FEELING the need of becoming better acquainted with the work in the several conferences and churches of the Atlantic Union Conference, I left South Lancaster, Mass., December 7 for a trip among the churches of western New York, in company with the conference president, Elder H. W. Carr.
Our first stop was in Rochester, which is one of the finest cities in the East, and has about three hundred thousand people. In the early days of the message this city was for three years or more the headquarters of the denomination, the REVIEW AND HERALD being printed here for a time, till removed to Battle Creek, Mich.
The city of Rochester has grown rapidly the last few years, but the cause of present truth in the city has not been strong. A few have endeavored to hold up the light, but their numbers have been small, and the work has not had a very decided growth. Recently Elder J. F. Piper, of the Iowa Conference, came to western New York to assist in the work, and was located in the city of Rochester, which is now his field of labor. He is receiving some encouragement in his work, and souls are beginning to embrace the truth. A church property has recently been purchased in the city from the Baptist people, at a cost of sixty-four hundred dollars. It is a good building, well located, and will make a good rallying point for the work in the city.
Lockport is another city where vigorous work should be performed. Quite a large company assemble in private houses for Sabbath meetings, and through Bible work some are embracing the truth here. A church building is12much needed in Lockport, and we trust that before many years pass by, a memorial to the truth may be planted in this place.
At Burt, on the south shore of Lake Ontario in Niagara County, the brethren have erected a neat, comfortable church, and it was dedicated to the service and worship of God on the occasion of our visit there. It cost about twenty-five hundred dollars, has a fine light basement for the church-school, is furnace-heated, and is a comfortable building.
At Buffalo the work is onward, and great advancement has been made the past year in many ways. Elder T. B. Westbrook is leading out in the work in this city, and a strong work should be developed in this great center of nearly a half million people. Buffalo has a great German population, and a lady Bible worker is working with this people with some encouragement. A strong effort should soon be made among the Germans of Buffalo, for there must be many there who would receive the light were it brought to their attention.
At Hornell the church is expecting to build a house of worship in the spring. A good site has been purchased, and we believe that they are expecting to begin operations as soon in the spring as the weather will permit. Elder J. W. Raymond is stationed in this city, and is carrying forward the work. Elder Raymond for over forty-five years has been connected with the ministry, and seems yet to be quite active and strong.
We had the pleasure of spending one evening at Ellicottville. Here stands a Seventh-day Adventist church building, but removals and deaths have reduced the membership to a very small band of believers. This is the home of Brother Wm. Arnold, who in the early days of the work in Australia assisted in opening the work in that field by the sale of our books. Later he pioneered the work in the British Isles and the West Indies, selling thousands of dollars’ worth of our bound books in these fields. The conference, we believe, is planning for a series of meetings at this place as soon as possible, with the hope that again the work here may be revived.
We spent a few hours with the school at Tunesassa. The school is full, and Prof. A. E. Manry and the assistant, Miss Lucas, are working hard to make the work a success. If this school is to serve the whole Western New York Conference as a school of intermediate grade, more money will have to be invested here, and other buildings erected, as the school is too crowded now. A good start has been made here, but some other improvements should soon be planned.
The work to be done in this great Eastern field seems almost staggering, and it is a serious problem with our conferences how these great cities with their vast population can be reached with the truth, but there must be a way, and God wants us to find that way.
One thing seems very evident,—our conferences must begin a thorough work in the training of Bible workers to carry the truth to the homes of the people. These must be men and women who know God and have a connection with heaven. Through this agency great good can be done, and many brought to the light of truth. Another important branch of work which will assist us in reaching the cities is the selling of our magazines and papers from house to house. Here is an unlimited field of work, and the talent of the church should be trained and organized for service.
Again: it seems as if some good strong evangelists should enter this Eastern field,—men who know how to proclaim the truth with clearness and power, and who can arrest the attention of the people in these great cities by a public presentation of the truth. It seems as if some of these branches of work must be greatly strengthened and thoroughly organized before we can ever hope to reach the millions in this Atlantic Union Conference with the truth.
