p. 32 | Review and Herald, Vol. 85, No. 14. (4/2/1908)

Petitions Against Sunday Legislation

On a recent day in the Senate of the United States five senators presented various petitions and memorials relating to Sunday legislation. Memorials from sundry citizens of the States of New Hampshire, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, North Carolina, New York, South Carolina, Ohio, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri were laid before the Senate, remonstrating against the enactment of legislation to protect the first day of the week as a day of rest in the District of Columbia. Memorials were also presented from sundry citizens of the States of Washington and Missouri, remonstrating against the passage of the bill to prevent Sunday banking in post-offices in the handling of money-orders and registered letters.

Elder Irwin Arrives in Washington

ELDER G. A. IRWIN, president of the Southern Union Conference, arrived in Washington last week, and will remain until the close of the General Conference Council.

Elder Spicer Returns from Central America

ELDER W. A. SPICER returned last week from his visit to the general meeting in Central America, which was held in Honduras, March 5-15. Brother Spicer was away from the General Conference Office one month on this trip.

Offering for Orphans and Aged Poor

By Editor

IT should be remembered by all our churches that the Sabbath following the date of this paper is the Sabbath on which a general offering is to be taken for the support of the orphans and aged poor among us. Remembering the liberality of God's blessings to us, let us give to this cause with gladness and liberality.

Dr. Miller’s Party Arrives in Japan

The steamship “Minnesota,” with Dr. Miller’s party for China on board, arrived safely at Yokohama, Japan, on Sabbath morning, March 14, having covered this stage of their journey in twelve days. Brother H. H. Winslow, who sailed from San Francisco for China on January 30, and was joined by his family at Honolulu en route, was doubtless at Shanghai to welcome Dr. Miller’s party on its arrival there. Brother Winslow will act as secretary and treasurer of the China Mission.

The Growing Circulation of Liberty

NOTWITHSTANDING the fact that an extra large edition of Liberty for the first quarter of 1908 was printed, and that a second edition of twenty thousand was subsequently issued, the indications are that a third edition will soon be necessary. More than sixty thousand copies of that number have already been sold. The way many of our people have taken hold of the circulation of this magazine has been an encouragement to our leaders, and to those who have had charge of preparing the matter contained in the journal. There has been no time in the history of this message when the circulation of such a periodical was so greatly needed.

A Drastic Sunday Law Bill

ON Friday last there was introduced in the House of Representatives another bill to make compulsory a strict observance of Sunday in the District of Columbia. This is the most comprehensive and the most drastic bill that has yet been introduced, and a reading of its provisions will leave no question in the minds of any as to the religious character of this proposed legislation. All business, save the running of trains and street-cars, the operation of livery stables and restaurants, and the sale of drugs, newspapers, etc., is absolutely prohibited, under penalty of fine and imprisonment. An exception is made in the case of those who “uniformly keep another day of the week as holy time,” and do “not labor on that day,” and provided they do not labor on Sunday in such a way as “to interrupt or disturb other persons in observing the first day of the week as a holy time or day of rest.” The bill therefore aims to require of every person within the District the observance of one day of the seven “as a holy time,” for he who would escape punishment for Sunday work must be able to show that he uniformly observes another day “as holy time.” In these provisions is unmasked the true character of the whole Sunday-law movement.

Roosevelt and the Sunday-Law Movement

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT was waited upon by an influential committee of Sunday-law advocates on March 23, and strongly urged by them to assist in bringing about a stricter observance of Sunday in the District of Columbia. The spokesman of this committee was Justice Harlan of the United States Supreme Court. Other members were S. W. Woodard; President Needham, of George Washington University; Rector O’Connell, of the Catholic University of America; Presiding Elder Sumwalt, of the M. E. Church; Gen. Geo. Otis Smith, Admiral Endicott, and Dr. Wallace Radcliffe, of the Presbyterian Church. Justice Harlan maintained that there was a growing disregard for the sabbath (Sunday) in the District, and laid the blame for this upon the absence of a Sunday law, and he desired the President to co-operate with the workers for the sabbath in bringing about a better observance of the day. The press report of the visit of this committee says:—

“President Roosevelt placed himself on record to-day as an ardent sympathizer with the movement for a more strict observance of the sabbath. He told a committee that called upon him that he would do all in his power to aid in putting a stop to unnecessary Sunday work, but added that he, as well as they, did not believe it advisable to return to the Puritan sabbath.”