Religious Liberty Notes
By R. C. Russell
A son of a United States senator delivered a telling speech against the Sunday rest bill that was recently so overwhelmingly defeated in the Wisconsin Legislature. Brother Frank Hinkly, of Boston, writes: “There is now a bill before the State Senate, which has passed its first reading, and, if passed, will close everymost thing but sacred(?) concerts here.” There is also a half-column editorial in the Washington Post of April 5, in which it discusses this proposed New England Sunday law. The editor makes reference to Cotton Mather, and says, “Something of the old-time spirit still lingers around Bunker Hill.” Elder T. H. Purdon, of Rutland, Vt., writes the following concerning the new tract on “Religion in the Public Schools:” “I long for the time to come when a systematic arrangement shall be entered into and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the power which the Lord has vouchsafed to his people, to place the tract you refer to in the hands of the teachers everywhere, and all other tracts and literature necessary to place the light before the people. It seems to be just the opportune time to circulate this tract. The question at issue now in Washington will be studied all over the country, especially by leaders and teachers along educational lines, and ought to be studied by every parent in the land.” We quote the following item from the Workers’ Bulletin of Des Moines, Iowa: “We have had the pleasure of reading from Washington papers of the adoption by the clergymen of that city of the report recommending religious instruction in the public schools. It is very evident that public opinion is divided on the subject, and that many people are in favor of numerous measures that tend toward religious intolerance; and, therefore, even the most conservative must see clearly that the move to Washington was made not a bit too soon to place us in an advantageous position for holding in check some of the fast-rising tendencies toward evil.” B. E. Connerly, superintendent of the Porto Rico Mission field, sends the following encouraging report of a victory over a Sunday bill there: “I write a few words this week to tell you of the victory over the Sunday law which the20Lord has gained for us here in Porto Rico. I knew it was up, and that the ministers and missionaries were pressing the matter as hard as possible, and I made one trip to San Juan to work against it, but I came away feeling that my efforts were almost lost. I made up my mind, however, to be on hand again when it came up for settlement, but while on my way there, I met a man from the House of Delegates on the train, and he told me that it had passed that house with full vote. I felt much disappointed, and had quite a talk with the man about it, and he was not a little interested. I did all that it seemed to me I could, but I confess I really had little hope that it would not pass the executive council, there seemed to be so much in favor of it; but last Tuesday evening at about ten o’clock a telegram came from the capital from the man I had met on the train, saying that it had not passed.”