“During nearly all our American history _the churches_ have influenced the States to make and improve Sabbath laws.”—_Rev. W. F. Crafts, in Christian Statesman, July 3, 1890._ NOTES.—“These Sunday laws are a survival of the complete union of church and state which existed at the founding of the colony.”—_Boston Post, April 14, 1907._ “Such laws [as the Maryland Sunday law of 1723] were the outgrowth of the system of religious intolerance that prevailed in many of the colonies.”—_Decision of Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia, Jan. 21, 1908._ The first Sunday law in America, that of Virginia, in 1610, required church attendance, and prescribed the death penalty for the third offense. See “American State Papers,” edition 1911, page 33. 24. Why is a national Sunday law demanded? “The national law is needed to make the State laws complete and effective.”—_Christian Statesman, April 11, 1889._ 25. Since the Sunday sabbath originated with the Roman power (the beast), to whom will men yield homage when, knowing the facts, they choose to observe Sunday, instead of the Bible Sabbath, in deference to compulsory Sunday laws? “Know ye not, that _to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey_?” Rom. 6:16. NOTES.—“The observance of Sunday by the Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the [Catholic] church.”—“_Plain Talk About the Protestantism of Today_,” page 213. The conscientious observance of Sunday as the Sabbath on the part of those who hitherto have supposed it to be the Sabbath, has, without doubt, been accepted of God as Sabbath-keeping. It is only when light comes that sin is imputed. John 9:41; 15:22; Acts 17:30. See page 700. 26. What does Christ say about our duty to the state? “Render therefore unto _Cæsar_ the things which are _Cæsar’s_; and unto _God_ the things that are _God’s_.” Matt. 22:21. NOTE.—The Sabbath belongs to God. Its observance, therefore, should be rendered only to Him. 27. What special miracle is finally to be performed to deceive men, and fasten them in deception? “And he doeth great wonders, so that _he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men_.” Rev. 13:13. NOTE.—In the time of Elijah, in the controversy over Baal-worship, this was the test as to who was the true God,—the God that answered by fire. 1 Kings 18:24. Now, as a counterfeit test, fire will be made to come down from heaven to confirm men in an idolatrous and false worship. 28. To what length will this effort to enforce the worship of the image of the beast be carried? “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause [decree] that as many as would not worship the image of the beast _should be killed_.” Verse 15.