The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-03-07

DR.. ]. b. Clayton preached at Emmanuel
Baptist Church last night on Healing at
sunset" his text being the fortieth verse
of the fourth chapter of St Luke; Now
when the sun was setting. all they that
had any sick with divers diseases, brought
them unto Him; and He laid His hands on
every one of them. and healed them"
After telling of the prejudice which
would not permit Christ to heal on the
Sabbath day. and which compelled him
to wait until shutdown lest the people
share the sin of working on Sunday
by healing, DR.. Clayton referred TO the
opening of places of amusement on Sum
day and the Sunday street ear service.
He said;
Must Serve Higher.
If there be a choice between higher
and lower forms and values Of service in
works OF mercy and necessity, we are
under obligation to serve the higher. For
this reason, and this alone, I. for one,
protest against the opening of places of
public amusement on the Sabbath. 1t has
been only few days since one of our
theater proprietors protested against the
opening OF places of amusement on the
Sabbath, and said he lad never known
OF any real demand for such additional
service.
"Our picture-shows may be the means
of doing good, and they are; for it is a
necessity that our people, especially our
young people. should be amused and en-
tertained Genius, invention, and eco
nomicaI methods have made it possible
to locate these picture-shows in every
section of Washington. as elsewhere, and
TO exhibit the best pictures. These shows
being in every section of the city. are
easily accessible without additional cost
of carsare. They are open from 10 O'Clock
in the morning until midnight, six days
of the week Their price of admission
Is within the reach Of every laborer and
charwoman.
Now. with all these facts in view,
there can be no real necessity for the
opening of these shows on Sunday. While
the church does not demand any narrow
Interpretation OF the Sabbath. it does in
sist, and justly insist that It ought to
have a fair opportunity 10 attract. In
struct. and influence especially our young
people, without being compelled 10 con-
tend against hundreds of places Of amuse-
ment.
Hardship for Carmen.
Some Of our church people are OPP
posed TO the Sunday street car service,
but they are in a minority. That service
may mean some measure Of hardship for
individuals in the service. but that is
only the self-denial Of the few for the
sake of the many which modern social
conditions demand, and which Chris
tianity in principle supports. Owing to
local conditions, both here and elsewhere,
the Sunday street car service Is a work
both of necessity and mercy. Many who
for reasons of proper sentiment desire to
keep intact their social and religious as
sociations could not do so in this city Of
magnificent distances If 1t were not for
the Sunday street car service.
Il do not question that if Christ were
here He would avail Himself Of any
means Of doing good. and that If He
found it necessary or advantageous to
use the street car on Sunday He would
gladly do it.
They are performing a public service
which should receive recognition and
gratitude: and in so far as the Sunday
car service contributes to worthy social
and religious ends, it should be en-
cOuraged and not discouraged. Thousands
would never be able to visit their friends,
and others would never be able to attend
the house of God in which they were
brought up, if it were not for this serv-
ice. Our prejudiees against a broader
view of such matters than were cherished
twenty years ago should not make US
blind to the good thus accomplished -