Good Word From the South by Carlyle B. Haynes

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 10, 1912

Good Word From the South

By Carlyle B. Haynes

THAT the conferences in the South-eastern Union Conference are awake to the menace of Romanism is evident from the fact that the Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Cumberland Conferences in their recent conference sessions each passed the following resolutions:—

“Whereas, The blessings of liberty, both civil and religious, have been preserved to us by the founders of this republic, and have been transmitted to the present generation by their successors, and—

“Whereas, It is the duty of all Christians to work and pray for the peace and prosperity of both the church and the state, and the preservation of our liberties, and to resist and oppose all movements which would take away the liberties of the people, therefore be it—

“Resolved, That we view with alarm the growth of the political strength of the Roman Catholic hierarchy in America, in which religio-political system, holding, as it does, principles that are directly antagonistic to the great fundamental principles of liberty upon which the American republic was founded, we see a grave menace to the liberties of the citizens of this nation, and be it further—

“Resolved, That we encourage our people in this conference to vigorous efforts to warn the public of the dangers of the political manipulations of the Roman Catholic hierarchy, and that in this work they be urged to use that excellent periodical the Protestant Magazine.”

Of such vital importance did all the conferences consider these resolutions that they gave the time of one entire business session to their discussion, at the close of which subscriptions were taken for the Protestant. Seventeen yearly subscriptions were received at the Georgia conference, 40 at the South Carolina, 50 at the North Carolina, and 40 at the Cumberland, making 147 in all to the monthly Protestant.

Each of these conferences also passed the following resolution:—

“Whereas, There is a wide-spread and growing demand upon the lawmaking bodies of this country by large and influential organizations for religious legislation, especially for the enactment and enforcement of Sunday laws, and—

Whereas, The success of this movement

is destined to result in religious persecution and the settlement of a religious controversy (that as to which day is the Sabbath) by law, and as our only safeguard from these evils is the enlightenment of the public upon this subject, therefore—

“Resolved, That a strong and vigorous campaign be inaugurated at once in this conference, under the direction of the secretary of the religious liberty department, for the education of the general public, and that in the accomplishment of this our people be urged to give a wider circulation to the book ‘American State Papers,’ to the religious liberty leaflets, and to the magazine Liberty.”

All the conferences devoted one of their business sessions to the discussion of this resolution. A number of orders were taken for “American State Papers,” and about 550 yearly subscriptions for Liberty. We are looking for increased activity in the Southeastern Union during the coming year.

CARLYLE B. HAYNES.