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The World's Christian Citizenship Conference

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 17, 1913

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 90, No. 16.

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The World's Christian Citizenship Conference

By W. F. Martin

The next session of the World's Christian Citizenship Conference will be held in the city of Portland, Oregon. The conference will last for one week, beginning June 29 and closing July 6. It is hoped by the promoters of the conference to bring together a large number of delegates; the more optimistic hope for twenty thousand. These are to gather from all parts of the world. From seventy-five to one hundred speakers are listed on the program. These include some of the leading thinkers and speakers of the United States. In addition to these, there are to be noted speakers from other lands. It is hoped to have one speaker from each nation in the world. A glance at the list of speakers will impress one with the import of the meeting. From America are Pres. Woodrow Wilson, Hon. W. R. Stubbs (governor of Kansas), Anthony Comstock, Judge Ben Lindsey, Rev. Mark A. Matthews, J. Campbell White, Bishop Chas. W. Smith, and a large number of other leading ministers and laymen.
This meeting is being promoted by, and is to be held under, the auspices of the National Reform Association. Dr. Jas. S. McGaw, the national field secretary of the association, has established headquarters in Portland, and is making large preparations for the conference. The city gives a bonus of fifteen thousand dollars and furnishes a place for the meeting. The papers of the city are giving a great deal of space, freely advertising it. The railroads running into the city are placing the conference on their folders and dining-car menus as one of the principal gatherings for the year. All this, of course, is to advertise the city. A committee of one hundred has been organized to make preparations for the meeting. Pres. W. T. Foster, the head of Reed College, is chairman of this committee. E. L. Thompson, president of one of the leading banks, is chairman of the executive committee. One feature of the meeting will be the fourth of July celebration. The flags of all the nations will be carried in the parade, thus symbolizing the brotherhood of humanity and the harmony of nations. This will also indicate that the United States is the home of all people. As a further preparation for the conference, the publicity committee is arranging to cover the States of Washington and Oregon, arranging for meetings at churches, and to have announcements made of the coming event by all local organizations and by business men on their stationery, and through the press. It is claimed by the promoters that this will be the most significant gathering of Christian forces thus far in history.
The following significant statement is to be found in the first call issued: “It [the conference] will promote respect for law; will rebuke profanity and enhance the efficacy of the oath; will set public education in its proper relation to morality and religion; will help in securing the right of all to the day set apart for rest and worship by the Creator.” From this it will be seen that the well-known plans of the National Reform Association to have religion taught in the public schools and to secure the enactment of Sunday laws are to be a feature of the conference. The purpose of the conference was thus stated in the Christian Statesman for November, 1912: “The Second World's Christian Citizenship Conference will therefore serve the greatest practical use by not only awakening and deepening popular sentiment in behalf of Christian legislation, but by bringing to bear at the same time upon political organizations and governments some definite pressure that may lead ultimately to their open espousal of Christian political principles.” This seems to indicate a determination to enforce religious dogmas upon the politicians of the country, and a departure from the established principles of church and state separation which have always been a great feature of our government.
W. F. MARTIN.