Stirring Times in Portland, Oregon
By A. J. BREED
Our first religious liberty institute in the North Pacific Union Conference has just closed. It was held in Portland, Ore., the latter part of September. In many ways it was a very interesting meeting. One thing that gave it an interesting feature was the Sunday-closing law put into force in Portland, September 27. We had visited several small stores where cigars, confectionery, fruit, soft drinks, and other things were sold, and found quite an excitement among them. The evening after the Sabbath, September 26, I visited others, and found that many had decided to keep open. When Sunday morning came, there was no little interest in the question all over the city. The prosecuting attorney had notified22the police department to arrest all who were found violating the law. So Sunday morning all were anxious to get to their beats. Soon fifty-three arrests were made; but the chief of police issued orders not to make any more arrests, as they would not know what to do if things continued as they had started. Monday morning at nine o’clock those arrested were arraigned for trial, but the suits were postponed until the next day, and it was thought they would be referred to the grand jury, to see what disposition it would make of them. I visited the district attorney’s office, and had quite a talk with his assistant. He said they were going to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law, until it was obeyed in the State of Oregon. I called his attention to the fact that there were those in the State who kept the seventh day, such as Jews, Seventh-day Baptists, and Seventh-day Adventists, and asked if he would show any favors toward those who conscientiously kept another day. He said the law was there, and must be obeyed as long as it remained upon the statute-books of the State. He did not show any spirit of bitterness, but he did show a spirit of determination. The brethren secured a hall in a good part of the city in which to hold a public meeting. They advertised the meeting, and there was a large attendance. It was estimated that there were nearly eight hundred present. Elder W. F. Martin introduced the meeting by giving a talk upon the subject of “The Limits of Civil Government.” This was followed by Elder D. Nettleton, upon the subject of “Bible Examples of Where a Law Has Interfered With Religion,” citing the cases recorded in Daniel, the Acts of the Apostles, and other places. Following this the secretary of the Religious Liberty Department of the North Pacific Union Conference (the writer) gave a talk upon the question, “Has the United States Government Maintained the Principles of Religious Liberty as Enunciated in Its Constitution?” This was followed by Elder E. E. Andross, upon “Sunday Laws; Their History and Results.” We believe that much good was accomplished by the effort.
A. J. BREED.