Religious Liberty Day by W. A. COLCORD

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Feb 9, 1905

Religious Liberty Day

By W. A. COLCORD

Sabbath, February 25

SABBATH, February 25, has been appointed by the General Conference Committee as religious liberty convention and collection day for our churches throughout the United States. We hope that it will be generally observed as such.

Our present Sabbath-school lessons are on the subject of religious liberty. The Sunday bills now pending in Congress indicate that the forces of evil are at work; that the liberty of the church of Christ is endangered; and that the time has come for us to battle with all our might against the spiritual tyranny which is seeking to assert itself through national law, erect the image of the beast in this country, and cause all to fall down and worship it through the compulsory observance of the papal sabbath. The petition work against this wicked thing is going on quite generally throughout the country. The Sabbath tracts and religious liberty leaflets, setting forth the principles of truth which the people so much need at this time, are being scattered. The people, not only in Washington, but all over the land, are having their attention called to the Sabbath truth, and to the movement for the enforcement of the false sabbath, which is in direct fulfilment of the message that we have been presenting for so long a time.

This, therefore, seems a very appropriate time for us to devote a day in all

our churches to the consideration of this effort question, and to make contributions for the prosecution of this special and important part of our work. If we are alive to the situation, a very profitable, encouraging, and enthusiastic time will be had in all our churches throughout the length and breadth of the land.

On Sabbath, February 18, let the announcement be made that the next Sabbath, February 25, will be “Religious Liberty day.” In next week’s REVIEW a suggestive program for this occasion will be published. Look for this.

It has been nearly a year since a call was made for funds for this work. About one thousand dollars came in in response to the call then made. Out of this we have bought some much-needed office furniture; purchased stationery for the sending out of thousands of letters; printed and sent out nine thousand petition blanks, ten thousand of the “Open Letter to Washington Clergy,” tract, twenty thousand “Sunday Bills Now Before Congress” leaflets, and thousands of the new Religious Liberty Leaflets; paid for the hall rent and the advertising of five public meetings in the city of Washington; purchased and sent out three hundred copies of the Washington Post of December 26, and other like work. We have a portion of this fund still on hand, as we have tried to economize and make every dollar go as far as possible; but we shall need to have the fund replenished and considerably increased if we carry on the work vigorously and aggressively this coming year, as we hope to do. Therefore we trust that our people will contribute to this work on the day indicated, according to its importance and needs. Let all plan to give as the Spirit of the Lord directs them.

W. A. COLCORD, Secretary Religious Liberty Bureau.