The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-01-15
MANY MEN WHO
co TO CHURCH
Closing Of Saloons May Send
Them There.
PREACHERS GIVE THEIR VIEWS
ALL NOTICE AN INCREASED At
TENDANCE OF SUNDAYS.

-@-
Is the closing of the saloons Of Salt
Lake on Sunday helping to I'LL the
/ churches Of the city on that day?
This is the question that is perturb-
/ ing the ministers throughout the city
Many and varied are the opinions ex-
pressed. but there is a unanimity or
one point-there has been a decided in
crease in the number of men present
at religious services since the SUNDAY
closing edict has been effectively OBJ
| served.
While no organized attempt as
been made to analyze the situation tt
determine definitely whether this con
ditlOn can be absolutely attributed tc
the elimination of the attractions Of
feTed by the saloon in opposition to the
church, sentiment generally holds thai
way Still there are exceptions Per
hapS the best example of the differ
ences in opinion are furnished by. the
| Rev J. l.. AlbrittOn of the First Meth
odist church and the Very Rev. Dear
| Eddie of the Episcopal church.
Notices an Increase.
L have noticed a decided increase in
attendance during the period that the
I saloons have made at least a plausible
! pretense Of shutting up business" sale
the former last evening. 1.-THE attend.
ance has been very gratifying, in.
| creaslng each succeeding Sunday. un.
| III last Sunday the church was crowd
cd at both services. l was not suf
| nclently thoughtful to attribute it t.
| the absence of the attraction of the
| saloon until it was brought to my at
! tentlon through an article in The Her
/ REFERRING To ho IL, III.
! cess OF the Salvation Army foIIowins
| the closing Of the saloons.
! l heartily approve of the closing O
| the saloons on Sunday. and rejoice i
lhat fact brings men to church VIII,
| would not come if there was anythins
! else TO do. Those men are needed. ant
IL IS TO them that We should carry tn,
| gospel. Once in church they will hav,
suggestions recalled to mind that viii
! bring them back again. 1t is of tn,
| greatest Importance for many .reason
| that the Sabbath should not be desc
! Grated by the saloon, and 1 hope TO Sc
! them kept closed, if possible. Directl,
and indirectly it is an aid to tn
| church"
Dean Eddie's Views.
Dean Eddie takes the other horn O
the dilemma, and without saying a
| much, suggests resentment to the ide;
that men will go to church only whel
there IS no other place to spend thei
| time
! That may be true of the Salvation
Army. and perhaps some churches
declared the dean. 1T is not true q
st. Marks, although St. Marks reache
after the transient element in the cit
quite as much as other religious or
CARNATIONS.
The hotelkeepers have been Of ma
terlal aid to us, and have treated II
with every consideration. Their guest
receive printed invitations to atten
service at st. Marks, and there ar
notices posted in nearly all the hotel
directing strangers to the church
Inc saloons have no effect upon tn
man who wants to go to church. q
least such is our experience.
personally, 1 like to see all law en-
forced and everything possible don
10 surround men with elevating. mr.
ihHuehces- Human nature is sucl
however, that / believe those who ar
striving to prevent the use of liouC
on Sunday are reaching after the ur
attainable. Some have vivid vision
OF the Unattainable in force-such
believe the elimina ton of the liauc
evil on Sunday to be-"
Other pastors, when seen, spoke a
follows:
Other Pastors Speak.
Rev. d. A. Brown of the First Ra,
inst church: I have noticed that theI
was marked increase in attendan,
the last few Sundays, but 1 do n,
Know about the cause Of the increas
nave noticed, and especially last SUI
day evening, that there were a gre;
many more men at the services than
have nc - there before. In fact. la
Sunday ewing there were more me
present than there were women-som
thlng that / rarely seen in churche
The closing of the saloons, of cours
would have a tendency to make
greater attendance at the SaIv;
ton Army and the churches in IL
business district than anywhere els
because such men as would be turnt
out of saloon are not in the habit
going very far to attend a religion
service.
Men Go to Church.
Rev. Clarence T. Brown of the Fir
Congregational church: | have motto,
that there was an unusually large a
tendance at the last two or three SUI
day evening meetings, and it has be,
very noticeable that there have be;
more men in attendance than usual.
had not paiG any particular attentio
though, to what the cause might /
and never thought of it in this lig
before
Rev. P. A. Simpkin Of the Phil
Congregational church said that the
had been a splendid attendance Il
! past few Sundays. but he did not kno
about the cause.
Secretary Axton of the Y. NJ. c.
said that as yet he had noticed
change in the attendance at the Su
: day afternoon meetings, but he had
= doubt that many of those who were
the habit or spending Sunday in S
looms would, if they were kept out
these places, make their appearance
the religious services held near 4
business district Of the city.