The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1921-02-09
MANY ATTENDED
BLISS MEMORIAL
DEDICATION SERVICE
PROF. LAMSON PROVED SELF A
FORCEFUL SPEAKER TO
BIG AUDIENCE

With everything in readiness, the
church neatly decorated for the oc-
casion, and program scattered over
the city, the general meeting at the
Bliss Memorial Seventh day Adven-
fist church opened with the house
packed.
Professor Lamson, the Religious
Liberty Secretary of the West Mich
igan Conference, gave an interest
ing address Saturday night on "The
Fundamentals of Religious Liberty.
He showed in an interesting manner
that the Bible draws a very distinct
line of demarcation between the af-
fairs of the church and state. His
torical records were given, showing
that where this line is erased and a
union of church and state establish
ed, persecution has repeatedly result
ed. Especially has this been true"
he stated "where Blue Laws and
Puritan Sunday Laws have been en-
forced" He said men of deep
Christion experience have been sem
fenced to the chain gang because
their religious convictions could not
be directed by. the majority. This
has often led Protestants to perse-
cute Protestants and vice versa"
Mr.. Lamson, as lawyer, an evange-
list, zealously charged his audience
to stand fast upon the Bible and the
true American platform in render
ing unto Caesar the things that per-
tain to the safe, and unto God the
things that belong unto Him, that our
American Constitution may never
crumble because the majority ceases
to permit the minority to worship
according to the dictates of their
own conscience.
A very interesting program was
followed Sunday afternoon in con-
nection with the dedicatory service.
Before the address, Mr.. Williams. the
pastor, presented an interesting
church history, showing the relation
existing between the local church
and the general body. He stated,
1.-THE Belding church is one of for
ty-eight churches comprising the
West Michigan Conference. There
are three such conferences in the.
state of Michigan. These local con-
ferences are grouped into Unions,
forty-two such unions forming the
world or general conference of the
Seventh-day Adbentists, with a
actively engaged in
church work, either as ministers,
Bible workers, medical evangelists,
nurses, or colporteurs, and from their
$40 colleges, academies, and paro-
chiaf schools young people are enter
ing practically every Christian
country in the world. The total funds
contributed by the denomination last
year for evangelistic purposes ex-
ceeded seven million dollars, while
the literature sales totaled over five
million. :.
"The local organization has made
substantial growth during the past
year. Besides contributing their per
capita to the general funds, they
have during the past six months,
raised in cash and pledges four
thousand dollars, the purchase price
of their church building. Nearly
eight hundred dollars was subscribed
at the Sunday service"
Mr.. Lamson delivered an inter-
esting address, showing the reasons
for the existance of this depomina
ton. Sunday night. pastor j. F. Pip
er, local conference president, deliv-
cred an interesting lecture showing
the dangers confronting the religious
world at this time. He emphasized
that their only safety lay in a care
full study of the Bible. This infalli-
BILE Word, he said, Should guide be-
You'd our fallible sense of sight and
hearing.
Mr.. Williams stated that the reg
ular schedule of meetings will fol-
low this week, services opening ev-
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