An Important Convention by K. C. R.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 17, 1908

An Important Convention

By K. C. R.

A CONVENTION was held in the Second Presbyterian church, Pittsburg, Pa., December 1-3, for the purpose of organizing a Lord’s Day Alliance for the United States.

The promoters of this meeting had secured the assistance of Rev. T. Albert Moore, secretary of the Lord’s Day Alliance of Canada, who addressed the convention several times for the purpose of convincing the delegates of the importance of forming a similar organization in the United States. He told how effective the Canadian Lord’s Day Alliance had been in securing a strict observance of the Sunday law, and said that every Christian church in Canada had indorsed the Lord’s Day Alliance, also the Roman Catholic bishop of Toronto and other Catholic priests. He stated that the attorney-general of every province, except British Columbia, had consented to prosecute all violations of the Sunday law reported by the Lord’s Day Alliance. He spoke of a letter which he had received from the premier of Alberta, stating that he had investigated the nine cases of violation of the Lord’s Day Act, to which the Lord’s Day Alliance had called his attention, and had found every one of them correct, and they could be assured that he would “do the rest.” He also called attention to the fact that the Dominion Parliament, in passing the Lord’s Day Act of Canada, July, 1907, cut out the proposed provision exempting observers of the seventh day. In speaking of the importance of a national Lord’s Day Alliance, Mr. Moore said it would be a splendid agency to look after the national affairs, and assist local organizations.

The idea that the great federation of labor and the Roman Catholic Church should constitute a part of the national alliance was emphasized. Strong addresses by labor leaders were given at this meeting, one of them being a Roman Catholic layman. It is easy to see what a tremendous pressure can be brought to bear upon statesmen in securing further Sunday legislation, and against those who do not affiliate with an alliance composed of the Protestant and Catholic churches of America and the labor organizations.

The chairman of the convention, in announcing the session when they were to organize a Lord’s Day Alliance for the United States, said he considered what was to be accomplished as great an event as the signing of the Declaration of Independence. When the meeting was called to enter upon the work of organizing this alliance, it was evident that such a proposition was not agreeable to all the delegates. Rev. James Yereance, president of the American Sabbath Union, vigorously protested against the step. After a spirited discussion it was finally voted to organize a Lord’s Day Alliance for the United States.

The work of effecting the organization is to be done by a special committee appointed by the convention, in union with the board of managers of the American Sabbath Union. Local alliances will be formed wherever it is at all practicable, and in this way the work of the organization will embrace the larger as well as the smaller cities and towns. It was announced by one of the speakers that strong efforts would be made this winter to secure a Sunday law in both California and the District of Columbia.

Before the meeting of the convention, a large amount of religious liberty literature was distributed, the local church co-operating in the effort. Five thousand copies of the latest issue of Liberty, twenty-nine thousand Religious Liberty Leaflets, an aggregate of four hundred thousand pages of literature, were used in this campaign. Two meetings were held with the Pittsburg church, at which addresses on religious liberty were delivered by Elder S. B. Horton, the religious liberty secretary of the Southern Union Conference, Elder W. A. Colcord, and the writer. Several meetings for council were also held with the workers in attendance at the meeting.

The organization of this National Alliance should arouse the officers of every local church and conference for more active service in enlightening the people concerning the principles of religious liberty.

K. C. R.