p. 90 | Another Sunday Bill Before Congress by C. S. L.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 22, 1914

Another Sunday Bill Before Congress

By C. S. L.

THERE are three Sunday bills now before Congress,—the Johnston Sunday Bill, S. 752, a bill requiring in the District of Columbia "the proper observance of Sunday as a day of rest;" the Heflin Sunday Bill, H. R. 9674, "a bill prohibiting labor on buildings, and so forth, in the District of Columbia on the Sabbath day;" and Mr. Keating's Sunday bill, H. R. 7826, "a bill to provide for the closing of barber shops in the District of Columbia on Sunday." The last-named Sunday bill reads as follows:—

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after the passage of this act it shall be unlawful for any person to open, or allow to be opened, or carry on business in, any barber shop or place where the business of shaving, hair cutting, shampooing, or the like shall be conducted, on Sunday in the District of Columbia; and any person or persons who shall violate the provisions of this act, upon conviction shall pay a fine of not exceeding $20, or in default thereof be imprisoned not exceeding sixty days, and for a second offense shall be imprisoned not exceeding sixty days."

Petitions of protest have been forwarded to all the church elders in the United States concerning the first two bills mentioned, and they have been asked to see that the blank spaces are filled with names and sent in to their respective representatives in both houses of Congress. We wish to request all who have not yet forwarded these petitions to Congress to insert also at the end of the petition against "H. R. 9674" the following: "H. R. 7826." This will call special attention to this new bill as the protests are recorded and referred to the committee.

We wish to thank our people for their hearty cooperation and ready response in this campaign. The forces are lining up on the other side as never before. Heretofore, the Catholics were not very cooperative with the Protestants in securing Sunday legislation and Sunday law enforcement; but during the last four months the Catholic societies twice have passed resolutions urging their people everywhere to cooperate with the forces which introduced Sunday bills in our legislatures and in Congress, and to aid in stricter enforcement of the existing Sunday laws now on the statute books.

This is very significant. When both Protestants and Catholics begin to rally their forces in behalf of Sunday legislation, it is high time that we bestir ourselves and do all we can to stay the flood of persecution which will soon break forth.

We trust that our people everywhere in the United States and Canada will remember Religious Liberty Day, February 28, when the annual offering is taken to carry forward the religious liberty work for the year 1914 in the local, union, and North American Division conferences. Each of these conferences is to receive one third of the annual offering, in order that it may carry forward this line of work in its respective field.

Our aggressive work has been greatly hindered during the past year because of a lack of funds. We trust that every one who is a lover of liberty and longs to see these precious principles prevail will dedicate at least one dollar to this work for the year 1914. Plan for this beforehand, as the annual religious liberty offering is the only means we have with which to carry on this work for a whole year. Let us make it a dollar offering, and those who have been blessed in a special way during the past year should make it a five- or ten-dollar offering. The church elders will provide a good religious liberty program for the day.

C. S. L.