A Report From Indiana by W. A. Colcord

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Jan 11, 1906

A Report From Indiana

By W. A. Colcord

In a private communication dated December 21, Elder Allen Moon, one of our old religious liberty workers, writes as follows:—

“I note that the REVIEW AND HERALD is to have a department of the religious liberty work. I believe this is a move in the right direction.

“Recently we had a member of the American Sabbath Union, from New York City, in Indianapolis, laboring in the interests of the union. I did not know until after he had taken his departure that he was here. They were very careful not to advertise in the papers, so I did not see the appointment; but I understand they had quite a largely attended meeting, and that quite an interest was taken by the members of the churches in the work of the Sabbath Union. Of course, we have no legislature this present winter; but they are getting ready for next year; but I trust we shall be ready to meet them when they are ready for business.

“Indiana is coming to be quite a reform State, and Governor Hanley is making a very great stir, as you have perhaps noticed in the public print, and has caused, as the expression is used in the daily papers, a good many cities to ‘close down the lid’ on Sunday. There are some rebellious cities, however, and Indianapolis is one of them. South Bend has been giving the governor quite a good deal of trouble; and I understand that now there is talk of indicting the mayor. And so the battle goes on. I suppose by the time the next legislature meets, they will be ready for a lot of reform legislation.

“It does not matter how many criminals the saloon people make during the week, nor how much liquor they sell Saturday night to be drunk over Sunday if they only ‘close down the lid’ on Sunday, all it well. Truly we are living in peculiar times, and they will become more interesting as time goes on.”

W. A. COLCORD.