The times., 1898-04-22
Some Modern PhariSces.

II IS reported that the chief Of the
Brooklyn navy yard has received in
Vulnerable letters from ministers and
other people high in the religious world
protesting against the carrying on of
work at the navy yard On sunday They
express the opinion that ships built on
the Sabbath day viii inevitably be
doomed to destruction and that a war
whose preparations involve Sunday
work must Of necessity be unholy
This argument is open to very much
the same objection as that Of the an
cient gentleman in the annals of Geor-
gia who was trying to dissuade his son
from card playing. Why. you pore
boy, said he, don't you know that
them as plays cards always loses their
money!" Who wins it, then, pa?' in
qUired the youngster. 1t is just 50
about this predetermined destruction of
vessels built on the Sabbath day. AS
Spain is undoubtedly going through the
same performance, besides indulging in
bull fights and other amusement on the
Sabbath day, for which these reverend
gentlemen seem to think man was made,
it is perfectly evident that al the close
Of this unholy war there will be no
ships left on either side. They viii
have eaten each other, like the horses
OF King Duncan, and the only question
viii be, What has become Of the re-
mains2 Perhaps the parsons think
that the Lord viii reach down out of
the heavens and dispose of the whole
collection by means Of some sort Of a
pulverizer, or that submarine volcano
viii undergo an eruption and swallow
all the ships at once. Maybe they think
the Maine was destroyed by the hand
Of the Lord as a punishment for the
sailors who went to that ungodIy sun
day buIlfght or maybe the Maine was
built, some part Of it, on Sunday, or
perhaps some Of the people on board
did some Sunday travelling or some
thing To most people this viii seem
very much like the remark Of the He
brew who discovered, while eating ham
in restaurant, that a thunder storm
was going on outside. He said What
a fuss about a little bit Of ham" Ii is
this sort of argument which delights
Colonel Ingersoll.
It is 10 be hoped for the credit Of the
churches Of America, that these people
who are showering protests ON the chief
Of the Brooklyn navy yard do not rep
resent any large proportion either of
their members or their pastors; and it
is not believed that they do. To be-
lieve that because in time Of national
are carried on seven days in the week
instead Of six. the Great Director Of the
Universe viii feel so insuIted that he
viii consider il necessary to destroy the
lives Of several thousand Of his children
by special interposition OF power Is a
piece Of medieval superstition which
is altogether out Of place at this time
While the clergymen Of this country
have been generally in favor Of peace,
as is entirely natural in body of men
who are professional peacemakers,
there is probably as large a proportion
OF lighting parsons among us as ever
men who in time Of danger are not
afraid 10 rebuke sin and tTeachery in
nigh places. who viii give their blessing
10 young men moved to fight for their
country, and who will sing The Star
SpangIed Banner" as heartily as the
doXology There are some wars which
are merely wars Of greed, aggression, or
offended vanity. The time for a civil
lied nation 10 engage in such wars is
past There are other wars which are
in line with the great laws of the uni
nd n KsFbi igh in,
the saving OF thousands Of lives, the
preservation Of the honor Of women, the
ending of horrible cruelty, is one of