The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-05
THEYPLAYED REAL CARDS.
AWFUL LAPSE OF MISS ArIOELROY
AND HER SUNDAY SCHOOL CLABss

Horror Hoids His Ftutterirg Heart In the
Erabury Methodist Church and the Sunday
school superintondent FIELDS Eis Hands en-
mis- OutrnGed breast nnd says HothinE.
Tho congregation of tho Embury Methodist
Episcopal Church OF Decatur street, Brooklyn,
has been brought to the verge OF sinful strife
by a euchro party. Miss Emily MacElroy. q
teacher in the Sunday school, gave tho party.
She invited the members OF her Sunday school
class to como to her house on the night Of
Wednesday, Jan. 10, 10 join in q Salmagundi
party. At n SalmaRundi party the gamut OF
joy may run from "Simon says thumbs up" to
solitaire matches. There were eleven girls in
Miss MacElrcy's class. Three Of tho eleven.
whom they heard that games in which cards
were used were to DO played, decided that they
couldn't possibly 60 to the party IL that were
TO be.
They lot out some hint OF their feelings to
tho other eight. The eight, loving their teacher
dearly. went straightway and told her. 1t was
provoking, to say the least, to think OF trying
70 have n good time when q quarter OF the COM
pany were so overwhelmingly c|ircuUspect that
they would DO sure to think twice before they
smiled and wouldn't play hop scotch for fear
some one would think they were dancing. Miss
MacElroy had been in the church ever since
phe was 8 years old and had always boon n con-
sistcnt Christian. and che and the eight rather
tnOuEnC tDcy COulu Tenuih koou ohu oth h"'o
a party. So the party cam of. When tho
eight faced each other in the realization that
they were not to be restrained by the qualms of
the sanctifed. they pondered with a little pious
yearninR, and concluded, finally, that since
terS to offend, they might with impunity play
any game that wasn't really wicked.
at They SyIn sSw eSe l0 S%d q tS ss~p sSid they ,e en %an ted'b to
"%Wthati' said Miss MacElroy. observing their
Will IN nail
pwered shyly. "Euchre. Miss MacElroy." and
there were seven iuttering echoes OF "Euchre'
They played euchre. They had a perfectly
s ISast they had had enjoyed I" ever ssru SO MI
The three girls who hadn't come heard all
S SiSSs . ;hs paF tScy Th heySr T:Ef not q 's good aia time D' s en-,
when they learned that the party had turned nI.
of church events the story was one afternoon
and evening in reaching Superintendent II: +.
lied. There.was only one course for Miss Mac
Et n S0t to pursue asn land and il , became fSs n9 assrs se9 %itb snat
SOMEBODY told Miss MacEiroy, and she wrote
T 9qt hs She Fs sena Mopd to ant the SEM eish It girls e Mr and S0 thsg
all came to see her. and sho told them that she
wasn't to be their teacher any more, because
Everybody felt badly. The, girls said they
wouldn't go to Sunday school any more II Mis- Is
nIHCElTOy ulu u uo tnCI tCuIhCis .1hO toNA
them that she appreciated their love and would
never forget 1t, but that 1t would be very wicked
Of her to be the cause OF their not going to Sun
day school any more.
Miss MacElroy,'' suggested one, drying her
tears with a radiant smile, why can't we come
The girl who made the suggestion was almost
Rugged to death on the spot. For two Sundays
Bible Class No. l has been taught by another
than Miss MacElroy and the scholars in 1t have
numbered three. Every Sunday just as the
Sunday school was breaking up and getting
pupils have come lovingly down the street from
her home.
The mothers Of the eight have arrayed them
selves on the side of their daughters and the
congregation has been talking the matter over. |
Mr.. Roden's side points to the church rule -!
Miss MacElroy said yesterday: II have served
the Methodist Church faithfully. I am SO sorry
This has occurred. / must say, however, that
never have l seen q rule of the Sunday school
which requires the teachers to declare that they |
will not ,participate in anything like card play:
tho Methodist Church. include this, but 1t Is a
common custom to give q general interpreta-
tion to the meaning of this section. / under
stand that tho teachers, when they accept
classes In the school. are requested to sign
statements saying, that they will not encourage
such a statement and do not like the idea of
being made the cruel example," |
Others in the church have been guilty of
things just as bad. Miss MacElroy:said, and no
notice has been taken OF them. She continued:
Il am still a member of the church, Of course.
We have been urged to connect ourselves with
some other Sunday school,, but as yet ] have |
not decided what course ] shall pursue"
Mr.. Roden's son Walter said II do not think |
that, my father would care to discuss the mat