The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-04
WOMEN'S CLUBS
MEMBERS OF SESAME EN-
GAGE IN DEBATE.
SUNDAY Observance" Discussed Pro and
con-Judges Award Verdict for Neg
alive Speakers-0ther Club News.

rrThe Present Liberality of Thought
on Religious Questions-Sunday OBJ
~servance," was the subject of an in
teresting debate given at the regular
meeting of the Sesame Club at the resi-
dence of Miss Helen Pointer, Al South
street, yesterday afternoon, with Miss
Emma Richards and Mrs. Andrew J..
Van Deusen supporting the affirmative,
and Mrs. George S. Fowler and Miss
Pointer on the negative side.
Miss Richards approved of the men
tai widening of men In the last century,
saying that the world never profited by
n~arrowness; that truth was many
sided, and that each generation pro-
duced broader views on religious sub
jekts. She thought that of the nine
tenth century poets Browning sounded
the clearest note for freedom of thought
when he declared that the truth was
found within ourselves, and she closed
with the verse, "And We shall know the
truth, and the truth shall set you free"
Mrs. Fowler. on the negative side,
spoke of the necessity of proper laws
to govern the observance Of Sundays,
saying thai all nature. the seasons,
AA 2Gs 6ioNLAlo VI a. 1Aio FC60Aobit
life, etc, were all governed by fixed
laws, and adding hat If the scientific
world was not ruled by certain set
rules Franklin would never nave dared
toi proceed with his Investigations
which resulted in the Harvesting of
electricity, or Edison would not have
been able to pursue his experiments.
Mrs. Fowler declared that in regard to
the moral world, we were given ten
commandments, and If they were prop
erly obeyed there would be no need for
discussion as to the observance of Sun
day. She said that in the cities of
Missouri, where Sunday was observed,
the percentage of crime was much
smaller than in the days before its OBJ
servation. In conclusion, Mrs. Fowler
said that If the continued liberality of
thought causes us to deviate as far
from the present line as we have de-
Waited from the line drawn by u
Puritan ancestors we are liable to start
for church some day and find our
selves attending a concert.
Mrs. Van Deusen, on the affirmative,
read extracts from a book of the old
blue laws, in order to prove how much
better are the conditions of today. Miss
Pointer then spoke for the negative,
saying she wondered what the Puritans
would think Of golf, motoring and
other modern Sunday amusements. She
declared that with the increase of fri
voiity had come a like increase Of vice.
and said that with many Sunday had
come to be a day of pleasure alone.
Miss Pointer thought that the coming
of so many foreigners to our shores had
q great deal to do with the change In
our ideas as regards the Sabbath; that
the continental Sunday had invaded the
United States and captured several
cities. Sh said that the majority of
manufacturers stoutly affirmed that
their church, going employees were bet
ter than the non-church goers.
Miss Isola p. Stonelake, Mrs. w. G.
Hilman and Mrs. Edward Ingalls, acted
as Judges, and they awarded the palm
to the c~ontraries.
Mrs. Henry A. Haussling, the presi-
dent of the club. and Mrs. Fowler were
chosen delegates to attend the meeting
of representatives of the local clubs in
the Free Public Library Thursday
morning, to discuss plans for a club
musicale.
ITOEA ~ "a Ne
Mrs. e. Steelman. of Elizabeth, was the
principal speaker at the regular meeting
OF Nova CaesareH Chapter, Daughters of
the American Revolution, at the home Of
Mrs. Esther H.. Condit yesterday after
noon. Her subject was Patriotic Educa-
tion,' and she talked chiefly of the work
which is being done among the mountain
GERS Of Kentucky and Tennessee. The
Nova Caesarea Chapter pledged itself to
give her $40 to help support the scholar
ships.
Mrs. Steelman then made known a most
interesting fact concerning the New Jer-
sey room in the new Continental Memorial
Hall, In Washington, d. c.. she declared
that q large quantity of magnificent old
English oak boards had been dug from
the sands on the Jersey shore of the Del
aware River, and which would be used for
the walls, doors, mantels. and. II there
was enough, for the furniture Of the New
Jersey room. This wood is what remains
OF Lord Howe's ship, Augusta, which
sank In a storm OF long ago. 1t has been
examined by a connoisseur In wood, who
declared that it was of great value and
would last for hundreds of years.
The wood was obtained chiefly through
the efforts of Miss e. Matzlock. of Wood
bury, who went along the coast buying
the wood from the villagers, who were In
the habit of using it for firewood as fast
as the storms and winds drew 1t up from
the sand. The wood is now stored at her
home at Woodbury.. and win probably be
sent to Washington In the spring,
Over the mantel will be placed the seal
of New Jersey. and the door panels will