Our courage is good, and we greatly feel the need of power from above to know how to plan wisely for the work in this great Eastern field.
W. B. WHITE.
New York
By J. F. Piper
ROCHESTER.—From October 15 to November 7 the writer, in company with the conference president, visited a number of churches in western New York in the interest of the work in the great cities in our conference. In several places the signal blessing of God was witnessed, when hearts were made tender as the call of God was heralded: “Behold the cities, and their need of our gospel!” The need of earnest laborers among the multitudes of the cities has been kept before me for more than twenty years. . . . Instruction has been given me that the message should go again with power in the cities in the Eastern States. In many of the large cities of the East the first and second angels’ messages were proclaimed during the 1844 movement. To us, as God’s servants, has been entrusted the third angel’s message, the binding-off message, that is to prepare a people for the coming of the King. We are to make every effort to give a knowledge of the truth to all who will hear; and there are many who will listen. All through the large cities God has honest souls who are interested in what is truth. . . .
“Now, when the Lord bids us proclaim the message once more with power in the East, when he bids us enter the cities of the East, and of the South, and of the West, and of the North, shall we not respond as one man and do his bidding? Shall we not plan to send our messengers all through these fields and support them liberally? Shall not the ministers of God go into these crowded centers, and there lift up their voices in warning the multitudes?”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. IX, pages 97-99.
Rochester, N. Y., was one of the cities in which the first and second angels’ messages were preached. In the early part of 1844, while Wm. Miller was preaching the prophecies to hundreds in this city, the city churches united against the message; and to counteract the work of Mr. Miller, instituted the modern church festival, in the basement of one of the churches, and sold in connection with their system, ice-cream, and cake, a little booklet opposing the doctrine of Christ’s soon coming.
The truth of God has met with many conflicts in this city; however, it has survived, and we have to-day a growing church here, which has recently purchased a substantial frame church building from the Baptist people. A number of churches in this conference rallied in a substantial way to support the work in Rochester.
We know there are brighter days for this struggling church. And if each one will do his God-given duty faithfully, the Lord will bless us, and souls will be converted.
J. F. Piper.
Williamsdale (Nova Scotia) Academy
By J. L. STANSBURY
We now have twenty-three students, and are expecting more the first of the year. We have every grade, from work for the beginners to the last year's work in the course outlined. By a subsequent effort, we raised the amount collected for missions to $21.36, distributing, in all, about one hundred twenty-five copies of the REVIEW.
Following closely upon the work of the Harvest Ingathering came the week of prayer, with its appropriate and timely readings. It seems that the efforts of the students in this missionary work had in a sense prepared them to take a deeper interest in the proceedings of this week. And we praise God for the spirit that was manifested in our school all through the week, and particularly on the last night, when all but one took part in the social meeting. Consecration and a training for the Master's work were desired by nearly all. The scene recalled to our mind this text: “This is Jehovah’s doings; it is marvelous in our eyes.” And we are fondly looking forward to the time when at least some of these students shall have developed that character and received that training of mind that will fit them for a strong, active part in the proclamation of this message to the world.
Elders J. O. Miller and J. A. Strickland are with us now, and are conducting a series of meetings in a church about one mile from the school. The students are attending the meetings, and furnishing music for the services. This will be a great help to the school, aside from the benefit to the community, as many of the students have never had the opportunity to be instructed on the subjects which are being taken up in these meetings. J. L. STANSBURY.
Field Notes
ONE young man has decided to obey the truth at Candor, N. Y., as a result of meetings held by Elder D. G. Turk.
BAPTISMAL services were held in the First Springfield (Ill.) church, Sabbath, December 18. Two were baptized and united with the church.
BROTHER W. F. KENNEDY reports the organization of a church at Paonia, Colo., with a membership of twenty-one, five of these being new converts.
THREE of the patients at the Loma Linda (Cal.) Sanitarium have recently begun the observance of the Sabbath as a result of daily Bible readings held for the patients on the doctrinal features of our faith.
