In Behalf of Religious Freedom

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Oct 25, 1906

In Behalf of Religious Freedom

The Southwestern Union Record, the official organ of the Southwestern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, of September 25, contains the following, which is a copy of a petition that is being circulated by our people before the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention convenes to frame a constitution for the new State of Oklahoma:—

“To the Honorable, the Chairman and Members of the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention Assembled:—

“We, the undersigned adult residents of —, believing that the church and state should be kept entirely and forever separate; that religious legislation is subversive of good government, contrary to the principles of sound religion, and can result only in religious persecution and political corruption, hereby humbly, but most earnestly, petition your honorable body to safeguard the future well-being of the great commonwealth of Oklahoma,—

“First, by omitting from both the preamble and body of the Constitution any religious declaration or recognition which might be taken as a basis of religious legislation.

“Second, by a clearly stated prohibition, similar to the first amendment of the United States Constitution, barring the State legislature from ever making any law which shall establish any rite or observance, or abridge religious freedom.” K. C. RUSSELL.