Report of Religious Liberty Department of Lake Union Conference
By J. G. Lamson
It is with some embarrassment that I undertake to make a report of the work in this union properly coming under the head of the Religious Liberty Department, for only a comparatively small portion of my time has been spent in this work. It was understood at the time I was called to take up this work, two years ago, that only a limited portion of my time would be demanded by the general work. During the summer of 1906 I attended eight camp-meetings, and last summer four. Besides these, I have attended two general meetings. The religious liberty work proper has received the earnest consideration and support of the local conferences. In Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, close attention has been paid to the legislatures by persons specially chosen for that work. In Michigan the regular sessions of the legislature and the constitutional convention recently closed, have had the careful attention of one of our workers definitely assigned to that work. The results have been especially good. The department in Wisconsin had a hard fight before its legislature last year. The Sunday bill proposed there was the most unique of any that has ever come to my attention. If ever any bill was framed on the basis of a “civil rest day,” this was the one. But we are glad to say that without any22question the earnest work of our Wisconsin brethren was the most potent factor in defeating the bill. Our brethren in the other States were required to meet bills of a local nature. The biennial period now closing records the beginning of Sunday prosecution in this union; and a well-defined movement to ignore the exemption clause in these laws has begun. We are now compelled to admit that it will not be necessary that there shall be special or additional Sunday legislation, nor for amendments to the Constitution to be passed, in order to bring prosecution against observers of the seventh day. By one means or another the end will be accomplished. A justice will be found who will decide that unless the seventh day is observed from twelve midnight to twelve midnight, or some other legal or technical turn will be taken, so that one can not claim exemption; and when the Lord’s Spirit has been withdrawn from men to a sufficient degree, some will be found ready to hale Sabbath believers before courts and commit them to prison. A most unique case, which occurred not long ago, was that of a man who had once been baptized into the Adventist faith, but had never joined a church, who kept his photograph gallery open on Sunday. He claimed exemption from prosecution for Sunday work upon the ground of being an observer of the seventh day. It was proved, however, that he did a considerable amount of business on the seventh day, though perhaps not as much as on other days. At times he refrained from much of his labor on the Sabbath, and yet would do business. The jurors disagreed, and the case was dismissed; but all the animus was present. A most notable contest over Sunday enforcement occurred in the city of Grand Rapids, Mich., where an ordinance had been passed closing the theaters on Sunday. The people of Grand Rapids, under their charter, had been given the right of referendum. This was invoked, and the contest against the carrying out of the ordinance was very warm. The ordinance was defeated by a majority of six hundred in a total of approximately twenty-five thousand votes. So far as our knowledge extends, this, the first use of the referendum in the Lake Union Conference, and that on the Sunday question, was a victory in favor of freedom of conscience. It needs now, not faith, but sight only, to know that the Religious Liberty Department of our work is about to become the hottest corner of the battle-field. The rank and file must be drilled for battle. And another thing, in the near future, to human eyes, it may appear that our army is meeting defeat. So far religious legislation and the enforcement of Sunday laws have been delayed and held in check; but the day is close at hand when all our efforts to keep Sunday laws from the statute-books, and all our opposition to Sunday enforcement, will prove unavailing. We shall then need to be men and women who can face apparent defeat without discouragement or wavering; who can see not only the chariots and hosts of our advancing enemies, but also the horses and hosts and chariots of fire in the mountains beyond.