The Washington herald., 1909-05-22

| S1ioCD question: IN Tue PoiitiCdA NSto
Several members Of the faith declared
yesterday they would oppose the passing
OF q resolution which in any way would
bring politics into their sect. and as the
resolution is said 10 have strong back
ing, II Is probable that the morning ses-
sion will be exciting.
Importance Of the public press in
teaching the principles Of religious lib
eTty'' was The topic Of discussion a. the
meeting Of the religious liberty depart
ment yesterday. The discussion was
started by John s. wightman. press rep
resentatlve Of the Middle West.
Pays Tribute 90 Press.
The speaker paid a glowing tribute 70
the American press, and It's provesbssl
fairness and justice in dealing with pub
lie affairs. He declared the press 10 have
a power beyond human comprehension,
and said. in part:
1T stands for the rights OF the people
and there Is no better sentinel Of the
inalienable rights Of the people than the
&.eoo newspapers. with their 40.coO,oe0
readers In the United States.
"Adventists recognize the value Of the
press in setting their views of govern
ment before the people. They see clear
" that II molds pubic opinion and
public opinion crysCsliised into laws.
Make the mOst Of the opportunity"
said Mr.. WIzhtrnsn- ''Tres. the members
Of the press veil Come in touch with
the magnificent army OF preachers of
every variety Of thought and you vii
be surprised By results and have cause
20 50 rejoicing
InfIuenc> Of Press.
The next speaker vas S. B. Horton. a
member Of the press committee Of the
conference. who declared the press COM
mands a great influence IN the modern
world. He said In part:
1T must be recognized without srgu-
ment that this Is a reading age. The de-
lmand for information and news has re-
suited in an almost inexhausti5le supply
of literature OF various sorts and charac-
ter. And Il goes without saying that. so
far as the general public Is concerned.
the daily and weekly press. as vel e. the
magazine. has become necessity. Scarce
y a family exists to-day where the mat
ter contained IN the columns of the nsTs-
paper does not find access 20 q greater
or less extent either directly OF indi-
rectly.
The public press must. therefore. be
viewed as a mighty factor In the Affairs
o; everyday life. There Is q measure
Of justification in proclaining the old
sdage, The pen Is uight.sr than the
sword The press well illustrates this:
for who IS prepared 70 deny that Il cen-
tributes in great msasure 10 the mold
ing Of public opinion and in shaping the
affairs OF the body poIitic7
/ The Importance and value of the news
paper Is recognized BY the politician. by
the merchant, by the purely social. ana
by the religious teacher And IL seems
10 ne that no people on ths face q the
earth should have greater appreciation
Of the value of the public press than
Seyenth-day Adventists.
There are those who have bean
iresched and viii be reached by the voice
Of the living preacher and by the can
Ivasser: and by the faithful ministration
OF tire Bible worker and nurse and the
icolporter. And I dare say there VIII oe
found IN the kingdom OF God sUme who
received the first rays OF the light OF
present truth through the columns Of the
newspaper.
G II. KesIake also discussed the sub
ject, giving brief history Of the develop
ment OF printing and its evolution into
the present daily newspapers.
Devotional Meeting.
At 5 o'clock yesterday morning devo-
tionsl meeting vas conducted by Elder
2. n Wilcox. At o'clock q meeting of
the publishing department vas held, fol-
lowed by q meeting Of the medical de-
partmsnt. in which Lucinda A Marsh
and Loretta KresS took part Mrs W o.
Howe and c. A. Hanson gave q general
review Of the work Of the Sabbath school
department
In the afternoon meetings OF the for
eiEn departments were held. and reports
were heard from the Scandinavian and
Central Union conferences.
At a meeting OF the North American
foreign department, Elder F. G.. Gilbert
telling OF the work Of the denomination
among the Jews. gave an interesting re-
port OF the number OF cases converted
and Of the possibilities In his work.
He said that owing 10 the belief in
and the preaching Of the seventh
Gay. the Seventh-day Adventists had
easier access to the Jews than other
denominations. His own work has been
quite successful and he presented sug-
gestions TO the general conference for
future plans looking forward to the en-
largement OF the work
i Work Among Italians.
Elder L. Zecchetto. the leader OF the
italian work in New York. next reported
on his success in raising up Italian
churches. in distributing Italian liters-
ture. &C. Besides his success in this
country. the Italian paper which he Is
publishing goes to many countries, and
exercises a strong influence for the con-
version OF those who receive It.
\ He was followed by Elder Sevsch, who
is the worker Of the denomination among
the Hungarians. His relation Of his own
conversion and OF his labors were well
received by the assembly.
Elder J. v. Hofstra spoke in behalf
Of the work among the Hollsnders. The
work for this people has not long been
begun, but already IL Is showing re-
suits in the large cities. where the Hoi-
landers are heavily segregated
He called for a better organization and
larger plans TO push this work in the
future All the meetings in this depart
nent are very interesting.
Committee Reports
Committee reports were heard by the
educational department. which met at 6
o'clock, and al the same tine in the large
pavilion tent Elder J. r. LeadsSorth
spoke on Digestive disturbances and
their treatment
In the evening Elder E. ". Farms
worth delivered a sermon, taking as his
subject. Elijah the prophet" The speak
er held that the Adventist message, in
its entirety, was the message Elijah re-
pested IN the spirit and IN power Il
not in the personality os TIE ancient