p. 21 | Trenton and Albany by K. C. RUSSELL

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 20, 1908

Trenton and Albany

By K. C. RUSSELL

Friday, January 31, Elder M. N. Campbell and the writer left Washington, D. C., for Trenton, N. J., where the New Jersey conference was in session. We reached there Friday evening in time to hear Elder W. J. Fitzgerald, the president of the Columbia Union Conference, give an interesting account of the progress of the work in England, Germany, Denmark, Scotland, Italy, and Switzerland.

Sabbath forenoon, the Lord came near in a revival service. Several made a start for the first time, and many reconsecrated themselves to the Saviour.

Those who attended the conference all through regard it as an ideal session. The business was conducted with dispatch, and the blessed spirit of Christian unity prevailed.

The meeting reached its climax with a religious liberty mass-meeting, which was held Sunday evening, February 2, the last evening of the conference session, in Taylor opera-house. This meeting was arranged by our people, because of the campaign which has been carried on for months by the clergy of Trenton.

Regardless of the intense cold wave that was prevailing at Trenton the night of the mass-meeting, there was a good-sized audience in attendance, who manifested a marked interest in the addresses given. Elder W. H. Heckman, president of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, presided as chairman of the meeting. Elder Campbell was the first speaker, and he gave an interesting address, a summary of which appeared in The True American, of Trenton. It reads as follows:—

“The speaker urged the application of the golden rule to the question at issue. He declared that the movement to compel men to act out religious requirements in which they had no faith was unchristian and anti-christian.

“He pointed out that to acknowledge the right of civil authorities to compel Sunday observance is to acknowledge their right to compel baptism, church attendance, or any other religious obligation, on the grounds that it is well known that whatever the civil law enters it dominates.

“Continuing, Mr. Campbell stated that the Scriptures prove that the Sabbath is a sign of sanctification, and only those who are in training for sanctification have a right to display a sign.”

The same report contained an outline of the address of the writer, who followed Elder Campbell. It reads as follows:—

“Many who are seeking for Sunday legislation are doubtless sincere, believing such laws to be in the interest of morality and good government. The New Jersey State Sabbath Association that was organized last Thursday is similar to the Sabbath association at Jerusalem in Christ’s time, which was composed of

the Pharisees and Herodians. In the third chapter of Mark it is recorded that Christ was watched by these representatives of the Sabbath association at Jerusalem, because he did not observe the Sabbath according to their ideas, and finally, the record continues, the Pharisees went forth and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him—Christ—that they might destroy him. In John 5:16 is recorded their second attempt to slay him, and finally he was crucified because of his loyalty to the true principles of Sabbath-keeping.

“Intolerance and persecution have always followed in the wake of every attempt to enforce a religious institution by civil enactment. Scan the history of the past, and it will be seen that from the time of Constantine, the author of the first Sunday law, untold evils have resulted from the enforcement of such laws.

“Let those who think that Sunday laws are for the interest of good government study the history of other nations that have struggled under the impediment of a union of church and state, and take warning and repudiate every effort on the part of religio-political reformers to enact new laws or enforce existing laws that now disgrace the statute-books of any State for the enforcement of Sunday. Such laws should be repealed.

“Such laws are in flagrant contradiction of the principle of the first amendment to the United States Constitution, which says: ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.’ Sunday laws are religious, and only religious. One champion of Sunday legislation says that if religion is taken out of the day, the rest is taken out, so all can see that the argument for a civil sabbath is a misnomer.

“All know that on civil days, viz., the Fourth of July, Washington’s birthday, etc., people are left free to employ the day as they chose, providing they do not interfere with the natural rights of others, but it is not so with the laws for Sunday observance. They define how the day shall be observed. This movement for Sunday laws and their enforcement is not a local one, but is becoming universal. The great Inter-Church Federation movement is committed to Sunday legislation, so is the National Reform party with its various allies.”

Monday, Brother Campbell and the writer went to Albany, N. Y., reaching there late in the afternoon. The reason of our visit to the New York capital at this time was that several Sunday bills had been introduced into the New York Legislature.

We secured copies of the different Sunday bills that had been introduced, after which we interviewed the legislators who had introduced what we considered the most important of these bills. We also interviewed the chairman of the committee before whom the bills are to be considered, and arranged for a hearing on one of the bills, both before a Senate committee and before an assembly committee for Wednesday, February 26.

One of the most interesting features of our visit at the New York capital was our interview with Governor Hughes, of New York. He received us very pleasantly, and listened respectfully to what we had to say concerning the meaning of the proposed legislation for stricter Sunday observance. He promised to grant us a hearing on the bills when they are brought before him for action.

There is prospect that the New York Conference will place a man in Albany who will be in constant touch with the movements of the New York Legislature. This is a move in the right direction.

This winter is a most opportune time for our people to exert every effort in the work of opposing proposed religious legislation, by writing their respective legislators, and sending in petitions, signed by the citizens of their respective localities.

Special efforts should also be put forth to sell or otherwise place the “Memorial to Congress” issue of Liberty in the hands of neighbors and friends, especially such people as attorneys, justices of the peace, doctors, teachers, merchants, etc.

K. C. RUSSELL.