The first meeting of the Lord's Day Alliance of the United States, then known as the American Sabbath Union, was held at Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. in 1888. Several denominations from various parts of the nation appointed representatives to serve on a National Committee to begin the organization. The name was changed to The Lord's Day Alliance of the United States in 1908.

The history of The Lord's Day Alliance tells of many accomplishments through the years in the area of Sunday observance. From the beginning, the LDA has been built upon the authority of Holy Scripture. The first three verses of Genesis give the account of God's blessing the "seventh day" and resting from all His work of creation on that day. Therefore the idea of one day in seven set aside for worship, rest and renewal is written in creation itself.

Recently the Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution concerning the Lord's Day. Associated Press interpreted the resolution as saying, "failing to observe the Sunday Sabbath in religious ways is helping to cause the moral breakdown in society."

There seems to be a nationwide emphasis on the importance of a day of rest. In an article in Current History magazine titled "Recentering of America," author Alan Wolfe mentions 16 transformations taking place in America. He notes, "The fundamental values of American society are no longer shaped by a Yankee consciousness inherited from Great Britain. A Protestant ethic stressing thrift, honesty, hard work, sacrifice and community has less currency for a country that with each passing year is decreasingly Protestant."

He also says, "that hedonistic utilitarianism has become America's only compelling source of ethical values."

Years ago, Dr. John Suthaland Bonnell, then pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City, spoke to the LDA annual meeting. He distinguished between law and conscience, saying that with the growth of secularism we would need to preserve the Sabbath not by law but by conscience.

It is in this area that the Lord's Day Alliance needs to be working in our present society. We must appeal to the conscience of people to recognize God as creator and to recognize His purpose in living by urging the voluntary keeping of one day in seven for worship, and to become recreated through spiritual, emotional and physical renewal.

Who is to give this emphasis to our Nation? Certainly it must begin with God's people who teach and practice the keeping of the Lord's Day. Each of us can make a difference. Each one of us must say, "If it is to be, it's up to me" and then begin to do our part.

We are on God's side with this emphasis. Through our churches we can bring people to see the need for worship and rest. In every generation there are those who say the church will die, that the forces of evil will prevail. But it is not so! God has started something that can never be stopped. Forces have been released that will never be exhausted. Our God is marching on and He will continue to march until "the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord and Christ, and He will reign forever and ever."

Keeping the Lord's Day is one way we demonstrate that we are on His side.