Intolerance in Canada by A. O. BURRILL

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Jan 4, 1906

Intolerance in Canada

By A. O. BURRILL

The Lord's Day Alliance of Canada is now making a vigorous effort to induce parliament to enact religious legislation. The Alliance is bent upon securing a Canadian Sunday law for the whole Dominion.

The following plan for operation is given in the December Lord's Day Advocate, published at Toronto, Ontario. It states that the meeting of the executive board on November 9, is reported as follows: “The principal business was to determine what course should be followed in the light of the decisions of the supreme court and the privy council. The Board was unanimous and unhesitating in its decision immediately to renew its application to the government and parliament of Canada for the enactment of the Draft act submitted seasons ago. . . . It was decided (1) to send at once a written communication to the premier and the minister of justice, who have already practically committed themselves in favor of this measure [religious legislation]; (2) to personally interview these honorable gentlemen before the end of the year; (3) to have a large representative delegation wait on the full cabinet about the time of the opening of parliament; (4) to circulate petitions throughout the Dominion for signatures to be presented to the senate and commons by members of each; (5) to arrange as far as possible for interviews with each member of parliament by his constituents before he goes to Ottawa. . . . It was decided to secure, if possible, the services, as counsel, to watch legislation at Ottawa, of some capable barrister, perhaps a member of the House.”

This effort is well organized, and will be likely to succeed at the next session of commons and parliament unless the lovers of civil and religious liberty in the whole Dominion shall arise and meet the issue (1) by personal interviews with the lawmakers; (2) by representative delegation to wait upon the full cabinet, about the time of the opening of parliament; (3) by circulating petitions from one end of the Dominion to the other for signatures to be presented to the senate and commons against such class legislation. These are perilous times for our civil and religious liberties.

The next Canadian Messenger will be an extra, double its usual size. A copy of it will be mailed to each subscriber of the REVIEW AND HERALD in the Dominion, and a blank petition for signatures, with samples of the religious liberty tracts which have been prepared for such a time as this. These tracts are on sale at the Canadian Publishing House, Box 178, Toronto Junction, Ontario.

Every one who loves liberty and righteousness can do a noble work by returning to Elder W. H. Thurston, 555 McLeod St., Ottawa, Ontario, these blank petitions well filled with names of those who want this iniquitous thing held in check.

This affords a grand opportunity to go to your neighbors with reading-matter upon the issues of the times. To do nothing now means imprisonment tomorrow. Let us work and pray that the winds of persecution may be stayed for a season. A. O. BURRILL.