Our Religious Liberty Work
By K. C. RUSSELL
We have recently received a letter asking whether our people had abandoned our work in opposing Sunday legislation. It is not strange that such a question should be asked, in view of our apparent indifference in that line of work for the past few years. Our reason for making reference to this question is because we believe that a similar query has arisen in many minds. We are glad to answer such inquiries in the negative. I will not attempt to discuss at this time the reasons that might be given for the lull that has existed on our part for so long, but shall mention a few of the many reasons why our efforts in opposition to Sunday legislation should be more vigorous now than ever before. Imagine an army retreating when it would mean an ignominious defeat and a greater loss of life than would be experienced if they pressed the battle to the gate. We have been advised that the enemy has come down with great wrath, knowing that his time is short; and for us now to stack our arms would mean the loss of many souls that might be warned of the impending danger, and rescued. During these years of inaction on our part, there was never a time when those who are promoting religious legislation were more active. At present they are planning for enthusiastic campaigns in different States and in Canada in the interests of Sunday legislation, and besides these efforts is the movement in Washington, our nation's capital. It will be remembered that last spring a Sunday bill was introduced into Congress, which succeeded in passing the House, and at the close of last winter's session it was laid over as unfinished business, pending the third reading before the Senate. This bill, which will be quoted and explained in this issue of the REVIEW, is liable to come up and be passed very soon. There is also another bill that has been introduced into the House of Representatives that is more rigid in character than the one now pending before the Senate; and should the first one pass, it would open the way more widely for the other one to go through. Now it must be evident to all that if these bills become laws, such legislation on the part of our national legislature would give great prestige and influence in State legislatures, which would open wide the gateway for a deluge of Sunday legislation throughout the country. In view of the situation, what shall be done? We are pleased to say that the General Conference Committee, at its September session, passed the following resolution in regard to the Religious Liberty Department of the General Conference, which will be of interest to all our people at this time: “That the officers of this department proceed immediately to interest our people throughout the country in the circulation of petitions for signatures remonstrating against the passage of any Sunday or Sabbath law, or any other religious legislation in Congress.” In harmony with this recommendation we are having petitions printed that will be opposed to any religious legislation that may be introduced in Congress. Some leaflets recently prepared by the secretary of the Religious Liberty Bureau have just been issued, and will be found most excellent literature to distribute while circulating the petitions. The first four of these are entitled, “Principles Too Little Understood,” “Sunday Laws,” “The Logic of Sabbath Legislation,” and “The Civil Sabbath.” They most clearly state the principle upon which all religious legislation is based, and show the evils growing out of such legislation. We hope that our people will all obtain and read these leaflets, and then give them a wide circulation. K. C. RUSSELL, Chairman Religious Liberty Bureau.