would be a wonder if many people today remember the Blue Law in Missouri, or even care so far as that is concerned.

The law prohibited the sale of certain items on Sunday. Missouri was once one of the few states in the Union that hung onto the Blue Laws that had come out of the deep past. What they did, by actual laws of the state, was to prohibit sales of certain merchandise and items on the Sabbath.

As the Protestant churches reject the clear, Scriptural arguments in defense of God’s law, they will long to silence those whose faith they cannot overthrow by the Bible. Though they blind their own eyes to the fact, they are now adopting a course which will lead to the persecution of those who conscientiously refuse to do what the rest of the Christian world are doing, and acknowledge the claims of the papal sabbath.
The dignitaries of church and state will unite to bribe, persuade, or compel all classes to honor the Sunday. The lack of divine authority will be supplied by oppressive enactments. Political corruption is destroying love of justice and regard for truth; and even in free America, rulers and legislators, in order to secure public favor, will yield to the popular demand for a law enforcing Sunday observance. Liberty of conscience, which has cost so great a sacrifice, will no longer be respected. In the soon-coming conflict we shall see exemplified the prophet’s words: “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17. GC 592.2 – GC 592.3

The Democrat, at the time, took the stand that there was nothing wrong with limitations to what could be purchased or sold on the Sabbath. The common practice was to put these particular items in one place in a store where they could be covered on Sunday, or the store would simply close on that day, which their employees certainly enjoyed.

In the movements now in progress in the United States to secure for the institutions and usages of the church the support of the state, Protestants are following in the steps of papists. Nay, more, they are opening the door for the papacy to regain in Protestant America the supremacy which she has lost in the Old World. And that which gives greater significance to this movement is the fact that the principal object contemplated is the enforcement of Sunday observance—a custom which originated with Rome, and which she claims as the sign of her authority. It is the spirit of the papacy—the spirit of conformity to worldly customs, the veneration for human traditions above the commandments of God—that is permeating the Protestant churches and leading them on to do the same work of Sunday exaltation which the papacy has done before them.
If the reader would understand the agencies to be employed in the soon-coming contest, he has but to trace the record of the means which Rome employed for the same object in ages past. If he would know how papists and Protestants united will deal with those who reject their dogmas, let him see the spirit which Rome manifested toward the Sabbath and its defenders.
Royal edicts, general councils, and church ordinances sustained by secular power were the steps by which the pagan festival attained its position of honor in the Christian world. The first public measure enforcing Sunday observance was the law enacted by Constantine. (A.D. 321; see Appendix note for page 53.) This edict required townspeople to rest on “the venerable day of the sun,” but permitted countrymen to continue their agricultural pursuits. Though virtually a heathen statute, it was enforced by the emperor after his nominal acceptance of Christianity.
The royal mandate not proving a sufficient substitute for divine authority, Eusebius, a bishop who sought the favor of princes, and who was the special friend and flatterer of Constantine, advanced the claim that Christ had transferred the Sabbath to Sunday. Not a single testimony of the Scriptures was produced in proof of the new doctrine. Eusebius himself unwittingly acknowledges its falsity and points to the real authors of the change. “All things,” he says, “whatever that it was duty to do on the Sabbath, these we have transferred to the Lord’s Day.”—Robert Cox, Sabbath Laws and Sabbath Duties, page 538. But the Sunday argument, groundless as it was, served to embolden men in trampling upon the Sabbath of the Lord. All who desired to be honored by the world accepted the popular festival.
As the papacy became firmly established, the work of Sunday exaltation was continued. GC 573.1 – GC 574.3

In memory is one drug store in Cassville that sold liquor on shelves at the entrance to the store. To comply with Missouri Blue Laws, that section of the shelves had a convenient cloth cover that could be lowered to cover the stock of whisky being offered for sale.

Yet this very class put forth the claim that the fast-spreading corruption is largely attributable to the desecration of the so-called “Christian sabbath,” and that the enforcement of Sunday observance would greatly improve the morals of society. This claim is especially urged in America, where the doctrine of the true Sabbath has been most widely preached. GC 587.1

This didn’t prohibit backroom sales of liquor or any other item on the negative list, which was frequently a note of contention between the buyer and seller.

