New-York tribune., 1902-06-08
AGAINST SUNDAY GAMES.
REFORMED CHURCH SYNOD DISCUSSES
SABBATH DISSERTATION.
DIR. WORKMAN SAYS THAT TOO MANY So
CIETIES AND CLUBS ARE DEMOR-
ALIzING TOWNS.

Asbury Park n. J., June (SpeciaD.-There
was somewhat decreased attendance to-day up
on the session of the General Synod of the Re-
formed Church in America, number of
ministers were obliged to ieave here for New
York and other nearby cities to fill pulpit en-
gagements for tomorrow. A lengthy discussion
followed the introduction of series of resolu-
tions against Sabbath desecration. The paper
was submitted by the Rev. DR.. E. c. Oggel. of
New-PaItz., n. Y, and called upon the pastors
of the Reformed Church to impress constantly
upon parents and children the sacred character
of the Lords Day It declared against Sunday
travel and visiting, decried the practice of play
ing golf, baseball and other games on Sunday,
deprecated all political conferences on that day
and protested against the attempt being made
in New-York to open the secular schools on the
Sabbath.
President Kittredge objected to the reference
to opening the New-York public schools Sum
day. The proposition, he said, not to hold
school sessions. but merely to open the school
rooms that the poor could use them as read
ing No one. he said, took the scheme
seriously, so that it would be folly for the Gen.
eral Synod even to refer to 1t.
Several Of the delegates denounced Sabbath
desecration. and the resolutions were referred to
the committee Benevolent Societies which
will submit favorable report.
made a plea for the American Bible Society,
which he represented, and the Rev. Dr. George
L. Shearer, of New-York Secretary of the Amer
lean Tract Society, appeared on behalf of that
organization. DR.. Shearer referred at length
to the work being done by the Tract Society
among the immigrants at Ellis Island He said
that Roman Catholic priests and Hebrew rabbis
had made vain attempts to prevent the society
from distributing it's tracts, which were printed
Z, nIcn
told of the suppression by the English author-
ties Of the special tracts prepared by the society
for distribution among the Boer prisoners at
Bermuda, because some of the psalms printed
advised opposition to kings and other worldly
potentates.
The report of the Committee the Disa abled
Ministers Fund was submitted by the Rev. DR..
Herman c. Berg, of Ellenville, n. Y, showing
that 81. 119 was received for the fund during the
year. 1t was decided to designate the second
Sunday in December in each year for the de-
livery of sermons and the taking of collections
for the disabled ministers fund.
The report Of the Committee on the State of
Religions was prepared and read by the Rev.
DR.. Denis Workman, Of East Orange, the re-
tirng president of the General Synod. 1t said
that in the four particular synods and thirty
five classes connected with the General Synod
there were los. 500 communicates. In the last
year there contributed for denominational
objects S276,027 IS; other objects ,$115,412 30;
-
We have not only met the current expenses
of our foreign and domestic missions" the re-
port continues, but have cancelled their in
debtedness bringing them into a state OF f1nan
cial as we'll as moral credit such as they have
not been able to rejoice in for quarter Of
century"
Referring to the drawbacks encountered DR..
Workman ayS: 1T is to be lamented that there
are not more accessions to our membership but
conditions are against an increase. Worldiness,
the rapid rises in wealth and the introduction
of too many societies and clubs for pleasure are
the decentralization of our towns through too
intensive surrender to social gatherings that
come half the year, so that the caro- party fire.
quently usurps the one evening formerly re-
served for devotional improvement. Their dan
gerous approach gambling in their prizes; the
neglect of family religious rites and home train
ing; the supplanting of the regular instructions
and worships of the Sabbath by a plethora of
less substantial ones-these are having their
deleterious effects"
Touching on the young peoples societies of
the church, DR.. Workman says: None shall
exalt more than the young peoples organi-
cations, but when they become a substitute for
the church they are better put entirely away"
There was no afternoon session. Tomorrow
the puipits of the local Protestant churches Will
be filed by the leading members of the General
Synod. The business meetings viii be resumed
on Monday afternoon, when foreign missions
will he considered.