Religious Liberty Department

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 3, 1909

Religious Liberty Department

Fifth Meeting, May 19, 8 A. M.

AGAIN the interest in the meetings of this department was shown by the large attendance, over two hundred twenty-five being present to listen to the discussion of the question, “How to Meet the Rapidly Growing Encroachments of the Papacy.”

Prof. B. G. Wilkinson led out in the discussion, presenting a stirring and intensely interesting paper on the subject. Few, he said, realize the rapid growth and spread of the principles of the papacy, or know the influence the Jesuits and their teachings are exerting in all countries, particularly in those hitherto strongly Protestant. He argued the necessity of all becoming acquainted with the true situation; of the designs of the papacy, and its utter and irrevocable hostility to the doctrine of the separation of church and state; and he advocated a reassertion of the true principles of Protestantism, and a wide-spread propagation of the gospel doctrine of religious liberty, and its necessary corollary, the separation of church and state.

Elder Allen Moon followed, relating some interesting personal experiences which he had in connection with the representatives of the Catholic Church while engaged in religious liberty work in Washington some years ago.

Brother A. J. S. Bourdeau occupied the remainder of the hour, showing the influence the Catholic Church has upon present-day literature, and the changes that have been made in school text-books in consequence of this influence.

Sixth Meeting, May 20, 8 A. M.

The meeting was opened with prayer by Elder E. A. Merrell, after which Mrs. W. A. Ruble sang a religious liberty song, the congregation joining in the chorus.

By request, the subject discussed in the fourth meeting of the department, that of “Sunday Legislation and the Laboring Man,” was taken up for further consideration. The discussion was participated in by Brethren C. H. Edwards, R. A. Underwood, G. B. Thompson, W. M. Healey, F. Griggs, E. T. Russell, W. W. Prescott, and W. A. Colcord. The discussion again delved into the question of a one-day-in-seven rest-day law for the regulation of corporations, and, for a time, touching even the question of the propriety and rightfulness of laws closing saloons one day in seven. There was a free interchange of expression and opinion, and an evident desire to investigate the question in all its bearings as fully and as thoroughly as the time would permit, and thus arrive at the truth. The principle upon which the meetings of this department are conducted is manifestly that laid down by Macaulay: “Men are never so likely to settle a question rightly, as when they discuss it freely.”

Seventh Meeting, May 21, 8 A. M.

After the opening devotional exercises and remarks by the chairman, J. S. Wightman read a paper on “The Importance of the Public Press in Teaching the Principles of Religious Liberty, and How to Use It.” He traced the history of printing from the earliest times to the present, and showed what a powerful factor the public press is in reaching the people and molding public opinion. He urged making large use of this means of disseminating the principles of religious liberty, giving examples from experience of the effective use of the press in reaching large numbers.

S. B. Horton followed with a carefully prepared paper, in which he stated that this is a reading age. We have a great work committed to us. We are, so to speak, a corps of publishers. There will doubtless be found in the kingdom of God many who received the first rays of light from the public press.

Elder C. H. Keslake drew a lesson from God’s instruction to the seer of Patmos, “What thou seest, write.” It would seem that God had prepared the public press of to-day especially with a view to publishing this last closing message. Many of our people, he said, might become useful in this work if they would only prepare themselves for it; especially should the students in our schools receive instruction upon this subject.

The chairman emphasized the advantages of the public press, as well as its dangers, in consequence of articles carelessly written or improperly prepared.

Eighth Meeting, May 23, 8 A. M.

The chairman, K. C. Russell, gave the opening talk upon the subject, “Religious Liberty Campaigns, and How to Conduct Them.” The chief and ultimate object of our religious liberty campaigns is not simply the opposing of Sunday legislation, but the salvation of souls, the bringing of the truth to the knowledge and attention of the people. In these campaigns we should get all our people, as far as possible, engaged in the work. That worker or that secretary is the most successful, he declared, who gets the most people to work, not he who does the most work himself.

J. O. Corliss stated that a good general, in planning for battle, never let the enemy get the advantage in position. So in a campaign the sooner we are in the field, the better. Plans are already laid for future campaigns in California.

In the campaign just closed there, they had six or eight secretaries who traveled all over the State visiting our churches and schools, and interesting our people in the circulation of petitions and literature. Seventy-five thousand copies of the Signus special, to meet the situation, were distributed during the campaign. These were sent to the members of the legislature, to prominent men, and to all the school-teachers and many other persons throughout the State.

A. J. Clark spoke of the effect the sending of letters written by our people to legislators had had in the New York Legislature the past winter. C. H. Edwards likewise spoke of the use of telegrams in campaign work, and said that, by this means, he had in one day seen two Sunday bills which had been introduced into the New York Legislature a year ago last winter, withdrawn by the men who had introduced them.