Necessary to Success in Sanitarium Work
By R. A. Underwood
I HAVE been asked to submit a few suggestions as to what I regard as indispensable to success in our sanitarium work. In this I will briefly speak of our larger sanitariums, and will not include what we sometimes call sanitariums, which are little more than treatment-rooms. Treatment-rooms may be conducted successfully with few facilities.
First, the most important equipment for a successful sanitarium is a good physician. I do not mean by this simply an M. D. who may be a good, conscientious Christian; this is essential, but he must be more than a Christian. He must be a man with endowments and qualifications that give him a natural fitness as a physician and a leader of men. Tact and skill are essential, in addition to the acquired knowledge of the profession. He must be an ever-growing man.
President Garfield was once asked what he regarded as essential to the maintenance of a successful college. His reply in substance was: “First, a good teacher at its head, and second, students who want to learn.” He further said: “Johns Hopkins on one end of a log, as teacher, and James Garfield on the other end, as a student, would make a successful college.”
Adapting this illustration to our sanitarium work, the two essentials are, first, good doctors; second, patients receiving treatment. The greatest asset any sanitarium can have is to be manned with strong, large-souled, broad-minded, thoroughly qualified Christian physicians and business management, who believe in the rational methods of treating the sick which God has connected with the closing work of the gospel.
Second, the head physicians of our sanitariums, if possible, should be good surgeons and should possess business ability. They may not have the detailed business to look after. However, that harmony of action and economy may be exercised, the head physician should be in close touch with the resources and expenses of the institution at all times.
Third, co-operation of physicians, business manager, and all the helpers of the institution is absolutely essential to success. This co-operation should be shared by the board of trustees, conference committee, laborers in the conference, and the entire membership of the conference. To secure this co-operation there must be the fullest information given to all interested concerning the purposes of the sanitarium, its value as a medical institution, its influence as an educational factor, its needs, and what it is accomplishing in bringing souls into the message.
Fourth, equal in importance to the right kind of physician is the spiritual atmosphere of the institution. A devoted, God-fearing person of ability as a teacher, should be connected with every sanitarium, one who gives his entire time to the religious interest of the helpers and patients of the institution. Such a person may be a minister, or a woman who is qualified to teach the truth in an acceptable and comforting manner to all.
Fifth, we should let the people know what we are doing. It is true that our best advertisements are the patients that go from our institutions among the people. However, this is not sufficient. Cranks and fanatics should have no place in the institution, nor should any immoral person be permitted to remain long in the institution, even as a patient, for one such person destroys and tears down more than many can build up.
Sixth, buildings and other equipments, which are very necessary, can not supply any lack in the foregoing essentials for success, and to rely upon a pleasant location, with ample buildings for success, is but to lean upon a broken reed, and to realize in the end failure.
Seventh, our claims to advance light in all that pertains to hygiene and sanitation should be fully sustained in the surroundings of the institution and in all that pertains to its work. In some cases there is an opportunity for improvement. We ought to be in the lead rather than the following State institutions as we are in some features of our work.
Why should we not insist that the cow, from which we secure milk and butter, shall share in the blessings of wholesome air, sunlight, and cleanliness in her apartment where she is confined so much of the time, especially in the winter season? If we expect the cow to be healthy and to be a blessing to mankind, as the Almighty designed, why should not our institutions be an example to our people and the world, in providing stables with as much sunlight, pure air, and freedom from dampness as we would expect in quarters we would occupy ourselves? State institutions are doing this, and why should we be trailing far behind? No wonder that we hear so much about tuberculosis in the cow, when she is so often shut up in a dark, filthy stable.
In closing, I will say, We must bring our expenses within our receipts. We must undertake to start no more sanitariums than we can successfully equip and man with suitable physicians and business management. We must give the people all we promise. We should make the sanitarium the most homelike, restful place to mind and body to be found anywhere to the afflicted seeking health.
R. A. UNDERWOOD.
Our Sanitarium Work in Washington, D. C.
By F. M. Wilcox
We are glad to report steady progress in connection with the sanitarium work in this city. Two institutions are being operated, the Washington Sanitarium, located at Takoma Park, seven miles from the capital; and what is known as the Washington Branch Sanitarium, on Iowa Circle, near the center of the city.
