Religious Liberty Work in the North Pacific Union Conference by W. F. MARTIN

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 12, 1914

Religious Liberty Work in the North Pacific Union Conference

By W. F. MARTIN

ON January 9 I started on a tour of the Western Washington Conference, holding religious liberty institutes and meetings with the churches and speaking in public halls. The following places were visited: Tacoma, Seattle, Forest Home, Everett, Colby, Aberdeen, and Centralia. At all these places we had good meetings.

Elder J. M. Willoughby, religious liberty secretary for the conference, was present during the meeting at Tacoma, as he is pastor of the church at that place. He was also with us one day at Everett. It was my privilege to speak the last Sunday night of the institute at Seattle. There was present a fine audience. At the close of the meeting, Elder Piper, the pastor, presented the Liberty magazine and secured a good list of subscribers.

At Everett, we secured the Odd Fellows' hall for our last meeting. Excellent attention was given to the truths spoken. Much literature was sold and distributed at Everett. At Aberdeen it was my privilege to open the temperance campaign, speaking in the Baptist church to an appreciative audience.

Now that there is a clean-cut temperance issue on in the State of Washington

it gives us an excellent opportunity to place ourselves and our message in a right light before the people. We should plan to do this. Then, when because of our attitude on Sunday closing we are classed by those favoring it with the saloon keepers and men of that class, those who are honest will know better.

There is also a concerted move on in many places in Washington to close up things on Sunday. Thus while we are working for a good thing, we can at the same time work against an evil thing.

After spending a few days at Centralia, I was called to Wenatchee, a city in the Upper Columbia Conference. The city council had passed a Sunday-closing ordinance, but it had not been signed by the mayor. On reaching the city, I found that a good hall in the Commercial Club building had been secured, and a meeting announced at which I was to speak.

I called on the mayor and had a very interesting and pleasant visit. Some of the councilmen were present at the meeting, among them the one who had introduced the Sunday-closing ordinance. The president, secretary, and other members of the Commercial Club were also present, as well as other prominent men and women of the city. It was a splendid opportunity to present the truths of the message to some who otherwise would not have heard it. The two daily papers of the city gave good accounts of the meeting. Two days after this, the mayor vetoed the Sunday bill.

The city of Walla Walla is at present agitated over Sunday closing, following a revival. We are arranging for a meeting in the Keylor Grand Theater. Thus it is that matters are hurrying on to completion. May we do all in our power to hasten the coming of our Lord.

W. F. MARTIN.