The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-25
OBSERVANCE OF SUNDAY.
The Case Of Miss Means to Come Be-
fore the Synod.

! The Body to Meet at Clinton on Oct.
| 31-Miss Means Suspended from the
Independent Presbyterian Church of
Columbia Because She Worked in
the Telephone Exchange or Sunday.
She Was offered other Situations,
But Refused TO Give UP Her Old One.
Columbia, S. c., Oct. "A. The synod of
South Carolina will have question to
decide at its coming meeting at Clinton
on Oct 81 that the whole church,
not only in South Carolina but through
out the country, is interested in. The
question at issue is what shall be the at
titude of the church in reference to Sun
day observance.
On March %, 1898, Miss Sadie NJ.
! Means was suspended from the com
munion of the Independent Presbyterian
church OF Columbia because, as an en-
plOyee of the telephone exchange, she had
to work several hours on Sunday.
The session of the church, under the di-
rectiOn of the pastor Rev. G. A. Black
burn, called upon her to give up her posi-
tion, but this she refused TO do. she was
! tried by the session and on her own ad-
mission that she worked on Sunday and
refused 10 quit such work, she was ex-
communicated.
1t was absolutely necessary for her to
work on Sunday To gain a livelihood, and
to most people in Columbia that seemed a
| sufficient reason why she should not give
up her place.
AT the meeting of the session Mr.. l. A.
McCreery, an elder, offered to give Miss
Means a position in his store at the same
salary, provided she would give up her
position in the telephone exchange She
refused this Offer as well as another one
mo do hut I4n hos /,
her tuition to learn stenography and type
writing.
MISS MEANS APPEAL.
Miss Means appealed from the decision of
the session, alleging, among other things,
that no formal notice of any charges had
ever been properly served upon her. and
that there had been other irregularities
during the trial. 1t was also alleged that
There were other members of the church
who were similarly engaged in work on
Sunday, and that nothing had been done
by the session in the matter. The whole
question came up before the presbytery
last spring, and the session was sust tanned
Mr.. Blackburn conducted the prosecution
before the presbytery, maintaining that
the fourth commandment positively pro
hibited any work on the Sabbath
except works of necessity and
mercy, and that Miss Means work
did not come under that head, as she had
been offered other employment.
Prof Finn, of the South Carolina col
lege, defended Miss Means, and contended
that the action of the session was not
legal in several particulars, especially in
not carrying out the forms laid down by
the church law; that Miss Means had
| asked for a letter of dismissal from the
church, which should have been given
her Though it was mott. He argued that
Miss Means work was not any more a sin
| than such paid work of professional men
and servants universally recognized as
lawful Oh Sunday. He commented on the
sessions allowing six members to work
on Sunday, not only as partiality, but as
| case OF governing the church by human
rule, instead of divine laws.
THE SENTENCE CONFIRMED.
When the roll was called the vote was
twenty to sustain and six not to sus-
| tain two eXcused-thus the sentence
| was confirmed
After the vote Mr. Blackburn ex-
| planned to the Dresbytery the principle on
which the session allowed several of it's
members to work on Sunday. 1t was
| substantially as follows:
When he (Mr. Blackburn became
pastor of the church he had imperfect
notions on the Sabbath, but that. after
careful study, his views had changed. and
| he began work of reform in the church.
| lie, IN Juo session. at itSt reached the
| conclusion, that thenceforth no one should
| be received into the church that worked
| on Sunday, and that any church member
| who thereafter should engage in Sunday
| work should be disciplined. But the
| male members referred 10 had become
membe before this rule was made. and
| they were engaged in work when they were
! received, fact which the session regard
| ed as virtual covenant with them that
! this work was not to be made a reason
| for the discipline which was thenceforth
| to be visited on other members He
| thought the sessions course in the matter
| had scripture warrant in two scripture
| analogies, viz; the wrong covenant, which
! the Israelites had to keep with the crafty
! Gibeonites Joshua Ky; and the example
| of the New Testament church in retain
J ing in its communion those who had been
! received as bigamists, while forbidding
bigamy and disciplining for it from that
time forth.
After hearing the explanation DR. Finn
asked: "Can this presbytery sanction
such state OF things as is set forth in
namely, that six members of the church
are living by open covenant in known sin
which is openly denounced and punished
in other members2"
DR.. Finn, as well as Miss Means, en-
tered a formal protest, and the whole
! question is to be decided at the approach
ing meeting of synod The church is
badly divided on the subject and the de-
| bate is expected to be very full and com
plete.