Drs. H. N. and Patience Bourdeau and Sisco have charge of the city work. They and their coworkers have labored very hard and faithfully during the last few months, and they have succeeded admirably in doing a large amount of work and in meeting their operating expenses.
The progress of the work at the main institution at Takoma Park has been somewhat slower, but far from discouraging. In the establishment of every new enterprise, and especially in sanitarium work, it takes time for the development of a constituency. Little by little the Washington Sanitarium is developing a stable constituency of friends and supporters. New patients are continually coming to it, sent by others who have once been guests; thus the range of its influence is gradually widening. In this is seen the results of the faithful work of Drs. D. H. and Lauretta Kress, and their associate workers.
Of late there has arisen throughout the country, and particularly in some of the cities of the East, both on the part of our own people and on the part of many from the outside, a very earnest demand for instruction on health subjects. This demand has increased so rapidly that many excellent openings for presenting this part of the message have been turned aside because there were none who could answer the calls. This is to be regretted, for the reason that many of these openings present opportunities for bringing our principles before various classes who perhaps could be reached in no other way, and who through this means would become devoted supporters of our sanitarium work. There is also a very important work to be done in behalf of our own people in affording them an education in health principles, and in enlisting their interest in behalf of our health and sanitarium work.
Because of these openings and to meet this demand the General Conference Committee some months ago invited Dr. D. H. Kress, the medical superintendent of the Washington Sanitarium, to so arrange his work that he could be free to answer some of these calls. The committee felt that Dr. Kress, on account of his extensive experience, uniting, as he does, both the work of the physician and gospel minister, was particularly fitted to meet this demand. He accordingly began to plan his future work with that in mind.
In May Dr. R. S. Ingersoll and wife were called to the Washington Sanitarium with a view to taking charge of the institution as soon as medical qualification could be secured in the State of Maryland. This plan has now reached perfection, and Dr. R. S. Ingersoll has been elected medical superintendent of the institution, thus relieving Dr. Kress, and making it possible for him to follow this important line of work to which he has been called. Dr. Kress will continue an official connection with the Sanitarium, as consulting physician. Dr. Lauretta Kress will still maintain a connection with the Sanitarium as consulting physician, and as instructor to the nurses and the students of the Foreign Mission Seminary, and will look after some of the outside calls for medical help. She will be so far relieved by the work which Dr. Olive Ingersoll will render as house physician, however, as to be free also to connect with her husband in his field work from time to time, and to answer some of the urgent calls which previously she has been compelled to refuse,—calls to represent our health work before conventions of our own people and at important gatherings of other societies.
This arrangement, while providing competent medical help for the institution14opens a way whereby there can be taken up in the field the teaching of health principles, a work which has been long neglected through dearth of laborers.
And the Sanitarium will receive double benefit in consequence,—the strength afforded by the Drs. Ingersoll, and, in common with other sanitariums, the help afforded by the field work of the Drs. Kress. The Drs. Ingersoll bring to the institution a valuable experience.
After completing their medical course at Ann Arbor, Mich., they spent eight years in medical work in India. Since returning from that field, Dr. R. S. Ingersoll has spent nearly two years in post-graduate work at important medical centers in the United States and Europe, giving special attention to surgery, securing English recognition in a membership in the Royal College of Surgeons.
Brother Nethery, of Nebraska, has been called to the business management of the Sanitarium, and is taking hold of his work with good courage. Before the Washington Sanitarium a bright future is opening out, and we believe it will be a strong factor in the promulgation of the message at the national capital.
F. M. WILCOX.
Medical Missionary Department
By W. A. Ruble
Conducted by the Medical Department of the General Conference
W. A. RUBLE, M. D. Secretary
Echoes From the Field
By M. E.
Ten of the Missionary Volunteers in British Columbia are preparing for the next Standard of Attainment examination, and one society is supporting a colored student in the South.
The Queensland young people are sending bunches of flowers to hospitals, and devising ways to earn means for the support of their missionary.
