St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-28
SAINT PAUL MATTERS.
A Protest Entered Against the Benefit
to Be Given the st. Paul
Press Club.
E. v. smalley Addresses an Open Letter
to the Men Who Enter the
Protest.
Mary Lind, the Sixteen ear-OId
Country Girl, Given over to
Careful Keepers.
Ell. Wood Will Contest w. r. Mer-
riam:s Election Where People
VIII W orshfp To-Day.


planatOry:
E. V. Smallev, President of the Press Club
Dear Sir: The undersigned, a committee
appo nted by the Presbyterian alliance OIL the
city of St. Paul, body composed OF the mln-
listers and elders of the Presbyterian churches
of the city. would most earnestly protest
against the violation of the Sabbath involved
in tue concert rendered by the Boston Ideal
Opera troupe for the benefit OF your club
next Sunday evening at the opera house in
this city.
They look upon such performances upon
Sunday evening as surely destructive of the
respect which this community has always en-
tertained Tor the sanctty of the Sabbath day.
AS citizens they regard the proper, lawful
ana religious observance of this day as one
of the bulwarks of liberty and as one Of the
foundation stones upon which the republic
has been So successfully and glo-
riously builded. As believers in and
supporters of the Christian religion they re-
gard the SeculariZation Of the day as evil in
its influence. both upon those who are called
upon to labor on that day and upon those also
who Ouy use it as day or enjoyment aud
pleasure. AS law-abiding members of this
community they regard this infringe
ment of the laws OF the state and
the city both wrong aDd dan
gerous Finally, as well-wishers to all who
are engaged upon the press they look with
most profound regret upon your body lending
lis weight TO the disregard of the Sabbath
day, and to their union with the opera troupe
mentioned in the violation of the laws upon
the subject.
THonAs COCHRAN, JAMES BRoDIE,
j. W. COOPER, +. L. BRYANT.
B. F. WRIGHT, H. II. CAMPBELL,
JOSEPH MCh1BBIN, c. MCCLELLAN,
F. L. HOXSIE.
ST. Paul. Nov. -.
REPLY OF PRESIDENT SMALLEY.
To MesSrs. Thomas Cochran. J. w. Cooper,
1OSanh MOKihbi r + Hoy sih
James Brodie, +. E. Bryant, II. II. Campbell
and c. Mcclellan - Gentlemen: l differ
broadly from the views expressed in yonr
letter. | do not believe, nor do think that
any member of the Press club believes that
the giving Of q concert of high-clasS music,
in a respectable place, by respectable people,
and before a respectable audience, is either
injurious TO public morals or hos
tile to religion. A daily newspaper
is not fitting place to discuss theological
questions; otherwise l might argue that there
Is no warrant for the transfer TO the first day
of the week OF the law of the Jewish Sabbath,
and that the founder of the Christian religion
sOok special pains 10 violate that law III order
20 show that it was no longer binding upon
his followers. l desire only to call your at
tention to fact which cannot have escaped
YOUR observation as men of Intelligence,
namely, that in the progress of civilization,
old ideas and customs respecting the
observance of SUNDAY are being
constantly modified. When l was
q boy pious people thought il wicked to read
any book or newspaper on Sunday not OF
religious character; to sing or play any music
other than psalms and hymns; to engage in
pleasant social conversation; to walk or drive
for health or pie Assure; to visit neighbor or
to permit children to laugh or play on that
day. All these things are now done by church
members in good standing. In many cities
of Christendom public libraries and picture
galleries are open on Sunday, and it will not
be long before this custom is universal. Sun
day concerts and Sunday lectures have long
been given without protest. Concerts have
been frequo ntly held in the Turner hall, in
ST. Paul, on Sunday evenings without, as far
as am aware, encountering any protest
from your organization. The daily newspa-
per is issued and sold on Sunday,
and although once strenuously CONDEMNED
by many religious people now appears to
be accepted by all of them. Street cars run
on Sunday in ali our cities; but it is within
ms memory that they were stopped for
time by legal proceedings, instituted by
people who drove comfortably to church in
:heir own carriages. Through trains run.
and through mails are carried on Sunday
the same as on other days of the week. The
baker and milkman make their rounds on
Sunday without thought of Sabbath-breaking,
and serve the religious and the non-religiouS
alike. Music is heard in the homes of good
people, and there Is much sociabilIty
on SUNNY evenings. w Odl6NeF Seeu1S GSSeu-
tial to comfort and ease first allowed,
and the later OpiniOn.in as well as outside
of the churches, is fast taking the ground that
whatever promotes mental and bodily health
and at the same time is in the direction OF in
tellectual and moral culture, is as right on
one day of the week as on another.
In all this are going backward? Is orr
civilization retrograding? Are we becoming
an iIreligious people? L very positive in
the opinion that we are not. L believe that
there are fewer crimes committed in proper
ion to the population than there were half
century ago, and that the general average of
public and private virtue is higher. Yet
old-fasbioned ideas of strict Sabbatarian
observance of Sunday are rarely met
with now except in out-0f-the-way
regions, where the grade of intelligence is
low Furthermore. l believe Sunday is being
made more valuable to the people of this
country than ever before, as the day of
genuine rest from toll, of reasonable recrea-
ton and of religious opportunities.
With great respect for your right to hold
and express your own opinions. but with an
earnest protest against what seems to be an
effort to set up those opinions as the only
standard for right action for those who hold
other views, remain. gentlemen, very sin
eerely yours, Z. V. SMALLEY,
President Of the St. Paul Press Club.