The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-04
M'ADOO LECTURES CHURCHES.
talks As A cor" TO PRESBY-
TERIiN UNION.
OerEymCn Can't Compete With News.
papers, Political Clubs or Theatres-IIe
Prefers Sunday Baseball 10 satur.
day Night shows Personal Liberty,

day Night ShOws--PersOnal Liberty,
The Presbyterian Lnlon held It's April
meeting at the Hotel Savoy last night,
and a large gathering Of clergymen was
present. The topic chosen for tho meeting
wss THE Civic Relations Of the Church.
President Charles w. Hand presided and
Police Commissioner McAdoo was the
principal speaker Of the evening. The
! Commissioner said In part:
L was reading In the good book yester-
day las good Presbyterlans do when not
playing golf, that II Is good to bear the
! yoke In ones youth. I've been leading a
strenuous life myself as Police Commits
sioner have also learned TO realize
what IL erroneously stated "a our religion
! that you'll he damned II you do, you'll be
damned II you don't and you'll be damned
anyway, and that's the way OF the Police
Commissioner. shall talk TO you tonight
not Of what the church can do, but what
IL can't do.
in the hrst place you ministers can't
compete With Sensational press They
work seven days TO your one; secondly,
they have at least four editions 70 your
ONE and. thirdly, you can't pander TO the
sensational apPetitss they often have TO-
The Church cannot compete with the politi-
cal club for It has no reward TO ofier like
that Of the political club, The Church
cannot compete with the theatre, for 1t
merely entertAins and the Church must do
more than entertain. The theatres Of this
city as a whole do not make for the best.
When they attempt 70 entertain US II Is
too often at the expense Of the marital
stated They treat IL az joke, and certainly
the Church can't do that, The Church
cannot compete with ethical clubs, II New
York were made up Of ethical clubs I'd
resign the oommissionership. Pm only
speaking as a cop. I've no business to
talk theology,
sThe object OF the Church and ministers
should be, not 10 try and push tho fallen
woman OF degraded man down the grade,
but to push them up. II would be better
to see tho Church do more Of the latter,
too. The Church Is too much like a po-
litical club. II you are IN the club you're
all good, but IL you are not you are bad.
Let the Church touch.the bad people in the
Church. Do that and you won't need any
political crusades. The politician is the
most initiative creature in the world and II
you ministers make Sunday church going
the fashion Of this town you'll soon have
the politician there.
i never was a reiormer myself. I'm
90 busy reforming William MoAdoo that
when get time to reform turn to the
reporters.
when the Church becomes purely a
church then II Il at its best. What we want
In New York IA churches that are churches.
When we get that wen get respect for the
law.
There are many people in New York to-
night who would be tolerant Of things which
the penal code classes as vices. There are
many who have no patience with a strict
enforcement Of the law. II wasn't a cop
I'd tell you the difference between houses
called gambling houses and houses down
town called exchanges. and maybe II would
be so fine distinction that you could not
tell the difference. But the people demand
that those charged With the laws enforce
ment shall enforce the same no matter
what they may think Of the law itself,
i believe that the churches OF New
York are honestly trying to do their duty
and don't believe we could enforce the
law without their help. OF course, they
often make mistakes and are often i'm
practicable. / think they should devote
their reforms to amusements. / want to
say here. however, as a man and a Pres
byterian that don't believe that it Is half
as bad for the poor boy Of the tenements
to play ball on Sunday as It is for him to
go to a theatre on Saturday night.
mo. ] would keep tho boys out OF tho
rotten, immoral theatre on Saturday night.
Let tho boy breathe the fresh air. / was
brought up where you were eternally
damned il you picked a berry on Sunday;
yet say 10 you ministers what have
just said.
Now churchmen often array themselves
as sicklers for the strict enforcement Of the
law. They want il with an axe II necessary.
It's getting warm now and they are already
getting busy.
But what howl OF indignation there is
over any interference with what is termed
personal liberty. They are now coming
after me not to interfere in this way. /
must not interfere with the Bowery bunco
man on account Of personal lberty-or
the wire tapper-and your clergyman gets
caught as often as any one else, and can
prove It, The sacred religion Of personal
liberty / must instruct the patrolman
to carry chapter 1909 OF Blackstone In his
helmet and read that before he makes an
ARTIST Inc luWly hulOilOUlllhL must even
20 two blocks out Of his way to enter the
park while the nursemaid and baby safely
cross the street.
a year ago people said you can't do
here in New York what IL done in London
Your free and untrammelled American
truckman, with bis four hundred years Of
homicide behind him. can't be stopped
like the Britisher by the bobby merely rails
ing his finger. Well In one year we've
done Il and to-day we can stop all trafiic
with the mere raising OF the mounted mans
finger. They know the law IL fairly ad-
ministered and can't be bought
These renar ks may have been sca ttered,
but want to close as / began and say 10
you, Be a church and don't try TO compete
with the theatres or the saloons. II there's
one man In New York take on my hat 20
Il IL Bishop Potter. He's courageous and
fair and ! believe he's trying TO DO tho best
be can but he can't succeed, as he can't
compete with the saloons
The other speakers were r. Fulton Out
ting and Robert Hunter. A collation. was
served after the speeohmakinE.
HAD u. S. TREASURER TO DINNER.