The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-05-19
MINISTERS Want
SUNDAY OBSERVED
PreSbyterians Discuss Question
in Various N. Y. Churches
LOOK TO LABOR UNIONS
One Divine Suggests That Labor
Leaders Begin Movement for One
Day of Rest-GoIf Play
ing Condemned.

New York, May 1S.-The pulpits of the
Presbyterian churches in Greater New
York were for the most part filled today
with preachers from other places all of
the speakers being in attendance on the
sessions of the general assembly.
The Rev. Henry VanDyke, d. D., the
newly elected moderator of the assembly,
preached the assembly sermon at the
Fifth Avenue Presbyterian church. This
is the largest Presbyterian church in the
country, and its capacity was taxed.
The moderators sermon was an appeal
to Presbyterians to come from behind
their denomina Honal barriers and do Lat
tie for God. There is good fighting" he
said, "all along the line, on Fifth av-
enue, as well as on the lower east side"
Three large gatherings were held during
the day. At one of these the report on
Sabbath observance presented to the as
sembly was discussed. The report had
come out fiat-footed aginst Sunday golf,
Sunday excursions, Sunday travelling and
nearly every other form of activity on
Sunday, not absolutely necessary.
The committee criticised the entertain
ments given Prince Henry of Prussia on
visit to this country.
The Rev. DIR. D. w. Moffatt, president
of the Washington-Jefferson College,
said he aid not come to find fault with
motormen and conductors for working on
Sunday nor with their employers, but
with public sentiment which allows and
even demands this kind of Sunday labor.
Sometimes 1 think" said the doctor.
that, after all, we shall have to look
to the labor unions for the remedy. They
could demand no Sunday work They won
on a shorter hour day."
The Rev. DIR. R. S. Holmes of Pittsburg
said, IT am not in favor of an ecclesiasti-
cal Sabbath, but it seems to be that what
people need Is a day of relief from the
eternal rush; one day out of seven to get
acquainted with their families. If you
can pass resolution that will go to the
hearts of the public you will have ac-
complished something. Generally, the
adoption of resolutions is the public fun
eral of a question, preceding the inter-
ment, which Is private, in the minutes
of the general assembly"
DIR. Hathaway then accused the cCm-
missioners to the general assembly of not
being strict on Sunday observance. He
said he had noticed there were some min
listers who file pulpts in this city this
morning and in communities fifty miles
away at night He added, land there
are at least 10000 professed christians
playing If this very minute In the vi
cinity of this city. Pray for them
At a meeting held in the Fifth Ave-
nue. Presbyterian church for the purpose
of stimulating interest In evangelistic
work and at which the great church was
crowded to the doors, the Rev. DR.. F.
Coyle of Denver, Colorado, drew a SOM
bre picture of religious conditions in the
west. He said the people there were ir-
religious when they began life and by
education were prejudiced against all
sorts of Christian work. He implored the
committee on evangelistic work to go
into the western fields.
Further along DR.. Coyle said: II do not
think even Paul, the apostle could have
accomplished anything against such hard
ened indifference as we find in Denver.
| There Is hardly any Sabbath, and abso-
lutely no Sabbath observance. Sinai no
| longer smokes and thunders. In my
| church at Denver we have dismissed as
many members as we have received in
| recent years.