The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-06-04
A SENSIBLE CLERGYMAN.

The Rev. w. c. Selleck, Of Denver, in .
letter to the New York Tribune. makes the
following strong point against the Sab
batarians who are straining every nerve to
close the Worlds fair on Sunday:
1t 10 strange to me that the jealous people who
are 90 opposed to Sunday opening do not see
that the existing Arrangement, together with
the spirit they are manifesting. 10 sure to bsget
hostility aid hatred towards the churches In
the breasts OF many Thousands already too
much alicnated from them. We have heard .
great deal in recent years about the failure OF
the churches to hold the mar J. ana about the
problem OF their reaching the mns.es," and
yet the leaders OF the great churches do not
seem to have the romotess idea that just such
actions a. we are now witnessing on their part
with reference to this matter OF opening or clos
ing the fair are surely widening and deepening
the gulf that separates hundreds OF thousands
OF good men from the Christian churchea
This is true. as every intelligent, observ-
ant man Of the world knows. Churches
are made repulsive to many well-disposed
persons because they are voiced and con-
Quoted by narrow-minded. bigoted Puri-
tans who are not content to denounce
what is really sinful and morally indecent
and perncious. but denounce things that
are not sinful or indecent at all. Humanity
is naturally gregarious and Of social habit
the world is sure to seek recreation, and
the denunciation of sound and innocent
recreation on the plea that II is quite pos
sible 20 abuse or misuse IL, is absurd.
There is nothing that is good that has
not its base counterpart. Would you dis
courage pious speech and action because
they are sometimes presented in the base
form Of hypocricy and sanctimoniousness?
And yet these Puritan denouncers Of real
and fancied social evils deal In just this
cheap kind of moral logic. We denounce
dancing. card playing and the theater;
why? Because it is possible TO dance In
decen,ly: TO gamble. and to present in.
decent dramatic spectacles. This kind Of
reasoning would forbid the use OF books
or the creation Of literature. because it is
possible 10 write and print obscene. inn
moral or indecent prose and verse: il
would forbid the pictorial arts because il
is possible 10 prostitute them TO immoral.
OBSCENE and indecent purposes. 4 family
plays whist, an innocent and intelligent
up and arraicns the innocent use of cards
SIS responsible for the vicious prostitution
OF cards in the shape OF gambling Your
innocent recreation with cards is no more
responsible for gambling hell or for
gamblers than man who purchases and
drives fast horse is responsible for hole
sale cheating on the turf. A woman rho
dances deceni!y is no more responsible for
women who dance indecen,ly than a
woman who speaks decensly Is respon.
s!ole Tor the indecen. speech Of other
women. And 50 II goes; the whole list of
decent. temperate, innoeent recrsaiions
sre Feandly denounced because ike every
thing csc IN this world they have their
base eoan,errar.s
The same stupid logic - contained in
the question whether the army os.icer " ho
gave Peter Stanup a drink 0! whisky il
not responsible Tor his death. assuming
that he was drosned- suppose the army
otl!eeE had lent Peter rope ard ne had
hang himself. or gun and he had ,ho.
himself; who would he responsible then
for his death : To help 4 aaa known Ia
he OF suicidal intent 10 the means Of de-
s'guc,ion would be immoral. bu, surely II
. mAn 10 no, under guardianship. n a free
moral agent, he is responsible Tor his acts
and the consequences. II yoa do no, know
that man - an inebriasr and you do
Iaow thai he 10 universal y regarded aud
treated as . sane. intelligent man you are
no more responsible Tor his death because
yea have given him glass of
Naisky and b has subsequently become