p. 17 | Religious Liberty Institutes by W. A. C.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 28, 1909

Religious Liberty Institutes

By W. A. C.

SOME remember the religious liberty institutes held back in 1889 and onward up to 1893, when the Blair Sunday-Rest bill, the Breckenridge District Sunday bill, and other like measures were before Congress. Referring to these, one of our religious liberty workers writes: “I wish we might have a real old-fashioned institute like those held years ago.” The people were not only instructed in the principles of religious liberty in those institutes, but they were aroused to active work. Money was contributed freely for the carrying on of the work, public meetings were held, petitions were widely circulated, and a large amount of literature was distributed.

We believe it is time there was a revival of these “old-fashioned institutes,” as the brother just referred to styles them. Our people need to have an opportunity to study both the issues that confront us and the principles involved in them. There is an inspiration and a fitting up for the work that comes in this way, which, it seems, can be obtained in no other.

In the West, where a fierce conflict is approaching, and a determined effort is now being made to bring the one remaining State without a Sunday law into line, our brethren are planning to hold a number of religious liberty institutes. In another State, where there has been considerable agitation of late over the question of Sunday enforcement, one of our religious liberty secretaries is planning for religious liberty institutes to be held in all the churches in the conference, as far as can be arranged for. We believe that this would be a good plan to adopt in all our conferences. In order that we may do the work that should be done, and meet the rapidly approaching crisis that is to try every soul, we need to be informed upon the principles of religious liberty. A study of these in the light of the Scriptures, of the writing of the spirit of prophecy, of history, and of present-day issues, can not fail to be helpful. Let conference officers, church officers, and religious liberty secretaries consider this matter, and plan for institutes of this kind to be held wherever suitable arrangements can be made for conducting them. W. A. C.