The South Australian Missionary Volunteers recently sent a large parcel of canceled stamps to America to be sold, the proceeds to be used for missions.
The Victoria young people gave away eighty-seven bunches of flowers to the sick, and made forty-three articles for missions last summer.
A society of eighteen colored members has recently been organized at Nashville, Tenn. They have taken hold of their work earnestly, and plan to assist in raising a scholarship for the Huntsville school. All the members have enrolled in the reading courses.
In regard to the training bands in Berrien Springs, Prof. O. J. Graf writes: “We have recently organized our school into bands of activity. The young people’s band is one of the largest and most lively. The other three are the foreign and the home missionary, and the periodical band. We have doubled up the work of each band in such a way that they will not only take up problems connected with each line of work, but will be doing practical missionary work as well. For some time the foreign missionary band will not only study the interests of each field and how to meet the difficulties, but will also do Christian Help work here in the community, and prepare clothing, quilts, or something of the kind for some of our foreign missionaries.”
Let our German youth and those who have friends among the German young people, make use of the new German young people’s paper, Der Jugendbote. It is published by the International Publishing Association, College View, Neb. Price, fifty cents a year.
The Missionary Volunteer secretary of Louisiana writes: “A good spirit is taking hold of the young people, and I have high hopes of seeing something accomplished. The missionary spirit is wonderfully revived.”
The Missionary Volunteer work in Wisconsin is progressing. Some of the young people are a little late in starting the reading courses, but a large number are taking them up. The secretary reports that thirteen young people have been converted under his recent labors.
The members of the Lynden (Wash.) Missionary Volunteer Society are taking up Reading Course No. 1, with a determination to read all three courses. This is a worthy ambition. We hope their enthusiasm will hold out. Other societies and church-schools in Western Washington are taking this year’s course.
The Southeastern Union Conference will endeavor to complete its share in the Foreign Mission Seminary Scholarship fund this quarter.
The Kansas secretary writes: “The work here seems to be moving forward, and the Lord is blessing to the extent that several are being converted in our young people’s meetings. We also have a number of societies that are doing good work selling the magazines and publications. I believe the only solution to the problem of saving our young people to the cause of God is for us to put them to work, and to encourage them to continue to work until the Lord shall call them. We can not afford to settle down in a lifeless way when we see souls perishing about us.”
The Missionary Volunteer secretary of Indiana has been holding Sabbath-school and Missionary Volunteer conventions in connection with some meetings in the conference. She writes that all the societies are using the “Bible Doctrines” lessons.
There was an excellent revival among the students of the South Lancaster Academy at the time of the Atlantic Union Conference.
Several conferences have taken definite steps to organize conference Missionary Volunteer societies. This is an excellent plan, bringing the isolated young people in touch with the conference Missionary Volunteer secretary, and stimulating them to greater missionary activity.
Still the young people are pressing into the Reading Course circle, but there is plenty of room, and we are glad to welcome each new name. Very soon we shall begin the study of our denominational history, and we trust that others will join us in reading the story of how God has kept and prospered this people. M. E.
Missionary Volunteer Day
By M. E.
THE General Conference Committee has appointed Sabbath, February 26, as Missionary Volunteer day. All our churches and companies in America are invited to give that day to the consideration of the young people's work, and we trust that none will fail to do so.
“The Lord has appointed the youth to be his helping hand,” and “very much has been lost to the cause of God by lack of attention to the young.” These words from the pen of Sister White summon us to action. Truly in our youth lie unmeasured and often unsuspected possibilities, and these possibilities are the fertile fields, which, if carefully cultivated, will yield an abundant harvest of good loyal service. But we must guard well the sacred heritage, lest while we slumber, the enemy slip in and sow the tares of sin.
Upon the shoulders of every Christian lies the responsibility of doing his utmost to persuade the youth to yoke up with Christ for service. He who grasps this responsibility may confidently expect divine help. His is the promise that “God will set in operation every agency in the universe to defeat the enemy if we will place ourselves in His hands.”
