Your ShelfYour Projects

Christian Liberty

6%

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Apr 12, 1906

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 83, No. 15.

Read the full edition

Christian Liberty

Reports, Notes, and Comments Pertaining to the Current History of the Rights of Conscience

_Experiences in Circulating the Petition_

From Ohio: “I found very little trouble in securing names, after making the matter plain to the minds of those I met. I secured the name of every lawyer I came in contact with except one, also the bankers. It is also true that there are those who are anxious for Sunday laws, regardless of persecution.”
From Oregon: “I visited fifty-four persons in the interest of religious liberty, receiving thirty-seven signatures besides our own family. Of the seventeen who did not sign, ten were in favor of a Sunday law in some form. The majority of the ten expressed the opinion that a man who would not keep any day ought to be made to keep some day. From their arguments it was plainly to be seen that the religious idea and protection of the day was in their minds, although but two or three were willing to admit it. Two things were apparent—that the principles of religious liberty are but vaguely understood by most of the people, and that the enemy of all truth is busy sowing the seeds of intolerance. I have been in this neighborhood only about five months. While circulating the petition, I distributed about sixty religious liberty leaflets, in all, since I came to this neighborhood about two hundred and fifty leaflets on religious liberty. I hope that these leaflets will have the effect of educating the people to understand more clearly the principles involved. I intend to keep at this work after the petition work is over.”
From Massachusetts: “The sentiment of the American people of this part is in favor of Sunday legislation, and it is easy to see why it is so. The people need to be educated in liberty, in all its principles. It took a great deal of talking to convince some of the true character of the present issue, and of their duty to their fellow men. They saw that the Sabbath is the real issue, and is to be the test, to each soul. Some of those with whom I talked desired to become acquainted with our principles of liberty, and inquired for reading-matter on the question.”
From Ohio: “It has been a pleasure to me to solicit these names, as it gave me a chance to talk with my neighbors. The majority signed the petition, but some are very much in favor of a Sunday law. There is a general feeling that everybody should be compelled to keep one day in the week. I carried my Bible with me, and when an opportunity presented itself, I gave a Bible study on the Sabbath. Some became very much interested.”
From Wisconsin: “I enclose two petitions filled out. I had many interesting experiences among the business men of this place while I presented this protest to them. I found it much harder to secure names this year than last, and it took a great deal more talking. The sentiment for religious legislation is growing among all classes, and several expressed a bitter feeling toward us for opposing Sunday legislation. The M. E. pastor of this place in his tirade against our work publicly stated that the Seventh-day Adventists defeated the ‘Sunday Blair bill,’ and that we do not stand for the laboring man. A Jew who was present at three of my lectures when I reviewed the M. E. pastor’s sermon on the Sabbath question has become much interested in the truth, and at the close of the last lecture I gave, he handed me a Jewish paper, The Judean, and pointed out an article on the front page about our people.”
From Michigan: “We have wonderful success with the petitions. Most of the people sign them after we have explained their meaning. That which we regard of most value is the opportunity they afford of getting the light before the people. Some honest ones are thus found who are hungry for the truth. The public press is just now open for short, pithy articles upon this subject. We have thus far obtained over three hundred signatures in this village and its vicinity, but have done very little canvassing in the country.”
From Iowa: “I took the blank given me, and secured a few names where I am holding meetings Sunday evenings. Some of the names I could not have secured a month ago, but that evening I spoke on obedience to the word of God, and the most stubborn hearts broke down, and with tears arose for prayers, and signed the paper.”
From South Carolina: “Our work in this State is scarcely begun. All seem to think that they must be religious, or at least favor religion. So, in the counsel meeting of the State workers held recently, it was decided that it would not be best to make a promiscuous canvass with the petition, as we would at once be classed with the worst if we did so. When a local issue arises, we want to be ready to scatter a large amount of literature and strike a hard blow. The people generally seem totally blind to the true principles of the rights of conscience.”
From Colorado: “The most of the people here are in favor of Sunday laws, and a few think it would be the proper thing to do to make the Adventists keep still on Sunday; for if it were not for them, there would be no trouble about keeping Sunday holy.”
From Texas: “I am sending in a petition. Some of the signatures are people from the outside. One is an editor of —. We can see by the way people are working that our peace in this world is short, and sooner or later the United States will exercise the power of the first beast.”
From Pennsylvania: “I found that the petition work here goes slow. Signers are not so easily secured as formerly. It is easier to convince the judgment of many than to get them to carry out their convictions. The sentiment for religious legislation is becoming very strong.”
From Nebraska: “Enclosed herewith you will find a few names secured after some very interesting experiences on petition against religious legislation. In securing them I found an excellent opening to get the true principles before many who could be reached through no other channel.”
From Iowa: “Enclosed find a few names against Sunday laws now before Congress. Our experience in working for the cause of truth has been a good one. The bill before the Iowa Legislature is a very popular one here. I think public opinion is growing more in favor of similar measures. One minister said, ‘We are going to enforce every one of the ten commandments by law.’ Our list includes bankers and the most prominent people of these towns.”