Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-03
THE REFORM ASSOCIATION.
A Platform OF Principles Adopted
Christianity and the State.


The morning session of the third day of the
national conference on the Christian principles
of civil government began at $50 this morning
at Lincoln Hall. The exercises were opened
with scripture reading and prayer. The first
speaker was the Rev. NJ. A. Gault,
district secretary of the National Reform
Association. His theme was the Divine
foundation of Sabbath laws" and he based his
discourse on the argument that the legal safe
guards of the Sabbath must be maintained, if
at all, not upon grounds of policy, but on the
basis of the immutable and sovereign law of
God.
AN APPEAL FOR ARBITRATION.
DIR. Howard of the American Peace Society
made an eloquent appeal for arbitration and
peace. He depicted in earnest terms the hor-
rors of war and all its attending miseries. He
based his argument largely Oh the divine sane
hty OF human life, and prophesied that the
time would soon come when all troubles and
difficulties will be settled by amIcable arbitra-
ton instead of by having recourse TO blood
shed.
Prof. c. c. Painter of Washington. mem
Der of the Indian Rights Association, discussed
1.-The Indian question"
THE RESOLUTIONS.
DIR. McAllister of the committee on resolu-
tions presented series OF resolutions and
statement of principles as expressive of the
sentiments OF the conference. They hold
that the state is an institution OF God
and only in secondary sense of
man. They maintain that a standard of
morals is necessary to human government
and that such code of morals is found IN all
its necessary completeness in the Bible. The
church and the state are coordinate. The latter
has not the power to inflict restrictions and
tha Al,
insert articles of belief in the principles
of the state. The Constitution of our
country and its connection with Christianity is
the secret of the nations success. The resolu-
tions call for removal of the defect in the
Constitution which omits the name of the
Supreme Being which by some oversight was
not put into it at its first making. They
insist on Sunday rest law and on
restrictions upon the traffic in intoxi-
eating liquor, on gambling and on the
publication and dissemination of immoral
literature; they indorse Senator Bair's amend
ment prohibiting the various states from enact
ing any laws restricting the liberties of re-
ligious sects; they deprecate the distribution
of public school moneys among the various
religious denominations pro rata; they protest
against the maintenance of a standing army
and navy ana call for a settlement of all ma
tional differences by arbitration; they approve
of Senator Blair's Sunday rest bill and Senator
Chambers DILL imposing impartial restrictions
upon immigration; they return thanks to Con-
gress for the enactment of the Edmunds bill
and to the Postmaster General for his attempt
to stop mails on the Sabbath and to give the
officials of the department one day in the week
as day of rest.
At the close of the addresses the expression
of principles and the resolutions were dis
cussed and adopted. DIR. Jonathan Edwards
was appointed chairman of a committee to pre-
sent the resolutions in person to President
Harrison. At the conclusion of the discussion
the conference adjourned until 2:30 this after
noon.
LAST NIGHTS SESSION.
Rev. Jonathan Edwards, DID,, OF Meadyille,
Pa, presided at last nights session of the ma
tional conference that has for its object the in
culcation Of Christian principles in civil gov
eminent
Rev. Henry 7. Cheever, DID,. of Worcester.
Mass, was the first speaker of the evening" and
he took for his subject 1.-The prohibition of the
liquor traffic" In his paper he took the ground
that craftsmanship and Christianity and
always have been so closely connected as to be
inseparable. But when he reached the subject
of the alcohol liquor traffic he became earnest
in his denunciations of the way it has been al
lowed to run loose. He insisted that the time
had come when determined action should be
taken to completely stamp the whole business
out of existence.
Mrs. Mary T. Lathrop, the president of the
subject of christianity in politics." She held
that in the discussions Of the conference on
the subjects of Christianity and liquor the lat
ter had not received its due share of attention.
The saloon, she said, controls the politician,
and it can only be reached through the voters
In her opinion the Catholic Church is the only
one that has received recognition in politics,
and this she said was because il was the only
one to assert its claims, while the Protestant
Church stood quietly by and did not attempt
to make itself felt in politics.