The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-30
FAVORS SUNDAY BALL
A TERRE HAUTE RABBI FAvoRs THE
GAME on THE SABBATH.
First Game of the Season to De Played
mt Indianapolis To-Day-Pre-
liminary Practice.

city is having a war between those opposed
and those in favor Of Sunday baseball.
The civic federation has undertaken the
task of suppressing it and has asked all
the ministers of the city to join the move
ment. With one exception, Rabbi Lyons,
of the Jewish congregation, they accepted
the invitation. The Rabbi said he was in
favor of Sunday recreation in the form
of baseball and refused to join the other
ministers A special request was made to
the rabbi that ne give his views on the
subject, which he did in a lecture tonight.
The following briefly outlines his senti-
ments:
There is forming in this city an organ
ization bent on the reformation of the
city. 1t is based on the presumption that
our city is an awful town, degenerate and
immoral. This is a presumption / cannot
accept. I have given proper examination
to the matter and / find, and now MAIN
tain, that we are not so bad as Sombre
critics of the pulpit assume. / acknowledge
that unrighted wrongs, the violation of
laws and a share of evil exist in our midst.
We are not a heavenly city / avow. I
know of no such place in the terrestrial
geography of my knowledge. We are like
other cities and cities are like individual
men, women, children and ministers. they
have the shortcomings incident to and UNI
avoidable by human frailty. Still our min,
we must have Civic federation.
What does it propose to do? 1t will
seek TO REFORM our CITY by the enforcement
of laws, by closing the saloons on Sun
day, by. outrooting gambling, by prohibiting
baseball on Sunday. It may undertake other
will have it's hands full. What viii it
complish? Nothing Of any worth. Hear
the reasons It viii not aots bring about
Even with the saloons open drunkenness
is seen nowhere and there is no visible
reform the city by closing them? Even If
it does succeed in bringing about Sunday
closing it will not have reformed a single
individual. To the contrary it will increase
the drinking of those who wish to in
dulge and must do it secretly. Besides, the
majority of the patrons of Sunday saloons
are honorable citizens who resort thither
for an hours pastime or refreshments.
Since these people are orderly cannot
see that it is the right of church or min
lister to deny to them what they want.
They want the saloons others want
and they. as much as others, are entitled
to the satisfaction Of their orderly de-
mands. 1t is true that the law requires
Sunday closing. but laws are not absolute,
they express the wish of the people and
as such are subject to such modification
or admit of such modification the wish
of considerable part of the people wills.
LAS to gambling. it is frightful thing,
but can you crush it by law? No more
than you manufacture moral children
by parental law making. 1t is a passion
that must perish by death at it's own hand.
Besides, gambling exists because the he pas
hibit it by law is only to drive 1t into more
criminal hiding If you would by law hedge
about the passion of those who gamble why
not be consistent and fence in the life
OF those young men who sap their life
and character more disastrously in houses
of i'll fame.
Finally, as regards Sunday baseball I
must utter loud denunciation of any at
Quoted without interference with others.
After a boss and his clerk have spent a
wearing week of toll they are entitled to
wholesome, harmless and invigorating
recreation. / am so far from opposing Sun
day baseball that I regret there is not
more Sunday entertainment for the masses
Sunday is a dismal failure as far as the
true rest is concerned. The majority of
the people do not go to church. Shall they
sit and hold their hands and lengthen their
faces simply to please the gloomy relig-
iousness of somber ministers? God loves
faces that beam and hearts that beat with
gladness. Prohibit Sunday baseball and you
will not fill the churches you will cover
street corners and streets with flirting
anybody. A city is composed Of people and
you cannot reform it unless you reform
its people. But you cannot regenerate peo-
pie by law. 1t must be done by suasion
and gentleness. If the ministry and the
church cannot use effectively this, their
proper means, let them acknowledge it and
IF the Civic Federation does succeed in
its intention, to obtain, the Sunday observ-
name of consistency and demand that every
present Sunday business apart from nece--
sity be closed Then must the livery stable
close and the 'tonsorial artist allow his
patrons to go shaggy to church. Cigars
may not be sold and the refreshing foun-
tain must not give forth its cooling soda.
The wealthy constituents of the church
may enjoy their rides of pleasure in hand
some vehicles, but the poor man, with only
tim of the people who prescribe his religion
Thus will the Sunday, the national not
sectarian, day of rest. become a day of
Goddess gloom instead of a day Of hearty
pladness"