p. 22 | Religious Liberty Notes

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 2, 1907

Religious Liberty Notes

THE Religious Liberty Department of the New York and Western New York Conferences has recently issued a document entitled Religious Liberty Bulletin, No. 1, and a twelve-page tract entitled “Words of Truth Concerning Church Federation.”

The New York Indicator (Rome, N. Y.), of April 3, 1907, contains the following local item: “The Religious Liberty Department of the New York Conference has distributed 111,725 pages of literature since camp-meeting.” “Orders are still coming in for Liberty, No. 4. We wish they were larger and oftener, for now is the time to work with this good magazine.”

Two great federation conventions are coming: “The National Convention of the American Federation of Catholic Societies will convene at Indianapolis, Ind., in the month of August. This convention should be looked after closely. Then next year in the fall of 1908, at New York City, comes the first great council, after the organization, of the Federation of Churches of America.”

William T. Stead, the English editor, in an address before the New York Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in New York City, April 8, urged them to unite with other denominations in a movement for international peace. He told how in England, the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church were considering the question of unity in the movement, and then asked his audience if they were willing to act together. There was a loud cry, “Yes,” “yes,” “yes.” This is another issue upon which the churches will federate in fulfilling the “peace-and-safety” cry.

We quote the following from the Boston Globe: “Derby, Conn., March 27.—The Derby board of education has voted to appropriate twelve hundred dollars annually toward the support of St. Mary’s parochial school of this city. It is said to be the first instance of the kind in the country. The chairman of the board of education is James L. Miles, a brother-in-law of Alton B. Parker.” While the action on the part of the Derby, Conn., board of education will be criticized by Protestants, and rightfully, too, yet it should be remembered that such an action is a fitting accompaniment to the efforts which have been put forth in Connecticut and other States in seeking Sunday legislation.

The Workers’ Bulletin (Des Moines, Iowa), of April 2, 1907, contains an article from the pen of T. Godfrey, entitled, “Love Versus Coercion,” from which we quote the following excellent paragraph: “Jesus said when delivering the gospel commission to his apostles, ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.’ He did not say, Go ye into all the world and make laws binding upon the consciences of men; instead, we are to preach the gospel, and reveal the life and character of him who commissions us. The work of the gospel minister is to preach the gospel, not using the carnal sword, but taking the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. He goes forth a conqueror, but not ‘by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord.’ It is the gospel, the good news, that makes men commandment-keepers, and not legislation. ‘Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,’ for the gospel ‘is the power of God unto salvation.’ K. C. R.