Religious Liberty Notes

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 13, 1911

Religious Liberty Notes

A LIVELY interest was manifested in the religious liberty work at both the Southern New England and Eastern Pennsylvania camp-meetings, which have just been held.

EXCELLENT success is attending the efforts of those who have been selected to secure the publication of matter which the Religious Liberty Department has been supplying.

THE clergy of Bridgeport, Conn., have united in a strong crusade against alleged violations of the Sunday law in that city. This is, doubtless, only the beginning of a persistent crusade throughout other cities in New England. Now is the time for the friends of religious liberty to do earnest work in scattering religious liberty literature among the citizens of that city, and of all others where such crusades are being carried on.

BROTHER W. S. CHAPMAN, of St. Petersburg, Fla., is doing a good work in writing for the public press of his place. He has secured the publication of excellent matter, in which is set before the readers of the press in a tactful way the principles underlying the third angel's message.

THE Evening Telegram of Garden City, Kan., under date of May 7, 1911, announces that, at the suggestion of Mayor Harvey, the city Sunday-school federation has outlined a plan of procedure, to be carried out by a standing committee, that will help in law enforcement and be a sort of cabinet for the mayor. It is to be known as the Good Citizens' League. This, to say the least, is a miniature church-and-state union, and illustrates how the very atmosphere is becoming permeated with erroneous views concerning the proper functions of both the church and the state.

THE Washington Post of June 27, 1911, contains an interesting report of a meeting held the 26th inst. at the Calvary Baptist Church of this city by the delegates of the Baptist World Alliance. We quote from this report the following statements of Rev. Wilhelm Fetler, of St. Petersburg, Russia, in regard to the state of religious liberty in that country:—

“We are permitted to preach the gospel now,” he said; “but we must not preach against the Greek Church, nor can we attempt to convert followers of that church to our faith. They can make the change if they wish, but we must remain passive. We can send out tracts and circulars, and with these we are accomplishing much. The hardships of the days of the past are gone. If we stay within the bounds, we can preach our religion. Formerly we would be sent to Siberia or some other place equally bad had we dared to preach. I am to stand trial in September on the charge of coercing members of the Greek Church. I had to deposit $2,500 to be permitted to leave the country, and now they are trying to keep me out, but I shall go back to face the trial.”

THE Washington Star of June 17, 1911, contained the following account of another attempt on the part of Senator Johnston to get his favorite bill through the Senate:—

“Senator Johnston failed in his attempt to get the Sunday-closing bill for the District of Columbia up for consideration in the Senate yesterday. When the bill was reached on the calendar, Senator Heyburn, who is opposing the measure, asked that it go over, Senator Johnston moved that the bill be taken up, and a call for a quorum was made. When the quorum had appeared, the motion was put to take the bill up, and Senator Heyburn asked for the ayes and noes. Only one or two senators held up their hands, and the ayes and noes were denied. A viva voce vote was then taken. The vote seemed evenly divided, but the chair ruled in favor of the negative. “Senator Johnston then demanded the ayes and noes, but the chair pointed out that already the ayes and noes had been refused. He said, however, that if there were no objection, he would again ask whether the Senate desired the ayes and noes. To this Senator Heyburn objected, and the bill went over.”

Since the foregoing was written, the bill has been read from time to time in its turn on the calendar, but has been passed over, and, hence, at this writing, it has not been acted upon.

CONGRESSMAN BERGER, the Socialist member from Milwaukee, would call a national constitutional convention, and provide for the abolishment of the United States Senate. In a recent interview, he promises to father measures looking to these ends.

THE following from the Youth's Companion of June 22, 1911, contains interesting facts concerning the number of foreign members in Congress, and the countries of which they are natives:—

“The national House of Representatives has more than four times as many members as the Senate, but in the present Congress the Senate has more than half as many foreign-born members as the House. Twelve members of the House were born outside the limits of the United States,—four in Ireland, two in Germany, two in Canada, and one each in Bohemia, Scotland, Sweden, and Austria. There are seven foreign-born members of the Senate,—three natives of England, two of Canada, and one each of Ireland and Norway.”