The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-06
AMERICAN SABBATH UNION.
Pacific Coast Secretary Il Pushing Work
i'm Seattle.


Rev Edward Thomson, IL D., OF San Fran
CISCO secretary of the Pacific coast OF the Amer1-
can Sabbath L niou Is at the Occidental hotel His
TERRITORY includes California, Oregon, Washing
tor, Nevada. Idaho, wyoming, Montana, Colorado.
Utah. New Mexico. Oklahoma. Indian Territory.
Arizona and Alaska He comes to Seattle TO
organize the work OF the union. and be will
spend some time in the various cities OF the
state. This morning he will preach in the Bat
te-y street Methodist Episcopal church. and
this evening in the First Methodist Episcopal
church The union is made IN OF the various
Christian churches, but DR.. Thomson himself
is q Methodist He comes Of eminent parentage
His father was q bishop in the Methodist
church, aud on his mothers side he is con-
nected with TWO OF the Best Ohio families-the
Barfleys and the Shermans. His grandfather,
Mordecai BARLEY, was the popular Wing gov
ernor of the Buckeye State in the time OF the
Mexican war, and had been a member OF Con-
gress for many years preceding his election as
governor. His only maternal uncle Thomas
BARLEY, was & Democratic governor of the same
state, and twice chosen chief justice Of
the supreme court. DR. Thomson is q
man OF scholarly attainments The early part
OF his college course was taken in Columbia
college, New York He was graduated in the
classical course at the Ohio Wesleyan university,
over which his father, Bishop Edward Thorn
son, ID. D., was president for sixteen years. In
post graduate work he earned the degrees OF
A NJ and Phi d. He was graduated at Garrett
Biblical institute with 5. I. B., and then he at
tended the Chicago Law school and took term
OF medical lectures at Ann Arbor, in the Miehi-
gan university. After three years as professor
OF chemistry at Baldwin university in Ohio
be became principal Of the Ne
braska Conference seminary, president OF
New YORK college, vice president OF the Univer-
sity of southern California, and chancellor of
Nf,tV n
Doctor OF Divinity; and IN 1886, when COM
spleting a term OF seven years as president of
New York college, the trustees OF that institu-
ton, by unanimous vote, bestowed upon him
the highest honor conferred by American col
leges-the Doctorate of Laws. He was the
chairman of the Nebraska delegation in the
general Methodist conference in 1854, and has
been for several years a contribute. 10 the
Methodist ReuielG and leading journals. He is
the author of 1.-THE Life OF Bishop Thomson"
"a Temperance Pamphlet" latin Pronuncia-
tion," etc.
In speaking of the work OF the union, Dr.
Thomson said last night: 1--WE expect to have
an organized branch of the union in this state
and 10 carry on a strong movement for the bet
ter observance of Sunday. Our last crusade was
at Los Angeles, where we succeeded in getting
the saloons closed on Sunday not only in the
city, but in the county we'll We are not fan
atics on the sunday question, but we simply
striving to have the Sunday work reduced to
the minimum. OF course we understand that it
will be impossible to have the street railway
stopped. and we know that there are other
lines of work 10 which more or less attention
must be given on Sunday. Yet at the same
time we feel that much unnecessary work is
done and this should be stopped. Man needs
one day OF rest and thought, he will be the bet
ter for II during the other six days. We believe
in closing the saloons on Sunday, not only for
the sake OF the customers, but also for the sake
OF the saloon-keepel. He will gain by a day Of
rest But more than that, it is fact that the
sunday saloon causes from one-fourth to one
third of the crime OF our cities. SO we want the
saloons shut up tight on Sundays
ave make no crusade against harmless recre-
alton, but we should like TO put stop to such
games as practically involve gambling, drink
ing or the gathering of low and more or less
disorderly crowd We urge that Sunday be
made a day OF thoughtful contemplation, and so
We think that it is not spent the best when it
is passed in trivial amusement"