p. 18 | Good Opportunity to Use Newspapers Lost

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 7, 1915

Good Opportunity to Use Newspapers Lost

By WALTER L. BURGAN

In a recent agitation over the question of forcing the Sunday blue laws on winter tourists in one of the popular cities of the South, considerable space was given in the newspapers of that and many other places in the State for the expression of views on both sides of the question. The sad feature of this discussion was that practically nothing appeared in print in which opposition was made to the plan, from the Biblical and religious liberty standpoints as taught and held by the Seventh-day Adventists. The agitation continued several days, and the editors permitted their contributors much freedom in saying whether or not they wanted the drug stores closed, and also the ice-cream soda fountains, garages, and other places of pleasure and livelihood.

The campaign waxed so warm that a number of the business concerns of the city in question banded together and closed, giving as their reasons, “While we are not in sympathy with the present agitation to have a tight-closed town; rather than appear obstinate, we are going to close our respective places of business Sundays, until some sane understanding has been determined upon.” Even after making this decision, these business men said they were “almost dependent upon the tourist and the traveling public,” and that “it would be easy to make a very grave mistake at this time by a too-drastic enforcement of an obsolete law.”

A study of a number of the reasons given both pro and con revealed the fact that the majority of the writers treated the question purely from the business and pleasure standpoints, while one minister of a popular church preached a sermon on why Sunday should be observed as the Sabbath.

Here was an excellent opportunity for our brethren and sisters to give the correct views on Sabbath observance, not only in the particular city where this agitation was on, but it is quite probable that letters from other places in the State would have been published as well. Our brethren and sisters should realize that when such agitations are being carried on through the newspapers, the editors are generally more than glad to publish our religious liberty principles. The world at large most always dwell on the pleasure and business sides of the question when opposing Sunday laws, and their arguments do not have much force, but arguments based on the Bible concerning Sunday as the Sabbath give readers of these papers something to think about, and also arouse in the minds of many, inquiries that lead them to make further investigation of the matter. Instances are known where men have been convinced of the true principles of religious liberty by having first read of the message in newspaper reports. Our opportunities are unlimited in giving various phases of the message through the secular press.

WALTER L. BURGAN.