Religious Liberty Work in Kansas and Missouri by J. S. WIGHTMAN

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 5, 1909

_Religious Liberty Work in Kansas and Missouri_

By J. S. WIGHTMAN

IN the early part of June, Prosecuting Attorney Coon, of Jasper County, Missouri, promised a general law-enforcement crusade, including the enforcement of Sunday laws.

After hearing of the matter, upon invitation, the writer, accompanied by Mrs. Wightman, came into the district and began a general religious liberty crusade at Galena, Kan., and the Joplin district, opening at Joplin, Tuesday, July 13.

A summary of this work is as follows: Nine days’ time in all was put in, covering Joplin, Carthage, Cartersville, Webb City, and Galena, Kan. All open-air meetings were attended in the aggregate by between three thousand and thirty-five hundred people. The interest shown was remarkable. Great street

audiences listened as quietly and respectfully as in a church. The weather was ideal, though exceedingly warm. Indoor audiences would have been out of the question. Mrs. Wightman addressed the people on "Object of Civil Government," and "The Danger That Threatens Our Republic." Sixth Street, in Joplin, was crowded full around the float from which the speaker addressed the people.

Newspapers took particular notice of the work, ten articles in all appearing, reaching an aggregate of one hundred seventy thousand readers. Nine lectures were given altogether, the last, closing the effort, in a religious liberty convention held in our Joplin church, Sunday night, the eighteenth inst.

One thousand special July Signs were ordered for the effort, and twenty-five thousand pages of religious liberty leaflets. Altogether the effort was most satisfactory.

Joplin and Carthage churches rendered strong financial aid.

J. S. WIGHTMAN.