The evening star and Newark advertiser., 1907-09-07
PASTOR SAYS
GO SLOW ON
SALOONS
Rev. MeIlen Advocates LON
don Sunday" Here--GiVes
Views in Detail.

Il
and perfect observance of the Sab
bath" said the Rev. Henry Merle Mel
len, pastor of Christ Reformed Church,
in speaking Of Sunday observance after
his return from Europe, "and since my
visit to Europe l am stronger on that
! point than ever. After noting the oper-
alton of the London Sunday law l am
! inclined to believe that its adoption
here as trial might be for good for
the present, but believe that all places
of business, including the saloons.
should be closed on the Sabbath, How
ever, we cannot accomplish this all at
once. We are working toward that
end. We might better have Tire London
/ law than the wide open saloon and
drunkenness and disorder on the Lords
day"
Continuing he said;
| II intended studying thoroughly the
effect of beer-drinking and the Sabbath
question in Europe, but ] found that 1
lacked the time to make more than
casual investigations. L found in Ger
many, where spent more time than in
any other single country, that beer
drinking is on the inerease-an alarm
ing increase, I think-and the excessive
use of the drink is having bad effect
on the German people. Everybody
there drinks beer men, women
and children. and the cafes or
saloons are open nearly all the time.
The freedom with which women and
young girls visit the places surprised
me. I saw little actual drunkenness,
but. from talking with people of all
classes and watching them closely, I am
confident that the Germans as a race
are suffering from the habit.
1.-THE effect is not exactly de-
triorating, though it may develop into
that. 1t impressed me as a deadening
of the spiritual instinct, and the en-
hancing of the sordid. 1 was not favor
ably impressed with the Sabbath laws
of Germany, but did not study them
deeply, but the laxity OF regulations
and the beer and wine habit is under
mining the religious life of the con-
tinent.
IT shall certainly oppose the adoption
of the continental Sabbath in Newark.
But the regulations in London i'm
pressed me favorably, and pending the
time when a thoroughly Puritanical
Sabbath becomes practical. ] think that
i the adoption of the London system, or
some similar system here, would be a
good move. think that l would favor
it as a starter in the process of elm
ination; as a step in a gradua, move
ment looking toward perfect SABBATH
observance ~
"In London, and throughout England,
all places have to close until p. m,
and none is an exception to the rule. 1t
applies to drug stores as much as to
! barroms. After every one has had
time to attend church then all may
open, and, think, they have to close
during the evening church hour, but
after that may open at night.
1.-THE law Is strictly enforced, and
appeared to me to work perfectly, and
believe something of like kind would
go far way toward improving condi-
: tions in Newark, where strict Sab
bath closing law would probably be
! impracticable now"
How do the people of Europe COM
pare with the foreigners who immi-
CRATE to this country?" he was asked
II. had no occasion to study any ex-
cept Germans, that is, any who come
here in large numbers. l was In
, France and England. but we get COM
paratively few immigrants from there.
However, believe that we are getting
|
to our citizenship. The average Ger
man-American is superior, in my
! opinion, to the average native of the
Fatherland.
Excepting a general interest in re-
ligion found the Germans interested
. in America and our institutions above
all things else. They never tire of ask
ing questions about conditions here,
ne-fr IN
come here.
"I found less downright ignorance
among the lower classes in Germany
than here. This 1 attribute to their
well-enforced compulsory school laws,
and to the style of journalism that pre-
walls They all can read, and all do
read. The newspapers are cheap, and
while they do not compare with those
of America as far as enterprise and
: initiative goes, they are supe rior as
educative mediums.
There is as much public spirit
} among Germans here as in Germany,
The German American is perhaps most
patriotic, although they are people of
national spirit anywhere. The military
system has been developed until the
empire is groaning beneath the burden.
1.-THE Kaiser impressed me favorably.
Although l did not see him personally,
saw his works, and believe him one
of the greatest of the worlds men. To
him and his family is due the respect
that is given to religion and the preva
lence of church influence as well as
the high moral standards among the
arlstocracy My observations gave me
a full appreciation of the work the Ger
man Presbyterian Church is doing in
America. There. where the Stale
church is ascendant, the influence is
more limited than where the evangel-
ical is preponderent. In the latter COM
munities the religious idea is attaining
rapid development.
"One thing | noticed all over Europe,
and it, more than anything else, made
me proud of my native land, and that
is the lack of respect for women. AL
though the moral standard of the fem
linne sex i'm Europe is probably as high
as In America, they are shown far less
Difference. The little niceties and cour-
tesies which, among all except boorish
Americans, in dealing with women are
almost unknown among all classes on
the continent and in England.
THE large number Of women who
drink, and drink excessively. particu-
larly in London, made me shudder. In