Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-31
URGE SUNDAY BILL
Pastors Ask House to Pass
Senate Measure.
RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED
Members of Federation Also Will
Write Personal Letters.
SECULAR LEAGUE CRITICS
Religious Liberty Association Mem
bers Also Go On Record Against
Pending Measure.
is ADOPTED
SECULAR LEAGUE CRITIC

DR.. Charles E. Guthrie, pastor of the
HaInline Methodist Episcopal Church, ad-
dressed the Pastors Federal on of Wash
ington this morning at meeting at the
Young Mems Christian Association on
the Johnson bill. which has passed the
Senate, for the observance of Sunday.
DR.. Guthrie stated there are represented
to be $1,000 Protestants in the District,
representing about one hundred thousand
dollars worth of church property and
population of over 275OOO, who are
striving for the observance of the Sab
bath. He said that recently several
young men of his congregation, by his
request, walked along Pennsylvania ave-
nue. from the Peace Monument to Wash
ington Circle on Sunday afternoon and
found 1O2 establishments of various kinds
open for business. Another member
counted the stores on 7th street from
Pennsylvania avenue to Florida ave.iue :,
he declared, and found 116 open for
business.
The speaker stated that the bill stands
for civil measure. He said that by
law contracts made on the Sabbath are
not valid, that liquor shops and barber
that nothing new is being asked for in
the bill for observance of the Sabbath.
"Social Set" Violations.
DR.. Wallace Radcliffe, pastor of the
New York Avenue Presbyterian Church,
also spoke on the subject. He told of the
breaking Of the Sabbath day by members
of the social set whereby dinners and
receptions are given. The speaker offered
a resolution, which was adopted, asking
the House Of Representatives to- pass the
Johnson bill. DR.. Radcliffe u. ged the
members of the federation to write letters
to each member of the House Of Repre-
sentatives, urging the passage of the bill
and also to ask them to reply to the let
tiers. Following the addresses there was
a gene al discussion of the subject.
business meeting at which a resolution
offered by Dr. Radcliffe was passed, ex-
pressing the sympathy OF the federation
in the Illness of the president, DIR. Fred
ericaz Powe., pastor of the vermont Ave-
nue. Christian Church
Joseph Burt, envoy of the Anti-slavery
and Aborigines Protective Society OF Lon
don, England, addressed the meeting on
THE Cocoa Slavery and Slave Trade
Under the Portuguese Flag.
Secular League Critics.
The Johnson Sunday observance bill,
which recently passed the Senate, was
vigorously scored yesterday afternoon by
several speakers at meetings Of the
Washington Secular League and Of the
Religious Liberty Association at the
Church of the Seventh Day Adventists.
18th and NJ streets northwest. The bill
was denounced as religious legislation,
and an infringement upon the rights and
privileges Of American citizens.
Among those who criticised the bill at
the Religious Liberty Associations meet
ing was K. c. Russell, the organizations
secretary. After reviewing the bill in
detail Mr.. Russell pronounced it dan
gerous and hostile to the rights of the
Districts residents.
With all of its exceptions, and even
though it has been Invested of some of
it's religious terms. it Is, nevertheless, a
species of religious legislation, and.
therefore, dangerous" he said. "A pack
age of deadly poison may be labeled as
harmless: the state may label Sunday
law n police regulation. but still 1t must
be confessed that Sunday, which Is re-
ligious. Is a preferred day. The legisla-
tive sphere OF the state is to protect It's