The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-24
THE SUNDAY CRUSADE
It's Features and Purposes Defended by lis
Pioneer Promoter.
STATEMENT BY REV. F. A. DONY


Arraigned-The American Sabbath
Union Still Has Permanent Head
quarters in Scranton-The Secre-
tary Says He Is Yet Undaunted.
The TRIBUNE has received, with a re-
quest to print, the following communi-
cation from Rev. T. A. Dony, secretary
of the American Sabbath union:
The Sunday crusade-so named by its
enemles-was no child's play or visionary
scheme or dreamers. 1t was product OF
circumstances and confronted conditions
II Is by no means abandoned as u failure.
The enemy may eXulr, but the Sabbath
forces are not routed. 1t was not fight
of cockerels, nor contest In which brute
force decided the issue. Its promoters be.
lleved in the movement as aU effort to save
an Institution OF general necessity-the
Christian Sabbath. 1t appeared to them
cause III which every Christian in the
city should be uuited and one in which all
who toll for daily bread should have "a
common interest. As they viewed it the
sccularization Of the Sabbath meant its
gradual but certain overthrow They
looked upon the holiday features of its OBJ.
servance in this city, and the utter dsre-
gard in certain quarters and by many
business men Of the sanctity of the day as
one OF the darkest signs of the times, iu-
Vitlng defiance OF law and the spirit of an :
archy, menace to that Christianity
which is the nations foundation and an in-
SUIT TO the God to whom as people We
profess allegiance
That which will NOT ,oo,, ~
forgotten, and which is but begun. came
OF the concern OF the city's truest citizen
ship for her good name. 1t was set for
law and order against the shameless disre-
gard OF every principle of our holy Chris
tianlty. For it were the Christian
churches, ministers and people; against it
were tie grasping, whose sole purpose was
galn-and there is no distinction NOR ally,
whether 1t is the soda fountain or the beer
keg in thiS-the patrons of the vilest re-
sc ts, the rabbe. Every law breaking sa-
loon, and brothel and gambling den Of the
city, the blasphemers and the scoffers at
God ana Christians, were combined in re.
.lstance to this effort Of the city to clean
itself. There was 'forn and there was
an against and the "betweensn were
the enemy's best allies who demonstrated
by their weakness the necessities Of the
u
tion, but the rout of the enemy is as GER
tain as the rising of the sun.
THE MOVEMENT IN RETROSPECT
For three years and more the office of
the American Sabbath union for North
eastern Pennsylvania has been in this city
IL has not been without influence Its sec
retary has spoken Of his one theme, Sab.
bath Observance, in most OF the churches;
has addressed the meetings Of the pastors,
conventions and assemblies, and has kept
the work Of Sabbath protection before the
people. In the early part OF last year
practical action was begun by the organi-
zatlon or local committees. The success OF
these committees has been extraordinary
and in several towns Sunday business has
been entirely removed. The movement is
not n crusade In any sense and those in this
city who depreciate and criticize its begin.
nlngJ ignore and overlook full three
fourths of its history. 1t began here on
March Il last with a ten days canvass bv
discreet Christian committees-twen
three In number-whose duty it was to con-
Ter with every business man and repre-.
sentative of Sunday work, inyit.
ing cooperation. The work culmi.
mated April ! in tho general closing
OF ali places OF business on Sunday. To
their credit be it said there was scarcely a
saloon in the city that did not show this
movement marks OF respect That any
proprietor w9s overlooked was the fault
OF individual committees and not OF the
general management, and IL any had ex-
cuse to take advantage Of this fact it was
| tle class above named and not the half
dozen druggists who posed as martyrs.
Inc ilrst arrest was made after one full
month OF argument and persuasion, and
| alter due notice to offenders, and its sub
Ject was the proprietor of bakery who
hau iefed our committee and shown him
ser 10 oe an anarchist and an intide. OF
the arrests made for violations OF the act
OF 1874, five We're druggists, two were
cigar dealers, thres were bakers and Ice
cream dealers, one fruit vender, and
When II may be said that diligent assist
ants TO the secretary Of the American
sabbath union were unable to secure
| proofs sufficient to convict against a
larger number of offenders it IS no small
| compliment to q movement which was 60
widespread aud successful, and it is also a
commentary on the Nervousness of re-
sisting and obstructing for gain move
ment so full OF promise. Again repeat
that not less than 500 places of business.
| previously open on Sunday. respected and
conformed TO this movement. Its col.
| lapse means the loss Of these valuable re.
suits.
THE METHODS DEFENDED.
AS transparent as the light of the sun
was the spirit and motive of the Sunday
closing movement. 1t set out to be con.
siderate aud kind and to reason with the
offender, no matter what might be his pur.
suit. Its keynote was ''six days for labor
and one for rest" 1t secured the honest
and hearty cooperation Of nne-tenths OF
those who had through force OF circum-
stances or otherwise offended against the
Christian sentiment of this city and the
laws OF the commonwealth by the trans
action OF worldly business on the
Lords Day. But one course was open to
the managers Of the movement to prevent
It's failure and protect its friends, and that
was the enforcement OF the laws against
those who resisted and deiied all methods
OF procedure. To prosecute implies 0
prosecutor, That this is no enviable posi-
tion is well known. 1t went begging for
lncumbents until, from sense OF duty,
the writer shouldered that burden also
III the interest of the great work. Success
1ul prosecutions demanded proofs and
these were obtained in an open aud honor
able way, and convictions followed In
every case, until the defendants adopted
the dishonorable methods Of eliminating
themselves, thus distorting penalty in to
license and making the law Of this state,
which was clearly founded on the fourth
| ArVsa 0Rans Il I'LL