Satan’s policy in this final conflict with God’s people is the same that he employed in the opening of the great controversy in heaven. He professed to be seeking to promote the stability of the divine government, while secretly bending every effort to secure its overthrow. And the very work which he was thus endeavoring to accomplish he charged upon the loyal angels. The same policy of deception has marked the history of the Roman Church. It has professed to act as the vicegerent of Heaven, while seeking to exalt itself above God and to change His law. Under the rule of Rome, those who suffered death for their fidelity to the gospel were denounced as evildoers; they were declared to be in league with Satan; and every possible means was employed to cover them with reproach, to cause them to appear in the eyes of the people and even to themselves as the vilest of criminals. So it will be now. While Satan seeks to destroy those who honor God’s law, he will cause them to be accused as lawbreakers, as men who are dishonoring God and bringing judgments upon the world.
God never forces the will or the conscience; but Satan’s constant resort—to gain control of those whom he cannot otherwise seduce—is compulsion by cruelty. Through fear or force he endeavors to rule the conscience and to secure homage to himself. To accomplish this, he works through both religious and secular authorities, moving them to the enforcement of human laws in defiance of the law of God. GC 591.1 – GC 591.2

Missouri, and others discovered about this time a good revenue source was a small tax on about anything that crossed a counter, it was the sales tax.

Adopted in Missouri in 1934, a general state sales tax was collected via a small percentage of the selling price of each item, it was called the “millage” tax. Missouri first provided paper “mills” that were quickly determined unsuitable due to wear and becoming absolutely filthy after a short period of use.

Then came the metal “mills,” that, if people desired, they could carry around and use in making payment. This tax method worked awhile until those making the laws discovered the public would accept a penny just as easily as any other amount.

This was well and good for emergency needs, but had no ending date in the proposition, or was so far out in the future it was quickly forgotten by those bearing the cost.

Not all that long ago, on some TV program, a person had a rather large amount of the metal sales tax tokens from some state and was trying to sell as antiques. They were not valued sufficiently enough to carry to the program.

Wonder if that is called “deflation?”

Soon every government entity would get in the act of having an emergency and needing a sales tax to pay the bill.

There are situations and levies on the books today that are buying equipment that could bring questions from administrators or lawmakers of today. Then there are others that once a need is completed, the sales tax needs to be once again examined as to need.

The original Barry County tax is typical, passed when this level of government was broke and much needed courthouse repairs were a necessity. But now, it is being used partly so the salary commission can determine payment to office holders either directly or substituting for other sources. Not the original intent of any of the taxes accepted, some many years ago.

There are any number of services provided for people today that naturally need to have a financial support behind them. Some folks choose to label this socialism. It’s really paying for government to do for the person that which they desire.

It is God that shields His creatures and hedges them in from the power of the destroyer. But the Christian world have shown contempt for the law of Jehovah; and the Lord will do just what He has declared that He would—He will withdraw His blessings from the earth and remove His protecting care from those who are rebelling against His law and teaching and forcing others to do the same. Satan has control of all whom God does not especially guard. He will favor and prosper some in order to further his own designs, and he will bring trouble upon others and lead men to believe that it is God who is afflicting them. GC 589.2

Take fire protection as a good example. Today, population growth makes it obvious the needs of an all-volunteer fire department. One or two outdated pieces of equipment or other needs, even additional stations become a necessity. Lake communities discovered this first and did a commendable program providing this service to their widespread residents.

Schools have found an acceptable answer today. Administrators use valuation growth in their district to fund desired projects, not requiring a tax levy increase.

Always present in these situations remains the question, “What would the levy stand without the project?”

This isn’t pro or con on any pending question, simply pointing out how some taxation of the people falls upon them.

POPE CLIMATE AGENDA: Like stated previously, the needs of people coupled with their desires will determine how the money will flow to pay for what issue might come before them. At this point, they can either accept or refuse taking on the price to be paid and over what period of time the cost will be on their shoulders.

Quite often, administrators rely on their future based on past performances and number of projects, department building or even equipment expansion, often beyond actual needs.

That is what they often use to move to greener pastures.

Bob Mitchell is the former editor and publisher of the Cassville Democrat. He is a 2017 inductee to both the Missouri Press Association Hall of Fame and Missouri Southern State University’s Regional Media Hall of Fame.

BOB MITCHELL

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