Then let us faithfully set apart February 26 for studying our relation to the young people's work. Let us unitedly pray for the success of the efforts that are being put forth in behalf of our youth. Let us pray for a deeper consecration to this work, for a better understanding15of it, and for that genuine faith in it which will labor on incessantly until the work shall be completed.
The program for this day will accompany the Second Sabbath Reading for February. The sheet entitled “Missionary Volunteer Day” will give suggestions for the meeting. Please notice that the Review of February 17 and the Instructor of February 15, besides the Missionary Volunteer sheet and the leaflet enclosed with the Second Sabbath Reading, will be needed to carry out the suggestive program. M. E.
Society Lessons
By M. E.
OUR Missionary Volunteer societies have been studying “Bible Doctrines” since last October. These lessons have received a warm welcome. Many young people are availing themselves of this opportunity to become better acquainted with the Bible. The series has also given an impetus to the Standard of Attainment plan; and as one result of these lessons, many young people will doubtless be ready to take the Standard of Attainment examination in Bible doctrines next fall. Do you not know of some young people who should be seizing this opportunity? Let them begin at once. The lessons appear weekly in the Instructor. To study these lessons will help us to grasp more firmly the “blessed hope,” and will enable us to give a more intelligent reason for the Christian’s hope. M. E.
Young People's Work
Conducted by the Young People's Missionary Volunteer Department of the General Conference
M. E. KERN . . . . Secretary
MATILDA ERICKSON . . Corresponding Secretary
Effective Leadership for Young People
By M. E. K.
Results
A CONFERENCE president writes: “I feel thankful that we have a real live secretary, as Miss — has proved to be. As a result of her labors, combined with the efforts of our conference laborers, I feel that our young people are indeed reaching a higher standard, and many of them are forming definite plans for the future. Quite a missionary spirit is growing among them. At our camp-meeting this fall we were much encouraged by the attitude our young people are taking. All seem to have had a bright experience in surrendering to God for service.”
Herein lies the secret of success,—efficient leadership, combined with the efforts of all conference laborers. All must be young people’s workers, but some one must give especial and constant attention to this line of work, by planning for the youth ways and means of working, and developing effective methods of working for them. M. E. K.
Reading on Religious Liberty for Sabbath, Feb. 5, 1910
By K. C. R.
THE past few years have not been characterized to any great extent by bitter outbursts of persecution for violation of the Sunday laws; nevertheless that affords no reason why we should lessen our activities in enlightening the people on the principles of religious liberty. Indeed, we should be more active when there are seasons in which we are left free to worship God according to the dictates of our own consciences.
This lull from the intolerance of those who long to see the earth rid of God's commandment-keeping people has been in the providence of God, in order that his people might do uninterruptedly the work he has committed to them.
Each should seriously ask himself the question, “Have I improved the golden opportunities which have been granted me, in doing what I could to give the warning message against the beast, his image, and the reception of his mark?”
While outwardly there has been no very prominent demonstration of religious intolerance, we should not allow ourselves to feel that we have been needlessly alarmed. If we do, we deceive ourselves, as multitudes in the world are deceived. If this indifference was confined to those who are unacquainted with the third angel's message, the situation would not be so serious. Are not many Seventh-day Adventists saying by their inactivity in this department of the Lord's work that it is not necessary to make so much of a stir over this matter?
A brief outline of the activities of the forces that are seeking to bring about the very things the sure word of prophecy has warned us would come, may be of interest to us at this time. If these events scheduled on the great prophetic program do not take place, they will be the first prophetic utterances to fail of meeting with a remarkable and unerring fulfillment. The facts are that these acts in the great prophetic drama are no less important than any that have gone before.
We are all aware that the warning is first against the beast. Little has been said concerning the mighty strides that the Roman Catholic Church has been making during recent years. The January number of Current Literature quotes from a book on Roman Catholicism, which gives the total number of Roman Catholics in the world as three hundred million, and fifteen million six hundred thousand of these are in this country; in other words, one in every six of the inhabitants of the United States is a Roman Catholic. With so rapid a growth of this church during recent years, it is not difficult to estimate what influence and power she will be able to exert in another decade.