Ninth Meeting, May 24, 8 A. M.

Continuing the discussion of the subject considered in the previous meeting, that of “Religious Liberty Campaigns, and How to Conduct Them,” Elder W. A. Hennig, secretary of the Religious Liberty Department of the Australasian Union Conference, read a paper in which he narrated the plans and methods which had been employed in the religious liberty work in Australia. In this work they had been quite successful in securing the publication of a number of religious liberty leaflets in some of the leading papers of the country,—in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, etc. He advocated the systematic distribution of our literature as an important factor in this work. As a result of distributing 75,000 religious liberty leaflets in Sydney, and 150,000 in Melbourne, efforts to secure additional municipal Sunday laws in these cities had been defeated. Public meetings, he said, should not be deferred until the last moment, and the circulating of petitions may be a means of great good; but he thought that personal effort would probably do more good than any other one means. Earnest effort, he said, should be made to enlist the co-operation of influential men and women in teaching the great principles of religious liberty. In all our campaign work we must be sure that our own hearts are filled with the great spirit of liberty.

Elder J. S. Wightman narrated some recent experiences in campaign work in the State of Missouri, in which his wife had, by invitation, spoken twice before the members of the State legislature in the capitol building at Jefferson City. Her addresses were well received, and, from all reports, made a good impression.

Elder W. A. Westworth read some communications he had just received from the Southeastern Union Conference, stating that one of our brethren there had been arrested, tried, and convicted for chopping a little wood Sunday morning, with which to cook his breakfast. Elder Westworth said they felt the need of some active campaign work in this field, and hoped to arrange soon for the distribution there of a large amount of religious liberty literature.

Elder H. G. Thurston, of Arizona, spoke of some experiences they have had in this territory recently over the question of Sunday legislation. Arizona, he said, was one of the few remaining portions of the United States which, as yet, has no Sunday law. This is still “white,” and he said by energetic efforts our brethren there intend to keep it white as long as possible.

Tenth Meeting, May 25, 8 A. M.

Prof. W. W. Prescott occupied the first half hour of the meeting, with an address upon the subject of “The Inter-Church Federation Movement, and Our Relation to It.” After referring to the origin and development of this movement, which has arisen since the last session of the General Conference, he outlined, in brief, the general plans and purposes of the movement, as stated in its official reports, and referred to the declaration that the movement is “epoch making.” The Catholic Church, he said, needed no such movement; for they were already federated; but until the last few years there had been no federation or united organization of the Protestant churches. The evident aim of the federation is to control government, and bring about moral and religious reforms through legislation. He referred to the fact that the movement had not only definitely committed itself to Sunday legislation, but, through an official action, had plainly indicated that it did not intend to tolerate the observance of the seventh day. The report of this action, and the discussion upon it, however, had for some reason been wholly eliminated from the published report of the recent session of the federation. He said we could not join in this movement, or in our work adopt the methods they propose to employ. We must preach the gospel to individuals. The churches involved in this federation have lost their message, and are seeking to accomplish through human devices what can be accomplished only through the gospel and the power and working of the Holy Spirit.

Following Professor Prescott’s address, a male quartet sang, “Sleeping on the Tennessee.”

Brother L. A. Smith, editor of the Watchman, read a carefully prepared paper, dealing particularly with the attitude which we should sustain toward this movement in its present stage of development. We have a message, he said, which, from its nature, must necessarily come in conflict with the work and purposes of this federation movement. The leaders in this movement have officially declared that it is their purpose to know the standing of each person in every community, and his political bias, in order that it may control politics and direct legislation in harmony with its purposes. Not only is this a movement with which we can not unite, but one which, from the very nature of things, we must necessarily oppose. The fact is already recognized by the leaders in this movement, that we are not friends of it. In view of the fact, however, that there are in this movement things which we, as well as they, would like to see accomplished, and of the further fact that many in the movement are doubtless earnest

and sincere men, and have no idea or desire of persecuting us, he thought we should be careful in our references to it, not to make wholesale denunciations or unwise attacks upon it. We must not, however, make any compromise. Concluding, he thought it would be well for the General Conference, our highest official body, to draw up a statement, setting forth clearly our attitude toward the movement, and why we can not unite in it.

Elder C. D. M. Williams, from Honolulu, spoke of how the churches there had federated and divided up the territory among themselves, and threatened that if those of other denominations came in and interfered with their arrangements, legislation would have to be secured which would expel them from the country.

Elder S. B. Horton, emphasizing the suggestion made by Brother Smith, stated that inasmuch as the church federation at its recent session in Philadelphia had made direct reference to Seventh-day Adventists, it was quite proper, he thought, that we should make a statement of our attitude toward the movement.