Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-09-18
bicycle Riding on Sunday.

In the current issue OF the Church
Standard protestant EpiscopaD the
Rev. DIR. Stephen ID. Mcconnell, rector
OF Holy Trinity church. Brooklyn, raises
the question as TO the position the Epis-
copal church should assume relative to
bicycle riding on Sunday. He says:
Within the last five years there has
been a phenomenal increase OF out door
recreation on Sunday. III this were con-
fined TO the non-Christian portion Of the
community the question might be post
poned or dismissed. But IL is not. 1t
has depleted the churches, and, what is
of far greater concern, IL has confused
the consciences Of many. The extent
10 which this custom has extended is
but little realized Vy hose to whom the
guidance Of the church Is intrusted. 1t
is probable hat Of a pleasant Sunday
morning 200. 900 bicycles run out from
New York. and a not much less number
from Philadelphia.
ron a Sunday morning last autumn a
New York daily paper had It's reporters
count the wheels which passed from the
! cycle path 10 COney Island between Z
ana ~ O'Clock. During thOse four hours
nearly 100 "A minute were counted, or
NEARLY 24.OJ0 in all. Nor were they rid
J den. ~ far On could b. seen. by rough
Or gO1l"gE people. but by men and wOm-
en- who H.emed 10 be in no way differ.
@nt from the people whom one gees in
churches.
There are tens az thousands u men
and women who five years ago were In
the habit ~ attending church on sun
DAY who now spend the day riding in
the country During the same period
other out dOyr games on Sunday have
wonderfully increased In popularity. As
a result NJ II all. the church II confront
"a with the RTavegt situation she has
f5ced since the reformation.
For centuries before the reformation
The church waE ~ potent In the affairs
~ mon that II could compel their pres
"nce ~ public worship on Sunday,
though they might adjourn in a body
after mass 10 see "A bear batting or 10
play Kkiitles- After the reformation. In
sDTns regions where the authority Of the
church had been broken down. there
RreH up IN" habit ~ regarding the Sab
bath day with an awful reverence.
The heljef 10 the intrinsic sanctity Of
the day was as powerful in securing the
attendance 81 the people al divine ger
wee az IN" earlier belief In the authority
~ the church. In the United States the
practical effect Of the Puritan sabbath
has been beyond computation. II has
thus far created and almost universally
! governed popular habits. customs and
beliefs. Unsupported. as Il IS. either By
scripture or by history, q has served a
good purpose.
When the church rings her bells Il a
Sunday morning In the ears Of a com
munity Of people who have Knocked on
work. and whose hereditary conscience
will not permit them 10 play. the pews
are likely 10 be filled. But VIA IL 20
be expected when the conscience Of the
same people, stu thinking Of Sunday as
a day Of respite from work. does not at
all hinder them from play? Heretofore
the church's rival In the contest for the
possession OF Sunday has been labor;
the time is in sight when her rival will
be amusement.
The question Is upon us, and il Is one
which Will not await the leisure OF
church councils and viii not BE- very
tmuch affected by even the most ponder
Gus dcliverancos Of conventions.
w raise this question as one
Of the gravest practical concern. and In
the hope that the clergy will face IT ir
some practical fashion"