The Situation Now by K. C. R.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 13, 1910

The Situation Now

By K. C. R.

It will be remembered that last July, when Congress closed, the three religious measures pending failed to be reported from the committee, where they are quietly resting. The Johnston Sunday bill is in the hands of the District Committee of the House of Representatives, and besides this, there are two joint resolutions proposing an amendment to the Constitution, providing that the preamble of the Constitution shall begin with the words, “In the name of God.” One is known as the House Joint Resolution No. 17 and the other is Senate Joint Resolution No. 86. Let no one conclude that because these bills failed to pass before Congress took its recess, they are defeated, as some seem to think. In referring to the Johnston Sunday bill, one of the leading speakers at the National Reform Convention recently held at Winona Lake, Ind., had the idea that the bill was defeated; for he said there was power enough in the lobby maintained by Seventh-day Adventists and others “last year in Congress, to defeat the District of Columbia Sunday bill.”

When Congress convenes again, Monday, December 5, there will be a possibility of one or more of these measures becoming a law, and this possibility will continue to exist until the close of the Sixty-first, or present, Congress, March 4, 1911. Should these bills fail in passing before Congress closes, it will then become necessary for the promoters of these religious measures to pass over the same road again in an effort to secure this kind of legislation.

The friends of Sunday legislation will not be discouraged in their efforts, should these measures fail to pass. The defeat of these bills would only arouse them to more vigorous and determined efforts in seeking to obtain their cherished desires.

We may speculate as to the reasons why Congress has not yet yielded to the enactment of a Sunday law; but after assigning the failure to yield to this, that, or the other cause, it must be confessed that the one great reason back of all others, is that the Lord is holding in check the final enactment of a Sunday law, in order that this precious message may be given to those who are now in darkness. So, instead of relaxing our energies in warning the people against the evils of religious legislation, because these or any other bills of the same character may fail to become law before Congress closes, next March, we should regard it as another golden opportunity given us by the Lord to warn the people concerning these things.

Let us all, therefore, seek most earnestly to improve the time in warning the people regarding the evils of religious legislation, as we have never done before.

No doubt, as many read these lines,

they will involuntarily ask, “What can I do that will be effective in sounding the warning?” Our reply is, It has been repeatedly demonstrated that our literature is one of the best means by which people may be warned. The magazine Liberty is a powerful factor in the work of teaching the people these great principles.

For $1.50 you can have ten yearly subscriptions to this excellent magazine, and can have these magazines sent to as many separate addresses. Are there not ten or more persons among your acquaintances to whom you would like to have this journal sent during the coming year? County and city officials, principals of various educational institutions, and the teachers in various schools of the country, ministers of the gospel, lawyers, and other leading citizens in your community and elsewhere, are some of those to whom the journal should be sent. All who do not find it convenient to supply the addresses to whom the journal is to be sent, may forward the amount they would like to invest in this work to the religious liberty secretary of their conference, or, where there is no such official, to their State tract society secretary, and he will have the journal mailed to persons whom he thinks it may influence the most. Address either of these officials at your conference headquarters.

In view of the fact that what we do must be done quickly, will you not at once forward your order for ten or more subscriptions for this journal?

K. C. R.