Religious Liberty Notes

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 31, 1907

Religious Liberty Notes

ELDER A. J. BREED, Religious Liberty Secretary of the North Pacific Union Conference, writes: “The subject of Sunday closing is coming to the front in the State of Washington quite rapidly. Religious liberty literature must be placed where every thinking, reading person can have it.”

The Kansas Worker, bearing date of Oct. 9, 1907, contains the following note concerning the contagion of religious legislation: “The spirit of Sunday legislation seems to be spreading like some contagious disease. It has jumped from city to city, and now this plague is endeavoring to fasten itself upon our State capital. The churches are making a vigorous campaign, intending to compel the civil authorities to follow the clerical dictation. We do not believe the Sunday theater is a good thing; neither do we believe the Wednesday theater is a good thing. But we do believe that a state domineered by a church is a positive evil combination. Watch your local happenings, and do not neglect to improve every opportunity of educating the public mind in the principles of religious liberty, without arousing prejudice. Blessed is that servant whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching.”

The following significant statement was taken from an address delivered by the president of the Texas W. C. T. U., and appeared in their official organ, The White Ribbon, of October, 1906: “Never before in our history have there been so many God-fearing men in public office, nor the time when the majority of the people so much wanted righteousness expressed in law enforced. It has come to pass that if a man wishes to be elected, he must stand for something besides pat. He must have a platform of moral ideas, and must particularly stand for enforcement of law. No less than eight governors of States now stand on platforms of righteousness. The better element is soon to control politics in these United States. The golden rule and decalogue are in politics. To illustrate how little a great leader may see into the future, remember when a certain United States senator declared that the sermon on the mount was an iridescent dream in politics. Texas has always stood for the American Sabbath, as our continental friends term our rest day.” This statement will doubtless remind the reader of similar utterances which have been made

by a representative of the same organization.

“We are going to sow Colorado knee-deep with literature.” These words were spoken by W. F. Crafts, as reported in the Colorado Conference paper, Echoes from the Field, bearing date of Oct. 16, 1907, in an article written by Elder H. M. J. Richards. He further says that Mr. Crafts has organized a department of the International Reform Bureau, in the Rocky Mountain District, and made a speech in which he said: “We have never had more than two per cent of the people with us, but we have learned that with two per cent persistently at it and making demands by letters and petitions, we can get whatever we want.” He said, “There is opposition, but [he was making a call for money] we’ve got the enemy on the run, and we want this money to buy ammunition to shoot him in the back.” “We have established our headquarters for the Rocky Mountain District right here in your midst, and we are going to sow Colorado knee-deep with literature.” These words should be a signal to arouse our people to a most earnest effort in scattering literature upon the true principles of religious liberty.

The Kansas City Journal of Oct. 13, 1907, contains the following: “Sunday rest in Germany is to be enforced in future more strictly than hitherto, in pursuance of orders from the minister of the interior, who is determined that no labor, unless absolutely necessary, shall be done on the sabbath. Factory inspectors have been making inquiries into the possibility of closing the factories in various branches of industry which until now have been accorded permission to work seven days a week. The result of their activity has been that the minister decided not to renew the permissions at their expiration in a large number of cases. Shops are already closed on Sundays in both town and country during church hours in the morning, and the whole afternoon and evening; but the question now under consideration is whether to allow in future only those where necessary articles are on sale to open for a few hours on Sunday mornings. The regulation will not affect in any way the restaurants and cafés.” This wave of enforcing Sunday rest is indeed becoming an international one.

The Philadelphia Press, bearing date of Oct. 17, 1907, contains the following concerning the Inter-Church Federation movement in Trenton, N. J.: “The Inter-Church Federation of this city, which is composed of representatives of nearly all the Protestant denominations here, has taken decisive steps for the more rigid enforcement of the laws against sabbath desecration and the liquor laws. It will also inaugurate a general temperance and evangelistic campaign.” “The organization has also decided to test the candidates for governor as to how they stand with reference to legislation pertaining to the ‘open Sunday’ question.” The reader should not fail to note that the organization has “decided to test the candidates for governor, as to how they stand on the open Sunday question.” This illustrates again that the chief work of this Inter-Church Federation movement is that of dictating to civil authorities what they must do concerning Sunday legislation.