The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-11-21
MAYOR H0Os CONDEMNED
Ministers Of All Denomina-
tons Criticise His Views
on Sunday Amusements.
INDISGREET AND ALARMING
Mr.. Scudder Sees in the In
terview a Bid for a Certain
Glass Of Votes Other
Sermons.

liiodSlt0lt t1tC &t%9 N1S
ers of various denominations preached
upon Sunday observance with particular
reference to Mr.. Hoos' recent utterance
that he favored sacred concerts and SINH
lar amusenlents on the Sabbath Day.
AT the First Congregational Church,
Bergen and Boyd avenues, last evening,
the pastor, the Rev. John L. Scudder,
in a prelude, referred to the statements
recently made by Mayor Hoos regarding
sacred concerts on Sunday, He said
aShall we have Sunday theatres in Jer-
sey City? The Mayor of this city has
declared himself III favor of open theatres
upon the Sabbath day. This indiscreet
and alarming utterance has stirred up
the religious element Of this city as
never before and converted the churches
into vigorous centres OF opposition. A
new issue has suddenly been sprung upon
us. Mayor is a candidate for re-
election, and those sentiments of his, SO
openly expressed, are construed by
the church people as a deliberate bid for
a. certain class of votes in the Spring
election II a rash defiance Of Christian
sentiment and custom.
sOf course, the Mayor has the right to
his private opinions, but his holiness in
siding against the churches and cham
pioning a cause which wounds the feel
ings and disturbs the conscience OF Chris
tian people is, to say the least, politically
unwise, and certain to create a wide
spread dissatisfaction in religious circles,
which will manifest itself disastrously at
the ballot 0
There are certain good traits in our
Mayor, which we are pleased to admire
ard frank to acknowledge. but on the
Sunday question ne and the churches OF
this city stand dramatically opposed.
The laws upon the statute books, which
prohibit the opening Of the theatres ON
the Sabnsia day may be referred to as
antiquated and blue by irreligious people,
but / affirm them TO represent the senti-
ment of organized Christianity today,
and any attempt to change them viii be
a Illuminating failure.
Now, let it be distinctly understood
that Christian people. as . rule, have no
objection to proper afnusenents on week
nights. The legitimate drama has its
place in civilization. and witnessing a
clean, moral play is not a sin, hui we do
not believe in open theatres on the Sab
bASA t@ty GIN VIZ IN WcfAA 49, 44
this city.
THE trouble with our Mayor is this:-
With ore bold stroke HI ebiitefates the
distinction between the Sabbath Gay ard
the remaining days Of the week. Now,
there is stnreHaous difference in tie
nainas Of religious people. and any at
tempt to destroy it runs counter to the
deepest current in American Christianity.
we like our American Sabbath and want
no foreign ilaportations. Doubtless some
people may consider us old fashioned IN
Jersey City, but | maintain hat en- this
Sunday question the old fashion is the
best fashion.
We are opposed to the unnecessary
standardization OF the Sabbath Day. Ine
theatres have six evenings and two after
Moons a week. Is not this ~enougil2 Do
they want their actors to work seven
days in a week and destroy our Sabbath
Of rest and worship? But they cannot do
il, even # led by the Mayo himself,
for the sentiment of ire people is ain
it. Our American Sabbath is too Venera-
bic an Institution to be lightly and irfgev-
erently brushed aside. It. would be a
sorry day. indeed, If the element OF
amusement should ever supplant the eie-
ment Of worship. The strongest nations
on this earth toady are those that mag
Nifty the moral and spiritual nature
Goodness gives stAbfilty TO a people.
and this supreme quality is fostered BY
the church.. not by the playhouses.
Anausenaents. after all. are only side is
sues. The matefialistic tendencies OF our
times are alarming, and Christian people
should arise en- masse against them. l
prophesy that if a wide open Sunday
is to become the issue in the next NUM-
eipal campaign the allied churches of this
city, together with their friends and SYM
pathizers, Will treat the politicians to a
surprise which they viii never forget.
Because the churches are doing a quiet
work they are got dead. They have DEM
o~nstrated their power in times past and
they Will do it again. Once they rose in
that might and ballot box suffers
marched to the penitentiary. Again they
rose against race track gambling and
now the old Gutenberg Is going to be
in the past let the enemies Of the Amer
lean Sabbath beware and keep their pro-
fame hands off the cherished institution. ?