The Washington herald., 1909-06-07
ADVENTISTS CLOSE
THEIR CONFERENCE
Every Tent Taken Down on
Yesterday.
WILL FIGHT ALL BLUE LAWS
At Meeting OF Religious Liberty De-
partment, Encroachment Against
Equal Rights TO All Creeds IL Wig
orousIy DenOunced-OffieiaI Board
In Selected by Committee.

The seventh-day Adventists' general
conference. at Takorna Park. closed yes
terday evening. A few OF the special
committees are still on the grounds, but
riey will leave before tonight.
workmen were busy all day yesterday
taking down the tents in which the thou
sands OF delegates have been housed dur
ing the conference, and last night the
tented city was a thing of the past.
The first meeting yesterday was at
o'clock In the morning. when Elder D.
c. Babcock, a missionary from the west
coast OF Africa, gave an interesting talk
on the progress OF the Adventist faith on
the Gold Coast"
Official Board Named.
At o'clock the last meeting OF the
religious liberty department was held
The future work OF this department was
outlined and discussed by several speak
ers. Later the general conference com
mittee selected the Official board OF the
department OF the general conference.
naming the following persons:
X c. Russell. chairman; W. A. Col
cord. ]. o. Corliss. John S Wightman.
Allen Mon. William Healey. G. B. B.Thomp-
son, ". F. Bartlett. D. W Reavis. p. NJ
Wilcox, I. A. Hopes. A. J. S. Bordeau.
W. H Thurston. S. B. Horton. J. s.
Washburn. c. S. Longacre. J. G. Lamson,
A. J. Breed c. E. knight, W A. Hen
ming, and Eugene Leland
From to II o'clock reports from the
South American Union conference and
field were made by Elders F. L. Perry,
Edward W. Thomann, y. Z. Town, and
DR.. r. II. Habernicht. Elder Thomann.
representing Bolivia. recOunted some Of
his experiences in the inland. telling Of
narrow escapes from the natives and OF
hardships endured.
VIII Formulate New Hymn Book.
The general conference met In the fore
noon. when resolutions were passed 10
formulate a new hymn book. TO provide
schools for children OF missionaries. and
fer providing denominational German
schools. A resolution was also adopted
thanking the press for the courtesies ex-
tended the meeting.
At 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon Mrs.
z. G. White. the aged prophecies. deliv-
cred an address. She took the Second
Epistle OF Peter as her subject. ard init
mated she might never again attend a
conference in the East. She was vIsibly
affected by her farewell to friends and CO.
workers, and in closing broke down COM
pletely
The conference has been a great sue
cess, said John s Wightman. one OF the
Adventist press committee. last night.
AT least, in our range OF vision, It ap-
TOO. has taken on a new Impetus
The American people are beginning TO
understand US They see that In asking
for the equal rights OF all men. and the
denial OF the right OF government &c
legislate upon questions essentially and
distinctly religious. we are standing upon
common ground; It appeals to a sense Of
'airness and justice.
Oppose Blue Laws.
Government is 10 protect, not to en-
force upon individuals their manner or
religious worship.
When we see the blue law wave
weeping the Atlantic coast. grasping
he reins OF civil government in Missouri,
and even invading the far Western min
Ing camps in insistent demands that citi-
sens shall receive a religious institution
AZ the hands OF a civil magistracy, Il Is
high time for the American people 10
awaken and ask. Whittier are we drift
ng?'
Not In the dim future there will be a
continental struggle over this very oues-
lion Of setting up a religious system Ike
that Of early New England. and com
pelling men 10 become good by law.
Adventists to BE Heard.
when the time comes the Adventist
people. small in numbers as they are,
viii be heard; and their plea will only
be that or Roger Williams: We deny
the right OF the civil magistrate to en-
force the first table Of the Decalogue.'
we are reaching out for public opin-
ion. and public Opinion-the highest tribu-
nal in any age-when once II understands
our position, should sustain it by every
public act and utterance. At any rate.
with faith In the people. we are inaugu-
rating new movements that we believe
Will be found 70 call national attention
10 our work
Catholic and Protestant Jew and
Gentle, barbarian and Greek must all
stand upon a plane Of equality. If our
system OF government Is 10 continue"