“Your Labor Is Not in Vain in the Lord”
By K. C. RUSSELL
It will be encouraging to those who have been engaged in the circulation of the petitions against the passage of the Sunday bills now pending in Congress, to know that their labor has not been in vain in the Lord. Letters are being received almost daily from congressmen to whom petitions and letters have been sent, expressing their gratitude for having their attention called to these bills, for some were not aware of their existence until we had brought the matter to their attention. We were told by a prominent congressman the other day that he thought there was little chance of this matter’s coming up at this session of Congress, for the “Seventh-day Adventists” were opposing it. I might add that at this point in our interview he did not know that we belonged to the “Seventh-day folks.” He further said that it was generally understood that there was opposition to the measure. He made reference to the opposition to the measure several times during the interview, indicating that a most decided impression had been made upon the minds of congressmen by the “Seventh-day folks.” Should these bills fail to pass at this session of Congress, we would certainly feel that our labor had not been in vain in the Lord in putting forth the little effort that we have exerted to stem the tide of Sunday legislation now before Congress. We are pleased to say that it has been demonstrated that good and effective work can still be done in the circulation of petitions, supplying the congressmen with literature, writing them, and in personal interviews. It is possible that some may not distinguish between the one who is engaged as a lobbyist to secure some religious measure enacted into law, and the one who is there to protest and oppose all such legislation, and also bring to their attention the message of truth for these times. The difference between the mission of these two classes is as great as the difference between light and darkness, heaven and earth, or righteousness and sin. Our labors will not be over for congressmen and other men who occupy places of great responsibility in the world until every effort has been exhausted to bring them to a knowledge of the third angel’s message. We trust that the idea will not be obtained from this article that there is any certainty that these bills may not be passed before Congress closes; for pressure may be brought to bear upon the lawmakers by the promoters of Sunday legislation in the great rush that is always incident just before Congress closes, and it will be especially so this session in view of the approaching inauguration.