The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-07-11
ODDLY sTRATFORD AGHAST.
1 Minister OF tho Gospel Mocked and
Hnuwe In Ef1gy.

A Minister or tho Gospel Mocked ami
Hanged In EflEy.
SrRArroED. Conn.,, July TO- Although
the hanging in efllgy OF Rev. J. s. Ives
pastor Of the Congregational church, in tht
early morning hours OF Independence dav,
10 not nearly so awful q matter ~ was
feared at frat. nevertheless 1t shows the
drift Of things In this rock-ribbsd. hide
bound state OF Connecticut. AZ two O'Clock
in the morning OF Independence day the
Rev. J.. s. Ives, for nine wears tho honored
pastor OF the ~strongest church In Stratford,
was awakened BY a horrid din. The hsv.
]. :. Ives was not surprised At the ain. re
youth of Stratford in the matter of salut-
ing that day. But he was surprised BY the
persistence with which the din fingered in
front of his own pretty brownc cottage: de
arose and vent to the window, He found
a gang Of young men, perhaps nfseen
trees in front of his house. They
we're shooting off irecraeksrs and ire
wheels. They were shouting and hoosing
and repeating again and again q profane
invitation to the minister which ~ wonid
not bs becoming to set down here. lie
recognized the voices OF several or THESE
young men as the voices that on SUNDAYS
are lifted in hymns or Bible responses in
his own Sunday school. He recognized
other young voices ~ belonging to a god
less section OF the community, foe which
the hesrts of all the elect have ached this
long time. After half an hour of IRE ana
uproar which was watched out by, the min
lister and by a timld woman who lives next
door and feared u contlaRration was at
hand, the dozen or 30 of youths went their
way, In the gray of the morning the min
listers son vent out and found hanging in
one of tho big tress OF the 'front.' yard
pair Of trousers and a coat. stuffed with
papers and fastened together a. . sort g.
efixy. The minister's son brought it
around into the back yard, and an hour or
80 later the minister came and cast 1t into
the fire, where it was consumed utterly.
Stratford is full Of respect for the Puritan
Sabbath. In bridgeport, a few miles away,
are many laborsrs who have the habit OF
riding out on the street cars to Stratford Of
about its beautiful country-liks streets.
Stratford is glad to see these people. But
it wants them to be AS calm and subdusd "a
is Stratford itself. On the fences hat lins
The road from Stratford 10 Bridgeport some
has painted. in among the ADVERTISE
ments for nostrums, sundry sententious
words calculated to prepare the minds OF
Stafford. For instance, on a rail is The
Judgment Day." sandwiehed between
and peotoral advertise
On the top board Of a
BOARD fence is Eternity" and a few
'ods further on "R. U. Savedp" On a rock
s Flee from the Wrath" and 90 on.
Until lately the sunday visitors to STRAIT
ord have walked quietly about Strstford
'treets and then returned home, freshened
md rejoiced. But certain of the goddess
in Stratford %bethought them to
open eating places, where the visitors might
est and refresh themselves. The drug
stores also began to sell soda, ginger
lie, and the like. 1t was at this
,oint hat Stratford began to view itself
With alarm. II saw in it's minds eye more
.'isitors Of Sunday, ~boisterousness. eating
path air tainted with unseemly sounds and
lights, the youth corrupted. and the tradi-
ions Of the Pilgrim fathers overthrown.
This was moro than the Rev. j. S. Ives
could bear. So he preached a powerful
'ermon two SUNDAYS ago, calling attention
the growing evil and urging the officers
# the law to do their duty. This trumpet
,all had the desired effect. The restaurants
the drug shors were closed on the next
sunday. to the no small perturbation OF
heir proprietors, And it is gossipped in
he village that some of these proprietors
Urged the boys on to the scandal of the
This same element has maliciouslv spread
t abroad that the minister has set on foot
! movement for the stopping of the horse
Jars on Sunday and for the general enforce-
nent of the blue laws. This. the minister
denies. And be it said that
he element %outspoken against the minister
8 30 small, that but for its showing some
hing of the change shat is coming over the
Connecticut villages, it would
lot be worthy OF his attention.