It will be remembered that recently the Catholic Church has launched a thoroughly organized proselyting propaganda in this country. She is sending forth educated and talented priests to conduct meetings in large cities for non-Catholics.
It must be confessed that she is exerting a great influence politically; besides, the public press is largely under her censorship and control.
Recently in Washington a great and significant function was held in St. Patrick's Catholic Church, at which President Taft, his cabinet officers, justices of the Supreme Court, members of Congress, and representatives of other nations were in attendance. The Washington Post speaks of the occasion as follows:—
“The Pan-American Thanksgiving day celebration at St. Patrick's Church in this city yesterday was an event unparalleled in the annals of religious16functions in this country, and the first occasion in the world's history when all the independent nations of the Western hemisphere united for the celebration of a thanksgiving festival.
“The ceremony formed an epoch also in the history of the Catholic Church in America, because it was the first solemn mass of thanksgiving ever attended by the President of the United States on the day set apart by him and his predecessors as ‘one of general thanksgiving.’”
Yet in the face of these facts, multitudes of professed Protestants do not see the danger confronting them, but instead believe that Rome is becoming Protestantized. It is not difficult to understand why it is that so many in recent years have not learned the character of this organization, for the Catholic Church has been successful in having eliminated from many school-books and histories any reference to her past terrible history. How truly the Lord symbolizes her cunning and craftiness when he speaks of the “little horn” as possessing “eyes like the eyes of man”!
The various efforts of the professed Protestant churches to effect a union of church and state in this country are all pleasing to the Roman Catholics, for when the proper time comes, all these things will be used by them in confirmation of the church’s long-established policy in that direction.
The past year a strong effort was made in Congress by the advocates of religious legislation to secure a Sunday law for the District of Columbia. They were greatly disappointed and displeased with their failure in securing the legislation for which they had so long and earnestly striven.
During the special session of Congress, held last spring after the election of President Taft, the Johnston Sunday bill for the District of Columbia was again introduced by Senator Johnston, of Alabama, and the committee to which it was referred has recently reported it favorably to the Senate. A joint-resolution was introduced also at this time in the House, calling for an amendment to the United States Constitution which would put the expression, “in the name of God,” in that document.
Since the convening of Congress this winter, another Sunday bill has been introduced into the House, which is known as H. R. 13876.
In addition to the efforts of these enemies of the Sabbath here in Congress, there is a strong effort being exerted in nearly every State in the Union to secure more stringent Sunday legislation.
In 1888 and 1889, when the Blair Sunday-rest bill was being urged before Congress, this was the message to us:—
“The crisis is now upon us. . . . That which we have, for the last thirty or forty years, proclaimed would come, is now here; and the trumpet of every watchman upon the walls of Zion should raise the alarm.”
“O, do not sleep now, and in your inactivity feel that you are doing the will of God! The experience of God's commandment-keeping people now should correspond with the events that are crowding upon us.
“It should be the business of all the righteous in the land, as they see the signs of the approach of peril, to arouse to action, and not sit in calm expectation of ruin, comforting themselves with the belief that this work must go on, because prophecy has foretold it, and that the Lord will shelter his people in the day of trial. Effectual, fervent prayers should be ascending to heaven that this calamity may be deferred; for we are not ready to meet it.”
“Arouse and come to the front. Be stanch to defend your religious liberty.”
—Mrs. E. G. White, in Review of Jan. 1, 1889.
If the situation twenty-one years ago demanded such an earnest, stirring appeal from the servant of the Lord, how much more is it needed after so many years have elapsed, and we are so much nearer the final crisis!
ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH, WASHINGTON, D. C.
All are aware that, with such a gigantic proposition as that of enlightening about ninety million people in this country concerning the principles of religious liberty, it will require most earnest, liberal, and self-sacrificing efforts upon the part of every loyal Seventh-day Adventist to accomplish the task before us.
It will be remembered that, according to the action of the last General Conference, the religious liberty offering this year is to be divided equally among the General, union, and local conferences. This should be an additional incentive to make our offerings larger than ever before.
May your offering be accompanied with your most earnest prayer that the greatest good possible may be accomplished with it.
