The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-05-21

A spicy sermon against Sunday base
hail was delivered by Rev. Dr. sooy'
pastor OF the Fourth street NJ. Z.
church, last night, to large congrega-
ZION. The theme was THE Interstate
I,eague vs.. Anarchy aud Lawlessness,"
and it was handled with more of the
speakers characteristic earnestness
than usual.
DR.. Sooy's text was from Isaiah, chap
ter Is. verses 10 and IA, 1t referring to
the observance OF the Sabbath, but he
said he would not make any exposition
Of 1t. He would speak more closely
regarding his theme. The Interstate
base ball league, he charged with an
archy, because the managers OF the
teams were promoters of disorder-they
sought to violate and evade the Sunday
laws. 1t might be argued that the base
bali people did not favor disorder and
that Sunday crowds were orderly. a
disorderly house did not have TO be
noisy or rlotous; 1t was disorderly when
1t was not in keeping with law and or
der. In this connection, DR.. sooy re-
called testimony he gave in court Of
Justice regarding the conduct Of gam
bling houses and race tracks, some
years ago.
The meanest kind OF subterfuge was
the Sunday game for charity" and it
was laughed at by opponents and advo-
Gates of Sunday base ball. In defylns
the law, the league took the stand Of
anarchy. The speaker said the league
had legal advice TO defy the law and
continue the Sabbath games, and he
scored the lawyer for offering such sug-
gestlons. Because there were other vio-
latIons is no reason why base bail
games should be played on Sunday. The
speaker read an editorial from the In
telligencer, commenting on 1t favorably
rs hitting the nall on the head.
The antl-Sunday base ball resolution
offered in the second branch of council,
said DR.. Sooy, was test fathered by
the ministers, to test the sentiment of
the liquor men. and it demonstrated the
liquor men were not against Sunday
ball, as had been reported. DR.. sooy
said the outcome Of the fight was being
watched by man with $4,000 at his
back, who intended to erect 4 big beer
garden at the upper end OF the Island II
Sunday base ball could be played.
The question was lodged by some Of
the justices OF the peace. continued the
speaker. Some excused their position
when refusing to make out warrants by
saying: ~ never take criminal business
into my court" Others refused posi-
lively to have anything to do with 1t.
The constables were as weak and cow
sdly as the justices, and DR.. Sooy said
Che people could deal with these officials
At the polls. 1t was lamentable con-
dit!on OF affairs, when a crowd OF men
defy law. advised so to do by legal
counsel, tell the people 1t is none of
their business, while the squires and the
constables. sworn to obey and adminls-
ter the law, refuse to do either, ut is a
situation Of anarchy, said the speaker,
land how do you people like it?"
For yesterdays games there would be
arrests, and every Sunday, continued
DR.. Sooy. The management would be
prosecuted also for refusing to allow a
constable on the grounds the previous
Sunday. The grand jury would deal
with the controversy satisfactorily, he
believed.
The reason OF the Wheeling clubs de-
Gliding to play Sunday ball on the Island
this year. after being scared out in 1893,
and this year by the Belmont county
authorities. was asserted to be official
weakness. The sheriff and mayor were
to blame. This official weakness had
given Wheeling the reputation all over
the nation as being wide open"
town.
Turning his attention to Sabbath
dissertation in general, the speaker
spoke of the parks, and said that one of
them inaugurated Sunday evening con-
certs yesterday, while the fences are
covered with bills proclaimIng that a
Turner'S field day viii be held at the
same park next Sunday, "and you all
know what Turner'S field dag is" re-
marked the doctor sententiously, at
which the congregation smiled.
DR.. sooy then read from a clipping
from Saturdays Intelligencer, relating
to report in New York that Wheeling
was to become the location for the big
championship prize fights, and ne said
that the advantages offered for this
purpose by Wheeling were not sent out
by the Ministerial Union or the Fedora
tIon Of Churches He had been CHARGED
with giving the city bad name. But
the sporting class had lauded its wide
open" features and the devil now
thinks he can come into Wheeling, with
his cloyen hooves, boxing gloves and
tail" he said.
In his conclusion, DR.. sooy argued for
quiet Sunday. He said the base ball
people and other Sabbath vlolators
should be shown that liberty was not
license. This county didn't want con-
tInental Sunday. 1t did not want an
archy. There should be accorded a
liberty to right but not a license to do
wrong.